| Y/M/D | Description | Place |
|---|---|---|
| 1854/05/24 | Anthony Burns is arrested for robbery. | |
| 1854/05/25 | Fulfilling his duty as a US Commissioner to uphold Congressional Law, Edward G Loring rules that Anthony Burns is to be returned to his owner, Col Charles F Suttle of Alexandria, Virginia. | |
| 1854/05/25 | Anthony Burns is arraigned in the federal courthouse (lost) before Edward Loring, charged as a fugitive slave. Charles Suttle and William Brent, a Virginian who had bought Burns's service for two years, appear with proof of ownership of Burns. | |
| 1854/05/26 | Between three to five thousand antislavery protesters attend the Great Meeting Organize by the Boston Vigilance Committee (BVC) to aid Anthony Burns. | Faneuil Hall, Boston |
| 1854/05/26 | Lewis Hayden leads a daring attempt to rescue Anthony Burns from federal custody in the Federal courthouse (lost). | |
| 1854/05/26 | Abolitionist led by Thomas Higginson use a battering ram to break down the courthouse (lost) door in an effort to free Anthony Burns. Deputy federal marshal James Batchelder, wounded in the groin, dies. The attackers retreat and Burns remains in custody. | |
| 1854/10/28 | Federal marshal Asa O Butman arrives in Worcester to investigate Higginson's part in the Burns Riot. Confronted by angry abolitionist, Butman escapes the mob with personal assistance from Rev Higginson and Martin Stowell. Butman promises to never return. | |
| 1854/12/05 | Rev T W Higginson and Martin Stowell receives an invitation from Ben Hallet to come to Boston and answer to the charge of resisting the laws of the United States by participating in the attempt to rescue Anthony Burns. | |
| 1854/12/13 | "T W Higginson and Martin Stowell appeared in Court, and gave bonds to take their trial, in the sum of $1,500, each." Massachusetts Spy. Higginson's case will be dismissed for lack of evidence. |
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