1To John Adams from James Warren, 1 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
An Event has lately taken place here, which makes much Noise, and gives me much Uneasiness not only as it Affects the Character, and may prove the ruin of a Man who I used to have a Tolerable Opinion of, but as it may be the Cause of many suspicions and Jealousies and what is still worse, have a Tendency to discredit the Recommendations of my Friends at the Congress. Dr. C——h has been detected...
2To John Adams from James Warren, 11 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
Since my last I have waited with Impatience to hear from you. I mean Individually. The public Expectation to hear from the Congress is great. They dont Complain but they wonder that the Congress should set a month without their receiveing something decisive with regard to us. I presume we shall have it in due time, at least that nothing will be wanting in your power to relieve the distresses...
3To John Adams from Perez Morton, 19 January 1776 (Adams Papers)
Agreable to the Direction of the inclosed Resolution, I am to acquaint you that by a joint Ballot of both Houses of Assembly for the Colony of Massachusetts Bay You are elected one of the Delegates to represent that Colony in American Congress untill the first Day of January AD 1777 And the enclosed Resolve you are to make the general Rule of your Conduct. RC ( Adams Papers ); with enclosure,...
4To John Adams from William Tudor, 25 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you by the Post 3 Weeks ago but have not been honour’d with a Line since your Returnto Philadelphia. I should write oftener but every Thing of Importance is communicated in the Prints, and I am in no Secrets at Head Quarters, and I hate to set down to write when I can’t tell You something worth reading. About 10 Days ago two floating Batteries were ordered down Cambridge River to fire...
5To John Adams from Lemuel Robinson, 30 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
These Lines are to inform you of my Situation which in the Multaplicity of your Business is undoubtaley far from your Mind. Let it Suffice to Say an Army is Raising in which I have no part. As to the part I have taken for Several Years past to prepare for the Last Appeal is not unknown to You. At the Battle of Concord, So Called, You was there When we took post On Roxbury Hill. I was obliged...
6To John Adams from Joseph Palmer, 19 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your Several favors, the last of which, the 10th Inst., I just now received. I have not had time to write, and thro’ abundant business my health has Sometimes been reduced; I now write in Committee of Safety, a few lines at a time as I can; all the business in this Committee has been done by only 6 or 7 Members, upon whom it has fallen very heavy, public business having pressed...
7To John Adams from Charles Lee, 19 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
I receiv’d your obliging letter and cannot express the pleasure I feel in standing so high in your opinion as without flattery I esteem you a Man of excellent judgment and a singular good heart. Some of the queries You offer to my consideration are perhaps above my sphere, but in a post or two I shou’d endeavour to answer ’em, had I not hopes of conversing with You soon in propria persona. I...
8To John Adams from William Tudor, 31 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have this Minute your Favour of 23d. July. We have had, Saturday Night and last Night much skirmishing between the ministerial and continental Troops. The Regulars attempted entrenching on Charlestown Neck Saturday Night, which produc’d a Brush Sunday Morning. They were obliged to desist by the Fire of our ranging Parties. It is said they lost seven and we two Men. There has been a...
9To John Adams from James Otis Sr., 25 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I Recived your favor of the first Current and Note the Contents and in answer say that I am Obliged for this first favor of the Kind Since you have Been In Congress. The Gentlemen of your Comitee have had Every Demonstration of Respect shewn them by the Councell and house of Representatives of this Province and I hope it Was agreeable to them : We have had an agreeable interview and our...
10To John Adams from Henry Knox, 26 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
Encourag’d by your kindly mentioning my name in your Letters to several Gentlemen this way I now take the liberty of writing to you. A number of the Generals desir’d me to act as engineer and said that when the delegates from the Continental Congress came here the matter should be settl’d—myself as cheif engineer with the rank and pay of Colonel and a Lt. Col. Putnam as second also with the...
11To John Adams from Samuel Adams, 15 January 1776 (Adams Papers)
Altho I have at present but little Leisure, I cannot omit writing you a few Lines by this Express. I have seen certain Instructions which were given by the Capital of the Colony of New Hampshire to its Delegates in their provincial Convention, the Spirit of which I am not altogether pleased with. There is one part of them at least, which I think discovers a Timidity which is unbecoming a...
12To John Adams from Benjamin Hichborn, 25 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
From my last, you may form some judgment of the disagreeable state of mind I have suffered from the Commencement of my late misfortunes. Anticipating your approbation, I have so far overcome the restraint I have long labour’d under, as to attempt again to write you. My first interview with Ayscough, after his discovery of the Letters, I think worth relating—(if I had been subject to fits, I am...
13To John Adams from Thomas Young, 2 August 1775 (Adams Papers)
To your request that I would give you my sentiments on the important subject of your Commission which so much interests the defence of these Colonies I answer. Of all pursuits that men have yet engaged in none is more subject to misfortune, imposition, and disappointment than that of minerals. Few are, or from the mysterious and complex nature of the thing can be judges of the matter. Few have...
14To John Adams from Benjamin Hichborn, 28 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
If tears of blood were to follow my pen, they wou’d but faintly marke the distressing anxiety I have suffered for near three months past, to be betrayed into a situation which equally exposed me to the Insults of my Enemies and the Suspicions or Contempt of my Friends, by a Scoundrel whose base duplicity, I coud neither expose or counteract, excited feelings, which often proved too severe a...
15To John Adams from George Washington, 15 January 1776 (Adams Papers)
I am exceedingly sorry I did not know that you were in this place today. Our want of Men and arms is such, as to render it necessary for me to get the best advice possible of the most eligeble mode of obtaining of them. I adjourned the Council of Officers today, untill I could be favourd with your opinion (together with that of others of the General Court) on these heads. They meet again...
16To John Adams from William Heath, 22 January 1776 (Adams Papers)
Being informed that you begin your Journey for Philadelphia this week, I would beg to recommend to your Consideration the Services of Colonel Jeduthan Baldwin, who Joyned the Army the Beginning of the last Campaign, and has Continued ever Since in the army as an Engineer on the works. He has received for the months of June and July from the Assembly of our Colony Colonels Pay. But as the...
17To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 12 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I Write again from Waterton, where I Arrived Yesterday with your Excelent Friend who has been so much Engaged by his Necessary Attention to public affairs that he has had time since you Left us only to run to Plimouth four days ago and bring back your Correspondent to this Crouded inconvenient place, where the Muses Cannot dwell, or the Graces of Elegance Reside. Yet the feelings of Real...
18To John Adams from William Prescott, 25 August 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have received a Line from my Brother which informs me of your desire of a particular Account of the Action at Charlestown. It is not in my Power at present to give so minute an Account as I should choose being ordered to decamp and march to another Station. On the 16 June in the Evening I received Orders to march to Breeds Hill in Charlestown with a party of about one thousand Men consisting...
19To John Adams from William Tudor, 28 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter of the 12th. Instant by Mr. Tracy. But the One you mention to have sent me some Time before I never got. I am much oblig’d by your Exertions to get my Pay augmented, which is now made fully equivalent to the Office. The Concern which you have shewn for the Advancement of my Honor and Interest in a thousand Instances, demands something more than bare Acknowlegements. If...
20To John Adams from Moses Gill, 1 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I am Now Acompanyg Genl. Washington and Lee from Springfield to the Camp—having been appointed by Congress with Doctr. Church to proceed to Springfield and Acompany them to the Camp aforesaid. We Meet them at Spring, lodged last Night at Brookfield and are now under the Escort of the Troop of Horse which is to Continue till we arive at Worcester—where we are to be received by an Other Troop...
21To John Adams from Humanity, 23 January 1776 (Adams Papers)
Whot doth thee thenk of thes trubelsom tiems. Is thar not a caus—ye sin no dout is the caus—but among the many sins that might be named I would naem on and that is slaves keepen. Whot has the negros the afracons don to us that we shuld tak tham from thar own land and mak tham sarve us to the da of thar deth. Ar tha not the work of gods hand. Has tha not immortel soles. Ar we not the sons of on...
22To John Adams from Elbridge Gerry, 4 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
I received your Favour of the 5th of Novr and the Enquiries relative to Vessels suitable to be armed, Commanders and Seamen to man the same, secure places for building new Vessels of Force &c. are important in their Nature, and to have the same effectually answered I propose to submit them as soon as may be to the Court that a Committee may be raised for obtaining the Facts from the Maritime...
23To John Adams from William Tudor, August 1775 (Adams Papers)
You was inquiring the other Day into the Office of Judge Advocate. I will now acquaint you with some Particulars in that Department which will give you an Idea of that Officer’s Duty in the Continental Army. As Judge Advocate, I have his Excellency’s (the Commander in chief) Orders, in writing, “to attend every General Court Martial, not only those of the Line but of each Brigade throughout...
24To John Adams from Lemuel Hayward, 1 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
The small Acquaintance I have had with your Honor emboldens me to write you on an Affair which has given me no small degree of Perplexity, out of which I hope your Influence, and wonted Benevolence will relieve me. What I have respect to is the fixing of Surgeons in this Hospital. Ever since Lexington Battle I have been wholly engaged in the Service of my Country as a Surgeon; on that Day I...
25To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 5 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have had the pleasure of seeing several of your Letters in which you Complain that your friends are Rather remiss With Regard to writing you which I think inexcusable at a time when the Liberties of all America and the fate of the British Empire Depend, in a Great Measure on the Result of your Deliberating for if that Respectable Body of which you are a Member, fails, (Either from want of...
26To John Adams from William Judd, 24 January 1776 (Adams Papers)
The Debtors Confined in this Goal have Prepared a Petition to the Honourable Continental Congress, praying that they woud devise or Recommend some Measure to prevent Mens persons from being Arrested or Confined in Goal for debt, during the present unhappy Conflict—which by the desire of the Petitioners I have inclosed to the President desireing him to present the same to that Venerable Body,...
27To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 3 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
I had the honour some time since to receive your Favour of the 14 Ultimo which I am now to acknowledge. The Enemy have not made any important movements for a considerable time. Last week Genl. Howe sent 300 of the poor inhabitants of Boston to be landed near Point Shirley, which was such a distance from any Houses where they might receive entertainment and many of them being in very poor...
28To John Adams from James Swan, 4 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
By a resolve of Congress the 18th of Oct. last, I perceive the Sufferers by fire and Seizures, occasion’d by the Enemy, are invited to lay their loss before them. For that reason I now trouble you, as one of the Committee. You are doubtless acquainted with the General damage from the fire, which happen’d last May, in the Town dock of Boston, caused by Genl. Gage’s 47s. or Tarring and...
Watertown, 6 September 1775. Printed form with spaces filled in appropriately ( Adams Papers ); signed by Perez Morton, Deputy Secretary, and fifteen Council members; on the verso in an unidentified hand: “J. Adams Esq.”; docketed in later years by JA : “Commision.” This commission, listed in Council records under the date of 8 September, was approved at the same time as similar ones for John...
30To John Adams from Edward Dilly, 3 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have only One Moments opportunity of acknowledging your favor of the 30th of Decr and of informing you that the Packet inclosed was sent agreeable to direction. Every friend of Liberty and the English Constitution rejoice to hear of the Firmness and unanimity of our Brethren in America. By your own Virtue, Valor and Perseverance you are to expect a deliverance from the Yoke. Every attempt...