151Abigail Adams to John Adams, 17 September 1777 (Adams Papers)
I have to acknowlidge a feast of Letters from you since I wrote last, their dates from August 19 to Sepbr. 1. It is a very great satisfaction to me to know from day to day the Movements of How, and his Bantitti. We live in hourly expectation of important inteligance from both armies. Heaven Grant us victory and peace, two Blessing s I fear we are very undeserving of. Enclosed you will find a...
152Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 17 September 1777 (Adams Papers)
Your very polite favour was handed me this Evening. I esteem myself much obliged for the enclosed plan, but I cannot describe to you the distress and agitation which the reception of your Letter threw me into. It was some time before I could get resolution to open it, and when I had opend it I dared not read it. Ten thousand horrid Ideas rushd upon my Soul. I thought it would announce to me...
153Abigail Adams to John Adams, 21 September 1777 (Adams Papers)
I immagine before this reaches you some very important Event must take place betwen the two Armies. Affairs on all Sides seem to be workd up to a crisis, How is putting his whole force in action and seems determined to drive or be driven. I feel in a most painfull situation between hope and fear, there must be fighting and very Bloody Battles too I apprehend. O! how my Heart recoils at the...
154Abigail Adams to John Adams, 5 October 1777 (Adams Papers)
I know not where to direct to you, but hope you are secure. Tis said in some part of the Jersies, but I know this only from report. I sent to Town yesterday (saturday) but the Post did not get in till the person by whom I sent came out of Town. I could not rest but sent again this morning. The Post came but brought no Letters for me, and but two for any person that I could learn, and no late...
155Abigail Adams to John Adams, 20 October 1777 (Adams Papers)
Tis true my dearest Friend that I have spent an anxious 3 weeks, and the sight of a Letter from you gave me joy beyond expression. I had sent every post day, and every post was dissapointed. For 3 week s I could not learn one word with certainty—nor can I now determine whether you are 88 miles nearer to me or farther of than you were before. I was greatly surprizd when I heard that the Enemy...
156Abigail Adams to John Adams, 25 October 1777 (Adams Papers)
The joyfull News of the Surrender of General Burgoin and all his Army to our Victorious Troops prompted me to take a ride this afternoon with my daughter to Town to join to morrow with my Friends in thanksgiving and praise to the Supreem Being who hath so remarkably deliverd our Enimies into our Hands. And hearing that an express is to go of tomorrow morning, I have retired to write you a few...
157Abigail Adams to Isaac Smith Jr., 30 October 1777 (Adams Papers)
A favourable opportunity offering by Mr. Austin of writing to you, I embrace it, in compliance to your pappa’s request as well as my own inclination. The uncertainty of a conveyance to you has prevented many of your Friends from writing to you, and when an opportunity has offerd the fear of a miscarrage has obliged them to say little else than what regards the State of their Health and the...
158Abigail Adams to John Adams, 16 November 1777 (Adams Papers)
In a Letter which came to me to Night you chide yourself for neglecting writing so frequently as you had done. Tis true a very long space of near a fortnight past, without my hearing one word from you. I cannot help feeling anxious when such a space elapses without receiving a line, but I have no reason to complain. You have considering your avocations been more attentive than I had reason to...
159Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 15 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
Your Letters arrived in the absence of Mr. Adams who is gone as far as Portsmouth, little thinking of your plot against him. O Sir you who are possessd of Sensibility, and a tender Heart, how could you contrive to rob me of all my happiness? I can forgive Mr. Geary because he is a Stranger to domestick felicity and knows no tenderer attachment than that which he feel s for his Country, tho I...
160Abigail Adams to Daniel Roberdeau, 15 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
Your obliging favour came to hand yesterday in the absence of my dearest Friend, and as he will not I fear reach home before tis too late to write by the post, or this conveyance, I have venturd to take up the pen least you should accuse him of neglect or inattention. I have been the more readily induced to write as it gives me an opportunity of acknowledging with gratitude the many civilities...
161From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, with Postscript by Abigail Adams, 8 February 1778 (Adams Papers)
Two Days ago, I was favoured with your polite and elegant Letter of January 22. I have received so many of your Letters, within a few Months, containing such important Matter, in So masterly a style, that I am ashamed to confess I have answered but one of them, and that only with a few Lines. I beg you would not impute this omission to Inattention, Negligence, or Want of Regard, but to its...
162Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 15 February 1778 (Adams Papers)
I little thought when you left me, that so much time would have Elapsed before I had taken my pen to write to you, but indeed Sir my Hands and my Heart have both been full. My whole Time has been taken up in prepareing my dearest Friend, and Master John for their Voyage, and yesterday they Embarked from this Town, the place you well know, Hofs Neck. I think the wind has been fair for them to...
163Abigail Adams to Elizabeth Smith Shaw, March 1778 (Adams Papers)
I was meditating a Letter to my dear Sister when her agreable favour reachd my Hands. Tho my own felicity is over cast, I can rejoice in that of my Friends and tis with pleasure I hear of your Health and happiness which are very dear to me. The Scene which I have had to pass through, and in which you so kindly sympathize has put to the full proof all my fortitude and patriotism, and required...
164Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 1 March 1778 (Adams Papers)
I am greatly allarmed and distressd at the intelligence from Bordeaux, with regard to Dr. Franklin, which if true must be attended with very serious consequences. I had just acquired fortitude sufficent to withstand the dangers of the Sea and open and avowed Enemies, but was not prepaird for the assassinateing knife of a Ravellick. —Is there no method that congress can take to chain these...
165Abigail Adams to Hannah Quincy Lincoln Storer, 1 March 1778 (Adams Papers)
My dear Mrs. Storers obliging favour was handed me to day. It found me with an additional Weight of anxiety upon my mind. I had been just able by the force of philosophy and I would fain hope by nobler Motives, to acquire a sufficent Stock of fortitude to support me under the most painfull Seperation I have yet been call’d to endure, when last Mondays paper gave me a Shock that I was not armd...
166Abigail Adams to John Adams, 8 March 1778 (Adams Papers)
Tis a little more than 3 week s since the dearest of Friends and tenderest of Husbands left his solitary partner, and quitted all the fond endearments of domestick felicity for the dangers of the Sea, exposed perhaps to the attack of a Hostile foe, and o good Heaven can I add to the dark assassin, to the secret Murderer and the Bloody Emissary of as cruel a Tyrant as God in his Riteous...
167Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 9 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
Your repeated kind favours demand my acknowledgment. I own I have been rather remiss in not sooner noticeing them. I must plead many avocations in excuse, with which you know I am cumberd; and the real Dearth of any thing worth communicating. Some part of the time my mind has sufferd a distress which cannot be discribed, upon account of intelligance which you very cautiously conceald from me,...
168Abigail Adams to John Adams, 18 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have waited with great patience, restraining as much as posible every anxious Idea for 3 Months. But now every Vessel which arrives sits my expectation upon the wing, and I pray my Gaurdian Genious to waft me the happy tidings of your Safety and Welfare. Heitherto my wandering Ideas Rove like the Son of Ulissis from Sea to Sea, and from Shore to Shore, not knowing where to find you....
169Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 21 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
I will not again be so long silent, indeed your repeated kind favours call upon me for acknowled g ment. They have afforded both to me, and my Friends a very agreable entertainment, and I esteem myself much obliged that you not only so kindly endeavour to supply the loss of your company, but to releave the many solitary hours which you well know must fall to my share in the absence of a nearer...
170Abigail Adams to James Warren, 7 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
Your Billit was deliverd to me a Day or two ago. I am much obliged to you for your kind offer but indeed Sir I know not where to find my Friend, my Imagination wanders like the Son of Ulyssus from Sea to Sea and from Shoar to Shoar. Tis now four months since the Boston saild in all which time we have never heard a word from our Friend’s. Our Enemies tell us that She is taken and carried into...
171Abigail Adams to John Adams, 10 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
I should write to you with a much more cherefull Heart if I knew where to find you, but as yet I have no inteligance which can be relied upon. I have already wrote several times, by different ways. It wants but a few days of four months since the Boston saild and in all that time we have received no inteligance with regard to her but what was a week ago printed in a New York paper, viz. that...
172Abigail Adams to John Quincy Adams, 10 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
Tis almost four Months since you left your Native land and Embarked upon the Mighty waters in quest of a Foreign Country. Altho I have not perticuliarly wrote to you since yet you may be assured you have constantly been upon my Heart and mind. It is a very dificult task my dear son for a tender parent to bring their mind to part with a child of your years into a distant Land, nor could I have...
173Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 12 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
Will you forgive my so often troubling you with my fears and anxieties; Groundless as some of them have been they were real to me for a time, and had all the force of truth upon me. I most sincerely wish my present uneasiness may arise from as fi c ticious a cause as the former proved to be but from many circumstances I fear it will not. Tis near four months since the Boston saild, in all...
174Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 12 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
My spirits are rather low, I do not feel in any great moode for useing my pen, yet I cannot let this opportunity slip without expressing my concern for your Health. The Humour you complain of, is a sad compound I fear, among the ingredients the Salt Rhume is of the most obstinate and inveterate kind as I can assure you by sad experience. I have tried many things with little or no Effect. Where...
175Abigail Adams to John Adams, 18 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
At length my anxiety is relieved and the happy happy tidings of your arrival and safety in France has reachd my Ears and blessd my Eyes. By an English paper taken in a prize and carried into Salem, under the Paris News there is mention made of my Dearest Friends arrival at the abode of the venerable Dr. Frankling.—What have I not suffered for this month past? The Fear of your being finally...
176Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 24 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
I know not whether I ought to reply to your favour of April the first, for inded Sir I begin to look upon you as a very dangerous Man. It was a Saying of a very corrupt Statesman that every Man had his price, had Sir Robert Walpole impeachd mankind with a universal Love of Flattery I believe his assertion would have been more agreable to Truth, but I suppose he was judgeing others by his own...
177Abigail Adams to John Adams, 30 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
Shall I tell my dearest that tears of joy filld my Eyes this morning at the sight of his well known hand, the first line which has bless ed my Sight since his four months absence during which time I have never been able to learn a word from him, or my dear son till about ten days ago an english paper taken in a prize and brought into Salem containd an account under the Paris News of your...
178Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 30 June 1778 (Adams Papers)
As I have so often troubled you with my fears tis a debt I owe your patience to communicate to you my happiness. To a Heart so susceptible as the person I address I need not discribe the joy I experienced this day in receiving Letters from my dear absent Friend informing me of his Safety and Health. He arrived at Beaudeaux the begining of April and reachd Paris the 8th, but I know not what...
179Abigail Adams to John Adams, 15 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
By Mr. Tailor, who has promised me to deliver this with his own hand to you, or distroy it if necessary, I take the liberty of writing rather more freely than I should otherways venture to do. I cannot think but with pain of being debared this privilidge, the only one left me for my consolation in the many solitary and I may add melancholy hours which pass. I promissed myself a negative kind...
180Abigail Adams to John Thaxter, 23 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have not wrote you so soon as I should have done, if I had known where to have directed to you, but your kind favours of july 6 and 10 which reachd me yesterday leaves me no longer at a loss. I will not leave you any longer in Suspence with regard to your worthy parent who has happily recoverd from the small pox. I omitted writing before not being willing to tell you that he had so...