William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams Smith, 26 February 1800

William Stephens Smith to Abigail Adams Smith

Union Brigade, February 26th, 1800.

My Dear:

I have received your letter, by the Paymaster, of the 12th.1 I see your embarrassments, and if I were not prominent to relieve you from them, I should forfeit my charter—the roads are bad, the season is inclement, the Delaware is almost impassable—your mamma cannot bear to part with you, and the President does not know how to let C—— go. These are truths which nobody can deny. I will continue to be honest and say, you must not encounter the hazards of the first, nor do violence to affection, in the last, though I should be happy to have you here. I candidly think, for yourself, you are better there for the present. I am totally absorbed in military business and instruction; I have not been out of the cantonment for sixteen days— I have got handsomely through the duties of the 22d. We are all in harmony and good humour—our camp is a military paradise; if I look, they are solicitous to understand it—if I speak, they jump to execute; in short, they are all obedience, and I am more placid and elegantly serene, than ever you saw me; I think sometimes, if you could but remark me through the day, you would be half in love with me by tea time. You know the point of time, when that generally takes place; for myself, I never take tea in the afternoon.

We had a great collection of folks on Saturday. The Brigade moved to a charm; a prayer, composed on the occasion, was handsomely addressed; a military oration, elegantly delivered; and three verses chaunted to a charm, accompanied with martial music—there is no other worth hearing. Not wishing to dismiss the throng too solemnly impressed, I gave order, that the duties of the day should close with an unison of sentiment and voice, resounding through our camp, and echoing from the neighbouring mountains. Attention, fellow-soldiers:—To the memory of George Washington, called from labour to refreshment, by the Grand Master of the Universe— three cheers and a six-pounder. To the United States and the Federal Constitution—three cheers and a six-pounder. To John Adams, President of the United States, may every blessing attend his exertions in our country’s cause—three cheers and a six-pounder. To the Empire, rising in this Western World; Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men—three cheers and a six-pounder. Drums, signals, columns moving, reducing the hollow square, and opening in full parade with open columns, we, with military dignity, left the stage and the gaping multitude, attentive to the precision of the movement, and the enchanting music of the President’s march.2 You laugh, I know, at my military enthusiasm; laugh on. I really feel sometimes, as if I could “play at bowls with the sun and the moon, and frighten the world with eclipses.”3 Good night, lest I frighten you.

Give my love to your mamma, and believe me, / Yours, truly,

W. S. Smith4

MS not found. Printed from AA2, Jour. and Corr. description begins Journal and Correspondence of Miss Adams, Daughter of John Adams, … Edited by Her Daughter [Caroline Amelia (Smith) de Windt], New York and London, 1841–[1849]; 3 vols. Note: Vol. [1], unnumbered, has title and date: Journal and Correspondence of Miss Adams, 1841; vol. 2 has title, volume number, and date: Correspondence of Miss Adams … Vol. II, 1842; vol. [3] has title, volume number, and date: Correspondence of Miss Adams … Vol. II, 1842, i.e., same as vol. 2, but preface is signed “April 3d, 1849,” and the volume contains as “Part II” a complete reprinting, from same type and with same pagination, of vol. 2, above, originally issued in 1842. description ends , 2:173–175.

1. Not round. Lt. James Smith Jr. was paymaster of the 12th Infantry Regiment (Hamilton, Papers description begins The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, ed. Harold C. Syrett, Jacob E. Cooke, and others, New York, 1961–1987; 27 vols. description ends , 23:202).

2. On 20 Feb. WSS issued orders to the Union Brigade in preparation for the 22 Feb. tribute to George Washington, instructing companies on precise parade order. The troops “performed with the utmost military precision” and afterwards the troops and observers “partook of refreshment at the hospitable tables of the officers, and separated with great harmony.” Capt. Samuel White of the 11th Infantry Regiment delivered an oration in “the plain unvarnished language of a soldier,” saying of Washington that “the freedom you enjoy; the wisely constructed fabric of your government, are his lasting monuments.” White (1770–1809) served as judge advocate for general courts martial in the Union Brigade camp and later served nearly nine years in the U.S. Senate. The New-York Gazette, 27 Feb., reported that “thousands” of civilians witnessed the event (Proceedings of the Union Brigade, Commanded by Colonel Smith, on the Death of General Washington, [N.Y.], 1800, p. 3, 11–19, 24, 25, 26, 36, Evans, description begins Charles Evans and others, American Bibliography: A Chronological Dictionary of All Books, Pamphlets and Periodical Publications Printed in the United States of America [1639–1800], Chicago and Worcester, Mass., 1903–1959; 14 vols.; rev. edn., www.readex.com. description ends No. 38686; Biog. Dir. Cong. description begins Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774–2005, Washington, D.C., 2005; rev. edn., bioguide.congress.gov. description ends ; Hamilton, Papers description begins The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, ed. Harold C. Syrett, Jacob E. Cooke, and others, New York, 1961–1987; 27 vols. description ends , 24:175).

3. The Lark. Containing a Collection of Four Hundred and Seventy Four Celebrated English and Scotch Songs, London, 1742, p. 31.

4. WSS also wrote to JA on 23 Feb. to report on his brigade’s tribute to Washington (Adams Papers).

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Source Project: Adams Papers
Title: William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams Smith, 26 February 1800
Author: Shaw, William Smith
Recipient: Adams, Abigail (daughter of JA and AA)
Date: 26 February 1800

Reference

Cite as: “William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams Smith, 26 February 1800,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/04-14-02-0088. [Original source: The Adams Papers, Adams Family Correspondence, vol. 14, October 1799 – February 1801, ed. Hobson Woodward, Sara Martin, Christopher F. Minty, Amanda M. Norton, Neal E. Millikan, Gwen Fries, and Sara Georgini. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2019, pp. 157–158.]

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