31Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 27 February 1774 (Adams Papers)
Your agreable favour of January 19 demands from me more than I am able to pay. My coin will have more alloy tho it bears the same Stamp of Friendship with your own. I was not sensible till I received yours that my last Letter to you abounded with so many terrors. I am not Naturally of a gloomy temper nor disposed to view objects upon the dark Side only. I rejoice that all my fears on that...
32Abigail Adams to John Adams, 15 August 1774 (Adams Papers)
I know not where this will find you whether upon the road, or at Phylidelphia, but where-ever it is I hope it will find you in good Health and Spirits. Your Journey I immagine must have been very tedious from the extreem heat of the weather and the dustiness of the road’s. We are burnt up with the drouth, having had no rain since you left us, nor is there the least apperance of any. I was much...
33Abigail Adams to John Adams, 19 August 1774 (Adams Papers)
The great distance between us, makes the time appear very long to me. It seems already a month since you left me. The great anxiety I feel for my Country, for you and for our family renders the day tedious, and the night unpleasent. The Rocks and quick Sands appear upon every Side. What course you can or will take is all wrapt in the Bosom of futurity. Uncertainty and expectation leave the...
34Abigail Adams to John Adams, 2 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
I am very impatient to receive a letter from you. You indulged me so much in that Way in your last absence, that I now think I have a right to hear as often from you as you have leisure and opportunity to write. I hear that Mr. Adams wrote to his Son and the Speaker to his Lady, but perhaps you did not know of the opportunity. Suppose you have before this time received two letters from me, and...
35Abigail Adams to John Adams, 14 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
Five Weeks have past and not one line have I received. I had rather give a dollar for a letter by the post, tho the consequence should be that I Eat but one meal a day for these 3 weeks to come. Every one I see is inquiring after you and when did I hear. All my intelligance is collected from the news paper and I can only reply that I saw by that, that you arrived such a day. I know your...
36Abigail Adams to John Adams, 22 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
I have just returnd from a visit to my Brother, with my Father who carried me there the day before yesterday, and call’d here in my return to see this much injured Town. I view it with much the same sensations that I should the body of a departed Friend, only put of f its present Glory, for to rise finally to a more happy State. I will not despair, but will believe that our cause being good we...
37Abigail Adams to William Tudor, 15 October 1774 (Adams Papers)
I received your very obliging Letter and thank you for the early intelligence of your designed Tour. I could wish to be a fellow Traveller with you; tho I cannot personally partake, of your joyful reception, I feel no small pleasure in the anticipation of yours. I commit to your care a Letter which I would not trust to any hand less safe than yours. You will carry it Sir with my tenderest...
38Abigail Adams to John Adams, 16 October 1774 (Adams Papers)
I dare not express to you at 300 hundred miles distance how ardently I long for your return. I have some very miserly Wishes; and cannot consent to your spending one hour in Town till at least I have had you 12. The Idea plays about my Heart, unnerves my hand whilst I write, awakens all the tender sentiments that years have encreased and matured, and which when with me were every day...
39Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 25 January 1775 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you last Sabbeth evening in a good deal of pertubation of Spirits. I fear I did wrong in sending it you; I then promised to acquaint you with the result as soon as I knew it. Mr. Adams returnd a monday night in order to Relieve me from my apprehensions. It does not appear that there was any premediated design to raise a Tumult. An officer very drunk sallied forth, and was seen in that...
40Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 3 February 1775 (Adams Papers)
The die is cast. Yesterday brought us such a Speach from the Throne as will stain with everlasting infamy the reign of G e orge the 3 determined to carry into Execution “the acts passd by the late parliment, and to Mantain the authority of the Legislature over all his dominions.” The reply of the house of commons and the house of Lords shew us the most wicked and hostile measures will be...
41Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 2 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
What a scene has opened upon us since I had the favour of your last! Such a scene as we never before Experienced, and could scarcely form an Idea of. If we look back we are amazed at what is past, if we look forward we must shudder at the view. Our only comfort lies in the justice of our cause; and in the mercy of that being who never said, “Seek ye me in vain.” These are consolation s which...
42Abigail Adams to John Adams, 4 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have but little news to write you. Every thing of that kind you will learn by a more accurate hand than mine; things remain much in the same situation here that they were when you went away, there has been no Desent upon the sea coast. Guards are regularily kept, and people seem more settled, and are returning to their husbandry.—I feel somewhat lonesome. Mr. Thaxter is gone home, Mr. Rice...
43Abigail Adams to John Adams, 7 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
I received by the Deacon two Letters from you this Day from Hartford. I feel a recruit of spirits upon the reception of them, and the comfortable news which they contain. We had not heard any thing from N. Carolina before, and could not help feeling anxious least we should find a defection there, arising more from their ancient feuds and animosities, than from any setled ill will in the...
44Abigail Adams to Joseph Warren, 13 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
A Brother of Mr. Adams’es who has been a Captain of a Company in this Town, is desirous of joining the Army provided he can obtain a Birth; he would prefer a Majors to any other. As he has not any acquaintance with any Gentleman in the Army, except Coll. Palmer, he requested me to write you a line, in his behalf; he is a person both of steadiness and probity, and if there should be any place...
45Abigail Adams to Edward Dilly, 22 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
Just before Mr. Adams set off upon his journey to Philadelphia he had the pleasure of receiving a Letter from you by way of New York, accompanied with 3 pamphlets. He determined to have wrote you immediately, but two days after he received them, we were by the Hostilities of General Gage thrown into all the horrours and distresses of civil war. Mr. Adams directed me to write you by the first...
46Abigail Adams to John Adams, 24 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
Suppose you have had a formidable account of the alarm we had last Sunday morning. When I rose about six oclock I was told that the Drums had been some time beating and that 3 allarm Guns were fired, that Weymouth Bell had been ringing, and Mr. Welds was then ringing. I immediatly sent of an express to know the occasion, and found the whole Town in confusion. 3 Sloops and one cutter had come...
47Abigail Adams to Eunice Paine, 3 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
So good an opportunity offering, tho I had not wrote before I have detaind the Bearer, just to thank you for your obliging favour, and ask you how you do? I know how much you have sufferd for your Friends, and pitty your distance from them. As news like the Snow Ball, allways gathers according to the distance it passes, we were not so much allarmd here as one would have immagined; but at...
48Abigail Adams to John Adams, 16 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I set down to write to you a monday, but really could not compose myself sufficently: the anxiety I sufferd from not hearing one syllable from you for more than five weeks; and the new distress ariseing from the arrival of recruits agitated me more than I have been since the never to be forgotten 14 of April. I have been much revived by receiving two letters from you last Night, one by the...
49Abigail Adams to James Bowdoin, 16 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have the Pleasure of acquainting you that I last Evening recieved Letters from Mr. Adams, wherein he informs me that the Congress are determined to support the Massachusetts—that there is a good Spirit among them, and that they have an amazing Field of Business before them—that it is extensive, complicated and hazardous, but their Unanimnity is as great as before—that they have a Number of...
50Abigail Adams to John Adams, 18 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
The Day; perhaps the decisive Day is come on which the fate of America depends. My bursting Heart must find vent at my pen. I have just heard that our dear Friend Dr. Warren is no more but fell gloriously fighting for his Country—saying better to die honourably in the field than ignominiously hang upon the Gallows. Great is our Loss. He has distinguished himself in every engagement, by his...
51Abigail Adams to John Adams, 22 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of june 10, for which I thank you. I want you to be more perticuliar. Does every Member feel for us? Can they realize what we suffer? And can they believe with what patience and fortitude we endure the conflict—nor do we even tremble at the frowns of power.—You inquire of me, who were at the engagement at Grape Island. I may say with truth all Weymouth Braintree Hingham who...
52Abigail Adams to John Adams, 25 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
My Father has been more affected with the distruction of Charlstown, than with any thing which has heretofore taken place. Why should not his countanance be sad when the city, the place of his Fathers Sepulchers lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire, scarcly one stone remaineth upon an other. But in the midst of sorrow we have abundant cause of thankfulness that so few of...
53Abigail Adams to John Adams, 5 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have received a good deal of paper from you; I wish it had been more coverd; the writing is very scant but I must not grumble. I know your time is not yours, nor mine. Your Labours must be great, and your mouth closed, but all you may communicate I beg you would. There is a pleasure I know not whence it arises nor can I stop now to find it out, but I say there is a degree of pleasure in...
54Abigail Adams to John Adams, 12 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have met with some abuse and very Ill treatment. I want you for my protector and justifier. In this Day of distress for our Boston Friends when every one does what in them lyes to serve them, your Friend Gorge Trott and family moved up to Braintree, went in with her two Brothers and families with her Father, but they not thinking themselves so secure as further in the Country moved away....
55Abigail Adams to John Adams, 16 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have this afternoon had the pleasure of receiving your Letter by your Friends Mr. Collins and Kaighn and an English Gentle man his Name I do not remember. It was next to seeing my dearest Friend. Mr. Collins could tell me more perticuliarly about you and your Health than I have been able to hear since you left me. I rejoice in his account of your better Health, and of your spirits, tho he...
56Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 24 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have been hoping every day since I received your obliging favour to get time to thank you for it, but many avocations some from company some from family affairs have prevented. I have not wrote only to my counterpart since; from whom I have received two Letters since you left me. The last was 7 of july, and wrote in better spirits than any I have received since his absence, and gave me...
57Abigail Adams to John Adams, 25 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of July 7 for which I heartily thank you, it was the longest and best Letter I have had, the most Leasurely and therefore the most Sentimental. Previous to your last I had wrote you and made some complaints of you, but I will take them all back again—only continue your obliging favours whenever your time will allow you to devote one moment to your absent Portia. This is the 25...
58Abigail Adams to John Adams, 31 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I do not feel easy more than two days together without writing to you. If you abound you must lay some of the fault upon yourself, who have made such sad complaints for Letters, but I really believe I have wrote more than all my Sister Delegates. Their is nothing new transpired since I wrote you last, but the sailing of some transports, and 5 deserters having come into our camp. One of them is...
59Abigail Adams to John Adams, 10 August 1775 (Adams Papers)
Tis with a sad Heart I take my pen to write to you because I must be the bearer of what will greatly afflict and distress you. Yet I wish you to be prepaired for the Event. Your Brother Elihu lies very dangerously sick with a Dysentery. He has been very bad for more than a week, his life is despaired of. Er’e I close this Letter I fear I shall write you that he is no more. We are all in great...
60Abigail Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 27 August 1775 (Adams Papers)
It was with pleasure I received a line from my Friend to day informing me of her better Health. I was really anxious for her—more so on account of the great mortality which prevails around us. I arrived at my own habitation a fryday and found my family all well—a blessing which I hope will be continued to me. The peaceful tranquility of my own habitation was enhanced to me by a few Days...