351John Adams to Abigail Adams, 6 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
You have had many Rumours, propagated among you, which I suppose you know not how to account for. One was, that Congress, the last Summer, had tied the Hands of General Washington, and would not let him fight, particularly on the White Plains. This Report was totally groundless.—Another was, that at last Congress untied the General, and then he instantly fought and conquered at Trenton. This...
352John Adams to Abigail Adams, 6 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
This Evening Major Ward deliverd me Yours of 23d. of March.—It is a great Pleasure to me to learn that your Flour has arrived. I begin to have some opinion of my good Fortune. If I could have been certain, of the Vessells escaping the many Snares in her Way, I would have sent a dozen Barrells. The Act, my dear, that you were so fond of will do no good. Legislatures cannot effect...
353Abigail Adams to John Adams, 7 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
I hope to receive some Letters from you this week, the date of the last was the 7 of March and now tis the 7 of April. I cannot suppose according to your usual practice but you must have wrote several times since; I sent a Letter to the post office a Saturday, but yesterday hearing of an express I thought to write a few lines by it, just to tell you that the family are well as usual, that I...
354John Adams to Abigail Adams, 8 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
Yours of 26 March came by this days Post. Am happy to hear you have received so many Letters from me. You need not fear Writing in your cautious Way by the Post, which is now well regulated. But if your Letters should be intercepted, they would do no Harm. The F armer turns out to be the Man, that I have seen him to be, these two Years. He is in total Neglect and Disgrace here. I am sorry for...
355John Adams to Abigail Adams, 13 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
Enclosed with this you have a Correspondence, between the two Generals, concerning the Cartell for the Exchange of Prisoners. Washington is in the Right, and has maintained his Argument with a Delicacy, and a Dignity, which do him much Honour. He has hinted, at the flagitious Conduct of the two Howes, towards their Prisoners, in so plain and clear a manner, that he cannot be misunderstood; but...
356John Adams to Abigail Adams, 13 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
I have spent an Hour, this Morning, in the Congregation of the dead. I took a Walk into the Potters Field, a burying Ground between the new stone Prison, and the Hospital, and I never in my whole Life was affected with so much Melancholly. The Graves of the soldiers, who have been buryed, in this Ground, from the Hospital and bettering House, during the Course of the last Summer, Fall, and...
357John Adams to Abigail Adams, 16 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
We are waiting with some Impatience to hear of the Arrival of some of the Massachusetts Troops at Head Q uarte rs. The Lassitude and Torpor, that has seized our New Englandmen, is to me, very surprizing. Something will happen I believe, to arrouse them from their Lethargy. If they dont go and crush that little Nest of Hornetts at Newport, I shall think them dead to all Sense of Honour, Virtue,...
358Abigail Adams to John Adams, 17 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
Your obliging favours of March 14, 16 and 22, have received, and most sincerely thank you for them. I know not How I should support an absence already tedious, and many times attended with melancholy reflections, if it was not for so frequently hearing from you. That is a consolation to me, tho a cold comfort in a winters Night. As the Summer advances I have many anxieties, some of which I...
359John Adams to Abigail Adams, 19 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
We have now an ample Representation from N. York. It consists of Six Delegates, and they are to all Appearance, as high, as decisive, and as determined, as any Men ever were, or can be. There is a new Hand, a Mr. Duer, who is a very fine fellow—a Man of sense, Spirit and Activity, and is exceeded by no Man in Zeal. Mr. Duane and Mr. Phillip Livingston, are apparently, as determined as any Men...
360Abigail Adams to John Adams, 20 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
The post is very Regular and faithfully brings me all your Letters I believe. If I do not write so often as you do be assurd that tis because I have nothing worth your acceptance to write. Whilst the Army lay this way I had constantly something by way of inteligance to write, of late there has been as general a state of Tranquility as if we had no contending Armies. There seems to be something...