51From George Washington to James Warren, 29 July 1775 (Washington Papers)
I have this Instt received a Letter from Chelsea, of which the Inclosed is an extract —as the Inhabitants are coming out in a different manner than proposed by your Assembly to the Select men of the Town of Boston, I have not delayed a moments time in giving you the earliest Information of it; and request that you may take the matter into consideration, & determine what is proper to be done on...
52From John Adams to James Warren, 26 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
There are two ingenious Artificers, here, who have made a beautifull Field Piece of Bar Iron. The Barrs were not bound together with Hoops, like that which was made in Boston: But weldered together, and afterwards bored out. It is very light. It is a Three Pounder and weighs, no more than two hundred and twenty four Pounds. It has been tried every Way, and has stood the fullest Proof. It has...
53From John Adams to James Warren, 15 July 1776 (Adams Papers)
I have Time only to tell you that I am yet alive, and in better Spirits than Health. The News, you will learn from my very worthy Friend Gerry. He is obliged to take a Ride for his Health, as I shall be very soon or have none. God grant he may recover it for he is a Man of immense Worth. If every Man here was a Gerry, the Liberties of America would be safe against the Gates of Earth and Hell....
54From John Adams to James Warren, 20 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
Can The Inhabitants of North America live without foreign Trade? There is Beef and Pork, and Poultry, and Mutton and Venison and Veal, Milk, Butter, Cheese, Corn, Barley, Rye, Wheat, in short every Species of Eatables animal and Vegetable in a vast abundance, an immense Profusion. We raise about Eleven hundred Thousand Bushells of Corn, yearly more than We can possibly consume. The Country...
55From John Adams to James Warren, 6 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have this Moment Sealed a Letter to you which is to go by my hospitable, honest, benevolent Friend Stephen Collins. But, I have several Particulars to mention to you, which are omitted in that Letter. Ten Companies of expert Riflemen have been ordered already, from the 3 Colonies of P. M. and V.—some of them have marched, under excellent Officers. We are told by Gentlemen here that these...
56From John Adams to James Warren, 10 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have just Time to inclose You, a Declaration and an Address. How you will like them I know not. A Petition was Sent Yesterday, by Mr. Richard Penn in one ship and a Duplicate goes in another Ship, this day. In exchange for these Petitions, Declarations and Addresses, I Suppose We shall receive Bills of Attainder and other such like Expressions of Esteem and Kindness. This Forenoon has been...
57From John Adams to James Warren, 19 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
What Think you of an American Fleet? I dont mean 100 ships of the Line, by a Fleet, but I Suppose this Term may be applied to any naval Force consisting of several Vessells, tho the Number, the Weight of Metal, or the Quantity of Tonnage may be small. The Expence would be very great—true. But the Expence might be born and perhaps the Profits and Benefits to be obtained by it, would be a...
58From John Adams to James Warren, 16 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter of the 13th. of June last, is not answered—not recieved ’till my Arrival here. You will be so overloaded with News about the Time this will reach You, that I will not add to the Heap. We have none from America a long Time—none since Christmas. You say I was envied—perhaps so: but they would not have envied me in the Gulph Stream, nor when chased forty eight Hours by three British...
59From John Adams to James Warren, 21 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
We must bend our Attention to Salt Petre. We must make it. While B. is Mistress of the Sea, and has so much Influence with foreign Courts, We cannot depend upon a Supply from abroad. It is certain that it can be made here because it is certain that it has been formerly and more latterly. Dr. Graham of White Plains in the Colony of New York told me, that he has made Some thousands of Pounds...
60From John Adams to James Warren, 4 September 1776 (Adams Papers)
It is in vain for me to think of telling you News, because you have direct Intelligence from Ticonderoga much sooner than I have, and from N. York sooner than I can transmit it to you. Before this Time the Secretary has arrived, and will give you all the Information you can wish, concerning the State of Things here. Mr. G. got in the day before Yesterday, very well. There has been a Change, in...
61From John Adams to James Warren, 28 September 1775 (Adams Papers)
I write at this Time, only to remind you that I have received no Letters. Let me intreat the earliest Attention of our Houses, to the Accounts and Vouchers of our Province. Accounts must be exact and Vouchers genuine, or We shall suffer. The whole Attention of every Member of both Houses, would be not improfitably employed upon this subject untill it is finished. The Accounts, I mean are of...
62From John Adams to James Warren, 21 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
I am vastly obliged to you for your Letter. It was like cold Water to a thirsty Soul. We Suffer, greatly for Want of News from you and Boston. I am very unfortunate, in my Eyes, and my Health. I came from home Sick and have been so ever Since. My Eyes are so weak and dim that I can neither read, write, or see without great Pain. Our unweildy Body moves very Slow. We shall do something in Time,...
63From George Washington to James Warren, 23 July 1775 (Washington Papers)
I have had an Application made to me this day by the Several Captains of Colo. Phinneys Regiment from Casco Bay. They represent that their Men Enlisted & have marched down upon a Promise that they should receive 40/ Advance & Billeting Money at 8d. ⅌ Day—that under this Expectation they left their Familys destitute & have detaind the Teamsters to carry back their Money—They have met with some...
64From John Adams to James Warren, 23 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have only Time to acquaint you that Yesterday, that eminent American, and most worthy Man The Honourable Peyton Randolph Esqr. our first venerable President, departed this Life in an Apoplectic Fit. He was seized at Table having but a few Moments before set down with a good deal of Company to dinner. He died in the Evening without ever recovering his senses after the first stroke. As this...
65From John Adams to James Warren, 30 September 1775 (Adams Papers)
Philadelphia, 30 September 1775. RC offered for sale by Parke-Bernet Gallery, N.Y., Gribbel sale, pt. 2, 22–24 Jan. 1941, lot 2. Addressed to James Warren as Speaker of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts, “favoured by Dr. Franklin.” After giving the names of the congressional committee members and explaining their function, JA proceeds, “I hope our Province, in every Part of it,...
66From John Adams to James Warren, 3 April 1776 (Adams Papers)
As foreign Affairs become every day more interesting to Us no Pains should be spared to acquire a thorough Knowledge of them, and as the inclosed Extract contains some observations which are new to me, I thought it might not be uninteresting to you. Howe has put 3000 Troops on board of Transports, which lie or at least lay last saturday at Staten Island. Whether this is a Feint, or a Serious...
67From John Adams to James Warren, 2 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I believe you will have a surfeit of Letters from me, for they will be as inane, as they are numerous. The Bearer of this is Major Bayard a Gentleman of this City of the Presbyterian Perswasion of the best Character and the clearest Affections for his Country. I have received so many Civilities from him, that I could not refuse myself the Pleasure of introducing him to you. Our obligations of...
68From John Adams to James Warren, 10 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have written a few Lines to Dr Warren to whom I refer you. It is of vast Importance that the officers of our Army should be impressed with the absolute Necessity of Cleanliness, to preserve the Health of their Men. Cleanness, is one of the three Cardinal Virtues of a soldier, as Activity and Sobriety are the other two. They should be encouraged to go into Water frequently, to keep their...
69From John Adams to James Warren, 18 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed Copies, you will see must not be made public. You will communicate them in Confidence to such Friends as have Discretion. When you have made such prudent Use of them as you shall judge proper, be pleased to send them to the Foot of Pens Hill, because I have no other Copies and should be glad to preserve them. It is in vain for me to write any Thing of the Northern Department,...
70From John Adams to James Warren, 25 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
A Method of collecting Salt Petre from the Air which is talked of here is this. Take of Lime and Ashes equal Quantities, and of horse dung a Quantity equal to both the Ashes and Lime, mix them together into a Mortar, with this Mortar and a Quantity of long Straw to keep it together build two Walls Eighteen Inches thick, and three feet high, about four feet asunder. Then make a Center and turn...
71From John Adams to James Warren, 25 September 1776 (Adams Papers)
This Express carries a new Plan of an Army. I hope the General Court without one Moments delay will Send Commissions to whole Corps of their Officers, either by Expresses or Committees to New York and Ticonderoga, that as many Men may be inlisted without delay as possible. It may be best to send a Committee with full Powers to each Place. There is no Time to be lost. I inclose you a sett of...
72From John Adams to James Warren, 26 July 1778 (Adams Papers)
Yours of 7 June by Captain Barnes fortunately reached me, Yesterday. I was much Surprised, you may well imagine at its Contents. But I Suppose, the Cause of their not electing you to the Council, must have been your Engagements in the Navy Board. I am unhappy to learn by the Newspapers, that our Constitution is likely to occasion much Altercation in the State, but notwithstanding all our...
73From John Adams to James Warren, 26 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I can never Sufficiently regret, that this Congress have acted So much out of Character, as to leave the Appointment of the Quarter Master General, Commissary of Musters and Commissary of Artillery to the General; As these officers, are Checks upon the General, and he a Check upon them: there ought not to be too much Connection between them. They ought not to be under any dependance upon him,...
74From John Adams to James Warren, 17 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
I had a Letter from you, by the Post Yesterday. Congratulate you, and your other Self, on your happy Passage, through the Small Pox. I must intreat you to embrace the earliest opportunity, after the General Court Shall assemble, to elect Some new Members to attend here, at least one, instead of me. As to others they will follow, their own Inclinations. If it had not been for the critical State...
75From John Adams to James Warren, 25 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
Upon the Receipt of the Intelligence of Dr. Church’s Letter, Dr. Morgan was chosen in his Room. This Letter is intended to be sent by him, and therefore probably will not go in ten days. John Morgan, a Native of this City, is a Doctor of Physick, a Fellow of the Royal Society at London; Correspondent of the Royal Academy of Surgery at Paris; Member of the Arcadian Belles Lettres Society at...
76From John Adams to James Warren, 20 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
This Letter will go by the sage, brave, and amiable General Washington, to whom I have taken the Liberty of mentioning your Name. The Congress has at last voted near twenty thousand Men in Massachusetts and New York, and an Emission of a Continental Currency to maintain them. You will have Lee, as third in Command, Ward being the second, Schuyler of New York the fourth, and Putnam the fifth....
77From John Adams to James Warren, 16 April 1776 (Adams Papers)
I agree with you, in yours of the 30 March, in opinion that five Regiments are too Small a Force to be left with you, considering the Necessity of fortifying the Harbour, and the Danger there is that the Enemy may renew their Designs upon our Province. Am happy to learn that you have Sent a Committee to view the Harbour of Boston and report the best Method of Securing it. When this Report is...
78From John Adams to James Warren, 5 October 1776 (Adams Papers)
Yours of September 19. came duely to Hand. You have raised every fifth Man to march to New York. But to what Purpose, Should you send forth Your Thousands and Tens of Thousands of Men, if they are all to run away from the Enemy when they come in Sight of them? If whole Brigades, Officers and Men are to run away, as Fellows’s and Parsons’s did on the fifteenth of September, throwing away their...
79From John Adams to James Warren, 8 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
You will not think your Time misspent in Perusing any Plans for the Service of your Country, even altho they may prove, upon Examination chimerical. There are two Channells only, through which Vessells of large Burthen, can pass, to and from Boston: one, is between the West Head of Long Island and the Moon: It is a mile wide, but incumbered with Rocks and too shallow for a Man of War of more...
80From John Adams to James Warren, 18 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
Yours of 8 May received this Morning, and am as I ever have been much of your Opinion that The Enemy would return to the Massachusetts if possible. They will probably land at Hingham or Braintree, or somewhere to the Northward of Boston, not make a direct Attempt upon Boston itself, the next Time. I hope no Pains, no Labour or expence will be neglected to fortify the Harbour of Boston however....
81From John Adams to James Warren, 21 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
Yours of August 11 reached me Yesterday. Mrs. Temple shall have all the Assistance which I can give her, but I fear it will be without success. It will be a Precedent for So many others, that there is no seeing the End of it. I shall answer her Letter by the next Post, and if I cannot promise her any Relief, I can assure her of Mr. Temples Arrival, and of his having Leave to go home, which I...
82From John Adams to James Warren, 27 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I am extreamly obliged to you for your Favour of the 20th. of June. The last Fall, I had a great many Friends who kept me continually well informed of every Event as it occurred. But, this Time, I have lost all my Friends, excepting Coll Warren of Plymouth and Coll Palmer of Braintree, and my Wife. Our dear Warren, has fallen, with Laurells on his Brows, as fresh and blooming, as ever graced...
83From John Adams to James Warren, 20 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
Every Post and every Day rolls in upon Us Independance like a Torrent. The Delegates from Georgia, made their Appearance, this Day in Congress, with unlimited Powers, and these Gentlemen themselves are very firm. South Carolina, has erected her Government and given her Delegates ample Powers, and they are firm enough. North Carolina, have given theirs full Powers after repealing an Instruction...
84From John Adams to James Warren, 18 February 1776 (Adams Papers)
We have at last hit upon a Plan which promises fair for Success. Dr. Franklin, and Mr. Chase of Maryland, and Mr. Charles Carroll of Carrollton, are chosen a Committee to go to Canada. I must confess I have very great Confidence, in the Abilities and Integrity, the Political Principles and good Disposition of this Committee. Franklins Character you know. His masterly Acquaintance with the...
85From John Adams to James Warren, 21 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
It is not easy to penetrate the Designs of the Enemy. What Object they have in View, cannot certainly be determined. Philadelphia, most probably and Albany. They have near Ten thousand Men in the Jersies, at Brunswick, Amboy, Bonamtown, and Piscataqua: the two last Posts, are very near their main Body. I think, but may be mistaken, that they will not hazard, an Attempt upon this City, or...
86From John Adams to James Warren, 3 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have only Time to acquaint you that Congress have ordered the arrears of Pay to be discharged to the soldiers and one Months Advance Pay to be made. No Bounty nor any allowance for Lunar Months. I have a Thousand Things to say—But no Time. Our Army must be reconciled to these Terms, or We shall be ruined for what I know. The Expenses accumulating upon the Continent are so vast and boundless...
87From John Adams to James Warren, 13 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
Yours of october 1. and 2d I received this Morning with the Letters inclosed. These were from my afflicted Wife, giving me Such a continued History of her Distresses, as has affected me too much to write you a long Letter. The Misfortune, or what shall I call it of the Surgion General had been represented here in several Letters in very glaring Colours untill one arrived from the secretary to...
88From John Adams to James Warren, 18 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
The Letter of Dr—— is the oddest Thing imaginable. There are so many Lies in it, calculated to give the Enemy an high Idea of our Power and Importance, as well as so many Truths tending to do us good that one knows not how to think him treacherous: Yet there are several Strokes, which cannot be accounted for at least by me, without the Supposition of Iniquity. In Short I endeavour to Suspend...
89From John Adams to James Warren, 2 July 1782 (Adams Papers)
It is a long time Since I had a Line from you, and from Sickness, and various Engagements it is long since I had the Pleasure of Writing to you. I Suppose that Milton Hill, furnishes you with Amusement enough, in your beloved science and Practice of Agriculture. I wish I had Fortune enough to purchase me an equal Farm upon Pens Hill, and enter into an Emulation with you, which should make his...
90From John Adams to James Warren, 13 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
I have in some late Letters opened to You in Confidence the Dangers, which our most important Interests have been in, as well as the Opposition and Jealousy and Slanders, which your Ministers have met with, from the vain, ambitious and despotic Character of one Minister, I mean the C. de Vergennes— But You will form but an imperfect Idea after all of the Difficulties We have had to encounter,...
91From John Adams to James Warren, 3 February 1777 (Adams Papers)
It may not be a Mispence of Time to make a few Observations upon the Situation of Some of the States at this Time. That Part of New York which is yet in our Possession is pretty well united, and pretty firm. The Jerseys have recovered from their Surprize, and are lending as much Assistance as can well be expected from them. Their Assembly is now Sitting, and are Said to be well disposed to do...
92From John Adams to James Warren, 6 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
Every Line I receive from you, gives me great Pleasure, and is of vast Use to me in the public Cause. Your Letters were very usefull to me last Fall. Your Character became then known, and much esteemed. The few Letters I have received from you this Time, have increased the Desire of more, and some other Gentlemen who happened to know you, particularly Governor Hopkins and Ward of Rhode Island...
93From John Adams to James Warren, 21 March 1776 (Adams Papers)
I have not received more than one Letter from you since I left you and that was a very Short one. I have written as often as I could. If you get a sight of the New York and Philadelphia News Papers you will see what a mighty Question is before the Tribunal of the Public. The Decision is yet in suspence, but a Guess may be formed what it will be. The Day before Yesterday the Committee of...
94From John Adams to James Warren, 19 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
It was the latter End of August that I left you. All September has run away, and 19 days in Octr.—and We have had no regular Intelligence from Watertown or Cambridge. Your Goodness I acknowledge. But there was a Committee of both Houses appointed, to correspond with your Delegates; and We were to be informed of every Thing that occurred in Boston, Cambridge, Roxbury, Watertown &c especially of...
95From John Adams to James Warren, 15 December 1782 (Adams Papers)
This goes with the Preliminary Treaty between the Crown of G. Britain and the United States of America—it is not to be in force untill France and Great Britain Shall agree and sign. When this will be is not yet known, it is Supposed that the principal Points remaining are Spanish or Dutch. The great Interests of our Country in the West and in the East are Secured as well as her Independence....
96From John Adams to James Warren, 12 February 1777; 15 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
The Certificates and Cheque Books for the Loan Office, I hope and presume, are arrived in Boston, before this Time, and notwithstanding the discouraging Accounts, which were given me, when I was there, I still hope that a considerable sum of Money, will be obtained by their Means. It is my private opinion, however, that the Interest of four per Cent, is not an equitable Allowance. I mean, that...
97From John Adams to James Warren, 6 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
Yours of 23d March, was handed to me, this Evening by Major Ward. Your Letter from Plymouth by the Post, I duely received—and immediately wrote an answer to it, but upon reviewing it, afterwards, I found so many bold Truths in it that I concluded not to send it, lest Peradventure it should get into Hugh Gaines Gazette; and I thought it a Pitty that so many Sacred Truths, should appear in...
98From John Adams to James Warren, 7 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
We have been puzzled to discover, what we ought to do, with the Canadians and Indians. Several Persons, have been before the Congress who have lately been in the Province of Canada, particularly Mr. Brown and Mr. Price, who have informed us that the French are not unfriendly to us. And by all that we can learn of the Indians, they intend to be neutral. But whether We Should march into Canada...
99From John Adams to James Warren, 23 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have many Things to write you, which thro Haste and Confusion, I fear, I Shall forget. Upon the Receipt of General Washingtons Letter, the Motion which I made Some Days before, for appointing General Thomas first Brigadier, was renewed and carried, So that the Return of the Express will carry his Commission. I hope that this will give all the Satisfaction which is now to be given. You ask me...
100From John Adams to James Warren, 21 March 1783 (Adams Papers)
The Situation of things in England cannot be too much attended to at this time— The whimsical state of Parties; the Anarchy in Government and the Confusion of Opinions among the People, have been occasioned in a great Measure by the want of an American Commission to make a Treaty of Commerce with Great Britain— It is this that has brought all things to a stand.— The Merchants and Manufacturers...