1Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 3 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
You have no Doubt long before this heard of the unhappy Fate of Charlestown, its Destruction by Fire, the forcing of our Entrenchments there by the ministerial Troops and the Loss of our valuable Friend Doct. Warren who was shot through the Breast and soon expir’d. The Entrenchments were unfinishd the work of but one Night. However, they were gallantly defended and by all Accounts, there was...
2Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 25 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
Since my last to you, nothing very important has occurd. The Skirmish near Long Island, You have already received an Accountt off by Mrs. Adams. A Party of Soldiers were employd last Week in removing Grain from Nantasket and having got off what was ripe, on Thursday they went in Whaleboats to the Light House, set Fire to it having first taken off the Lamps, 3 or 4 bbs. of oil and 1/2 bb....
3Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 26 April 1776 (Adams Papers)
Soon after the Removal of our Enemies from Boston, I sat myself down to write You the Proceedings of our Army from their Cannonading the Town to their taking Possession of it. But meeting with some Philadelphia Papers (before an Opportunity of sending it presented) I found that You had a History of the whole, since then I received Yours of the 29th March and find that You had not then received...
4Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 17 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
Our vast Extent of Territory requires a great Land Forrce to defend it. The Spirit of Commerce and Privateering already operates to render the Difficulty of raising Soldiers great. If I am right in what is advanc’d, and as the grand Struggle will soon ensue and it is incumbent on us to make the best Defence that we are capable off, Might it not be of general Utility to prohibit any Vessells...
5Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 5 July 1776 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to You about the 17 or 18th. of last Month which suppose You have received. Yesterday People in Boston were openly inoculated for the Small Pox. The Business had been carried on in private for some Time amongst the Soldiery and others; the Selectmen represented the Impossibility of preventing its Spread any longer and leave was given by the general Assembly for Inoculation in...
6Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 25 July 1776 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 30th. of June came safe to Hand. A particular Answer to Your several Queries, for want of sufficient Information, must defer for the present. In general, Powder is made at two Colony Mills—Stotingham and Andover. Cannon is cast at Abington by Hobart, who has hitherto been unsucessful, not having cast above 8 or 10—he is still pursuing the Matter. Messrs. Nicho., Jos. and Jno....
7Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 6 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
Last Week I received Yours of July the 20th. also Dr. Rushs Letter on Inoculation for which You and the learned and benevolent Dr. have my sincere Thanks. He has thrown much Light upon the Subject and the Simplicity of his Method I admire. The whole Art seems to me to lay in reducing the Body to such a State as to prevent any great Degree of Inflammation or Febrile Motions. An Attention to the...
8Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 14 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
We hear of your being at Philadelphia and wish You a comfortable Session there. The spring is now opening and with this (probably) some grand Important Scenes that will call for the Wisdom of the Politician and the Skill and Bravery of the Warrior. Troops are dayly marching from this State to the several Places of their Destination and were all the Levies compleated from the several States,...
9Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 24 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to you last Week by Mr. Thos. Russell who was to set out for Philadelphia on Monday last. In it I gave you some Account of the Bill for regulating Prices &c. (entituled an Act to prevent Monopoly and Oppression) and the curious State we have been in since its Publication; it will not be long before I shall be able to give You a more particular Account of its Effects—something decisive...
10Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 18 September 1777 (Adams Papers)
Our Spring was cold and Wet, Our Summer fruitful and the Fall forbodes a plentiful Harvest. We had but very little warm Weather untill August. Our Rains were frequent, attended with Thunder and followed by fair Weather which continued for several Days and then Showers again—and such a Succession of Rains and Fair Weather I hardly ever remember which continue to this Instant. Indeed we have...
11Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 21 November 1777 (Adams Papers)
Sometime in September last I wrote to You, and am not a little anxious to know whether you receivd my Letter, as it was sent about the Time You were removing from Philadelphia; In Your next to me or to Your Bosom Friend dont forget to inform me. I congratulate You on Our Success to the Northward.—When I saw Burgoines Proclamation I read the Man, when I saw his Orders to Col. Baum I was...
12Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 5 August 1778 (Adams Papers)
The News of your Arrival at Paris gave us great Joy. Before your Letters reached America, the first Intelligence of your Arrival was obtain’d from an English Paper taken in a Prize. Previous to this in a New York Paper was inserted the Capture of the Boston by a 60 Gun Ship but no mention being made of her Contents more especially of a very valuable Article too important to have been passed...
13Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 2 November 1778 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to You the latter End of last July which I hope You have received before this Time, by what Vessel it was sent I am not able to say. We were then making Preparations for an Attack on Rhode Island, a fine Body of Troops were raised with great Expedition and furnished with every Thing necessary. On the 8th. of Augt. they landed on Rhode Island (under the Command of Genl. Sullivan)...
14Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 12 February 1779 (Adams Papers)
In the latter End of July and beginning of Novr. last I wrote to You. Am uncertain by whom the first was conveyed, the Latter was committed to the Care of Mr. Jenks (formerly my Apprentice) now a Surgeons Mate to the General Pickering Privateer from Salem which saild soon after and was to touch at France in her Cruize. In my first among other Things I gave You an Account of our Season, which...
15Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 25 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
My Letter of the 1st. of May last gave You some Account of the Proceedings of the Convention, the Business of which has been since compleated, the Constitution agreed upon And in September We shall proceed to the Choice of Governor, Lt. Governor, Senators, &c. On the last Wednesday of October the first General Court is to be held. Had a Negtive on the Governor and his Appointment of the...
16Enclosure No. 1: Weather Journal, 1779–1780 (Adams Papers)
The Autumn of 1779 was the most pleasant and agreable for its Fertility and the Mildness of the Air that has been remembered, scarce any Rain had fallen from the Month of August to November, the frequent Rains that fell in the Summer had sufficiently moistned the Earth, but little Rain afterwards was necessary as the Air was temperate between the Extremes of Summer Heat and Cold. The Winter...
17Enclosure No. 2: Account of the Dark Day in May 1780 (Adams Papers)
May 19. It thunderd early this Morning and raind about 7 or 8. About 9 a Darkness came on gradually encreasing at 11. I could neither read nor write without a Candle which soon became necessary for Family Business and continued untill past 3 P.M. A Heavy black Cloud hung at the Westward and Northward, a Thin Vapour Smoak or Fog rising up now and then and almost covering it at Times streaming...
18Cotton Tufts to John Adams, with a Copy of a Letter from Daniel Little, 27 November 1780 (Adams Papers)
I wrote to You last March also in June, the former by Capt. McNeil who had the Misfortune to be taken, the Latter by the Ship Mars Capt. Sampson bound to France, which must have reached You before this Time if no Misfortune has befallen the Ship. By Capt. Sampson I sent You Allens Narrative, a Journal of the Weather from November last with a general Account of Vegetation also a particular...
19Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 20 June 1781 (Adams Papers)
I am told that a Vessell will this Day sail for Holland. I know not how to neglect so fair an Opportunity of Writing, convinced that a Line from your Friend will be acceptable, if it be only to inform you that we have an Existence in America as an indepen den t Nation, that our Commonwealth lives, that our annual Election is Compleated, the Legislative and executive Bodies organized, That our...
20Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 29 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
In my last I informed You of the Enemy’s taking a Post in Virginia. At that Time they were in possession of Georgia and Charlestown and had overrun the greater part of S. Carolina. I have the Pleasure to inform You, That American Government is now again settled in Georgia, that the Enemy are confined to Charlestown in S. Carolina and that on the 18th. Inst. York Town and Gloucester the only...
21Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 26 September 1782 (Adams Papers)
Yours of July 2d. I received being the first, since you left America. I rejoice at the Success of Your Ministry, but am sorry to hear that Your Constitution has been shock’d by a nervous Fever. Our Friend Mr. Cranch has been in a most critical Scituation. In the close of last Winter, after repeated Colds, he was seized with frequent Faintings. His Perspiration and Expectoration almost entirely...
22Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 10 October 1782 (Adams Papers)
I this day received your Favour of the 17th. Augst. Ultimo. I find that your mind is much distressed with the Accounts you have received of the almost despaired State of our worthy Friend Mr. Cranch. I have given you his Case in a Letter of the 26th. Sept. last, which will remove your Anxiety—that Letter you will probably receive with this as I am in hopes of getting it to Town before Grinnell...
23Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 3 July 1784 (Adams Papers)
Since Mrs. Adams’s Departure I have revolved within myself, whether you would not have an Inclination to purchase the piece of Land on Pens Hill (belonging to the Estate of the Honle. James Verchild late of St. Kitts deceased) which you have for some years past improved. His Heirs, I am informed, are now in England, that the Estate in the West Indies is under Mortgage, But that part of it...
24Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 26 November 1784 (Adams Papers)
Yours of Sept. 5. I received the 13th. Instant and rejoice to hear that You are in the Enjoyment of that Family Felicity, which your Scituation heretofore necessarily prevented. The Powers which You have given and the Trust which You have committed to me are great. How well I shall execute them Time must determine. New Care and new Trusts have for some Years past been encreasing upon me , they...
25Cotton Tufts to John Adams (Adams Papers)
The Want of a sufficient Power in Congress to regulate the national Concerns of the United States is now pretty generally seen and has been severely felt. In the opening of the last Session of the Gen Court, the Governor in his Address to both Houses among other Things laments that Congress had not been authorized to regulate their foreign Trade, and suggests the Necessity of further Powers...
26Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 6 October 1785 (Adams Papers)
On the 6th. Ultimo I drew on You for £100 sterling in Favour of Mr. Samuel Eliot, payable at 30 Days Sight of whom I received 5 Per Cent above Par. The Exchange has been somewhat higher, up to 7 Per Cent, but has fallen, and it is thought will be still lower. Part of the Money received I have let out for a few Months on private Security that I may if Occasion should call, have wherewith to...
27Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 18 July 1786 (Adams Papers)
Mrs. Cranch last Evening informed me, That a Mr. Standfast Smith of this Town is empowered to sell Verchilds Lands. Would it not be agreable to You to purchase those belonging to His Heirs which you have improved for some Years past? Sometime past I sued Sloane and recovered judgment against Him. He has given a Release to the Lands mortgaged and I think it would be best to sell them as they...
28Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 13 June 1787 (Adams Papers)
In my Letter to M rs. Adams P r. Cap t. Scott, I mentioned to her, That M r. S. Q. was negociating for Borlands Place— it was then my Opinion that He would purchase it— Yesterday M r. Cranch informed me that he had learnt from M r. Borland that M r. S. Q. had given up the Matter—and that M r. B. is determined to make Sale of it as soon as he has settled with M r. T——r. I conclude therefore...
29Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 30 June 1787 (Adams Papers)
On conversing with M r. Parsons relative to Your Sons entring into the Study of the Law, I found him disposed to take him under his Instruction, and it being the Wish of your Son to live with him, I accordingly agreed with M r. Parsons on the Subject— After Commencement Vacation M r John will repair to Newbury Port— M r. Parsons’s Terms are £100— for Thrree Years exclusive of Board, the money...
30Cotton Tufts to John Adams, 28 February 1788 (Adams Papers)
I rec d. M rs. Adams’s Lett r. of Nov. 6. and had wrote a long Epistle of the 21 t. Ins t. and put it into the Post Office to go by a Cap. Brown who is to sail from Portsmouth, had also drawn a Bill on you for £150 Sterl g which I found necessary— But on receiving this Day M rs. Adams’s Favour of Jan y 1. and finding that they were not forwarded & that the Vessell would not sail for some Days...