1To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 28 June 1777 (Adams Papers)
I wish it was in my power to give you a satisfactory and particular state of facts relative to the late movements in the military way, but all the facts I cannot learn, and if I could they might not perhaps be satisfactory in every sense of the word. The 22 Instant the Enemy retreated from Brunswick to Amboy, a party, of several hundreds, under the command of Col Morgan attacked their rear, in...
2To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 14 March 1776 (Adams Papers)
The 2 instant at night we began a cannonade and bombardment upon the Enemy, and continued it three nights successively; on the 4th at night we threw up works upon the heights on Dorchester Point. The next morning the Pirates in Boston and in the Harbour appeared to be in great agitation, and every day and night since have been preparing (according to our observations, and the information from...
3To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 20 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
I have the pleasure to inform you that another Scotch Transport with a Company of Highland Grenadiers on board was brought into this Port by the Privateers on the eighteenth Instant. Each Transport brings a quantity of provisions and camp equipage for the Troops. We have now about four hundred and fifty Highlanders prisoners; they are going into the Country Towns agreeable to the Order of...
4To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 19 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I came to this place; all things remain much as they were; a few Companies have come in from Connecticut, and many more on their march, ’tis said that two thousand are on their march from that State, and many from Massachussetts. The constant complaint here is, that there are but few troops and the reinforcements come in extremely slow,—which is too true . On my way to this place I...
5To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 14 February 1776 (Adams Papers)
We hoped to have the pleasure of seeing you again in Camp before you set out for Philadelphia, but as you don’t like a “sleepy Camp” I can easily account for your preferring the Senate. The time perhaps is not far distant when the Camp will be wakeful and active—and to leave us without excuse, I wish we may have a sufficient quantity of the Needful . The Regiments of Militia which were ordered...
6To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 4 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
I beg leave to recommend to your Notice Capt. Price, the Bearer of this, who has commanded one of the Companies of Riflemen in this Encampment; he has supported the Character of a good Officer and a worthy Gentleman; any Services which you may have opportunity to render him, will I apprehend, be serving our Country. We have received an account from Halifax, that great disturbances have lately...
7To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 12 May 1777 (Adams Papers)
This day General Arnold came into Camp, I have had a long conversation with him upon the affairs of the Army, and Navy; his mind is set towards the Seas, and he inclines to pursue his fortune in that line. He thinks he cannot (consistently) act in the Army unless he has his rank, to receive orders from those to whom he once gave orders, appears to him degrading, and contrary to all military...
8To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 4 September 1777 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday a severe skirmish happened between a party of seven hundred of our Troops and two or three thousand Barbarians , it is said we lost forty or fifty and the Enemy more, but the superiority of their numbers obliged our men to retreat; the Enemy advanced and are now encamped three or four miles below Christiana Bridge, with the greatest part of their Troops. These accounts I receive from...
9To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 20 June 1777 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday the Enemy retreated back to Brunswick; they were followed and fired on by a small party that happened to be near them. Since they came from Brunswick, the fourteenth Instant we have killed about twenty and taken three Officers, three Light Horse, and three or four privates. All is quiet at present. Our Army is reinforced fast, by the New England Troops from Peekskill; and by the...
10To John Adams from Joseph Ward, 16 – 17 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
I have the pleasure to inform you that we have driven the Pirates out of this Harbour. The thirteenth instant at evening a detachment of five hundred men, with several pieces of battering Cannon and a thirteen inch Mortar, under the command of Col Whitcomb was ordered to take post on Long Island and throw up works, the next morning they began a fire upon the Enemy’s Ships from the Cannon and...