1To John Adams from William Tudor, 21 August 1774 (Adams Papers)
The great Obligations your Friendship has laid me under would render me inexcusable to neglect any Occasion of paying You my Acknowlegements; it is with real Pleasure, therefore, I find so early an Opportunity presenting to fulfill my Promise of writing You: Which should it contribute in the least to your Gratification will convince me the Time was not unusefully spent. The late Manoeuvres of...
2To John Adams from William Tudor, 29 August 1774 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you 21st. Inst. which I hope you have receiv’d. The publick Prints of to Day, Which you will doubtless see, have been so satisfactory in their Accounts of the Proceedings of People in different Parts of the Province, as to render it unnecessary for me to write them. Every thing here is driving fast to an important Crisis. The Governor, if Report says true, is determined at all Hazards...
3To John Adams from William Tudor, 3 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
This Week has been fruitfull of extraordinary Transactions. I will endeavour to give You some Account of them. Tuesday the Superior Court opened and Mr. Oliver took his Seat as chief Justice. When the grand Jury were called upon to be sworn they all to a Man refus’d taking the Oath, for Reasons committed to Paper, which they permitted the Court, after some Altercation, to read. The Petit Jury...
4To John Adams from William Tudor, 17 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
Nothing very material has taken Place here since Mr. Revere left Boston, by whom you will have particular Accounts. The Fortifications at the Entrance of the Town and Entrenchments &c. on the Neck advance rapidly, they have three hundred Soldiers constantly at Work there. Seven Regiments are already here with a Train of thirty Peices of Cannon, and two more Regiments from Quebec are every Week...
5To John Adams from William Tudor, 22 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
On my Return from Salem this Afternoon I was gratified with the Receipt of your kind Letter dated at Prince-Town 28th. of last Month. I could have wish’d it a much longer one, though considering the public Character which You travel in that must occasion You many Invitations; and the important Business which you have engag’d to transact and which must very deeply employ your Time and Thoughts,...
6To John Adams from William Tudor, 26 September 1774 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Revere arriv’d late on friday Evening and brought Us your Letters. Each one communicated the animating Intelligence convey’d in them to his particular Circle, and by 11 o’Clock the next Morng. the Contents of your Letters had circulated through the Town. The Assurance you give us of the Unanimity that prevails in the Congress has banish’d the only Fear we had remaining—a Disunion of...
7To John Adams from William Tudor, 4 April 1775 (Adams Papers)
The interesting Advices we rec’d here on Sunday, and which the Papers will acquaint You, have had almost as great an Effect on People in this Town, as the Arrival of the Port Bill produc’d. The Women are terrify’d by the Fears of Blood and Carnage. The Merchants are dispirited, by the Expectation of Lord North’s Bill for the Prevention of the Newfoundland Fishery; and the Trading to any Parts...
8To John Adams from William Tudor, 26 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
You will doubtless before the Receipt of this have heard of the bloody Engagement at Charlestown. For a particular Account of it I must refer You to a Letter I last Week wrote our Friend Collins. The ministerial Troops gain’d the Hill but were victorious Losers. A few more such Victories and they are undone. I cannot think our Retreat an unfortunate one. Such is the Situation of that Hill that...
9To John Adams from William Tudor, 6 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I received your very kind Letter last Evening and this Morning had the Honour of being introduc’d to Genl. Washington by Majr. Mifflin, and through Your Reccommendation was very genteely notic’d. I had an Invitation from the General to dine with him tomorrow, when I shall attempt making a proper Use of your Hints. I have been intirely idle ever since the Communication with the Town of Boston...
10To John Adams from William Tudor, 19 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I am much oblig’d by your Letter of 6th. Instant and will now attempt in Part to comply with your Request. Things have remaind tolerably quiet between the continental and ministerial Camps for a Week past. The Beginning of last Week a Detachment was sent in the Night to take all the live Stock that was on Long Island. They succeeded and brought away not only all the Quadrupeds but 17 Fellows...
11To John Adams from William Tudor, 31 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have this Minute your Favour of 23d. July. We have had, Saturday Night and last Night much skirmishing between the ministerial and continental Troops. The Regulars attempted entrenching on Charlestown Neck Saturday Night, which produc’d a Brush Sunday Morning. They were obliged to desist by the Fire of our ranging Parties. It is said they lost seven and we two Men. There has been a...
12To John Adams from William Tudor, August 1775 (Adams Papers)
You was inquiring the other Day into the Office of Judge Advocate. I will now acquaint you with some Particulars in that Department which will give you an Idea of that Officer’s Duty in the Continental Army. As Judge Advocate, I have his Excellency’s (the Commander in chief) Orders, in writing, “to attend every General Court Martial, not only those of the Line but of each Brigade throughout...
13To John Adams from William Tudor, 30 September 1775 (Adams Papers)
The manoeuvers of the Camp have afforded Nothing important for a month past. The Works at Plough’d Hill are finish’d, but are useless, because we have not Powder to annoy the Enemy and if we had, it would be an idle Expence of it to expend it in Cannonading at such a Distance. The Enemy have fir’d from their different Works 2000 Cannon Balls and 300 Bombs, without killing ten men of ours. When...
14To John Adams from William Tudor, 25 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you by the Post 3 Weeks ago but have not been honour’d with a Line since your Returnto Philadelphia. I should write oftener but every Thing of Importance is communicated in the Prints, and I am in no Secrets at Head Quarters, and I hate to set down to write when I can’t tell You something worth reading. About 10 Days ago two floating Batteries were ordered down Cambridge River to fire...
15To John Adams from William Tudor, 28 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I received your Letter of the 12th. Instant by Mr. Tracy. But the One you mention to have sent me some Time before I never got. I am much oblig’d by your Exertions to get my Pay augmented, which is now made fully equivalent to the Office. The Concern which you have shewn for the Advancement of my Honor and Interest in a thousand Instances, demands something more than bare Acknowlegements. If...
16To John Adams from William Tudor, 3 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
Long before the Receipt of this You will have heard by Express from the General, of the important Prize we have made in the Capture of the Brig Nancy loaded with Ordnance Stores for the Army at Boston. Orders were given that she should be unloaded with all possible Expedition, and we have now the greatest Part of her Cargo safely hous’d in the Laboratory here. The Loss must be very great to...
17To John Adams from William Tudor, 11 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
I seize a few Minutes before the Post sets out to send You a little Information. Manley took two Prizes last Saturday, a large Ship of more than 300 Tons with a Cargo of Coals (chiefly) a large Quantity of Porter, some Wine and 40 live Hogs—destin’d for the beseiged Troops at Boston. The Captain found Means to throw overboard every material Letter. The other Capture was a large Brig from...
18To John Adams from William Tudor, 29 February 1776 (Adams Papers)
We have Nothing here sufficiently important to communicate, As it is hardly worthwhile to tell you that a Vessel was last Sunday taken by one of our Privateers loaded with coals and Potatoes; or that a Night or two ago we had one or more Deserters, from the Enemy. Preparations have been for some Time silently making for an important Manoevre, and from the Contents of General Orders for several...
19To John Adams from William Tudor, 21 April 1776 (Adams Papers)
I arriv’d in this City last Monday 15th. Instant. I left Boston with much Regret, not so much because I was coming to this unfriendly Town, as because I left that defenceless, or next to it. Nothing had been done towards securing the Harbour except building a Fort on Fort Hill. The 5 Regiments left there are neither of them full, and the General Officer who commands the little Army is but...
20To John Adams from William Tudor, 4 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
I was much oblig’d by the little Essay you sent me and more so by the Letter which accompanied it. The Plan proposed is an exceeding good System for the Government of the young and as yet uncorrupted States of America, and approaches so near the Form of the N. England late Constitutions, stript of their Inconveniences and monarchical Appendages, that I think it must be approved and soon...
21To John Adams from William Tudor, 7 July 1776 (Adams Papers)
I am to acknowlege your Favour of the 24th. of June and to apologize for not having wrote you more than twice since I have been at York. Indeed I expected before this to have had the Pleasure of seeing You at Philadelphia. Where I have been long sollicitous to get in order to prevail on Congress to establish a new Set of Articles for the Government of their Forces, the present Regulations...
22To John Adams from William Tudor, 18 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
It was with no small Degree of Pleasure, on my Return here, I observed the Cheerfulness which brightened the Countenance of every Soldier I met. The whole Army are in most excellent Spirits and shew an Impatience for Action. And the Spade and Pick Ax have been so well employ’d, that there is scarce a Spot upon the whole Island, where a Redoubt or Breast Work could be of service, but what has...
23To John Adams from William Tudor, 19 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
I set down to give you Part of the Information you ask. The Brigade you mention are new Levies wholly from the Massachusetts Bay. They are posted at Greenwich on the North River about 2 Miles out of Town. What the Men are or how they look I can’t tell not having seen them. The Brigadier Mr. Fellows, was a Colonel in the Continental Service last Campaign, his Regiment was at Roxbury. He lives...
24To John Adams from William Tudor, 29 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
I had a Warrant on Sunday Morning last, from Head Quarters, for the Trial of Lieut. Col. Harman Zeidwitz Commanding Officer of Brigadier McDougal’s late Regiment, charged with “holding a treacherous Correspondence with, and giving Intelligence to the Enemies of the united American States.” The Prisoner was arraign’d, but beg’d Time till next Morning to plead, and prepare for Trial. Monday...
25To John Adams from William Tudor, 6 September 1776 (Adams Papers)
I am exceedingly concerned to find that the New Articles of War, though passed, are not to take Place yet. The infamous Desertions, the Shameless Ravages, and seditious Speeches and mutinous Behaviour which prevail throughout your Army, call in the loudest Language for a Reform. With the present Articles, the military Government, without making Soldiers, is breeding Highwaymen and Robbers. As...
26To John Adams from William Tudor, 23 September 1776 (Adams Papers)
Every Day more thoroughly convinces me that an absolute Tyranny is essential in the Government of an Army, and that every Man who carries Arms, from the General Officer to the private Centinel, must be content to be a temporary Slave, if he would serve his Country as a Soldier. The Legions of antient Rome and the modern Battalions of Britain have owed their Triumphs principally to this Cause....
27To John Adams from William Tudor, 3 October 1776 (Adams Papers)
By the Carelessness of an Orderly Sargent to whom it was given, I did not get your Letter, forwarded by Mr. Gerry from Philadelphia, and so have not as yet received any Answer to my last 2 Letters. I wish in future, Sir, You would write by the Post, and then I shall not again be disappointed. I find by a late Resolve of Congress they are determined to raise an Army for the War. Happy had it...
28To John Adams from William Tudor, 12 February 1777 (Adams Papers)
We had a Court Martial set at Chatham last Week for the Trial of a Colo. Buckner of the 6th. Virginia Battalion in the Continental Service, accused of Misbehaviour and Cowardice. The Court after a hearing of two Days found him guilty “of misbehaving before the Enemy, and of deserting his Post and Party in Time of Action.” And sentenced him to be cashiered, and rendered incapable of ever...
29To John Adams from William Tudor, 7 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
Your Letter from Baltimore of 25th. Feby. I got to Day and was not a little pleased with its Receipt, as it convinc’d me You was not averse to renewing a Correspondence which is the most pleasing and honorary I can boast of. There was not sufficient Evidence to satisfy the Court Martial that Buckner ought to suffer capittally. With me there was not the least Doubt. I am sure the Man is a...
30To John Adams from William Tudor, 16 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
Since the Return of one half their Troops from Rhode Island I think the Enemy must be full 10,000 Men. They have only two out Posts Bonam Town and Piscatuqua which are too near their main Body to be surpriz’d, were the Detachments at those Posts less vigilant than they are. The Enemy never sleep with their Cloaths off, and are always prepared for an Attack. They have been continually harrassed...