William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams Smith, 22 December 1799

William Stephens Smith to Abigail Adams Smith

Union Brigade, Dec. 22, 1799.

My Dear:

I have the pleasure to inform you that I struck my marquée on the 19th, and took shelter in my hut, which is yet without doors to it, but much more comfortable than the tent. The last night I slept in the tent, a bottle of wine, standing on the table, froze through, but still I was not uncomfortable. It will be some time before I can have the pleasure to announce to you, that the hut is sufficiently comfortable for you and my baby. The holiday’s are coming on, and I find the workmen disposed to visit their homes at the gay season. The pleasures of that season will, however, be checked by the death of General Washington, which I see is made known in the Philadelphia paper of the 18th.

You will have a great opportunity now to notice the intrigues which this melancholy circumstance will give rise to. Now the President will be fretted, perplexed, and tormented; now the full force of party will be brought forward; and now, America shakes to her centre with convulsive throbs, wishing, yet trembling still to hear, that name declared, who is to fill the important vacant post; they scarce dare harbour a doubt, but that his successor will be eminent for his virtues, distinguished for his military abilities, and such as the embattled sons of Columbia will not blush to follow to the field of fame.1

I must acknowledge, however, for myself I fear that the President will not have it in his power to carry into effect the pure, unbiassed dictates of his firm and virtuous soul. He will now find himself, like the Roman Cato, sustaining a painful prëeminence, distinguished amongst his countrymen by toils—superior toils and heavier weight of cares.2 Write to me very particularly.

* * * * * *

My love to my dear little girl. God bless you.

Yours, sincerely,

W. S. Smith

MS not found. Printed from AA2, Jour. and Corr. description begins Journal and Correspondence of Miss Adams, Daughter of John Adams, … Edited by Her Daughter [Caroline Amelia (Smith) de Windt], New York and London, 1841–[1849]; 3 vols. Note: Vol. [1], unnumbered, has title and date: Journal and Correspondence of Miss Adams, 1841; vol. 2 has title, volume number, and date: Correspondence of Miss Adams … Vol. II, 1842; vol. [3] has title, volume number, and date: Correspondence of Miss Adams … Vol. II, 1842, i.e., same as vol. 2, but preface is signed “April 3d, 1849,” and the volume contains as “Part II” a complete reprinting, from same type and with same pagination, of vol. 2, above, originally issued in 1842. description ends , 2:162–163; internal address: “To Mrs. Smith.”

1. After George Washington’s death, Alexander Hamilton functioned as senior officer of the U.S. Army, but a commanding officer of the army was not formally appointed until 1805 (William Gardner Bell, Commanding Generals and Chiefs of Staff 1775–2005, Washington, D.C., 2005, p. 68; Hamilton, Papers description begins The Papers of Alexander Hamilton, ed. Harold C. Syrett, Jacob E. Cooke, and others, New York, 1961–1987; 27 vols. description ends , 24:170–171).

2. Joseph Addison, Cato, Act III, scene v, lines 21–23.

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Source Project: Adams Papers
Title: William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams Smith, 22 December 1799
Author: Shaw, William Smith
Recipient: Adams, Abigail (daughter of JA and AA)
Date: 22 December 1799

Reference

Cite as: “William Smith Shaw to Abigail Adams Smith, 22 December 1799,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/04-14-02-0050. [Original source: The Adams Papers, Adams Family Correspondence, vol. 14, October 1799 – February 1801, ed. Hobson Woodward, Sara Martin, Christopher F. Minty, Amanda M. Norton, Neal E. Millikan, Gwen Fries, and Sara Georgini. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2019, pp. 80–81.]

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