8641From John Adams to James Warren, 26 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
The Bearers of this are two young Gentlemen from Maryland, of one of the best and first Families in that Province. One of them is a Lawyer, the other a Physician. Both have independent Fortunes. Such is their Zeal in the Cause of America, and Such their fellow Feeling for the People of our Province, that they are determined to Spend the Summer, in our Camp in order to gain Experience and...
8642From John Adams to John Winthrop, 29 May 1775 (Adams Papers)
The Bearers of this are two young Gentlemen from Maryland. Aquilla Hall and Josias Carvill Hall, both of one of the best Families in Maryland, and both of independent Fortunes. Their Errand to Cambridge, is to join our Army as Volunteers, against the Enemies of their Country in order to gain Experience, in the Art of War, in which they have already made good Proficiency. As it is of importance...
8643To John Adams from Philopattria, 1 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
An ancient, and accounted a long headed Man, in these parts, has drop’d some words devising a scheme of reconciliation between the Colonies and Mother Country; which I think worthy of notice; and I am persuaded your zeal to a reconciliation is such that you will lend an ear to healing propositions, let it come from what quarter it may. Otherwise you would be unworthy of that eminence of...
8644To John Adams from Alexander McDougall, 5 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
While you are anxiously engaged to preserve the rights of your Country, I cannot entertain the least doubt, but you will readily excuse this address, when I assure you, I am induced to it, from a Sincere desire to promote the common cause of America in this City. The Delegates of this Colony who are in Trade, can inform you, I have no private interest, in the Subject on which I now Sollicit...
8645From 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...
8646To John Adams from Unknown, 9 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
The great Character he hath heard of you, induces a private Man to offer to your Consideration the following Hints, with an Assurance, that your Regard for your Country, will improve upon them for the general Good of all America. When one Colony is declared to be in actual Rebellion, when all the others are anounced to be accessary to, and Favourers of that Rebellion, when the Sword is drawn,...
8647From John Adams to Moses Gill, 10 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
It would be a Relief to my Mind, if I could write freely to you concerning the Sentiments Principles, Facts and Arguments which are laid before us, in Congress: But Injunctions, and Engagements of Honour render this impossible. What I learn out of Doors among Citizens, Gentlemen, and Persons of all Denominations is not so sacred. I find that the general Sense abroad is to prepare for a...
8648From 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...
8649From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 11 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Gadsden of South Carolina whose Fame you must have heard, was in his younger Years, an officer, on board the Navy, and is well acquainted with the Fleet. He has Several Times taken Pains to convince me that this Fleet is not so formidable to America, as we fear. He Says, We can easily take their sloops, Schooners, and Cutters, on board of whom are all their best Seamen, and with these We...
8650To John Adams from James Warren, 11 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
Since my last I have waited with Impatience to hear from you. I mean Individually. The public Expectation to hear from the Congress is great. They dont Complain but they wonder that the Congress should set a month without their receiveing something decisive with regard to us. I presume we shall have it in due time, at least that nothing will be wanting in your power to relieve the distresses...
8651From John Adams to Elbridge Gerry, 18 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have at last obtained liberty, by a vote of Congress, to acquaint my friends with a few of the things that have been done. The Congress have voted, or rather a committee of the whole house have unanimously agreed, that the sum of two million dollars be issued in bills of credit, for the redemption of which, in a certain number of years, twelve colonies have unanimously pledged themselves....
8652To John Adams from Joseph Palmer, 19 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I thank you for your Several favors, the last of which, the 10th Inst., I just now received. I have not had time to write, and thro’ abundant business my health has Sometimes been reduced; I now write in Committee of Safety, a few lines at a time as I can; all the business in this Committee has been done by only 6 or 7 Members, upon whom it has fallen very heavy, public business having pressed...
8653From John Adams to George Washington, 19 June 1775; 20 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
In Complyance with your Request, I have considered of what you proposed, and am obliged to give you my Sentiments, very briefly, and in great Haste. In general, Sir, there will be three Committees, either of a Congress, or of an House of Representatives, which are and will be composed of our best Men, Such, whose Judgment and Integrity may be most relyed on. I mean the Committee on the State...
8654From John Adams to Joseph Palmer, 20 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
We send you for your Comfort the Generals Washington and Lee with Commissions for Ward and Putnam: together with a Vote to Support about twenty thousand Men, for the present, fifteen Thousands in Mass. and 5000 in New York. We have voted to issue Bills of Credit to the amount of two Million Dollars, and must, I suppose, vote to issue a great deal more. I hope a good account will be given of...
8655From John Adams to William Tudor, 20 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have lamented excessively the Want of your Correspondence ever since I have been here. Not a Line from Dr. Winthrop, Dr. Cooper, Mr. Kent, Swift, Tudor, from some or other of whom I was accustomed the last Fall, to receive Letters every Week. I know not the state, the Number, the Officers of the Army—the Condition of the poor People of Boston or any Thing else. I have taken the Liberty to...
8656From 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....
8657To John Adams from James Warren, 20 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
Since my last I have the pleasure of Several of yours. I am Extreamly obliged to you, and to continue your Attention to me in this way can assure you I dont fail to make use of anything I think will serve the publick from your Letters. I Communicated to both our Generals that Paragraph of your Letter Containing Genll. Lees Opinion of the Generals and character perticularly of Burgoine. Yours...
8658Elbridge Gerry to the Massachusetts Delegates, 20 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I Received the Letters, with which you were pleased to favor me per Mr. Fessenden on Saturday last being the 18th Instant, at a Critical Time for the Army posted at Cambridge. The Evening preceeding Orders were Issued in Consequence of a Consultation between the General Officers and Committee of Safety to take possession of Dorchester Hill and Bunkers hill in Charlestown which I must confess...
8659From John Adams to James Warren, 21 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
Major Mifflin goes in the Character of Aid de Camp to General Washington. I wish You to be acquainted with him, because, he has great Spirit Activity, and Abilities, both in civil and military Life. He is a gentleman of Education, Family and Fortune. C. and H. and P. have given us a great deal of Trouble, in the Election of Lee, and I expect will avail themselves of all the Whims and...
8660From John Adams to Joseph Warren, 21 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
This Letter I presume will be delivered into your own Hand by the General. He proposes to set out, tomorrow, for your Camp. God Speed him. Lee is, Second Major General, Schuyler, who is to command at N. York is the third and Putnam the fourth. How many Brigadiers general we shall have, whether five, Seven or Eight, is not determined, nor who they shall be. One from N. Hampshire, one from R....
8661To John Adams from John Winthrop, 21 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I received your favor of May 29 by Messrs. Halls. I was much concerned that I had it not in my power to treat those young Gentlemen with as much respect as their characters and your recommendation entitled them to. When your Letter was deliver’d me, which was but a few days ago, we were all in the utmost hurry, packing up the Library and Apparatus, for their removal to a distance in the...
8662The Massachusetts Delegates to George Washington, 22 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
In Complyance with your Request We have considered of what you proposed to us, and are obliged to give you our Sentiments, very briefly, and in great Haste. In general, Sir, there will be three Committees, either of a Congress, or of an House of Representatives, which are and will be composed of our best Men; Such, whose Judgment and Integrity, may be most rely’d on; the Committee on the State...
8663To 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...
8664From 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...
8665To John Adams from James Warren, 27 June 1775 (Adams Papers)
I feel great reluctance in suffering any Opportunity to pass without writeing to you. I can easily suppose your Anxiety as well as Curiosity make you sollicitous to hear every thing that passes here. Since my last nothing material has taken place. The military Operations have Consisted in a few movements and a few Shot Exchanged with very little Effect, sometimes on the side of Roxbury, and...
8666To John Adams from Moses Gill, 1 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I am Now Acompanyg Genl. Washington and Lee from Springfield to the Camp—having been appointed by Congress with Doctr. Church to proceed to Springfield and Acompany them to the Camp aforesaid. We Meet them at Spring, lodged last Night at Brookfield and are now under the Escort of the Troop of Horse which is to Continue till we arive at Worcester—where we are to be received by an Other Troop...
8667From John Adams to Joseph Palmer, 5 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
The bearers of this letter, Mr. Stephen Collins and Mr. John Kaign, are of the peaceable society called Quakers or Friends, yet they are possessed of liberal sentiments, and are very far from being enemies to American principles or practices. They are warm, zealous friends of America, and hearty well wishers to her councils and arms, and have contributed much to promote both in this province....
8668To John Adams from Mercy Otis Warren, 5 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have had the pleasure of seeing several of your Letters in which you Complain that your friends are Rather remiss With Regard to writing you which I think inexcusable at a time when the Liberties of all America and the fate of the British Empire Depend, in a Great Measure on the Result of your Deliberating for if that Respectable Body of which you are a Member, fails, (Either from want of...
8669From John Adams to William Tudor, 6 July 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have at last the Pleasure of acknowledging your Favour of the 26. June. I have mourned, week after Week, the loss of all my old Correspondents, in a Course of Time when they were of more Consequence to me and to my Errand, than ever. What is become of Tudor? Where is Tudor? Is he gone to England? Is he sick? Is he afraid to write? Is he gone into the Army, and become so intent on War, with...
8670From 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...