9001From John Adams to James Sullivan, 26 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
Your Favours of May 9th. and 17th. are now before me; and I consider them as the Commencement of a Correspondence, which will not only give me Pleasure, but may be of Service to the public, as, in my present Station I Stand in need of the best Intelligence, and the Advice of every Gentleman of Abilities and public Principles, in the Colony which has seen fit to place me here. Our worthy...
9002To John Adams from Nathanael Greene, 26 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
The peculiar situation of American affairs renders it necessary to adopt every measure that will engage people in the service. The danger and hardships that those are subject to who engage in the service, more than those who do not, is obvious to every body which has the least Acquaintance with service, tis that which makes it so difficult to recruit. The large force that is coming against...
9003To John Adams from Benjamin Kent, 26 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
I have written upon Politics, to your Names Sake, upon the grand affair of a Declaration of Independence, and I suppose he will show it to our Continentall Representatives I mean our Representatives of Massachusetts bay If desir’d, for tho I thro the kindness of Providence Sustain no Sort of publick Caracter; yet I concern my self very much in Affairs which Concern the publick. I remember I...
9004To John Adams from Samuel Cooper, 27 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
I find by your Letter of 16th. Instant that you had no Expectation of the disagreable News from Canada. Our Accounts from thence are not very perfect. According to these, A Reinforcement for Quebec came up the River before the City on 6th. of this Month. Our Army suddenly retir’d, leaving good Part at least, of Cannon Baggage, and their sick. They had determin’d it is said, in a Council of...
9005From John Adams to Benjamin Hichborn, 29 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
Your agreable Favour of 20th. May, was handed me Yesterday and it gave me much Pleasure on various Accounts—one particularly as it gave me Evidence of your Existence, which for some Time past you have Suffered to remain problematical. I have long expected Letters from you, but yet, I cannot find fault, because I believe I am much in your Debt. However, if you had considered the situation I am...
9006To John Adams from Hugh Hughes, 29 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
I have the Pleasure to acquaint you that our Citizens had a Meeting on Monday Evening last, when it was agreed, without a dissenting Voice, to instruct our Convention on that most important of all sublunary Affairs, in order that Application may be made to your Honble. House. What will our Traitors, with you, say to this virtuous Stand? One of them, I know, will endeavour to turn it to...
9007From John Adams to Samuel Cooper, 30 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 20th. was handed me by the last Post. I congratulate you upon the first modern Election, on the last Wednesday in May of Councellors as at the first. I could not avoid indulging myself Yesterday, in Imagination with my Friends in Boston, upon an Occasion So joyfull. I presume you must have had a very solemn and ceremonious Election, and wish that no Interruption may ever hereafter...
9008To John Adams from John Winthrop, 1 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you last week acknowledging the receit of your favor of May 6. Since that, have had the pleasure of another, of May 12, by my Son—am greatly obliged to you for the favorable opinion you are pleased to express of him. I cannot but regret, however, that so large a proportion of the paper was left blank. I have often wondered, that so much difficulty should be raised about declaring...
9009From John Adams to Henry Knox, 2 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
Your esteemed Favour of the 16 of May, came to my Hand a few Days ago. You have laid me under obligations, by your ingenious Observations upon those Books, upon military Science, which are necessary, to be procured, in the present Circumstances of this Country. I have been a long Time convinced of the Utility of publishing american Editions of those Writers, and that it is an object of...
9010To John Adams from Nathanael Greene, 2 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
I have just receivd your favor of the 26th of May in answer to mine of the 24th. You must not expect me to be a very exact correspondent, my circumstances will not always admit of it. When I have opportunity I will write you with freedom if any information I can give you should be of service I shall be amply paid. I know your time is too precious to be spent in Answering Letters; but a line...
9011To John Adams from James Warren, 2 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
I Received yours of the 20th. of May with the pamphlets Inclosed. I am much Obliged to you for them. I am quite satisfied that you have wrote to me as Often as your Situation would Admit of, that your Cares are great, and press on you from many quarters. I never suspected your Friendship. I pity you as much as you can wish a Friend to do, and Admire your Spirit and resolute perseverance in the...
9012From John Adams to Patrick Henry, 3 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
I had this Morning the Pleasure of yours of 20 May. The little Pamphlet you mention is nullius Filius, and if I should be obliged to maintain it, the World will not expect that I should own it. My Motive for inclosing it to you, was not the Value of the Present, but as a Token of Friendship—and more for the Sake of inviting your Attention to the Subject, than because there was any Thing in it...
9013To John Adams from Samuel Holden Parsons, 3 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
Your favor of the 26th. Ultimo I duly received. I am fully of I Opinion with you that the Rank of Officers ought to be regarded, but not made the invariable Rule of Promotion in the Army, uncommon Merit in any Officer ought to be rewarded. The Danger lies in the Application of the Rule; Merit is comparative. It is difficult to compare where Two Officers are put to perform different Services...
9014From John Adams to Hugh Hughes, 4 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
Yours of May 29. came safe to Hand, and am much pleased to find that your Citizens have behaved with so much Wisdom, Unanimity, and Spirit. Yet I was disappointed that you did not inclose their Votes. Am very glad Mr. J. is with you, and hope he will be of great Service there but will he not be for making your Governor and Councillors for Life or during good Behaviour? I should dread Such a...
9015From John Adams to Richard Lee, 4 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of 18 May, inclosing the momentous Resolution of your wise and patriotic Convention, together with the American Crisis came duely to Hand, and yesterday, I had the Pleasure of receiving the Proceedings of the House of Burgesses. I thank you, sir for both these esteemed Favours. Is it not a little remarkable that this Congress and your Convention should come to Resolutions so nearly...
9016To John Adams from James Warren, 5 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
The Inclosed Letter was sealed to go by the last Post, but I Unluckily missed it. I have now An Opportunity to Inclose one from Braintree. Doctr. Church is Arrived here. Is not your resolve relative to him somewhat Extraordinary. I fear the People will kill him if at large. The Night before last he went to Lodge at Waltham was saved by the Interposition of the selectmen but by Jumping out of A...
9017The General Court to the Massachusetts Delegates, 6 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
At the same time that we think Ourselves obliged to acknowledge the vigilance and care of our Delegates to the defence of our Colony, and the attention of the Congress to an impartial defence of every part of the united Colonies, in the late provision made for the Massachusetts Bay, their Resolve for adding three more Battalions to those left for the defence of it; we conceive it necessary to...
9018From John Adams to Samuel Cooper?, 9 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
Yours of 27. May, received yesterday. I did not expect that our Army would have raised the Siege of Quebec, So soon, much less So unskillfully and So timorously. I cannot forbear, these Epithets. But raising a siege in open day, and in the Face of an Enemy, was a Step, that nothing could justify, that I can think of. The Small Pox is a terrible Enemy, but why could not this have been kept out...
9019From John Adams to William Cushing, 9 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
I had, yesterday, the Honour of your Letter of the 20th. of May, and I read it, with all that Pleasure, which We feel on the Revival of an old Friendship when We meet a Friend, whom, for a long Time We have not Seen. You do me great Honour, sir, in expressing a Pleasure at my Appointment to the Bench; but be assured that no Circumstance relating to that Appointment has given me So much...
9020From John Adams to James Warren, 9 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
I shall address this to you as Speaker, but you may be Councillor, or Governor, or Judge, or any other Thing, or nothing but a good Man, for what I know. Such is the Mutability of this World. Upon my Word I think you Use the World very ill, to publish and send abroad a Newspaper, since the 29 May without telling Us one Word about the Election, where it was held, who preached the sermon, or &c....
9021From John Adams to Oakes Angier, 12 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
It was with great Pleasure, and perhaps some little Mixture of Pride, that I read your Name among the Representatives of Bridgwater, in the Boston Gazette. I rejoiced to find that your Townsmen, had So much Confidence in your Abilities and Patriotism, and that you had so much Confidence in the Justice of our Cause, and the Abilities of America to support it, as to embark your Fortune in it....
9022From John Adams to Francis Dana, 12 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
In the Lists of the House and Board, I was as much pleased to find your Name among the latter as I was chagrined to find it omitted in the former. This is one among numberless Advantages of a Middle Branch of the Legislature, that a Place may be found in it, for such distinguished Friends of their Country, as are omitted by the People in the Choice of their Representatives. This is an...
9023From John Adams to John Lowell, 12 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
Yesterdays Post brought me a Newspaper of the 3d. Instant, containing a List of your House, and Board, and upon my Word I read it with more Pleasure than I ever read any other List of the two Houses. I dont believe the Records of the Province can show, a more respectable set of Representatives or Councillors. Sergeant, Lowell, Pickering, Angier are great Acquisitions in the House: So are Dana,...
9024From John Adams to David Sewall, 12 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
In the Boston Gazette of the 3d. Instant, I have the Pleasure to see your Name among the Councillors, where I have wished to see it, for some Time. That refined Ingenuity and pertenacious Industry, which distinguished my Classmate at Colledge, and my Brother at the Bar, I am sure will be of great service to the Province, at the Councill Board, especially at this Time, when the public Stands so...
9025Editorial Note (Adams Papers)
On 12 June 1776, almost five months after a committee had been named to consider the establishment of a war office, the Continental Congress resolved to create “a Board of War and Ordnance” and on the following day appointed John Adams, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Harrison, James Wilson, and Edward Rutledge as its first members ( JCC Worthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the...
902617 June., 17 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
17 June. The congress resolved, in response to a letter of 10 June from Gov. Jonathan Trumbull, that two battalions raised in Connecticut for service at Boston and New York, respectively, be sent to Canada; that blank commissions be sent to Trumbull for the officers of the battalion intended for New York; and that another battalion of militia be sent to Boston, Connecticut to receive $10,500...
902719 June., 19 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
19 June. The congress resolved in regard to several letters, particularly one of 16 June from George Washington, that commissions given by Brigadier General Sullivan to officers in Canada be confirmed and that $300,000 be sent to the paymaster general in New York ( JCC Worthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress , 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols. , 5:465).
902821 June., 21 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
21 June. The congress, considering the status of several officers who had served in Canada during the last winter, resolved that New York raise a new regiment and in doing so commission the veterans of the Canadian service; that the commissions be granted on the condition of their companies being raised to full strength; that Maj. Lewis Dubois in particular be provided for; and that Maj. John...
902924 June., 24 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
24 June. The congress tabled a petition from Carpenter Wharton (see resolution of 6 July , below) and desired that General Washington inform it as to the cost of a ration as provided by the commissary general ( JCC Worthington C. Ford and others, eds., Journals of the Continental Congress , 1774–1789, Washington, 1904–1937; 34 vols. , 5:477).
903025 June., 25 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
25 June. In response to letters from Schuyler, Sullivan, and Arnold transmitted in a letter of 23 June from George Washington, the congress resolved that the number of men for the Northern Department be increased to 4,000; that Major Dubois be made a colonel and ordered to raise a regiment; that the force to be sent to the Northern Department be augmented by one regiment from New Hampshire,...