The Writings of Samuel Adams Volume III Part 31

TO JOHN ADAMS.

[MS., Adams Papers, Quincy; a text is in W. V. Wells, Life of Samuel Adams, vol. ii., p. 441.]

PRINCETOWN Augt 13 1776

DEAR SIR

Before this reaches you,1 you will have heard of the Arrival of near an hundred more of the Enemies ships. There are too many Soldiers now in Philada waiting for Arms. Is it not of the utmost Importance that they should march even without Arms, especially as they may be furnishd with the Arms of those who are sick at N York. Would it not be doing great Service to the Cause at this time if you wd speak to some of the Come of Safety of Pennsylvania relative to this matter. I write in haste. The Bearer will inform you of the State of things.

Your Friend,

________________________________________________________________ 1Addressed to John Adams at Philadelphia.

TO JOHN ADAMS.

[MS., Adams Papers, Quincy; a portion of the text is in W. V.

Wells, Life of Samuel Adams, vol. ii., p. 442.]

N YORK Augt 16 1776

MY DEAR SIR

I sit down to write in great Haste as the post is just going. I reachd P. Ferry on Tuesday Six Clock P M & pa.s.sd over the next morning--found the Genl & his family in Health & spirits. Indeed every Officer & Soldier appears to be determind. I have not had Oppty to view the Works here, but I am told they are strong & will be well defended whenever an Attack is made which is expected daily. I see now more than I ever did the Importance of Congress attending immediately to Inlistments for the next Campaign. It would be a pity to lose your old Soldiers. I am of Opinion that a more generous Bounty shd be given, 20 Dollars & 100 Acres of Land for three years at least--but enough of this--

The State of our Northern Army mends apace. The Number of invalids decreases. Harmony prevails. They carry on all kinds of Business within themselves. Smiths Armourers Carpenters Turners Carriage Makers Rope Makers &c &c they are well provided with.

There were at Tyconderoga Augt 12 2,668 Rank & file fit for Duty at Crown Point & Skeensborough 750, in Hospital 1,110-Lt Whittemore returnd from his Discoveries--he left St Johns July 30 saw 2000 or 2500 at that place & Chamblee. Stores coming on from Montreal--counted 30 Batteaus. No Vessell built or building. This Accot may I think be depended upon. In my opinion we are happy to have G Gates there. The Man who has the Superintendency of Indian Affairs--the nominal Command of the Army--is the REAL Contractor & Quarter Master Genl &c &c has too many Employmtts to attend to the reform of such an Army--besides the Army can confide in the VALOR & MILITARY Skill & Accomplishments of GATES--SAT VERb.u.m SAPIENTI; pray write me & let me know the Confed. &c goes on.

Major Meigs a brave officer & a Prisoner taken at Quebeck is at this time, as I suppose, at Philadelphia--he wishes to be exchanged--such an Officer would be very usefull here. I wish you wd give him your a.s.sistance. I propose to sett off tomorrow for the Eastward.

Adieu,

Cap Palmer is in this City waiting for inlisting orders. I wish the Rank of the Navy officers was settled & the Commissions made out. Capt Dearborne of N Hampshire is in the same Predicament with Major Meigs. Coll Whipple who now sends his Regards to you, is very desirous that he may also be exchand--his Character is remarkeably good as Maj Meigs can inform you.

TO JOHN ADAMS.

[MS., Adams Papers, Quincy; a text is in John Adams, Works, vol.

ix., pp. 441-443.]

BOSTON Sep 16 1776

MY DEAR SIR/

I very gratefully acknowledge the Receipt of your Letter dated the of August. I should have written to you from this place before, but I have not had Leisure. My Time is divided between Boston & Watertown, and though we are not engagd in Matters of such Magnitude as now employ your Mind, there are a thousand things which call the Attention of every Man who is concernd for his Country. Our a.s.sembly have appointed a Committee to prepare a Form of Government--they have not yet reported. I believe they will agree in two legislative Branches --their great Difficulty seems to be to determine upon a free and adequate Representative, --they are at present an unwieldy Body. I will inform you more of this when I shall have the Materials. The Defence of this Town you know has lain much upon our Minds. Fortifications are erected upon several of the Islands, which I am told require at least 8000 Men. You shall have a particular Account when I am at Leisure,--by my Manner of writing you may conclude that I am now in haste. I have receivd no Letter from Philade or New York since I was favord with yours, nor can I find that any other person has. It might be of Advantage to the common Cause for us to know what is doing at both those important places. We have a Report that a Committee is appointed (as the expression is) "to meet the Howes," and that you are one. This, without Flattery gave me pleasure. I am indeed at a Loss to conclude how such a Movement could be made consistent with the Honor of the Congress, but I have such an Opinion of the Wisdom of that Body, that I must not doubt of the Rect.i.tude of the Measure. I hope they will be vigilant and firm, for I am told that Lord Howe is, though not a great man, an artful Courtier. May G.o.d give us Wisdom Fort.i.tude Perseverance and every other virtue necessary for us to maintain that Independence which we have a.s.serted. It would be ridiculous indeed if we were to return to a State of Slavery in a few Weeks after we had thrown off the Yoke and a.s.serted our Independence.

The Body of the people of America, I am perswaded, would resent it--but why do I write in this Stile--I rely upon the Congress & the committee. I wish however to know a little about this Matter, for I confess I cannot account for it to my own Mind. I will write to you soon-in the mean time,

Adieu,

What has been the Issue of the Debates upon a weighty Subject when I left you, and another Matter (you know what I mean) of great Importance? Is it not high time they were finishd?

Pay my due Regards to the President Mess Paine1 & Gerry2 Coll Lees and other Friends.

_______________________________________________________________ 1Robert Treat Paine.

2A portion of a letter by Samuel Adams to Gerry, dated September 23, 1776, is printed in W. V. Wells, Life of Samuel Adams, vol. ii., pp. 447, 448.

TO JOHN ADAMS.

[MS., Adams Papers, Quincy; a text is in John Adams, Works, vol.

ix., pp. 446, 447.]

BOSTON Sep 30 1776

MY DEAR SIR/

I am much obligd to you for your two Letters of the 8th & 14th of this Month, which I receivd, together, by the last Post. The Caution given in the first of these Letters was well designd; and had it come to me as early as you had Reason to expect it would, I should have been relievd of a full fortnights Anxiety of Mind.

I was indeed greatly "concernd" for the Event of the proposd Conference with Lord Howe. It is no Compliment when I tell you, that I fully confided in the Understanding and Integrity of the Gentlemen appointed by Congress; but being totally ignorant of the Motives which inducd such a Measure, I was fearful lest we might be bro't into a Situation of great Delicacy and Embarra.s.sment. I perceive that his Lordship would not converse with you as Members of Congress or a Committee of that Body; from whence I concluded that the Conference did not take its Rise on his part. As I am unacquainted with its Origination and the Powers of the Committee, I must contemplate the whole Affair as a Refinement in Policy beyond my Reach, and content myself with remaining in the Dark, till I have the Pleasure of seeing you, when, I trust, the Mystery will be fully explaind to me. Indeed I am not so sollicitous to know the Motives from whence this Conference sprang, or the Manner in which it was brought up, as I am pleasd with its Conclusion. The Sentiments and Language of the Committee, as they are related to me, were becoming the Character they bore. They mannagd with great Dexterity. They maintaind the Dignity of Congress, and in my Opinion, the Independence of America stands now on a better footing than it did before. It affords me abundant Satisfaction, that the Minister of the British King, commissiond to require and fondly nourishing the Hopes of receiving the Submission of America, was explicitly and authoritatively a.s.sured, that neither the Committee nor that Congress which sent them had Authority to treat in any other Capacity than as INDEPENDENT STATES. His Lordship, it seems, "has no Instruction on that Subject." We must therefore fight it out, and trust in G.o.d for Success. I dare a.s.sure my self, that the most effectual Care has before this time been taken, for the Continuance and Support of our Armies, not only for the Remainder of the present, but for a future year. The People will cheerfully support their Independence to the utmost. Their Spirits will rise upon their knowing the Result of the late Conference. It has, you may depend upon it, been a Matter of great Expectation. Would it not be attended with a good Effect, if an Account of it was publishd by Authority of Congress? It would, I should think, at least put it out of the Power of disaffected Men (and there are some of this Character even here) to amuse their honest Neighbors with vain hopes of Reconciliation.

I wish that Congress would give the earliest Notice to this State, of what may be further expected to be done here for the Support of the Army. The Season is advancing or rather pa.s.sing fast. I intended when I sat down to have written you a long Epistle, but I am interrupted. I have a thousand Avocations which require my Attention. Many of them are too trifling to merit your Notice. Adieu, my Friend. I hope to see you soon.

TO SAMUEL MATHER.

[MS., Dreer Collection, Historical Society of Pennsylvania; a text is in the Emmet Collection, Lenox Library; and a draft is in the Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]

PHILADA Octob 26 1776

MY DEAR SIR,

On the Evening of the 24th Instant I arrivd in good health in this City--I give you this Information in Compliance with my Word, and flattering my self that I shall very soon be favord with a Letter from you--I will promise to give you hereafter as much Intelligence as the Secrecy to which I am in honour bound will allow.

I met with Nothing disagreable in my journey, saving my being prevented from pa.s.sing through the direct Road in East Chester, the Enemy having taken Possession of the Ground there--Our Army is extended in several Encampments from Kings Bridge to White Plains which is 12 or 15 Miles Northward, commanded by the Generals Lord Sterling, Bell (of Maryland) Lincoln, McDougal, Lee, Heath & Putnam--I mention them, I think, in the order as they are posted from the Plains to the Bridge--The Generals Head Quarters are now at Valentine Hill about the Center of the Encampments. The Army is in high Spirits and wish for Action.

There have been several Skirmishes; one on Fryday the 18th in which the Ma.s.sachusetts Regiment commanded by Coll Glover distinguishd their Bravery and they have receivd the Thanks of the General. In this Rencounter the Enemy sustaind a considerable Loss, it is said not less than 700 Men--Another on the Night of the 21st. The infamous Major Rogers with about 400 Tories of Long Island, having advancd towards Mareneck1 on the Main, was defeated by a Party of ours with the Loss of 36 Prisoners besides killed & wounded. This valiant Hero was the first off the Field-- Such Skirmishes, if successful on our Part, will give Spirit to our Soldiers and fit them for more important and decisive Action, which I confess I impatiently wish for.--I have said that our Soldiers are in high Spirits; I add, that so far as I can learn the Character of the General officers of the Enemys Army, we at least equal them in this Instance, we have an excellent Commissary & Quarter Master General, officers of great Importance --Mifflin, who servd so much to our Advantage in the latter of these Employments, has condescended to take it again though he had been promoted to the Rank & Pay of a Brigadier General--The Enemy is posted in a rough hilly Country, the Advantages of which Americans have convincd them they know how to improve--Under all these Circ.u.mstances I should think that the sooner a General Battle was brot on, the better; but I am no Judge in military Matters.

An interresting Affair, about which a Circle of Friends whom I had the Pleasure of meeting at Dr Chauncys, is finishd, I think, agreably to their Wishes--I can only add at present that I am with the most cordial Esteem,

Sir your a.s.sured Friend & very humble Servant

_________________________________________________________________ 1Mamaroneck.

TO MRS. ADAMS.