Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

JAMES WARREN TO SAMUEL ADAMS 1

WATERTOWN, July 9th, 1775

I dined Yesterday with Genl. Washington. he is an amiable man and fully answers the high Chárácter you and my Friend Adams have given of him. I admire the Activity, Spirit and Obligeing Behaviour of Miflin. Coll. Read [Reed] is a very sensible, agreable Gentleman.... The armys have been for some time very quiet. we hear little from them, but at times a few Cannon. this Morning they have fired many, I suppose on Roxbury, I wish we were able to return the Compliment. I should have told you if I had not done it before that we are Concerned here about the Arrangement of the other Generals, particularly our own. I can't tell you how high Thomas' Character runs here. he was by far the best Officer we had. I hope you'l find some way to rectifie what realy is a mistake. I fear your Excessive Establishments may be the Ground of Uneasiness. I hope they wont descend lower than to the Generals. I observe you are very spareing of your Intelligence but I am well pleased with some of your proceedings I have heard off, and my Expectations are much raised with what is to come. if the present policy, or rather Folly, of Britain should last a little longer we may be a Grand and a happy People. I now fear the repeal of the Acts which I have heretofore wished for. We talk of riseing this day to take a little Breath before we meet in General Assembly. the arrival of the Generals have relieved us of much trouble from the Army. when are we to see all the Governments, and our own with them, reformed and set upon a Good Bottom. we look for such an Event. dont you talk of adjourning this way. I find the General wishes for it. we have done it, all along we hear that some of the Troops destined for York are arrived and the whole Expected every Minute, and that the army in Boston are prepareing for some new Expedition. have many Boats of a particular Construction, flat bottomed and Calculated for Shoal Water. I Expect another Action very soon. A few more such as the last will ruin them. I refer you to Mr. J. Adams to whom I have given an Account of that matter which I believe true. I wrote to him Yesterday and he will have it by this Opportunity. do let me know how your Health is. I met Mrs. Adams the other Day. She was well and looked as Blooming as a Girl. I Pity the poor Creatures left in Boston. was very glad to see your Son out. My regards to all our Friends. I am obliged to Mr. Cushing for his frequent mention of me. I am your Friend, JAS: WARREN

I From the Samuel Adams Papers in the New York Public Library. A part of this letter is printed in 1. 69, supra, and only what was not in that note is here given.

I have just heard that our Army at Roxbury succeeded last Night in an Attempt to Burn Brown's House which Excited their Ire to fire the Cannon this morning.

JAMES WARREN TO SAMUEL ADAMS 1

WATERTOWN, July 20, 1775

MY DEAR SIR, I had the pleasure of yours of the 2d Instant by Mr. Thomas this day. it has been so long on its passage that I shall look for another in a day or two, tho' I claim no title to such a favour but from the most sincere Friendship. I am very sorry you have so much reason to Complain of your friends. I flatter myself, however, that I am not the most negligent of them. if I have not done my Duty I shall Endeavour for the future to reform, if you Continue to wish for Letters from me.

They Certainly have paid Excessively dear for the purchase of Bunker's Hill, but your Intelligence of the Death of How is without foundation. he seems to have deserved that fate and, perhaps, it is reserved to the next dome they may take. I want much to see you, but the Importance of the Business you are Engaged in suppresses every desire of that kind for the present. I am sensible from what has Transpired, tho' you have not been perticular, that your Patience is put to the Trial. I hope it will be supported. you flatter me with great Expectations. I hope I shall not be disappointed, but you must be aided by the folly and Wickedness of Britain. so much Moderation and Timidity still prevail here that there is no doing without them. I should be glad to give you a minute Account of our Civil and Military Affairs, but they are so numerous and so Complicated that it is difficult to know where to begin, or where to End, and besides I have wrote pretty fully to our good Friend Mr. Adams, which I consider in some Sort as writing to you. Our New Assembly met here yesterday. Chose only a Speaker and Clerk - your unworthy Friend for the first, Mr. Freeman for the second. the Choice of Concellors was postponed till Tomorrow Morning. I must furnish you with a List of them by another Opportunity. The Inhabitants of your poor devoted Town had a very Social Collection from their dispersions at Concord on Tuesday last to the number of about 200 and Chose Mr. [Samuel] Adams, Hancock, [John] Pitts and [Dr. Benjamin] Church to Represent them. I have no Expectation that the Election of Tomorrow will please either you or me. I could almost wish we were again reduced to a Congress till we had a Constitution worth Contending for. our As

2

I From the Samuel Adams Papers in the New York Public Library.
2 Vol. 1. 82, supra.

sembly is numerous, about 160 Members, pretty nearly of the old Complection. Our Congress was dissolved yesterday morning. their most material proceedings you have seen in the papers. from them you will be able to form some Judgment of the general Tenour of the whole. I cant describe the difficulties we have had from the Caprice, Humour and whims of the Army, as well as many others. The Army is now perfectly quiet and in good Spirits, while their's is out of humour, ill supplied and dispirited. from the Appearances here, situated so nigh as we are to two Camps, you could hardly suppose an Army was within fifty miles of us. The Town is as still as perhaps it ever was on a Sunday. This Fast has been observed as you could wish, with that deference to the Authority that appointed it, and with that devotion that our Circumstances require. it is a grand Solemnity. 3,000,000 of People on their knees at once, supplicating the Aid of Heaven is a strikeing Circumstance and a very singular one in America. May the Blessings of Heaven follow in answer to our prayers. it gives me great satisfaction to hear your Health is better. if Gage's Proclimation has Contributed to it, as I am told it has, I will in one Instance acknowledge my Obligations to him. I am desired to Inclose to you a Letter from one Mrs. Nash and to desire Mr. Hooper's Care of it. my regards to all Enquireing Friends and sincerely

yours

JAMES WARREN TO SAMUEL ADAMS 1

JAS: WARREN

WATERTOWN, July 27th, 1775

MY DEAR SIR, — I yesterday received yours of the 12th Instant 2 by your Friend, Mr. Hughes. I shant fail to Introduce him to our friends and do everything I can to make his Visit here agreable to him. the Recommendation you have given is quite sufficient to Engage my good Opinion of him. I have but Just seen him. Expect to see him again this day. we sent you a Hint sometime ago with regard to takeing up Crown Officers. I could wish to see it Improved more and especially in one Instance. if I have Tryon's Character, his Intrigues are dangerous and require your perticular Attention. no Events of more Consequence that that of Choosing your Honour to the Board have taken place since my last. The Armys Continue to look at each other and fortify themselves. no Action or prospect of [one.] it is said they are very sickly and dispirited in Boston. Our Army is tolerably well and in good Spirits. I really wish to I From the Samuel Adams Papers in the New York Public Library. 2 Vol. 1. 82, supra.

have something to write you of the Operations of war, but it is a barren time. I have not been at the Camp since my arrival here I mean to our new Assembly. we are going on in the old way with Business enough before us. The Council met but yesterday. they choose a Secretary this day. I presume you will be the man. I hear you talk of adjourning. I want to see you, but I fear if you adjourn the same Reverence will not attend the proceedings of your Committee. my room is full of Company this morning and I am much hurried. I cant therefore add more than my regards to all friends, perticularly my good Friend, Mr. Adams. I am sincerely your Friend,

J. WARREN

I shall write you again as soon as I can. we have great Numbers of Gentlemen resorting to this Colony from the rest. could wish to know what men you would like to hear of.

JAMES WARREN TO SAMUEL ADAMS 1

WATERTOWN, Augt. 4th, 1775

MY DEAR SIR, I am greatly obliged to you for your Letter of the 24th July 2 which I received on Sunday last. I Intended to have wrote you before this and perticularly by an Express of the Generals, which he told me would go on Wednesday, and I suppose is now gone; but I have not had it in my power to do it. Interruptions of one kind or another have prevented whenever I had assigned a Time for it. besides I have some doubts how it should be performed. I am sensible Confiding in your Candour I have wrote with great Ease to myself and I suppose Incorrectness; but have Endeavoured to Collect facts, etc., and give them to you as well as I could, and it seems to me, as far as I can recollect, I have generally given you or my Good Friend, Mr. J. Adams (which I conceive to be the same thing) all the Facts and material Events that had taken place here which I could suppose you was not otherways acquainted with. however, I designed it and if I have failed from any other reason but from want of ability, will try to reform, being very well disposed both from Inclination and Policy to Contribute all I can to the weight and Importance of the Mass[achusetts] Delegates, and Especially to that of Mr. Adams who I can assure you I think was a Judicious Choice and is a man after my own heart.

I can again assure you with Confidence that every thing in the Army is easy. I know of no Suspicions or Uneasiness among the Officers or I From the Samuel Adams Papers in the New York Public Library. 2 Vol. 1. 89, supra.

Soldiers. General Spencer at first left the Camp but is again returnd and I believe Behaves well. General Washington's, Lee's, Gates', and the Character of the Gentlemen with them are greatly Esteemed and unlimited Confidence is placed in them.The state of our Army is very pleasing. they are Healthy, vigorous, Intrepid, and orderly and well supplied with every thing but one. that I cant think of without Gloom and fearful Apprehensions, but I trust the Goodness of a kind Providence and the Vigilance of your Congress. for God's Sake, Exert yourselves to free us from our Apprehensions. you will hear from the General on this Head. the Situation of our Brethren in Boston is beyond description miserable, in want of Necessaries, sickly and dyeing, Tyranny, Famine and Pestilence are their Portion at once. I must refer you to my Friend Adams to whom I wrote all the perticulars I knew with regard to them, and likewise for the little Skirmishes that have taken place after so profound a Tranquility.1 very little has happened since I wrote him. the Rifle men and some others are continually firing on them and they frequently return the fire of their Cannon. we kill them some men almost every day. The People at Machias, an obscure, small Town in the Eastermost parts of this Colony, you may remember some time ago took two Sloops from one Jones (a dog) and a Tender. they have now taken another Tender without the loss of a man, and among other things with ten bbls. powder and £50 sterling in Cash. in this way they will be a Maritime Power. they Bid as fair for it as Charthage in the days of Queen Dido, and almost as much so as England in the days of Queen Bess. We may be able another Year to Convey the Delegates to Philadelphia (if they Choose to go by water) against the Navy of Britain. Are we not to hear of an Expedition into Canada and of Treaties with foreign powers, at least Commercial. do let the Grandeur and Importence of your measures command the Astonishment while the Wisdom of them Excites the Reverence of the world. You tell me you Expect a short Adjournment. I will be glad to see you. we are drudging on in the old way, and a dull one it is, not so much as Enlivened with the usual Altercations with an Infamous Governor. I Inclosed a Letter for you in Mr. Adams. give my perticular regards to him. My Compliments to all Friends. Mr. Paine I will next write to him. I have taken Care to see your Son provided for and should have done it before but for a mistake. I took another man of the same Name, a Surgeon of one of the Regiments, to be him and signed the warrant with great pleasure, as I always feel Interested in whatever relates to your family. no News from England. what the old Squaw is about, we cant conjecture and dont much Care. I hope she is raising Troops to subdue America. I am your Friend. Adieu. JAS: WARREN

1 Vol. 1. 95, supra.

« ZurückWeiter »