4591Isaac Smith Sr. to John Adams, 28 July 1777 (Adams Papers)
Not haveing anything worth troubling you with for sometime have been silent. The late Affair of Ticonderogia, makes us all sick. I have been of Opinion for sometime itt would have been best iff itt had been evacuated last spring and come down lower by which means the laboring Oar would have fell more on the Enemy, but to give itt up with such immence stores and charge we have been att, is...
4592Abigail Adams to John Adams, 30 July 1777 (Adams Papers)
I dare say before this Time you have interpreted the Northern Storm; if the presages chill’d your Blood, how must you be froze and stiffend at the Disgrace brought upon our Arms unless some warmer passion seaze you, and Anger and resentment Fire your Breast. How are all our vast Magazines of Cannon, powder, Arms, cloathing, provision, Medicine &c. to be restored to us—but what is vastly more,...
4593John Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 July 1777 (Adams Papers)
I am sorry to find by your late Letter what indeed I expected to hear, that my Farm wants manure. I fear by your Expressions that your Crop of Hay falls short. But, there has been an Error in our Husbandry in which We have been very inconsiderate and extravagant, that is in pasturing the Mowing Ground. This will ruin any Farm. The true Maxim of profitable Husbandry is to contrive every Means...
4594John Adams to Abigail Adams, 1 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
The Fleet is in Delaware Bay. 228 of them were seen, in the Offing, from Cape Henlopen, the day before yesterday. They come in but slowly. G eneral Washington, and the light Horse came into Town last Night. His Army will be in, this day—that is the two or three first Divisions of it—Greens, Sterlings and Stevensons Stephen’s . The rest is following on, as fast as possible. General Nash with...
4595John Adams to Abigail Adams, 2 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
By an express last night from Cape May, We learn that the Fleet went out of the Bay, the Morning before, i.e. on Thursday Morning and put to Sea, and went out of Sight. What this Man is after, no Wisdom can discover. Last night another Express says the Fleet appeared off the Capes again, i.e. part of it, upwards of one hundred Sail. After all these Feints and Maneuvres, it is most likely he...
4596John Adams to Abigail Adams, 4 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
Your kind Favour of July 23, came by the Post, this Morning. It revives me, to hear of your Health, and Welfare, altho I shall be, and am disappointed of a Blessing, which I hoped to enjoy. But this is the Result of Wisdom superiour to ours and must be submitted to with chearfull Resignation. The Loss of Ti. has occasioned as loud Complaints and as keen Resentment in Philadelphia as in Boston....
4597Abigail Adams to John Adams, 5 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
If allarming half a dozen places at the same time is an act of Generalship How may boast of his late conduct. We have never since the Evacuation of Boston been under apprehensions of an invasion from them eaquel to what we sufferd last week. All Boston was in confusion, packing up and carting out of Town, Household furniture, military stores, goods &c. Not less than a thousand Teams were...
4598John Adams to Abigail Adams, 6 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
Price current.—Oak Wood £4:15s:od. Pr. Cord. Bad Beer, not so good as your Small Beer, 15d: Pr. Quart. Butter one Dollar Pr. Pound. Beef 2s:6d. Coffee a dollar a Pound. Bohea 8 dollars. Souchong £4: 10s. Hyson £6. Mean brown sugar 6s. 6d. a pound. Loaf sugar 18s. a pound. Rum 45s. a Gallon. Wine 2 dollars a Bottle. The Hounds are all still at a Fault. Where the game is gone, is the Question....
4599John Adams to Abigail Adams, 7 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
We have not yet the least Intimation of Howes Design. He is wasting away the Time. Let him aim at what Object he will, he will have scarcely Time to secure that, and will have none left to pursue his Advantage, if he gains any. Burgoine I hope will be checked, and driven back. I hope the New Englandmen will now exert themselves, for it has cost Us, severe Conflicts, to get Affairs in that...
4600John Adams to Abigail Adams, 8 August 1777 (Adams Papers)
I have concluded to run the Risque of sending Turner Home. It will save me the Expence of his Board and Horse. The Moment he arrives, I hope you will send his Horse to Boston to be sold at Vendue. If he rides the Horse let him be sold immediately. If he rides the Mare, you may keep her if you chuse to do so and sell the old Horse, provided the Mare will go in a Carriage which must be tried,...