1441[Thursday. November 23. 1775.] (Adams Papers)
Thursday. November 23. 1775. The Committee for fitting out armed Vessells laid before Congress, a draught of Rules for the Government of the American Navy and Articles to be signed by the Officers and Men employed in that Service, which were read and ordered to lie on the Table for the Perusal of the Members. This “draught” was the work of JA . It was debated, probably amended, and adopted by...
1442From John Adams to James Otis Sr., 23 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
I had the Honour of your Letter of Novr. the Eleventh, by Express, and am very Sorry to learn that any Difference of Sentiment has arisen between the two Honourable Houses, respecting the Militia Bill, as it is so necessary at this critical Moment, for the public Service. If I was of opinion that any Resolution of the Congress now in Force was against the Claim of the Honourable House, as the...
1443From John Adams to Perez Morton, 24 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
I had the Honour of receiving your Letter of the Twenty Eighth of October last, by Mr. Revere; in which you acquaint me that the Major Part of the Honourable Council, by Virtue of the Power and Authority, in and by the Royal Charter of the Massachusetts Bay, in the absence of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor lodged in them have Seen fit to appoint me, with the Advice and Consent of...
1444[Saturday November 25. 1775.] (Adams Papers)
Saturday November 25. 1775. Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the Committee on General Washingtons Letter, and the same being debated by Paragraphs, was agreed to as follows: Whereas it appears from undoubted information, that many Vessells which had cleared at the respective Custom houses in these Colonies, agreable to the regulations established by Acts of the British...
1445From John Adams to Joseph Hawley, 25 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
This afternoon at five o Clock, I received your kind Letter of November the 14. dated at Brookfield—which was the more agreable because such Favours from you short as this is are very rare. You tell me, Sir, “that We Shall have no Winter Army, if our Congress dont give better Encouragement to the Privates than at present is held forth to them”—and that “there must be Some Small Bounty given...
1446From John Adams to Mercy Otis Warren, 25 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
I had the Pleasure of yours of Novr. 4th several Days ago. You know Madam, that I have no Pleasure or Amusements which has any Charms for me. Balls, Assemblies Concerts Cards, Horses, Dogs, never engaged any Part of my attention or Concern. Nor am I ever happy in large and promiscuous Companies. Business alone, with the intimate unreserved Conversation of a very few Friends, Books, and...
1447VII. Naval Committee to Dudley Saltonstall, 27 November 1775 (Adams Papers)
The Congress are now preparing two Ships and two Brigantines to be fitted out as soon as possible to cruise against our common enemy. They have thought of you as a proper person to take the command of one of those ships as Captain. If you enter into this service, which we take to be the service of your country, you will give us the earliest information and repair to Philadelphia as soon as...
1448VIII. Rules for the Regulation of the Navy of the United Colonies, 28 November – December 1775 (Adams Papers)
ART. 1. The Commanders of all ships and vessels belonging to the THIRTEEN UNITED COLONIES, are strictly required to shew in themselves a good example of honor and virtue to their officers and men, and to be very vigilant in inspecting the behaviour of all such as are under them, and to discountenance and suppress all dissolute, immoral and disorderly practices; and also, such as are contrary...
1449[Committees of Correspondence and Commerce, November 1775–January 1776] (Adams Papers)
On Wednesday November 29. 1775. (See Journals of Congress for the Year 1775 page 272. and 273.) It was resolved that a Committee of five be appointed for the sole purpose of corresponding with our Friends in Great Britain, Ireland and other parts of the World, and that they lay their Correspondence before Congress when directed. Resolved that Congress will make provision to defray all such...
1450[Sixth of December 1775] (Adams Papers)
About the sixth of December 1775, I obtained Leave of Congress to visit my Family and returned home. The General Court satt at Watertown, Our Army was at Cambridge and the British in Boston. Having a seat in Council, I had opportunity to Converse with the Members of both Houses, to know their Sentiments and to communicate mine. The Council had unanimously appointed me, in my Absence, without...
1451John Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
Yours of Novr. 12 is before me. I wish I could write you every day, more than once, for although I have a Number of Friends, and many Relations who are very dear to me, yet all the Friendship I have for others is far unequal to that which warms my Heart for you. The most agreable Time that I spend here is in writing to you, and conversing with you when I am alone. But the Calls of Friendship...
1452From John Adams to James Warren, 3 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have only Time to acquaint you that Congress have ordered the arrears of Pay to be discharged to the soldiers and one Months Advance Pay to be made. No Bounty nor any allowance for Lunar Months. I have a Thousand Things to say—But no Time. Our Army must be reconciled to these Terms, or We shall be ruined for what I know. The Expenses accumulating upon the Continent are so vast and boundless...
1453[December 1775] (Adams Papers)
Having Yesterday as ked and obtained Leave of Congress to go home, this Morning I mounted, with my own Servant only, about twelve O Clock, and reached the red Lyon about two where I dine. The Roads very miry and dirty, the Weather pleasant, and not cold. This is the first regular entry since 29 Oct. in JA ’s Diary. Why he failed to keep a record of either personal or congressional affairs...
14541775. Decr. 9th. (Adams Papers)
Having Yesterday as ked and obtained Leave of Congress to go home, this Morning I mounted, with my own Servant only, about twelve O Clock, and reached the red Lyon about two where I dine. The Roads very miry and dirty, the Weather pleasant, and not cold. This is the first regular entry since 29 Oct. in JA ’s Diary. Why he failed to keep a record of either personal or congressional affairs...
14551775. Decr. 10. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
Rode from Bristol to Trenton, breakfasted, rode to Princetown, and dined with a Captain Flahaven, in Ld. Sterlings Regiment, who has been express to Congress from his Lordship. Flahaven’s Father lives in this Province. He has lived in Maryland. Says that the Virginia Convention granting the Scotch Petition to be neutral has done all the Mischief and been the Support of Lord Dunmore. He says...
1456[Joseph Bass’ Bills to John and Samuel Adams.] (Adams Papers)
AD 1775 Sepr. 11 For bording at Mr. Dibleys 0: 8: 5 Oct. For one pr. of Quality binding 0 4 0 Paid to the Sadler 0 2: 3 Paid for triming of the horses 0 5: 0 For one Quir of paper
1457Resolution to pay post-riders, 26 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
26 December 1775. Resolution to pay post-riders. M-Ar :207, p. 311–315. printed : Force, Archives [Peter Force, ed.,] American Archives: Consisting of a Collection of Authentick Records, State Papers, Debates, and Letters and Other Notices of Publick Affairs , Washington, 1837–1853; 9 vols. , 4th ser., 4:1242–1243. ( M-Ar :207, p. 311–315. printed : Force, Archives [Peter Force, ed.,]
1458Resolution appointing members to a joint committee to determine how bills of credit were to be signed and numbered, 26 … (Adams Papers)
26 December 1775. Resolution appointing members to a joint committee to determine how bills of credit were to be signed and numbered. M-Ar :207, p. 316. printed : Force, Archives [Peter Force, ed.,] American Archives: Consisting of a Collection of Authentick Records, State Papers, Debates, and Letters and Other Notices of Publick Affairs , Washington, 1837–1853; 9 vols. , 4th ser., 4:1243. (...
1459Resolution to pay John Davis a sum in behalf of Edward Johnson, a petitioning soldier, 26 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
Resolution to pay John Davis a sum in behalf of Edward Johnson, a petitioning soldier. M-Ar :207, p. 317–318. ( M-Ar :207, p. 317–318).
1460Resolution to approve committee report recommending payment to the Committee of Supplies for its services, in response … (Adams Papers)
26 December 1775. Resolution to approve committee report recommending payment to the Committee of Supplies for its services, in response to its petition. M-Ar :207, p. 319–321. ( M-Ar :207, p. 319–321).
1461Resolution to approve appointment of a committee to assist the commissary general in procuring military supplies, 27 … (Adams Papers)
27 December 1775. Resolution to approve appointment of a committee to assist the commissary general in procuring military supplies. M-Ar :207, p. 326. ( M-Ar :207, p. 326).
1462Resolution to liberate Henry Middleton and George Price, prisoners in the Plymouth jail, 28 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
28 December 1775. Resolution to liberate Henry Middleton and George Price, prisoners in the Plymouth jail. M-Ar : 164, p. 228. ( M-Ar : 164, p. 228).
1463Resolution ordering committee for purchasing saltpeter to deliver it to Richard Devens, 28 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
28 December 1775. Resolution ordering committee for purchasing saltpeter to deliver it to Richard Devens. M-Ar :207, p. 329. ( M-Ar :207, p. 329).
1464Recommendation to towns to promote the manufacture of saltpeter, 28 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
28 December 1775. Recommendation to towns to promote the manufacture of saltpeter. M-Ar :207, p. 330. ( M-Ar :207, p. 330).
1465Resolution to approve payment to Committee for the Poor of Boston to assist those at Shirley Point, 28 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
28 December 1775. Resolution to approve payment to Committee for the Poor of Boston to assist those at Shirley Point (see Joseph Ward to JA , 3 Dec., note 1 , above). M-Ar :207, p. 331. ( M-Ar :207, p. 331).
1466Resolution ordering the Milton committee to deliver Thomas Hutchinson’s furniture to Mrs. Deborah Cushing, 29 December … (Adams Papers)
29 December 1775. Resolution ordering the Milton committee to deliver Thomas Hutchinson’s furniture to Mrs. Deborah Cushing. M-Ar : 207, p. 332. ( M-Ar : 207, p. 332).
1467Resolution concerning payment of military companies at Braintree, Weymouth, and Hingham, 30 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
30 December 1775. Resolution concerning payment of military companies at Braintree, Weymouth, and Hingham (see Josiah Quincy to JA , 2 Jan. 1776, note 1 , below). M-Ar :207, p. 337. ( M-Ar :207, p. 337).
30 December 1775. Resolution approving a new levy of men for the seacoast forces. M-Ar :207, p. 351–352. ( M-Ar :207, p. 351–352).
1469[In Congress, January–June 1776] (Adams Papers)
I returned to my daily routine of Service in the Board of War, and a punctual Attendance on Congress, every day, in all their hours. I returned also to my almost dayley exhortations to the Institutions of Governments in the States and a declaration of Independence. I soon found there was a Whispering among the Partisans in Opposition to Independence, that I was interested, that I held an...
1470[January 1776] (Adams Papers)
This heading without text is the last entry in D/JA/24. After a week in Braintree JA resumed his seat, 28 Dec., in the Massachusetts Council, which was sitting in Watertown. A payroll record in the Council Papers ( M-Ar : vol. 164) indicates that he attended sixteen days between then and 24 Jan., the day before he set out once more for Congress, and was paid £5 10s. 10d. for travel and...