231John Adams to Abigail Adams, 23 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
My Barber has just left the Chamber. The following curious Dialogue was the Amusement, during the gay Moments of Shaving. Well, Burn, what is the Lye of the day?—Sir, Mr. just told me, that a Privateer from Baltimore, has taken two valuable Prizes, with Sixteen Guns each. I can scarcely believe it.—Have you heard of the Success of the Rattlesnake of Philadelphia, and the Sturdy Beggar of...
232John Adams to Abigail Adams, 26 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
I have been lately more remiss, than usual in Writing to you. There has been a great Dearth of News. Nothing from England, nothing from France, Spain, or any other Part of Europe, nothing from the West Indies. Nothing from Howe, and his Banditti, nothing from General Washington. There are various Conjectures that Lord How is dead, sick, or gone to England, as the Proclamations run in the Name...
233John Adams to Abigail Adams, 27 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
Your Favours of Ap. 2 and Ap. 7. I have received. The inclosed Evening Post, will give you, some Idea, of the Humanity of the present Race of Brittons. —My Barber, whom I quote as often as ever I did any Authority, says “he has read Histories of Cruelty; and he has read Romances of Cruelty: But the Cruelty of the British exceeds all that he ever read.” For my own Part, I think We cannot dwell...
234John Adams to Abigail Adams, 28 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
There is a Clock Calm, at this Time, in the political and military Hemispheres. The Surface is smooth and the Air serene. Not a Breath, nor a Wave. No News, nor Noise. Nothing would promote our Cause more, than Howes March to this Town. Nothing quickens and determines People so much, as a little Smart.—The Germans, who are numerous and wealthy in this state and who have very imperfect Ideas of...
235John Adams to Abigail Adams, 29 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
This days Post brought me yours of 17th. inst. and Miss Nabbys obliging Favour of the 16. This young Lady writes a very pretty Hand, and expresses her Thoughts with great Propriety. I shall hardly excuse Miss from writing to me, so long as I have done, now I find she can write so well. I shall carefully preserve her Letter and if she neglects to write me frequently I shall consider this Letter...
236John Adams to Abigail Adams, 30 April 1777 (Adams Papers)
We have a fine Piece of News this Morning of the March of 2000 of the Enemy, and destroying a fine Magazine there—and the stupid sordid cowardly torified Country People let them pass without Opposition. All New England is petrified, with Astonishment, Horror, and Despair, I believe in my Conscience. They behave worse than any Part of the Continent. Even in N. Jersy 2000 Men could not have...
237John Adams to Abigail Adams, 1 May 1777 (Adams Papers)
This is King Tammany’s Day. Tammany was an Indian King, of this Part of the Continent, when Mr. Penn first came here. His Court was in this Town. He was friendly to Mr. Penn and very serviceable to him. He lived here among the first settlers for some Time and untill old Age and at last was burnt. Some say he lived here with Mr. Penn when he first came here, and upon Mr. Pens Return he heard of...
238John Adams to Abigail Adams, 2 May 1777 (Adams Papers)
We have promoted Arnold, one Step this day, for his Vigilance, Activity, and Bravery, in the late Affair at Connecticutt. —We shall make Huntingdon a Brigadier, I hope. We shall sleep in a whole Skin for some Time I think in Philadelphia, at least untill a strong Reinforcement arrives. I want to learn, where Sir William Erskine with his Two Thousand Men, went after his Exploit at...
239John Adams to Abigail Adams, 4 May 1777 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed with this you have an Evening Post, containing some of the tender Mercies of the Barbarians to their Prisoners. If there is a Man, Woman or Child in America, who can read these Depositions, without Resentment, and Horror, that Person has no soul or a very wicked one. Their Treatment of Prisoners, last Year added to an Act of Parliament, which they have made to enable them to send...
240John Adams to Abigail Adams, 6 May 1777 (Adams Papers)
We have no News here but what comes from you—except that all is well and quiet at Ticonderoga, that We have four Thousand Troops there, and that they were not afraid of Carlton. The Connecticutt People have given Sir Wm. Erskine a Concord and Lexington Drubbing. But I am very angry at our People for mak ing a Magazine, so near the Water and among such a Gang of high Church Tories. The Loss...