Papers of John Adams, volume 3
1775-06-10
It would be a Relief to my Mind, if I could write freely to you concerning the Sentiments Principles, Facts and Arguments which are laid before us, in Congress: But Injunctions, and Engagements of Honour render this impossible. What I learn out of Doors among Citizens, Gentlemen, and Persons of all Denominations is not so sacred. I find that the general Sense abroad is to prepare for a vigorous defensive War, but at the Same Time to keep open the Door of 21Reconciliation—to hold the sword in one Hand and the Olive Branch in the other—to proceed with Warlike Measures, and conciliatory Measures Pari Passu.
I am myself as fond of Reconciliation, if We could reasonably entertain Hopes of it upon a constitutional Basis, as any Man. But, I think, if We consider the Education of the Sovereign, and that the Lords the Commons, the Electors, the Army, the Navy, the officers of Excise, Customs &c., &c., have been now for many years gradually trained and disciplined by Corruption to the System of the Court, We shall be convinced that the Cancer is too deeply rooted, and too far spread to be cured by any thing short of cutting it out entire.
We have ever found by Experience that Petitions, Negociation every Thing which holds out to the People Hopes of a Reconciliation without Bloodshed is greedily grasped at and relyed on—and they cannot be perswaded to think that it is so necessary to prepare for War as it really is. Hence our present Scarcity of Powder &c.
However, this Continent is a vast, unweildy Machine. We cannot force Events. We must Suffer People to take their own Way in many Cases, when We think it leads wrong—hoping however and believing, that our Liberty and Felicity will be preserved in the End, tho not in the Speedyest and Surest Manner.
In my opinion Powder and Artillery are the most efficacious, Sure, and infallibly conciliatory Measures We can adopt.
Pray write me, by every opportunity—and beseech my Friends to write. Every Letter I receive does great good. The Gentleman to whom most Letters from our Province is addressed, has not Leisure to make the best use of them.2
There are three Powder Mills in this Province—two in New York but no Nitre—cant the Mass. begin to prepare both?3 Pray write me, minutely the State of the People of Boston, and our Army &c. Pray let me know if Mrs. Gill and Mr. Boylstone are out of Prison.4 I have never heard and have sufferd much Anxiety on their Account. My best Respects to them if they are to be seen by you.
Anonymous John Adams Letters, June 10th 1775 Philadelphia.”
History of the Town of Princeton, 2 vols., Princeton, Mass., 1915, 1:270–273).
Presumably John Hancock, regarded as the leader of the delegation; his name 22appears first whenever the names of the congressional delegates are listed in the Journals of the Provincial Congress.
On 10 June the Continental Congress passed resolutions calling upon the colonies to collect all available powder, saltpeter, and sulfur for the use of American forces and encouraging the manufacture of gunpowder and saltpeter (
JCC
, 2:85–86).
Rebecca Boylston Gill, first cousin of JA's mother, left Boston sometime before 24 June 1775, but her brother, Thomas Boylston, remained in the town throughout the siege and in 1779 went to England; whether he became a loyalist is uncertain. Patriots offered to secure his release from Boston through an exchange (
Adams Family Correspondence
, 1:228;
4:342–344; Sabine, Loyalists
, 1:248; James Warren to JA, 31 July, note 11, below).
1775-06-10
I have written a few Lines to Dr Warren to whom I refer you.1
It is of vast Importance that the officers of our Army should be impressed with the absolute Necessity of Cleanliness, to preserve the Health of their Men. Cleanness, is one of the three Cardinal Virtues of a soldier, as Activity and Sobriety are the other two. They should be encouraged to go into Water frequently, to keep their Linnen washed and their Beds clean, and should be continually exercised in the manual and Maneuvres.
General Lee, has an opinion of Burgoine, Clinton and How. Burgoine he says is very active and enterprizing—fond of surprizes and Night Attacks and Alarms,2 he entreats me, to inculcate a most unremitted Vigilance. To guard against Surprizes, especially in the Night.
We have a most miraculous Militia in this City, brought into existence, out of Nothing since the Battle of Lexington.
Measures are taken here and at New York to procure Powder. But We must be Sparing of that Article. The Supineness of the Colonies hitherto concerning it, amazes me.
Genl. Lee and Major Gates are very fond of a Project of procuring Pikes and Pike men.3 I hope We shall send you some Rifle Men. They shoot with great Exactness, at amazing Distances.
They are casting Pateraras, and making Amuzettes4 in this City, and preparing for War, with an alacrity, which does them Honor.
Not found.
Generals William Howe, Henry Clinton, and John Burgoyne arrived in Boston on 25 May (French, First Year
, p. 168). Charles Lee had served under Burgoyne in 1762 during a British expedition to Portugal and at the time of this letter was still on friendly terms with him. Lee, in fact, carried on a brief exchange of letters with Burgoyne after his arrival in Boston. Each sought to persuade the other of the correctness 23of the side on which he was fighting (Alden, General Charles Lee
, p. 21–22, 84–87).
DAB
). On 17 June 1775 Gates was appointed adjutant general with the rank of brigadier general (
JCC
, 2:97).
Trained pikemen were seen as an answer to British bayonets at a time when gunpowder was scarce and needed to be conserved. Franklin designed a pike for Pennsylvania's Committee of Safety (Carl Van Doren, Benjamin Franklin, N.Y., 1938, p. 533).
Peteraras (a variation of pedrero) were small guns originally designed for discharging stones and later, shot, and for firing salutes. Amusettes were light field cannon sometimes used in mountain warfare (
OED
).