Adams Family Correspondence, volume 3

John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 20 November 1779 JQA AA

1779-11-20

John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 20 November 1779 Adams, John Quincy Adams, Abigail

John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams

Hon'd Mamma At Sea Novr. 20th 1779

This moment gives me an Opportunity of writing to you but I have very little to write. We are now about 200 leagues from Boston and 239have been very 1 lucky till now; we had a little storm but it did us but little damage.

My young freind Sammy Cooper is a very agreable young Gentleman who makes me more happy on the voyage than I should have been without him; as to his Language I have not heard him say any thing amiss till now. But I must conclude in being your dutiful son,

J Q Adams

RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “Mrs. John Adams Braintree near Boston To be sunk in Case of Danger.”

Word largely obscured by seal.

James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 23 November 1779 Lovell, James AA

1779-11-23

James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 23 November 1779 Lovell, James Adams, Abigail

James Lovell to Abigail Adams

Dear Ma'am Novr. 23. 1779

Instead of sending the inclosed to the Navy Board I shall from Time to Time direct them as now, that after you have had the Amusement (such as it is) of reading them you may forward them to the Friend for whom they are designed, through the Care of the Navy Board at Boston.1 If you are quite indifferent as to this method, I will lodge them in future where those for Mr. Dana are lodged by my Direction. Yrs. affectionately,

J L

Col. Langdon2 Yesterday carried some Papers from me directed to Mr. A or in his Absence to the Navy Board. They were only of the Kind now sent, but former Numbers.

RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “Mrs. Adams Braintree.” For the (missing) enclosures see note 1.

Lovell's next letter, 27 Nov., following, makes clear that what he was forwarding to JA through AA, for her to read if she cared to, were the weekly numbers of the Journal of Congress as printed under Congress' resolve of 31 March; see above, Lovell to AA, 19 July, note 1.

Woodbury Langdon (1739–1805), a New Hampshire member of the Continental Congress who was returning home on leave ( Biog. Dir. Cong. ; Burnett, ed., Letters of Members , 4:lv).

James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 27 November 1779 Lovell, James AA

1779-11-27

James Lovell to Abigail Adams, 27 November 1779 Lovell, James Adams, Abigail

James Lovell to Abigail Adams

My dear Lady 27th. of Novr. 1779

I cannot recollect whether I sent No. 311 before. I promised your Husband to continue to forward the Journals: But my Wish is not to break the Numbers so as to spoil a Set for any body else. If therefore I at any Time repeat a Number you will be so good as to return it; and if I omit one you will demand it. I suppose Mr. A did not leave the 1st. 2402d. or 3d. Vol.2 in his Library. If he did I will send you a Set of 1779 to keep at home; and forward myself directly to the Navy Board what I design for him. But you must not keep any of the Pages of 1778, because I shall have but one Course of them.

Yours, with affectionate Respect, James Lovell

RC (Adams Papers); addressed and franked: “Mrs. A. Adams Braintree Philada. Jas. Lovell.”

Of the weekly issues of the Journal of Congress for 1779; see the preceding letter.

Of the Journals of Congress issued in volume form, for 1774–1775, 1776, and 1777, respectively. The volume for 1778 had not yet been published. For copies surviving among JA's books, see Catalogue of JA's Library , p. 60–61.