Papers of John Adams, volume 9
1780-04-21
The Letter your Excellency did me the honour of writing to me Yesterday,1 gives me the first Information of the Resolution mentioned as taken by the State of Maryland relating to their Money in England. If there is no Mistake in the Intelligence, (which I apprehend there may be) and such a Power as is supposed should come to my Hands, I shall then take your Excellency's Recommendation, (which has great Weight with me) into Consideration. At present I can only say that I shall not name my Nephew Mr. Williams. For tho' I have a great Opinion of his Ability, and Integrity, and think that by his early Declaration and Attachment to our Cause, and Activity in its Service, he has a good deal of Merit with the States in general, I know of none that he has with Maryland in particular; and as the other four are Natives of that State, I think the Choice ought to be 224from among them. Mr. Williams will however be very sensible of the Honour done him by being put into the Nomination.
With the greatest Respect, I have the Honour to be Your Excellency's most obedt. and most humble Servant.
JA's letter was dated 19 April (above).
1780-04-22
If you think that any thing I sent you lately is improper for publication, I hope you will stop it, or alter and correct it, by your own discretion, or delay it, till you think the time, proper.
A vessell has arrived at Bilbao, from Newbury Port, by which I wrote to Congress and to my friends from Corunna,1 she brings news that two Vessells which lay at Bilbao when I was there, have also arrived. I wrote by these also. She sailed from Newbury Port 14 March, all quiet. The English close shut up by our Army in N. York. Clintons fleet Scattered in a storm. This is every Word, I can get. This lazy fellow must not have let it be known he was coming, or I should have had Letters. I inclose you a Letter from Dr. F.2
Adieu,
Probably the schooner Success commanded by Capt. Philip Trask. The vessel had sailed from La Coruña on 17 Dec. 1779 and arrived at Newburyport on 23 Feb. 1780 (JQA, Diary
, 1:14;
Adams Family Correspondence
, 3:251–252, 281–283; JA, Diary and Autobiography
, 2:410).
Of 21 April (above).
1780-04-22
This day arrived from Baltimore a small Schooner which port she left the 15 March.
General Clinton with the remainder of the transports saved from the general despersion, arrived at Savannah to the Number of 44 or 45 Ships.1 General Gates was sent to Command at Charles Town.2 No movements had been made since the Arrival of the Troops In Georgia, all the Enemys Horse were thrown overboard. The American Frigates Boston Providence & Ranger were at Charles Town, and they report every preparation were making to prevent the British Troops 225penetrating into Carolina, with respect I have the Honor to be Sir your very hhb. Servt.
This is the first definite report JA received regarding the fate of Clinton's stormtossed southern invasion force. For an account of the voyage and the early stages of the siege of Charleston, see Thomas Digges' letter of 3 March, note 6 (above).
This report was supplied by Capt. W. Kindy of the schooner Dove from Baltimore (from Joshua Johnson, 22 April, below). Maj. Gen. Benjamin Lincoln was in command at Charleston until the surrender of the city and his army on 12 May. Congress did not appoint Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates commander of the southern department until 13 June and he did not take command in the field until 25 July (Robert Middlekauf, The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763–1789, N.Y., 1982, p. 442–443, 448, 453;
JCC
, 17:508). For JA's use of the information regarding Gates, see Joshua Johnson's letter of 22 April, note 1 (below).