TO HENRY BROMFIELD.
[Publications of Colonial Society of Ma.s.sachusetts, vol. vi., pp.
78, 79.]
PHILADA Sept 2, 1777.
MY DEAR SIR
I am requested by a Member of Congress from South Carolina for whom I have a particular Regard, to introduce his Friend Mr Henry Crouch to some of my Boston Friends. He is a Merchant of Charlestown and will set off on a Visit your Way tomorrow. I take the Liberty of addressing a Letter to you by him. Your friendly Notice of him will greatly oblige me.
I heartily congratulate you on the happy Change of our Affairs at the Northward. The Feelings of a Man of Burgoyne"s Vanity must be sorely touched by this Disappointment.
Howe"s Army remains near where they first landed and is supposed to be ten thousand fit for Duty. Washington"s Army exceeds that Number, is in health & high Spirits, and the Militia have joynd in great Numbers, well equip"d and ambitious to emulate the Valor of their Eastern Brethren. Our light Troops are continually harra.s.sing the Enemy. The Day before yesterday they attack"d their out Posts & drove them in, killing & wounding a small Number. By the last Account we had taken about seventy Prisoners without any Loss on our side. Our Affairs are at this Moment very serious and critical. We are contending for the Rights of our Country and Mankind--May the Confidence of America be placed in the G.o.d of Armies! Please to pay my due Respects to my old Friend Mr Phillips & his Family and be a.s.sured that I am very cordially
Yours,
TO MRS. ADAMS.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
PHILADA Sept 17, 1777
MY DEAR BETSY
Your kind Letter of the 29th of August is now before me. You therein take a very proper Notice of the signal Success of our Affairs at the Northward. I hope my Countrymen are duly sensible of the obligation they are under to Him from whose Hand, as you justly observe, our Victory came. We had a Letter from General Gates yesterday, from which we every hour expect another great Event from that Quarter. The two Armies this way had an obstinate Engagement last Thursday. The Enemy have gaind a Patch of Ground but from all Accounts they have purchasd it as dearly as Bunkers Hill. Two or three more such Victories would totally ruin their Army. Matters seem to be drawing to a Crisis. The Enemy have had enough to do to dress their wounded and bury their dead. Howe still remains near the Field of Battle. Genl Washington retreated with his Army over the River Schuilkill through this city as far as . . . . and we are every day expecting another battle. May Heaven favor our righteous Cause and grant us compleat Victory.
Both the Armies are about 26 miles from this City.
I am pleasd to hear that Colo Crafts invited Mr Thacher to preach a Sermon to his Regiment. He discoverd the true Spirit of a New England officer. I dare say it was an animating Discourse.
Religion has been & I hope will continue to be the ornament of N.
England. While they place their Confidence in G.o.d they will not fail to be an happy People.
I am exceedingly rejoycd to hear that Miss Hatch is in hopes of recovering her Health.
Remember me, my dear, to my Family and Friends. I am in good Health & Spirits and remain with the warmest Affection
Your,
TO ARTHUR LEE.
[R. H. Lee, Life of Arthur Lee, vol. ii., pp. 228, 229.]
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 26th, 1777.
MY DEAR SIR,---Your several letters, with their enclosures, came to my hand. And although I have not hitherto acknowledged to you the receipt of them, I a.s.sure you I have been and am still improving the intelligence you have given me to the best of my powers, for the advantage of this country. From our former correspondence you have known my sentiments. I have not altered them in a single point, either with regard to the great cause we are engaged in, or to you, who have been an early, vigilant, and active supporter of it. While you Honour me with your confidential letters, I feel and will freely express to you my obligation. To have answered them severally, would have led me to subjects of great delicacy; and the miscarriage of my letters might have proved detrimental to our important affairs. It was needless for me to run the risk for the sake of writing; for I presume you have been made fully acquainted with the state of our public affairs by the committee. And as I have constantly communicated to your brother R. H. the contents of your letters to me, it was sufficient on that score for him only to write, FOR HE THINKS AS I DO.
The Marquis de la Fayette, who does me the honour to take this letter, is this moment going; which leaves me time only to add, that I am and will be your friend, because I know you love our country and mankind.
I beg you to write to me by every opportunity. Adieu, my dear sir,
TO HORATIO GATES.
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
[ 1777]
SIR
I have had the Honor of laying before the Council Board of this State your Letter of the 19th of October, inclosing Copy of a Convention by which the British Lt Genl Burgoyne surrendered himself & his whole Army on the 17 of the same Month into your Hands. The repeated Instances of the Success of the American Army in the Northern Department reflect the highest Honor on yourself & the gallant officers & Soldiers under YOUR Command. The Board congratulate you on this great Occasion; and while the Merit of your signal Services remains recorded in the faithful b.r.e.a.s.t.s of your Countrymen, the warmest Grat.i.tude is due to the G.o.d of Armies, who has vouchsafed in so distinguished a Manner to favor the Cause of America & of Mankind.
I have the Honor to be in the Name of the Council Board, Sir &c
RESOLUTION OF THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS.
[NOVEMBER 1, 1777.]
[MS., Papers of the Continental Congress. Reports of Committees.
No. 24, p. 431.]
Forasmuch as it is the indispensable Duty of all Men, to adore the superintending Providence of Almighty G.o.d:--To acknowledge with Grat.i.tude their Obligation to Him for Benefits receivd, and to implore such further Blessings as they stand in Need of:--And, it having pleased Him in his abundant Mercy, not only to continue to us the innumerable Bounties of His common Providence; but also to smile upon us in the Prosecution of a just and necessary War for the Defence and Establishment of our unalienable Rights and Liberties. Particularly in that He hath been pleased, in so great a Measure to prosper the Means used for the Support of our Troops, and to crown our Arms with most signal Success.
It is therefore recommended to the Legislative or Executive Powers of these United States, to set apart Thursday the Eighteenth Day of December, next, for solemn Thanksgiving and Praise. That at one Time, and with one Voice, the good People may express the grateful Feelings of their Hearts, and consecrate themselves to the Service of their divine Benefactor. And, that together with their sincere Acknowledgments and Offerings, they may joyn the penitent Confession of their manifold Sins, whereby they had forfeited every Favor; and their humble & earnest Supplication that it may please G.o.d through the Merits of Jesus Christ mercifully to forgive and blot them out of Remembrance.
That it may please Him, graciously to afford His Blessing on the Governments of these States respectively, and prosper the publick Council of the whole. To inspire our Commanders both by Land and Sea, & all under them with that Wisdom and Fort.i.tude which may render them fit Instruments, under the Providence of Almighty G.o.d, to secure for these United States, the greatest of all human Blessings, INDEPENDENCE and PEACE. That it may please Him, to prosper the Trade and Manufactures of the People, and the Labor of the Husbandman, that our Land may yet yield its Increase. To take Schools and Seminaries of Education, so necessary for cultivating the Principles of true Liberty, Virtue, & Piety, under His nurturing Hand; and to prosper the Means of Religion for the Promotion and Enlargement of that Kingdom which consisteth "in RIGHTEOUSNESS PEACE AND JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST."
And it is further recommended, that servile Labor, and such Recreation as, though at other times innocent, may be unbecoming the Purpose of this Appointment, may be omitted on so solemn an occasion.
[TO JOHN ADAMS.]
[MS., Samuel Adams Papers, Lenox Library.]
BOSTON Decr 8 1777
MY DEAR SIR
I heartily thank you for your two favors of the 12th & 18th of Novemr, the former of which gave me a piece of Intelligence which I thought proper to give the Publick through the News paper.
Unluckily for me, on my Arrival here, I found the General a.s.sembly sitting, and consequently I am plungd in publick Business sooner than I could wish to have been. Among other things I have the Satisfaction of informing you of your Reelection as a Member of Congress. Your old Colleagues are all again chosen. I honestly told some of our Countrymen that I thought it inc.u.mbent on them thorowly to acquaint themselves with the Character and Conduct of those who represent them at the Distance of four hundred Miles; but I fear they are too unsuspecting. What do frequent Elections avail, without that Spirit of Jealousy & Strict Inquiry which alone can render such Elections any Security to the People? But surely the more implicit the Confidence of the Publick is, the more circ.u.mspect ought those to be, who are entrusted with publick Affairs.
Mr------ came to this Town with great Pomp, and was receivd by the military and naval Gentlemen, as I am informd, with equal Ceremony. His Colleagues arrivd in the Dusk of the Evening and without Observation. He is the most happy who has the greatest Share of the Affections of his Fellow Citizens, without which, the Ears of a sincere Patriot are ever deaf to the ROARING OF CANNON AND THE CHARMS OF MUSICK. I have not seen nor heard of any Dangers on the Road that should require Guards to protect one. It is pretty enough in the Eyes of some Men, to see the honest Country Folks gapeing & staring at a Troop of Light Horse. But it is well if it is not some times attended with such Effects as one would not so much wish for, to excite the Contempt of the Mult.i.tude, when the Fit of gazing is over, instead of the much longd for Hosannas.