Braintree, 16 July, 1775.
I have seen your letters to Colonels Palmer and Warren. I pity your
embarrassments. How difficult the task to quench the fire and the pride
of private ambition, and to sacrifice ourselves and all our hopes and
expectations to the public weal! How few have souls capable of so noble
an undertaking! How often are the laurels worn by those who have had no
share in earning them! But there is a future recompense of reward, to
which the upright man looks, and which he will most assuredly obtain,
provided he perseveres unto the end.
The appointment of the generals Washington and Lee gives universal
satisfaction. The people have the highest opinion of Lee's abilities,
but you know the continuation of the popular breath depends much upon
favorable events. I had the pleasure of seeing both the generals and
their aids-de-camp soon after their arrival, and of being personally
made known to them. They very politely express their regard for you.
Major Mifflin said he had orders from you to visit me at Braintree. I
told him I should be very happy to see him there, and accordingly sent
Mr. Thaxter to Cambridge with a card, to him and Mr. Reed, to dine with
me. Mrs. Warren and her son were to be with me. They very politely
received the message, and lamented that they were not able to come, upon
account of expresses which they were on that day to get in readiness to
send off.
I was struck with General Washington. You had prepared me to entertain a
favorable opinion of him, but I thought the half was not told me.
Dignity with ease and complacency, the gentleman and soldier, look
agreeably blended in him. Modesty marks every line and feature of his
face. Those lines of Dryden instantly occurred to me:--
"Mark his majestic fabric; he's a temple
Sacred by birth, and built by hands divine;
His soul's the deity that lodges there;
Nor is the pile unworthy of the god."
General Lee looks like a careless, hardy veteran, and by his appearance
brought to my mind his namesake, Charles the Twelfth, of Sweden. The
elegance of his pen far exceeds that of his person.
You have made frequent complaints that your friends do not write to you.
I have stirred up some of them. May not I in my turn make complaints?
All the letters I receive from you seem to be written in so much haste
that they scarcely leave room for a social feeling. They let me know
that you exist, but some of them contain scarcely six lines. I want some
sentimental effusions of the heart. I am sure you are not destitute of
them. Or are they all absorbed in the great public? Much is due to that,
I know, but, being part of the public, I lay claim to a larger share
than I have had. You used to be more communicative on Sundays. I always
loved a Sabbath day's letter, for then you had a greater command of your
time; but hush to all complaints.
I am much surprised that you have not been more accurately informed of
what passes in the camps. As to intelligence from Boston, it is but very
seldom we are able to collect anything that may be relied on; and to
report the vague flying rumors would be endless. I heard yesterday, by
one Mr. Roulstone, a goldsmith, who got out in a fishing schooner, that
their distress increased upon them fast. Their beef is all spent; their
malt and cider all gone. All the fresh provisions they can procure they
are obliged to give to the sick and wounded. Thirteen of our men who
were in jail, and were wounded at the battle of Charlestown, were dead.
No man dared now to be seen talking to his friend in the street. They
were obliged to be within, every evening, at ten o'clock, according to
martial law; nor could any inhabitant walk any street in town after that
time, without a pass from Gage. He has ordered all the molasses to be
distilled into rum for the soldiers; taken away all licenses, and given
out others, obliging to a forfeiture of ten pounds, if any rum is sold
without written orders from the General. He gives much the same account
of the killed and wounded we have from others. The spirit, he says,
which prevails among the soldiers, is a spirit of malice and revenge;
there is no true courage and bravery to be observed among them. Their
duty is hard; always mounting guard with their packs at their backs,
ready for an alarm, which they live in continual hazard of. Dr. Eliot is
not on board a man-of-war, as has been reported, but perhaps was left in
town, as the comfort and support of those who cannot escape. He was
constantly with our prisoners. Messrs. Lovell and Leach, with others,
are certainly in jail. A poor milch cow was last week killed in town,
and sold for a shilling sterling per pound. The transports arrived last
week from York, but every additional man adds to their distress. There
has been a little expedition this week to Long Island. There have been,
before, several attempts to go on, but three men-of-war lay near, and
cutters all round the island, so that they could not succeed. A number
of whaleboats lay at Germantown. Three hundred volunteers, commanded by
one Captain Tupper, came on Monday evening and took the boats, went on,
and brought off seventy odd sheep, fifteen head of cattle, and sixteen
prisoners, thirteen of whom were sent by (Simple Sapling)[86] to mow the
hay, which they had very badly executed. They were all asleep in the
house and barn. When they were taken, there were three women with them.
Our heroes came off in triumph, not being observed by their enemies.
This spirited up others, who could not endure the thought that the house
and barn should afford them any shelter; they did not destroy them the
night before for fear of being discovered. Captain Wild, of this town,
with about twenty-five of his company, Captain Gold, of Weymouth, with
as many of his, and some other volunteers, to the amount of a hundred,
obtained leave to go on and destroy the hay, together with the house and
barn; and in open day, in full view of the men-of-war, they set off from
the _Moon_, so called, covered by a number of men who were placed there,
went on and set fire to the buildings and hay. A number of armed cutters
immediately surrounded the island and fired upon our men. They came off
with a hot and continued fire upon them, the bullets flying in every
direction, and the men-of-war's boats plying them with small arms. Many
in this town, who were spectators, expected every moment our men would
all be sacrificed, for sometimes they were so near as to be called and
damned by their enemies, and ordered to surrender; yet they all returned
in safety, not one man even wounded. Upon the _Moon_ we lost one man,
from the cannon on board the man-of-war.[87] On the evening of the same
day, a man-of-war came and anchored near Great Hill, and two cutters
came to Pig Rocks. It occasioned an alarm in this town, and we were up
all night. They remain there yet, but have not ventured to land any men.
This town have chosen their representative. Colonel Palmer is the man.
There was a considerable muster upon Thayer's side, and Vinton's company
marched up in order to assist, but got sadly disappointed. Newcomb
insisted upon it that no man should vote who was in the army. He had no
notion of being under the military power; said we might be so situated
as to have the greater part of the people engaged in the military, and
then all power would be wrested out of the hands of the civil
magistrate.
He insisted upon its being put to vote, and carried his point
immediately. It brought Thayer to his speech, who said all he could
against it.
As to the situation of the camps, our men are in general healthy, much
more so at Roxbury than at Cambridge, and the camp is in vastly better
order. General Thomas has the character of an excellent officer. His
merit has certainly been overlooked, as modest merit generally is. I
hear General Washington is much pleased with his conduct.
Every article here in the West India way is very scarce and dear. In six
weeks we shall not be able to purchase any article of the kind. I wish
you would let Bass get me one pound of pepper and two yards of black
calamanco for shoes. I cannot wear leather, if I go barefoot. Bass may
make a fine profit if he lays in a stock for himself. You can hardly
imagine how much we want many common small articles, which are not
manufactured amongst ourselves; but we will have them in time; not one
pin to be purchased for love or money. I wish you could convey me a
thousand by any friend travelling this way. It is very provoking to have
such a plenty so near us, but, Tantalus-like, not to be able to touch. I
should have been glad to have laid in a small stock of the West India
articles, but I cannot get one copper; no person thinks of paying
anything, and I do not choose to run in debt. I endeavor to live in the
most frugal manner possible, but I am many times distressed.
We have, since I wrote you, had many fine showers, and, although the
crops of grass have been cut short, we have a fine prospect of Indian
corn and English grain. Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field, for the
pastures of the wilderness do spring, the tree beareth her fruit, the
vine and the olive yield their increase. We have not yet been much
distressed for grain. Everything at present looks blooming. Oh that
peace would once more extend her olive branch!
"This day be bread and peace my lot;
All else beneath the sun,
Thou knowest if best bestowed or not,
And let thy will be done."
"But is the almighty ever bound to please,
Build by my wish, or studious of my ease?
Shall I determine where his frowns shall fall,
And fence my grotto from the lot of all?
Prostrate, his sovereign wisdom I adore,
Intreat his mercy, but I dare no more."
I have now written you all I can collect from every quarter. 'T is fit
for no eyes but yours, because you can make all necessary allowances. I
cannot copy.
There are yet in town three of the selectmen and some thousands of
inhabitants, 't is said. I hope to hear from you soon. Do let me know if
there is any prospect of seeing you. Next Wednesday is thirteen weeks
since you went away. I must bid you adieu.
You have many friends, though they have not noticed you by writing. I am
sorry they have been so negligent. I hope no share of that blame lies
upon