DEAR PIERCE
We are Thunderstruck here with the Evacuation of Ty—&c. not so much
att the Thing itself—as at the _Manner_—from the Circumstances we are
possessed of it is altogether inconceivable to us the Necessity or
Expedience of the Measure—& that at the _Appearance_ only of the
Enemy—without a Gun fired—the Minds of People are amazingly
agitated—the Characters of the _Officers_ are suffering, perhaps
irretrievably—the Men tis said would have fought—nay cried with
Vexation at turn^g their Backs——I have received yours—& am exceedingly
rejoiced att _our fortune_—& much pleased with the Account I have of
your Behaviour & good Conduct on the occasion, can it be necessary
that you remain with the Chest att Fort Edward?—Tis not probable
_Money_ will be wanted there—it may be safer _here_—200,000 Dollars
came yesterday from Philadelphia—let the General know this—& hint to
him the _Chest’s_ com^g to Albany.—We hear nothing yet of the
Movements of the Enemy in this River—we are in Expectation of a
Concert being struck up below us——I am
D^r Sir Your most humble Servant & Friend
J TRUMBULL JR.
ALBANY 17 July 1777—
DEAR PIERCE
This Day I received yours of 13^{th} June Day Col^o Lewis carried One
from me to you—I hope he has given it you—
Is Ty abandoned? or is it a Dream?—certainly it is a more
unaccountable affair than the most fantastic Dream—The
more I think—the more I consider—the more am I astonished—Not
one Gun fired!—scarcely the Shew of an Attack waited for!—so
precipitate a Retreat—or rather Runaway—leav^g
Artillery—Stores—Amunition—Provisions—Tents—Baggage—every Trophy of
Victory—to an Enemy who had not even dared to fight for them—I can’t
endure the Tho^t—Where is American Honor!—where is American
Bravery!—all levelled with the Dust—all trodden to the ground—in one
fatal Step—some Reason I suppose will be given—Ostensible att
least—would I could hear it—But they have made a safe Retreat—&
vanquished the Enemy at Castleton—Is it become a Maxim in Warr—unheard
of before—that a Body of Troops, who, when collected to a Point, in a
strong Port, are unable to resist or even face their Enemy—shall when
Divided be able to defeat them—Excellent!—tell it not in Gath!—publish
it not in the Streets of Askelon!—how are the Mighty fallen!—the
Mighty! how are they fallen from the Mount of Independence!
We have no certainty yet of the Movements of the Enemy below—I expect
they will trim their Course this Way—had we kept Ty—it is matter of
Doubt if we heard any thing more of them in this River—
What is doing above—what mode of _Defence Offence_ you don’t much
think of _now_—where is to be the Stand—5000 Troops I am told are
com^g up the River under Gen^{ll} Sullivan—some are already embarked &
on the River—if Report does not lie—
Are you to remain att Fort Edward with the Chest—were I to give my
Opinion—should think it best here—all Demands may as well be made here
as there—Dangers may not press as hard here as with you—you cannot
think of doing much Business as you are now circumstanced—If political
Reasons operate I have Nothing to say—let the General determine——
This comes by Gen^{ll} Wadsworth—is it not strange that no authorative
Acc^t of the Evacuation has been sent to Connecticut?—to obtain this
Gen^{ll} Wadsworth is specially sent by the Gov^r & Council of
Safety—& to obtain a true Acc^t of the Situation of Matters & to know
what & whether any assistance is needed—Gen^{ll} Wadsworth brings also
a Letter from your Friends att Litchfield—Give me all the Intelligence
you can obtain—the more particular the better—
Yours most sincerely—
J. TRUMBULL, JUN^R
I don’t know when I shall
get an opportunity to send
on your Cloath, &c.—
May
YORKTOWN 6^{th} March 1778
SIR
Your kind Favor of the March is rec^d I wish that the Arrangement of
the Army which you mention had been made last Winter, but it is not
yet done. It is intended to be adopted—but perhaps in the advanced
Season it may as well be omitted. The Auditors for settling the
accounts in the Northern Department I hope are now upon that
Business—I need not tell you that the Northern and Hudson River
Departments are put under the Command of Gen^l Gates who is now at
Head Quarters from where he will proceed to take his command. You
seemed to apprehend your own Situation might possibly be affected by
the Appointment of Mr. Trumbull to Mr. Palfrey’s Place who you
understood meant to Resign, but I believe you may banish all Fears on
that acc^t as Mr. Palfrey’s salary is now augmented to 250 Dollars per
month and I think that your Services will be fully wanted in the
Department in which you are—you must be very busy in your office
[_illegible_] more money, I think 250,000 Dollars and a Draught of
100,000, on the New York Loan Office, is directed to supply Mr.
Trumbull’s Chest—You doubtless acted with Propriety in not paying
Money till you was well assured of the Authority of the Person who
issued the Warrants, which I [_illegible_] the Gentleman you mention
had no Authority to do—Whether Gen^l Gates will think it best to have
a Paymaster under any Denomination at Albany I cannot say. But I
imagine he will think it necessary—
You have doubtless heard that some Treatys have been entered into by
our Commissioners and the Court of France—I have now to assure you of
the Truth of it—and that those Treatys the one of which is commercial
the other Defensive are ratifyed by Congress—and that the Tenor of
them are to their great Satisfaction, as they are evidently founded on
the Principles of mutual advantage and Security—and as liberal as we
might expect in a State of the greatest Strength and Prosperity—The
great object of the defensive Treaty is the Independence and unlimited
Sovereignty of the United States—The Wisdom of France whose Councils
are guided by the best Policy will never lead her to wish to confine
our territorial Jurisdiction on the Continent of N America—I enclose
to you, Hall and [_illegible_] Gazette which contains Publications not
directed by Congress, and consequently premature—Yet they are
published here and are abroad I may well gratify a Friend with one of
them.—But at the same Time I advise you to read it with attention, but
not with an entire Credulity, as I well know there is something
inserted which conveys a wrong Idea.—Whether G Britain will instantly
admit our Independence and cultivate Peace with her Neighbours or
involve herself in a War with France, and probably with Spain and
Prussia and perhaps other Powers may well deserve her consideration.
Some imagine she will continue the War against America and not molest
France in her Trade to this Country. But as base as her Conduct has
been I cannot believe she will submit to such an Insult, and if she
should do so, I do not conceive it would exempt her from a War with
her Neighbours—Our Business indeed is to exert every Nerve and
endeavour to bring matters to a speedy close—At most one Campaign more
will settle the Contest if it is carried on with vigor on our part. No
Reinforcements except such Recruits as are necessary to fill up the
German Battalions in America, will come from the continent of
Europe—and G. Britain in the present Situation of affairs can spare
none from thence—We are now then to consider France as our good
Friends and Allys—As for poor old England her Folly will probably
prove her Ruin—What seems to have given this important Turn to our
affairs was the Capture of Burgoyne’s Army. So that by a mysterious
Providence what in the general opinion was considered as a great Evil,
the sudden Loss of Ticonderoga has been productive so farr as We have
yet, observed of the most extensive Benefit. This Intelligence has
been rec^d with much Satisfaction. This Town has been Illuminated this
evening upon the Ocassion. All [_illegible_] rejoice but the Torys.
Poor sorry [_illegible_] what would become of them was America as
merciless as Britain—But Congress have Recommended to the States to
forgive those People who shall leave the Service of the Enemy by the
tenth of next month under such [_illegible_] and [_illegible_] as they
shall judge proper—
I hope to leave Congress within four Weeks. Mr. Adams I expect will be
here by that Time. If you shall send me a Letter directed to me here I
shall give order if it comes after I have gone home to have it
transmitted to me.—My kindest Wishes for your Welfare, and be assured
that your Friendship for me and my Family exacts my sincerest
acknowledgments. I am
Your Friend and
humble Servant
JOHN PIERCE, ESQ^R OLIVER WOLCOTT—
P. S. Gen^l Conway’s resignation upon his Desire is accepted—I enclose
you a Paper of this Date.
LITCHFIELD Aug. 17th 1783
Are you not surprised my dear Sister to see a letter from me dated
from this place—the fact is however true, and you may be as certain
that I am at this present moment in my Father’s House, as that you
will be at the place you will read this letter. I got the Generals
liberty to come and spend Sunday here & am to be at Camp again on
Monday night, you see therefore how strict they keep me & little I can
play the truant. I should otherwise have made my compliments to your
Ladyship at Lenox Hall, but _inclination_ is only what I can do at
this time, I hope however when you get your House a little in order
and Aunt has a spare bed set up for a stranger, that I shall wander to
Lenox, but of this I must yet only form hopes.
I have only just arrived here and have seen nobody but our Family, and
can only therefore inform you that they are well except Father who is
still in his poor way, as to myself if it is a matter of any
consideration, I am perfectly well & very much at your service
J. PIERCE.
PHILADELPHIA Apr. 9th 1784
DEAR SISTER
On the last evening I arrived here, very much fatigued, which is the
natural consequence of riding in a stage, where our feelings cannot
keep pace with the velocity of the machine. I am now however tolerably
well over it and have been to see some of my acquaintance. I do not
however feel quite so happy as if a certain favorite of mine were not
married, altho’ this event is not seriously interesting me as I never
had a wish or a thought of being married to her, yet it destroys the
cordiality of our little circle, by placing her out of it, and perhaps
slightly wounds my pride [as I have paid some attentions to her] that
a foreigner in my absence and without my being informed of it, should
come into the country, should make his suit so effectual as to marry
her before my return. I however find myself counter balanced by the
happiness I experienced in N. Jersey where there are three Ladies I
admire much more than I ever did this one, the first is at Eliz’t
Town, Miss DeNast, who is the most accomplished woman, I ever was
acquainted with, she has a great show of beauty, but that is hid by
her genius & education, she is a better poet than Mrs. Blucher and
has—almost every history extant, but with all these qualities she is
scarcely acquainted with one [_illegible_] makes marriage state
tolerable, she is [_illegible_] and perfectly fond of her wit and
accomplishments [_illegible_] no man ever will be happy with her any
more than as an acquaintance, but in Miss Dunham the next Lady I
intended to mention, a Man will find all the domestic and social
virtues with out any of the splendor either in mind or person of Miss
DeNast, her friendship I therefore cultivated for a long time,
[_illegible_] when you see her for she is endowed with [_illegible_]
accomplishment in a female superior to every [_illegible_] brilliance
except that of beauty. My next stage was at Princeton, where I spent
the evening with Miss Polly Stockton, who is my greatest favorite of
the three. I do not know well how to describe her character, unless I
should say she more resembles Miss Crosby than any other person, she
has always been in the best company both in this city, and at
[_illegible_] under the direction of a prudent mother and has had an
elegant and useful education, the endowments of her heart appear to be
goodness and sensibility and I assure you I am half in love with her,
which was also the case when I left Princeton before. I have just
spent this evening with her sister, and now retire to my room to enjoy
a little conversation with you.
The short time you have and the many things you have to learn,
occasions me to wish you would employ every moment for the purpose, I
hope you will not miss a single dancing school, and that you will take
lessons from Capt. Turner at other times, pray get him and Katy your
friend, to instruct you in every thing in walking standing and
sitting, all the movements of which tho’ they appear in a polite
person natural, are the effects of art, while country girls never
attend to and which you had best take the utmost pains, or you will
never appear natural & easy in. I am somewhat fearful that your old
habits at your age can not be so thoroughly removed, as to give place
to a natural careless genteel air, and which totally hides all the art
of it. The Books I left with you I wish you not to read much in town,
I want you to study the fashions, the art of pleasing to advantage and
for this purpose to spare no necessary expense, and if you do not
appear as genteel as any of the girls it will be your own fault, you
must however pay a great regard to economy & always remember that
every Dollar takes so much from my future prospects, on which you know
that not only yours but mine and all our families happiness depends. I
wish you to cultivate the acquaintance of the Roosevelt family, it
will be of future use to me, I have been careful to place you in a
situation where your inexperience cannot lead you astray and with a
Lady of all women, from the goodness of her heart the best capable to
advise and direct you, consult therefore my dear Girl her wishes and
render her in return every happiness & service in your power, do not
give more trouble than you can help, and make yourself happy.
... You must make my compliments to all the Ladies of my acquaintance
and my love to Mrs. Crosbey. I am my Dear Sister sincerely yours
J. PIERCE
PHILADELPHIA June 8, 1784
MY DEAR SISTER
I came here the day before yesterday so much fatigued, that I am yet
almost sick, riding in the heat is too severe for me, who am at other
times almost continually in the walls of my office, you meet with so
much Friendship & attention at N. York, that I feel myself under very
great obligations, you must know that your letter of the 6th is now
before me. Col Hull is going to Canada and the army is dismissed, of
course he will not be able to get my horse fat as he expected, and
your plan of going home by the way of West Point is also by this means
interrupted, unless you go soon which you will consult Mrs. Hull on,
and do as she and you think best.
Do you not think the Miss Dunhams are fine, friendly Girls, and that
Miss Steel is also agreeable? I will assure you I do not know a more
engaging little circle, I have been as happy with them as at any other
place, you will give my love to them & inform Miss Steel that I am in
love with her as much as ever.
Notwithstanding what Mrs. Crosbey says, I am afraid you cannot help
giving the family considerable trouble, a woman always must, we have
received so considerable favors from the family that we ought to be
cautious of going too far, for this reason I thought it prudent for
you to return, but you can be a better judge of the propriety of
staying longer. In living in N. York you must guard yourself against
several things.
In Dancing you must take care not to be so precise as to give an air
of formality to your deportment, the most engaging persons are those
which appear free and easy, politeness ought to be the effort of habit
rather than study.
You must take care also not to get your ideas of Happiness from a
City, you know you are not to live there, and ought therefore to be
cautious of the refinement & pleasures attending your situation. You
most endeavor to obtain such a versatility of disposition, as to
really reconcile yourself not only to the solitude of the country, but
also to the manner of it so that you may not be unhappy in the one
case, nor appear proud or vain in the other. You may expect on your
return a great many ill natured observations made on you and the only
way to prevent the effect intended or indeed to keep your sisters easy
will be to be very unassuming in your deportment.
I by accident lately was under the necessity of buying a book or a
picture. I made choice of the first, and took a book entitled Letters
Moral and Entertaining, because I had never read it. I find this Book
contains very good maxims for young Ladies, I have therefore sent it
to you for the use of you Girls.
The bearer of this Letter is Mr. George Reid a Gentleman who is going
to West Point on business for me, I wish you to be friendly to him.
Your brother
JOHN PIERCE
CHARLESTON Feb, 22nd, 1785
MY DEAR SISTER
I wrote you from Newburn in N. Carolina, giving you some account of my
progress so far; my continuance there was very agreeable, I was
treated with the greatest politeness, hospitality, and friendship, and
what endeared the scene was a number of Northern people who took a
delight to make me happy. I left this place on the 29th of Jan’ry. We
crossed the Trent about 13 miles above Newburn, we rode this day 30
miles without stopping, and it beginning to rain we were much
mortified to find ourselves three or four miles out of our way, which
took us until the evening to reach a Mr. Starkness where we lodged. On
the 30th we crossed New River, which abounds with fish, and small
delicious Oysters. We put up that night at Sages about 40 miles. The
roads were sandy, lofty forest of pines, interspersed with deep
swamps, which when cultivated might afford good crops of rice, the
country thinly settled. The next day we arrived at Wilmington about 28
miles, this Town is seated about 7 miles from the sea, on Cape Fear
River, is confined in a small hollow piece of ground, which makes it
very hot in summer, is the best harbor in N. Carolina, and has a very
extensive back, country opened for its commerce, by means of Cape Fear
River which is navigable about 10 miles above it, we staid here
several days, went to an assembly, but saw but few ladies, there being
at that time raging in the Town, the putrid sore throat, which carried
off several very suddenly, and frightened every body. The Ladies are
very polite and well accomplished.
On the 3rd. of February, we crossed Cape Fear River and an Island, on
which was a cross way of near two miles very bad & mirey, we only got
over this bad place this evening, we rode the next day 26 miles only,
found the roades very wet & mirey, at one place we had to hire some
negroes to hoist our carriage thro’ the mud and over a rivulet, the
land here is poor marshy & juicy, on the 5th we rode 36 miles, the
roades being more sandy, we put up near long bay, on the 6th we rode
16 miles on the Beach at low water which left the sand hard &
beautifully level, after which we had a very sandy road for 10 miles,
and there being no place of public entertainment we stopped for that
evening at a Mr. Alotines a private gentlemans house. On this day &
the 7th, rode on a neck of land formed by the ocean on the one hand
and Ossamack River on the other, which river has some very elegant,
rice plantations on it, & being so near the sea air is esteemed
healthy, we had 16 miles to ride before we arrived at the Ferry which
was three miles over, owing to some Islands, and the increase of
waters by the meeting of the Perdue, Black River and Ossamack, ...
EXTRACT OF LETTER FROM COL. JOHN PIERCE.
We then rode about nine miles, to Mount Vernon the seat of Gen.
Washington—nothing could afford me greater satisfaction, than this
site of my old General and his Lady and I had the satisfaction to
experience their attention so particularly that I felt myself very
much flattered by it—the General looks heartier and younger than when
he left us—he feels interested in the conduct of the officers, and
enquired particularly about those that I could know anything of.
We had also the company of a Mrs. Stewart, who was formerly the wife
of Mrs. Washington’s son Custis, a very aimable woman—the country
around the Generals is chiefly covered with woods, his seat is on an
eminence, near the banks of the Powtowmack—and commands a view of that
river for several miles both above and below—the house and out houses,
connected by pillars and arches form a very happy appearance, and when
a large lawn before it is properly walled in, which is now doing, the
view to the house from the country side will be considerably improved.
The next morning the 19th, one of the General’s brother’s came to see
him, tho’ younger he looks older, and has but a faint likeness. We
dined at the General’s, and after dinner, as I did not wish to give
him more trouble, we left his house & rode eleven miles—to
Colchester—it was well we did for the next day the 10th we found the
roads almost mountainous, very stormy & misty—rode from there to
Dumfries, from thence to Stafford Court House, and arrived at
Fredericksburgh about sunset, being about 36 miles—but the most
fatigueing day we have had—This last Town lays at the head of the
navigation of the Rappahannack River, and is growing very fast into
consequence. Gen. Washington gave us a letter of introduction to a
Gen. Woudon here, who treated us with the hospitality of a prince—and
obliged us to remain with him the next day [the 11th], we here first
saw the Virginia way of taking a hoggshead of Tobacco to market—it is
by having two large pins stuck into the centre of each head of the
Hoggshead, by way of axle tree to a small stick or slat which has a
hole bored into the end to which it is put and in which it moves, the
slat, the horse is fastened to like a dray, and the horse draws the
Hoggshead by its rolling on the ground—this way of conveyance is used
for a hundred miles sometimes. General Washington’s Mother lives here,
she is between 70 & 80, I did not see her as I did not wish to
interrupt her retirement—they tell me she is not tall and possesses
her understanding fully. She called the Gen’l her _Georgy_ until our
success was certain, and said he had better be on his farm, but when
that was secure, the old Lady partook of his triumph and enjoyed his
fame, and gives him the name of General. The next day [the 12th] we
rode in a delightful country down the Rappahannack, ...
NEW YORK, Sept. 3rd. 1786
MY DEAR SISTER
I design to be at Commencement with my sweetheart and hope to see some
of you there also, you will see each other and be able to form some
opinion whether you will like each other, for sisters, which must be
the case shortly. I gave your love to the little Girl, and she asked
me if I had returned hers, which I think I did not in my last letter,
an omission she did not like very well, if you expected that I should
have made choice of wit, beauty or Fortune, you will be mortified in
the one I have made, and some years ago my ambition led me to find
such qualifications, but now my heart acquires to be happy, which must
arise I am convinced from the disposition, a good under standing, the
sweetness of temper and sincerity of affection, these I hope to have
found, and these I presume will contribute much more also to my
Sisters’ felicity.
You will not let anybody but my Sisters’ read this letter, who are
entitled alone to know the feelings of my heart or the principles of
my conduct.
I have not yet determined absolutely to go to Georgia, but would
however be in some preparation to set off, if I go, by some time in
October,
When are you going to be married? teasing Girls I do not know, before
however I go to Georgia.
I am my dear Sisters
Your affectionate
JNO. PIERCE
NEW YORK. November 12th. 1786
MY DEAR SISTERS’