June 22,
1775
I received yours [of]
june 10
[John to Abigail, 10 June 1775]
, for which I thank you. I want you to be
more perticuliar. Does every Member feel for us?
Can they realize what we suffer? And can they believe with what patience and
fortitude we endure the conflict -- nor do we even tremble at the frowns of
power. -- You inquire of me, who were at the engagement at
Grape Island. I may say with truth all
Weymouth Braintree
Hingham who were able to bear Arms, and hundreds from other
Towns within 20 30 and 40 miles of
Weymouth. Our good Friend the Doctor is in a very
misirable state of Health, has the jaundice to a
[very great] degree, is a mere
Skelliton and hardly able to
[ride from] his own house to my fathers.
Danger you [know] sometimes makes timid men
bold. He stood that day very .well, and generously attended with drink,
Bisquit, flints &c. 5 hundred men without taking any pay. He has since been
chosen one of the committee of Correspondence for that Town, and has done much
Service by establishing a regular method of alarm from Town to Town. Both your
Brothers were there -- your younger Brother with his company who
gaind honour by their good
order that Day. He was one of the first to venture aboard a Schooner to land
upon the Island. -- At
Chelsa I cannot be so perticuliar as I do not know only in General, that
Coll. Putnam commanded there, and had many Gentlemen
volunters.
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We have two companies
stationd in this Town, at
Germantown Captn. Turner, at
Squantom Capt. Vinton. In
Weymouth one, in
Hingham two &c. -- I believe I shall remove your Books this
week to your Brothers. We think it adviseable. Coll. Quincy
has procured his family a retreat at Deacon Holebrooks.
Mr. Cranch has one at Major Basses -- in case
of necessity to which we hope not to be driven. -- We hear that the troops
destined for
Newyork are all expected here, but we have got to
that pass that a whole legion of them would not intimidate us. -- I think I am
very brave upon the whole. If danger comes near my dwelling I suppose I shall
shuder. We want powder
[although] with the blessing of Heaven we fear them
not ... every possible method that can be made use of
[ . . . ] it
should, be by the whole continent. The state we are in at present is
intrenching and fortifying. Tis said we have lost 44 men and the Regulars near
a thousand, 64 officers amongst them. -- God bless and preserve us. Write me
every opportunity you can.
I am your
Portia
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[Envelope -- see page image]
