Abigail Adams to Joseph Warren, 13 May 1775
AA
Warren, Joseph
Abigail Adams to Joseph Warren, 13 May 1775
Adams, Abigail
Warren, Joseph
Abigail Adams to Joseph Warren
Sir
Braintree May 13 1775
A Brother of Mr. Adams'es who has been a Captain of a Company in this Town, is desirous of joining the Army provided he can obtain a Birth; he would prefer a Majors to any other. As he has not any acquaintance with any Gentleman in the Army, except Coll. Palmer, he requested me to write you a line, in his behalf; he is a person both of steadiness and probity, and if there should be any place open in the army wherein he could serve his Country, I believe he would discharge the Trust reposed in him to acceptance. Your intrest Sir in his favour, would oblige both him
1 and his absent Brother, as well as your Humble Servant,
Abigail Adams2
RC
(formerly in M-Ar: vol. 193; now missing); addressed: “To Docter Joseph Warren Watertown”; present text from a facsimile in Albert Bushnell Hart, ed., Commonwealth History of Massachusetts, Boston, 1927–1930, vol. 3: facing p. 220.
1.
Facsimile (and presumably the MS) mutilated.
2.
AA's application was in behalf of JA's brother Elihu. Warren told JA in a letter dated at Cambridge, 20 May (Adams Papers), that he had received AA's letter and would “do all in his Power to obtain” a major's commission for Elihu “in one of the Regiments.” But it does not appear that he succeeded 197in doing so. The opposition of Elihu's mother may have been the stumbling block; see AA to JA, 25 June, below. In the following August, while serving as a captain of Massachusetts troops in the army besieging Boston, Elihu caught the prevailing camp dysentery and died (AA to JA, 10–11 Aug., below).