Adams Papers Digital Edition

Adams Family Correspondence, volume 2

James Lovell to Abigail Adams

Enclosure: Extract of a Letter

John Adams to Abigail Adams, 14 November 1777 JA AA John Adams to Abigail Adams, 14 November 1777 Adams, John Adams, Abigail
John Adams to Abigail Adams
Easton, at the Forks of Delaware in Pensylvania Novr. 14. 1777

Here I am.–I am bound home.–I suppose it will take me 14 days, perhaps 18 or 20, to reach Home.–Mr. S.A. is with me.–I am tolerably well.1

The American Colours are still flying at Fort Mifflin.

The News on the other Side, is from a Merchant to his Partner.2

I am in great Haste, most affectionately yours.

RC (Adams Papers). Concerning the enclosure, if it can be truly called one, see notes 2 and 3.

1.

On 7 Nov. JA and Samuel Adams were voted a “leave of absence to visit their families” ( JCC , 9:880). On the 11th they set off from York and proceeded by way of Lancaster, Reading, and Bethlehem to Easton, meeting Francis Dana, who was on his way to help fill up the depleted Massachusetts delegation, near Reading; their route from Easton home is at least partly indicated in JA's fragmentary diary entries ( Diary and Autobiography , 2:267–269). According to a letter he wrote James Lovell on 6 Dec. (LbC, Adams Papers), JA reached Braintree on 27 November.

 2.

This appears on the verso of JA's letter, which is written on an irregularly shaped sheet. Paper was scarce, and, although there is no evidence that the letter from “Eustatia” was read in Congress, JA may have copied it before leaving York and then found the blank side of the sheet convenient for writing his note to AA.