Letter 1: John Adams to Abigail Smith

Tuesday 17th. April 1764

Yours of April 15th this moment received. I thank you for it—and for your offer of milk, but we have milk in vast abundance, and everything else that we want except company.

You can’t imagine how finely my brother and I live. We have as much bread and as much new pure milk, as much pudding, and rice, and indeed as much of everything of the farinaceous [starchy] kind as we please—and the medicine we take is not at all nauseous, or painful.

And our felicity is the greater, as five persons in the same room, under the care of Lord and church, are starved and medicated with the utmost severity. No bread, no pudding, no milk is permitted them, i.e. no pure and simple milk (they are allowed a mixture of half milk and half water) and every other day they are tortured with powders that make them as sick as death and as weak as water. All this may be necessary for them, for what I know, as the Lord is professedly against any preparation previous to inoculation. In which opinion I own I was fully agreed with him, till lately. But experience has convinced me of my mistake, and I have felt and now feel every hour, the advantage and the wisdom of the contrary doctrine.

Dr. Tufts and your brother have been here to see us this morning. They are charmingly well and cheerful, though they are lean and weak.

Messrs. Quincy’s, Samuel and Josiah, have the distemper very lightly. I asked Dr. Perkins how they had it. The Dr. answered in the style of the faculty, “Oh Lord sir; infinitely light!” It is extremely pleasing, says he, wherever we go we see everybody passing through this tremendous distemper, in the lightest, easiest manner, conceivable.

The Dr. meant, those who have the distemper by inoculation in the new method, for those who have it in the natural way are objects of as much horror, as ever. There is a poor Man, in this neighborhood, one Bass, now laboring with it in the natural way. He is in a good way of recovery but is the most shocking sight that can be seen. They say he is no more like a man than he is like a hog or a horse—swelled to three times his size, black as bacon, blind as a stone. I had when I was first inoculated a great curiosity to go and see him; but the Dr. said I had better not go out, and my friends thought it would give me a disagreeable turn. My uncle brought up one Vinal who has just recovered of it in the natural way to see us, and show us. His face is torn all to pieces and is as rugged as Braintree Commons.

This contrast is forever before the eyes of the whole town, yet it is said there are 500 persons who continue to stand it out, in spite of experience, the expostulations of the clergy both in private and from the desk, the unwearied persuasions of the select men, and the perpetual clamor and astonishment of the people, and to expose themselves to this distemper in the natural way!—Is man a rational creature think you?—conscience, forsooth and scruples are the cause.—I should think myself a deliberate self-murderer, I mean that I incurred all the guilt of deliberate self murder [suicide], if I should only stay in this town and run the chance of having it in the natural way.

Mr. Wheat is broke out, and is now at the card table to amuse himself. He will not be able to get above a score or two. Badger has been pretty lazy and lolling, and achy about the head and knees and back, for a day or two, and the messengers appear upon him, that foretell the complete appearance of the pox in about 24 hours.

Thus we see others under the symptoms, and all the pains that attend the distemper under the present management every hour and are neither dismayed nor in the least disconcerted or dispirited. But are every one of us wishing that his turn might come next, that it might be over, and we about our business, and I return to my farm, my garden, but above all, to my Diana who is the best of all friends, and the richest of all blessings to her own

Lysander

How shall I express my gratitude to your Mamma and yourself, for your kind care and concern for me. Am extremely obliged for the milk, and the apples. But would not have you trouble yourselves any more for we have a sufficient, a plentiful supply of those, and every other good thing that is permitted us. Balm is a commodity in very great demand and very scarce here, and there is a great number of us to drink of its inspiring infusion, so that my uncle, aunt, and all the patients under their roof would be obliged, as well as myself, if you could send me some more. . . .

J. Adams

40 minutes after one O. Clock Tuesday, April 17th. 1764

Letter 2: Abigail to John July 13, 1776

I must begin with apologizing to you for not writing since the 17 of June. I have really had so many cares upon my hands and mind, with a bad inflammation in my eyes that I have not been able to write. I now date from Boston, where I yesterday arrived and was with all 4 of our little ones inoculated for the smallpox. My uncle and aunt were so kind as to send me an invitation with my family. Mr. Cranch and wife and family, my sister Betsy and her little niece, Cotton Tufts, and Mr. Thaxter, a maid who has had the distemper, and my old nurse compose our family. A boy too I should have added. 17 in all. My uncle’s maid with his little daughter and a negro man are here. We had our bedding &c. to bring. A cow we have driven down from Braintree and some hay I have had put into the stable, wood &c., and we have really commenced housekeepers here. The house was furnished with almost every article (except beds) which we have free use of and think ourselves much obliged by the fine accommodations and kind offer of our friends. All our necessary stores we purchase jointly. Our little ones stood the operation manfully. Dr. Bulfinch is our physician. Such a spirit of inoculation never before took place; the town and every house in it are as full as they can hold. I believe there are not less than 30 persons from Braintree. Mrs. Quincy, Mrs. Lincoln, Miss Betsy and Nancy are our near neighbors. God grant that we may all go comfortably through the distemper; the physical part is bad enough, I know. I knew your mind so perfectly upon the subject that I thought nothing, but our recovery would give you equal pleasure, and as to safety there was none. The soldiers inoculated privately, so did many of the inhabitants, and the paper currency spread it everywhere. I immediately determined to set myself about it and get ready with my children. I wish it was so you could have been with us. . . .

Poor Canada, I lament Canada, but we ought to be in some measure sufferers for the past folly of our conduct. The fatal effects of the smallpox there has led almost every person to consent to hospitals in every town. In many towns, already around Boston, the selectmen have granted liberty for inoculation. I hope the necessity is now fully seen.

I had many disagreeable sensations at the thoughts of coming myself, but to see my children through it I thought my duty, and all those feelings vanished as soon as I was inoculated and I trust a kind providence will carry me safely through. Our friends from Plymouth came into own yesterday. We have enough upon our hands in the morning. The little folks are very sick then and puke every morning, but after that they are comfortable. I shall write you now very often. Pray inform me constantly of every important transaction. Every expression of tenderness is a cordial to my heart. Unimportant as they are to the rest of the world, to me they are everything. . . .

I hope the multiplicity of cares and avocations which you will not be too powerful for you. I have many anxieties upon that account. Nabby and Johnny send duty, and desire Mamma to say that an inflammation in their eyes which has been as much of a distemper as the smallpox, has prevented their writing, but they hope soon to be able to acquaint Pappa of their happy recovery from the distemper. — Mr. Cranch and wife, Sister Betsy and all our Friends desire to be remembered to you and foremost in that number stands your

Portia

PS A little India herb would have been mighty agreeable now.

Letter 3: John Adams to Abigail Adams

Philadelphia July 27. 1776

Disappointed again.—The post brought me no letter from you, which I don’t wonder at much, nor any intelligence concerning you, which surprises me, a good deal. . . . I hang upon tenterhooks. Fifteen days since you were all inoculated, and I have not yet learned how you have fared. But I will suppose you all better and out of danger. Why should I torture myself when I can’t relieve you?

It makes me happy to hear that the spirit of inoculation prevails so generally. I could wish it more universal. The smallpox has done us more harm than British Armies, Canadians, Indians, Negroes, Hanoverians, Hessians, and all the rest. We must conquer this formidable enemy without hesitation or delay.

Sullivan is here, and in a miff at the promotion of Gates, has asked leave to resign his commission. I am sorry for this inconsiderate step. It will hurt him more than the Cause. It is conjectured at New York, I am told, that he expects to be first man in New Hampshire. If this is really his motive, he ought to be ashamed of it, and I hope he will be disappointed.—the ladies have not half the zeal for precedence that we find every day among the gentlemen.

The Judge Advocate came in this evening, in fine health and gay spirits. The army is the place for health—the Congress the place of sickness.—God bless you all.

Adieu.

Letter 4: Abigail to John Boston  July 29, 1776

I write you now, thanks be to Heaven, free from pain, in good spirits, but weak and feeble. All my sufferings produced but one eruption. I think I can have no reason to be doubtful with regard to myself as the symptoms run so high and my arm operated in the best manner. The smallpox acts very oddly this season, there are seven out of our number that have not yet had it, 3 out of our 4 children have been twice inoculated, two of them Charles and Tommy have not had one symptom. I have indulged them in rather freer living than before and hope they will not long remain doubtful. Mrs. Cranch and Cotton Tufts have been in town almost 3 weeks and have had the inoculation repeated 4 times and cannot make it take. So has Mrs. Lincoln. Lucy Cranch and Billy are in the same state. Becky Peck who has lived in the same manner with us, has it to such a degree as to be blind with one eye, swelled prodigiously; I believe she has ten thousand. She is really an object to look at; though she is not Dr. Bullfinch’s patient. Johnny has it exactly as one would wish, enough to be well satisfied and yet not be troublesome. We are ordered all the air we can get, and when we cannot walk we must ride, and if we can neither walk nor ride, we must be led. We sleep with windows open all night, and lay upon the carpet or straw beds, mattress or anything hard, abstain from spirit, salt and fats, fruit we eat, all we can get, and those who like vegetables unseasoned may eat them, but that is not I. — This doubtful business is very disagreeable as it will detain us much longer, but there are several instances now of persons who thought they had had it, and were recovered, and lived away freely, and now are plentifully dealt by. Mr. Joseph Edward’s wife, for one, and queer work she makes of it you may be sure. The doctors say they cannot account for it, unless the free perspiration throws it off. Every physician has a number of patients in this doubtful state. Where it does take, and the patient lives anything free, they have a dozen of it. Cool weather is much fitter for the smallpox. I have not got rid of any terrors of the smallpox but that of not being liable to it again, which you will say is a very great one; but what I mean is that I should dread it more now than before I saw it, were I liable to it. If we consider the great numbers who have it now, computed at seven thousand, 3 thousand of which are from the country, tis very favorable, though not so certain as it was last winter with many patients. Mr. Shaw who was inoculated at the same time when I and 3 of my children were out of the same box and has lived lower by his account than we have, has a full portion of it for all of us. There is no accounting for it. We did not take so much physic as many others neither. If this last does not take, I shall certainly try them with some wine.

Dr. Sawyer of  Newbury Port lost a child 9 years old last week with the distemper, and Colonel Robinson of Dorchester lies extremely bad with a mortification in his kidneys. Some such instances we must expect among such a variety of persons and constitutions.

I rejoice exceedingly at the success which General Lee has met with. I believe the men will come along in a short time. They are raising, but the  Massachusetts has been drained for Sea Service as well as land. The men were procured in this town last week; we have taken a vessel from Halifax bound to New York, which we should call a prize but that it contained about 14 Tories among whom is that infamous wretch of a Ben Davis, the Ginger Bread Robber. How many little ones can say I was hungry and you gave me no bread but inhumanely took what little I had from me. I wish the sea or any other element had them rather than we should be tormented with them. Friends and connections are very bad things in such times as these. Interest will be made, and impartial justice obstructed; we catch flies and let the wasps go. — Hark a general huzza of the populace, these wretches are just committed to jail.

The continental troops are near all gone from this town, all I believe who are in a marching state. The smallpox has been general amongst them and exceeding favorable.

I have requested of Judge Cushing to write you an account of his circuit, and he has promised to do it. Both he and his lady are under inoculation. When I came into town I was in great hopes that if we did well we should be able to return in about 3 weeks, and we should have been able to have affected it, if it had operated as formerly. Now I fear it will be 5 weeks before we shall all get through, but I must not complain. When I cast my eye upon Becky whose symptoms were not half so high as mine or some of the rest of us and see what an object she is I am silenced, and adore the goodness of God towards us.

Her Dr. says she is not dangerous. Colonel Warren has suffered as much pain as I did but has more to show for it; he is very cleverly spattered. Mrs. Warren is now struggling with it; to one of her constitution it operates in fainting and languor. It did so upon Betsy Cranch, yet when it found its way through it operated kindly. — I believe you will be tired of hearing of smallpox, but you bid me write every post and suppose you are anxious to hear how we have it. The next post I hope to tell you that we all have it, who now remain uncertain.

I am at all times and in all states unfeignedly yours.