ALS, two pages, 6.5 x 8, July 28, 1777. Letter to an Cotton Tufts, Esq. Cotton Tufts was a physician and a relative to John Adams through marriage. When the Adams traveled to Europe, Cotton Tufts took care of the family's finances. In part, 'I have had the pleasure of two letters from you, which were both too agreeable and too valuable to have remained so long unanswered. But as I constantly inspect all the newspapers and such others...as I may communicate to my dear Mrs. Adams which I knew came of...to your knowledge...I have been the less anxious to write directly to you. Indeed I find by your newspapers, that you have better intelligence from every part of the world...our Armies...and New York than we have, and you have it much earlier. In one of yours, you mention the Regulation of Prices and the acts to evade it. It would astonish you to be told the prices of things here. Butter, 3s per pound, onions, black brown sugar, 4s per pound, Rum 45 per gallon. Wine 15s a bottle and beef, mutton, lamb, poultry...in proportion. Common thread stockings 5 dollars a pair. Shoes four dollars a pair. Hatts [sic] two pounds a piece. My expenses, alone will amount to an Estate this year altho [sic] I live like a miser and a Hermit, I never lived so in my own family and never will. The cloths I shall wear out this year...with more than my constituents will allow me for my whole years service. This is Patriotism...Yet it is my greatest joy, and adulation with all its disagreeable circumstances. Our Countrymen Meigs and Barton have discovered specimens of military genius, which are encouraging. There is a striking mixture of...Craft and Valor, in both these Enterprises, which render them the admiration of the Public. There must have been a Prudence, and caution too becoming old officers of...experience. This is the gains of New England. Cautious enterprise and indefatigable activity are our characteristics. Encourage this spirit - work it up my dear friend, it will prove at last the salvation of America. There is a Whitcomb in the Northern Army, who killed General Gordon and has made several incursions into Canada, with similar hardiness and success - Indeed New England is full of such Wits, if our general officers knew how to avail themselves of them. Don't be offended my dear sir, at my writing you to.' On the reverse of the first page, Adams has also written, 'Rhode Island, Long Island, Staten Island are ample Theatres for all our enterprising Spirits to exhibit and here we might harass and distress the enemy beyond measure.' In very good condition, with small area of paper loss to portions of two letters of signature, moderate separations along folds, scattered soiling, minor tape repairs on reverse of pages, and mounting remnants to top edge of first page. COA John Reznikoff/University Archives and RRAuction COA.
