From Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody to Abigail Smith Adams

10 September 1814

My Dear Sister,

Sep 10th. 1814

I am sorry you did not find time to write me a line—reports are so various, & calamitous that it keeps me in constant agitation of mind—I am distressed for my country, & for my dear Boston friends, who I hear are moving as fast as they can find an asylum—I wanted, & intended to have written to my dear Son, & Mrs Foster, but I have been obliged this week to go to [N]ewbury, & have been to Exeter, upon business, & have not had a moments time—I will thank you to tell Mrs Foster, that if I can be of any service, by taking some of here Children, I shall be glad to do it—or any thing that is in my power to do for her in this time of alarm, & danger—I suppose my Son, trembles for his beloved Atheneum, as well as for other dear Objects

Do you my Sister, confides in the President, & yourself safe in your own Mansion?—pray let me hear soon from you—

Our Men are draughted this morning to go to Portsmouth—may Heaven preserve us from our own turbulent Passions, & unite us, not in criminating each other—but give us wisdom, & strength to extricate ourselves & Country from the calamities we are now suffering—

adieu—adieu dear Sister, may we live to meet, & see better days—the mail is coming— / ever Your affectionate

E P—

MHi: Adams Papers.

This early access document derives from raw transcriptions, prior to editing and publication in Rotunda's American History Collection. If this document is cited in formal research, it should be noted that it is not a final version, and that the URL you used to access it is not permanent.
Please report any errors or problems you notice in documents.