A sidebar to the previous posts about Martha Washington and her stay in Cambridge, Massachusetts, from the end of November 1775 to April 1776: an account of the payments made by Ebenezer Austin under the direction of Colonel Joseph Reed, steward of Washington’s Headquarters Household Expenses. Note charges for alcoholic beverages, food and laundry.

When Martha Washington joined her husband in Cambridge, Massachussetts, in December, 1775, they lived in the former home of John Vassal, which served as Washington’s Headquarters. (He had previously occupied space in Wadsworth House, the home of the president of Harvard.) It was in a section of Brattle Street known as Tory Row for the number of houses built there by wealthy Loyalists. Vassal had left when war threatened, and his property was seized by the Americans. The house was later lived in by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and has since become a National Historic Site. Martha wrote to her sister with details about both their family and the military situation.

Cambridge January the 31, 1776My dear Sister
I have wrote to you several times, in hopes it would put you in mind of me, but I find it has not had its intended affect. I am really very uneasy at not hearing from you and have made all the excuses for you that I can think of but it will not doe much longer. If I doe not get a letter by this nights post I shall think myself quite forgot by all my Freinds. The distance is long yet the post comes in regularly every week—The General, myself, and Jack are very well. Nelly Custis is I hope getting well again, and I beleive is with child. I hope noe accident will happen to her in going back [to Virginia]. I have not thought much about it yet god know whare we shall be; I suppose thare will be a change soon but how I cannot pretend to say—A few days agoe Pokies Gen [Henry] Clinton, with several companyes Sailed out of Boston Harbor to what place distant for, we cannot find out. Some think it is to Virginia he is gon, others to New York—they have been keept in Boston so long that I suppose they will be glad to seek for a place where they may have more room as they cannot get out anywhere here but by water—our navey has been very successful in taking thair vessels; two was taken last week loded with coles and potatoes wines & several other articles for the use of the troops—If General Clinton is gon to New York,—General Lee is there before him and I hope will give him a very warm reception,—he was sent thare some time a goe to have matters put in proper order in case any disturbances should happen, as thare are many Tories in that part of the world, or at least many are susspected thare to be unfreindly to our cause at this time—winter hear has been so remarkable mild the Rivers has never been frozen hard enough to walk upon the Ice since I came heer.

My Dear sister be so good as to remember me to all enquireing friends. …

I am my Dear Nancy your ever effectionate sister Martha Washington

Martha’s letter is on pages 41-42 of In the Words of Women. There are several interesting POSTS by J. L. Bell on Washington’s taking command of the troops outside of Boston. He has written a book George Washington’s Headquarters and Home—Cambridge, Massachusetts containing much information for those who wish to read further about the general and his entourage.

In June of 1775, George Washington wrote to his wife from Philadelphia that he had been asked to take charge of the “Army raised for the defence of the American Cause.” Although he was reluctant to accept the assignment he did so, viewing it as “a kind of destiny.” Traveling from Mount Vernon, Martha, accompanied by her son Jack and daughter-in-law, joined him in December.

Merchant Christopher Marshall noted her departure from Philadelphia on November 27: “About ten, Lady Washington, attended by the troop of horse, two companies of light infantry, &c., &c., left this City, on her journey to the camp, at Cambridge.” Martha described how she found Boston in a letter to Elizabeth Ramsay, in Alexandria, Virginia.

Cambridge December the 30th 1775Dear miss
I now set down to tell you that I arrived hear safe, and our party all well—we were fortunate in our time of setting out as the weather proved fine all the time we were on the road—I did not reach Philad till the tuesday after I left home, we were so attended and the gentlemen so kind, that I am lade under obligations to them that I shall not for get soon. I don’t doubt but you have seen the Figuer our arrival made in the Philadelphia paper—and I left it in as great pomp as if I had been a very great some body.

I have waited some days to collect some thing to tell, but allas there is nothing but what you will find in the papers—every person seems to be cheerfull and happy hear,—some days we have a number of cannon and shells from Boston and Bunkers Hill, but it does not seem to surprise any one but me; I confess I shuder every time I hear the sound of a gun—I have been to dinner with two of the Generals, [Charles] Lee & [Israel] Putnam and I just took a look at pore Boston & Charls town—from prospect Hill Charlestown has only a few chimneys standing in it, thare seems to be a number of very fine Buildings in Boston but god knows how long they will stand; they are pulling up all the warfs for fire wood—to me that never see any thing of war, the preperations, are very terable indeed, but I endevor to keep my fears to my self as well as I can. . . .

This is a beautyfull Country, and we had a very plasent journey through new england, and had the plasure to find the General very well we came within the month from home to Camp.

I am Dear miss your most affectionate Friend … Martha Washington

The letter can be found on page 41 of In the Words of Women. The illustration depicting Washington taking charge of the army is from Wikipedia. The Christopher Marshall quote is from J. L. Bell’s blog Boston 1775, August 3, 2011.

John Adams wrote to his wife on June 17, 1775, telling her of the appointment of George Washington as commander-in-chief of the American forces mustered to resist the British occupation of Boston in 1775: “I can now inform you that the Congress have made Choice of the modest and virtuous, the amiable, generous and brave George Washington Esqr., to be the General of the American Army, and that he is to repair as soon as possible to the Camp before Boston. … I hope the People of our Province, will treat the General with all that Confidence and Affection, that Politeness and Respect, which is due to one of the most important Characters in the World.” He wrote the next day: “There is something charming to me in the conduct of Washington. A gentleman of one of the first fortunes upon the continent, leaving his delicious retirement, his family and friends, sacrificing his ease, and hazarding all in the cause of his country! His views are noble and disinterested.” Abigail wrote to John on July 16 describing her reaction to George Washington upon meeting him.

I was struck with General Washington. You had prepaired me to entertain a favorable opinion of him, but I thought the one half was not told me. Dignity with ease, and complacency, the Gentleman and Soldier look agreably blended in him. Modesty marks every line and feture of his face. Those lines of Dryden instantly occurd to me

“Mark his Majestick fabrick! He’s a temple
Sacred by birth, and built by hands divine
His Souls the Deity that lodges there.
Nor is the pile unworthy of the God.”

Sources for letters: John Adams to Abigail Adams, 17 and 18 June 1775, AFC: Adams Family Correspondence. L. H. Butterfield, Marc Friedlaender, Richard Alan Ryerson, et al., editors. Cambridge, Mass.: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1963, 1:215; Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams, 16 July 1775 [electronic edition]. Adams Family Papers: An Electronic Archive. Massachusetts Historical Society. http://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/