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3. By “Federal head,” mow means the biblical Adam, with the obvious pun on the Federal Party. 4. The persons to whom mow refers are probably Alexander Hamilton and John Adams, although she corresponded with both during this period. 5. mow has sent Graham a copy of Poems. Dramatic and Miscellaneous. Dilly is a London bookseller and publisher. 93 to james warren jr. [In July 1791 ww set out with his regiment for a march through New England and Pennsylvania into western Ohio under General Arthur St. Clair on a mission from Washington’s government to punish the Indians there for their continued allegiance to the British and hostility to American settlement. In the early morning of November 4, 1791, the U.S. Army was attacked by a combined force of Native warriors from many area tribes under the direction of the Miami chieftain, Little Turtle. In one of the worst defeats of an American army at the hands of Native Americans, Winslow was killed, making him mow’s second son to die. The next two letters express some fragment of the grief she must have felt at the loss of her favorite.] Plimouth [December] 28 17911 [I] have not been able to take up my pen for many days, and now it trembles in my hand while I wish to speak comfort to my son while he weeps for himself, for his parents, & for the loss of a most amiable brother. Alas! What shall I say in the anguish of my heart? I must be silent & not open my mouth because the Lord hath done this:—my only consolation is my belief in and my reliance on the providence of an infinitely wise, just, & beneficent being who has a right to resume the choicest of his gifts in his own time and manner. What is man that he should complain! Yet nature revells at the premature separation & the heart of the mother bends to the tomb—that wraps in silence her Charles and her Winslow. I will write you again when able: the bearer waits for this:—but I must relieve you so far as to tell you your father is in usual health & bears this last stroke of affliction like himself—like the philosopher & the Christian. to james warren jr., december 1791  233 Your Brother Henry is as well as when you were here & your mother not sick. God grant the continuance of those Blessings with the addition of life, health, & happiness to yourself, & your dear & valuable brother at Kenebeck.2 Most affectionately subscribe in tears, your mother, while she fervantly wishes to say amen to the will of Heaven & ever to seal this desire of submission with the signature of M. Warren P.S. Your father has this fine morning for the first time within a fortnight been prevailed upon to mount his horse & ride: was he here he would have something to say to you but you know his paternal tenderness towards you. Henry is also absent. mwp2, rc3 1. This rc is dated “october,” but mow clearly means December. The error may indicate the degree to which her son’s death has affected her. 2. I.e., George. 3. mwp1 has a similar version of this letter, no doubt copied from this one. 94 to janet livingston montgomery Plymouth April 1792 My dear Friend While in an agony of soul I this day weep the loss of an amiable accomplished son, whose fillial piety was enhanced by the many amiable qualities that adorned the sensible judicious friend, I turned my mind to your loss, to your affliction, and to your letters;—my design was to look over your last and to endeavour to compose my spirits to make some proper reply to the sympathising accents contained therein; but I accidentally laid my hand on one of an older date in which you observe, “what but the expectations beyond the grave can ever make me smile in the midst of grief;—what make me suffer life after my Soldiers fall, but the blessed flattering hope of meeting him again”? In addition to this hope my dear madam, I have still a friend, the best of friends, the best of husbands and other amiable and very meritorious children , to attach me to life. Yet my weak my affectionate heart constantly 234  to janet montgomery, april 1792 ...

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