[draft] Head Quarters Morris Town 4 May. 1777 My only Love I received yours of the 19th ultimo, & I am sorry to say it gave me but little pleasure for I was unhappy that my Lucy should take a resolution not to write to me untill I had inform'd her of my meaning in a certain Letter respecting an enigma as she took it - consider my dearest Girl that had I been faulty, you had determind to be in the fault too and make me unhappy for at least one month - this was cruel - But as I live only to Love and make you happy, I will indevor to explain what to me appear'd and still appears to be self evident - Your Words are "I [struck: always] wish to know what [inserted: always] passes in your heart" the answer I meant to convey to this was, wholly in your favor - it suppos'd my Heart [strikeout 1: to have your image so deeply] [strikeout 2: to be the [illegible to have your belov'd image engrav'd in so many places and had taken so full a possession of it, that Could You look there you would see no other image than your self and no other passions than that of Love to you - as to the term, oh fye it was only a piece of [facetious] at my dear Girl under [2] The Idea that the representation of your ever dwelling in my heart was perfectly understood by you - I am much mortified at your not taking what I thought a very pretty peice of Love - as the person was who repeated the story which had made the whole company laugh when it had been told but found the effect not so great when he told it, and repeats in a suprize, why dont you laugh it was a good story when I heard it - so I must [ ? ], I thought it clever when I wrote it - but so much for this Eclarisesment - How does my Love, has she return'd to Boston - You[r] Doctor Gardiner kindly [struck: gave m] inform'd me that you were out of danger and that the erruption was complete - and that you had not above thirty and our little pledge of Love not so many. how does the dear little thing can she speak? can she walk do you teach her to call papa - I bow with reverence and gratitude to the Great Father of Love for his kindness and protection to you in giving you the distemper so kindly and giving you the near prospect of being rid of that eternal fear which must ever have hung on your mind - My Lucy writes me something about the house and that the Court had pass'd some resolve about the [3] effects of persons in the same predicament with your papa but what that resolve is you do not write - I am pretty certain Mr. Bowdoin will do his utmost to serve you - its [inserted: so] unreasonable that you should not have the full proportion of your papas estate that no person in their senses can pretend to dispute it - but I wish no step to be taken but with Mr. Bowdoins advice - I am very sorry that Billey should have been oblig'd to leave you as you were going to take the small pox - The enemy have lately made a manoevre presuming that their former successes had awestruck the people, they expected to have destroyd the stores there as there were no Continental troops without opposition, but they were mistaken Nearly the same rage animated the people near Danbury as at Lexington, and I believe the enemy must have suffer'd as much or more loss than there. - our loss in stores in Danbury was very amply made up in the store ship lately taken and carried into Dartmouth - what think you of the late arrival of Cannon and stores from our good Ally the [struck: Roi de Francais] King [But] [4] third are arrivd and more are expected, but a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush - Mr. Howe has by this late manoevre puzzled us much - it would appear by it that his design was for Philadelphia and not for the Hudsons River - the most probable place of damaging us and absolutely necessary for him and [inserted: Genl] Carelton to make a junction - our intelligence from the other side of the water is - that Howe is bound for Philadelphia Carelton, Ticonderoga & Burgoyne, to push for the puissant and renown'd Town of Boston - how true this may turn out is uncertain, but I think if Billey has raisd any thing near 1200 - You had better have the Goods remov'd out of the Town and the reason not given as of fear but that it may possibly happen and likewise I wish you to get a house provided in some part of the Country where it may be the most agreeable to you - what would you think of Hartford, Springfield - but at any rate you will have some time to take yourself away into the Country - I have no other desire but this you should be in the way of my Letters, and on the Way of the post - Notwithstanding [docket] Morris Town May 4th 1777.