History of the Rise, Progress, and Termination of the American Revolution. Mercy Otis Warren
a source—for instance, a collection such as Force’s American Archives—which contains her specific source. In some cases, particularly when I cannot be sure that I have uncovered the correct document, I suggest a source that reads very much like the one Warren cites. In all such cases, I indicate my lack of surety by introducing the source with “See” or “Probably.”
Acknowledgments
During the preparation of this edition, several friends and colleagues have proved to me, once again, how generous scholars are. Linda Levy Peck took valuable time from her own researches to wade through Nathanael Greene’s letters at The Henry E. Huntington Library. Daniel J. McInerney found G. F. A. Wendeborn when I persisted in looking for Dr. F. A. Wenderburne and all the Wedderburnes in the British Museum Catalogue. Eugene F. Miller helped me narrow the field on Warren’s fugitive quotation of “a celebrated writer.” Mary Elizabeth Regan graciously provided me with a copy of her Ph.D. dissertation on Warren. Leonora Woodman, Dan McInerney, and Mark U. Edwards read versions of the introductory materials and made suggestions that improved them. Working with the staff at Liberty Fund, Inc. has been, yet again, a joy.
A number of librarians and archivists saved me much time and expense by responding to queries on some of Warren’s references. Joel Silver helped make Indiana University’s Lilly Library, where I did the bulk of my source work, accessible and enjoyable. Dennis M. Conrad, associate editor of the Nathanael Greene Papers, searched through as yet unorganized Greene letters to find specific ones for me. James Fox of the New-York Historical Society located Gates, Cadwallader, and Reed letters. Anne-Marie Schaaf helped me with references to holdings in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. The staffs of the University of Michigan’s Graduate Library and the William L. Clements Library were gracious and helpful.
I owe a special debt to my friend and colleague Cheryl Z. Oreovicz, who is preparing a biography of Warren. For most of the last dozen years we have taught together, shared materials, and fought over interpretations of Warren’s religious thought, politics, intellectual influences, and style. She has generously allowed me to use Warren materials that she has collected, and she has read the introduction to this volume. I have received the lion’s share of the benefit of these exchanges.
If these volumes were mine, rather than Warren’s, to dedicate, I would dedicate them to my mother—like Warren a bright, talented woman who was years ahead of her time.
Lester H. Cohen
| Adams, Works | The Works of John Adams, edited by Charles Francis Adams (10 vols.; Boston, 1850–1856) |
| AHA | American Historical Association |
| AHR | American Historical Review |
| AQ | American Quarterly |
| Annual Register | The Annual Register, or a View of the History, Politics, and Literature for the Year. . . . (London: J. Dodsley, 1758– ). Each issue of the Annual Register contains several sections, including a “History of Europe,” an “Appendix to the Chronicle,” and a collection of “State Papers.” Since pagination is inconsistent, I have indicated the section to which each reference pertains. |
| Burgoyne, Expedition | [John Burgoyne], A State of the Expedition from Canada, As Laid Before the House of Commons . . . With A Collection of Authentic Documents (London, 1780). This pamphlet consists of six main sections: a prefatory speech; a narrative of events in Northern New York; evidence and testimony used by the committee of inquiry; Burgoyne’s review of the evidence; Burgoyne’s conclusion; an appendix containing Burgoyne’s letters (most of which were written to George Germain). I refer to both the work and a specific subsection. |
| Cobbett | [William Cobbett], Cobbett’s Parliamentary History of England, from the Norman Conquest, in 1066 to the Year, 1803 (36 vols.; London: R. Bagshaw, 1806–1820). Warren never cited Cobbett specifically. Two other sources of Parliamentary debates were available in Warren’s day: The Debates and Proceedings of the British House of Commons and The Parliamentary Register, or, The History of the Proceedings and Debates of the House of Commons. Cobbett is by far the most extensive and detailed; it includes debates in the House of Lords. |
| Force, Archives | Peter Force, compiler, American Archives; Fourth and Fifth Series. Containing a Documentary History of the English Colonies in North America, From the King’s Message to Parliament, of March 7, 1770, to the Declaration of Independence by the United States (9 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1839–1853). The fourth series includes volumes 1–6; the fifth, 7–9. |
| Franklin | Plays and Poems of Mercy Otis Warren: Facsimile Reproductions Compiled and with an Introduction By Benjamin Franklin V (Delmar, N.Y., 1980) |
| Fritz | Jean Fritz, Cast for a Revolution: Some American Friends and Enemies, 1728–1814 (Boston, 1970) |
| Howe, Narrative | [Sir William Howe], The Narrative of Lieut. Gen. Sir William Howe, in a Committee of the House of Commons, on the 19th of April, 1779; Relative to His Conduct, During His Late Command of the King’s Troops in North America, To Which Are Added, Some Observations Upon a Pamphlet, Entitled, Letters to A Nobleman (London, 1780) |
| Hutchinson, Letters | The Representations of Governor Hutchinson and Others, Contained in Certain Letters Transmitted to England, And Afterwards Returned From Thence, and Laid Before the General-Assembly of the Massachusetts-Bay (Boston, 1773). The same letters were reprinted in England in 1774. See below, [Mauduit], Letters. Additional materials in the two volumes differ. |
| JCC | Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789, edited by Worthington C. Ford, et al. (34 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1904–1937) |
| JHRM | Journals of the House of Representatives of Massachusetts, 1715–1776 (52 vols.; Boston, 1919– ) |
| LDC | Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774–1789, edited by Paul H. Smith, et al. (12 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1976– ) |
| Lee Papers | The Lee Papers, New-York Historical Society, Collections, (4 vols.; 1871–1874) |
| [Mauduit], Letters | [Israel Mauduit], The Letters of Governor Hutchinson, and Lieut. Governor Oliver &c. Printed at Boston (London, 1774). See above, Hutchinson, Letters. |
| MHS | Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston |
| MOWLB | Mercy Otis Warren, “Letter Book,” Massachusetts Historical Society |
| MOWP | Mercy Otis Warren Papers, Massachusetts Historical Society |
| Modern Universal History | An Universal History, from the Earliest Accounts to the Present Time. Compiled from Original Authors. (60 vols.; London, 1775–1784). Volumes 1–18 contain “The Antient Part” of the Universal History. Volumes 19–60, renumbered 1–42, constitute The Modern Part of the Universal History. . . . By the Authors of the Antient Part. |
| NEQ | New England Quarterly |
| Remembrancer | The Remembrancer, or Impartial Repository of Public Events, 1775–1784 (17 vols.; London, 1775–1784) |
| Sparks, Correspondence | Jared Sparks, editor, Correspondence of the American Revolution; Being Letters of Eminent Men to George Washington, From the Time of His Taking Command of the Army, to the End of His Presidency (4 vols.; Boston, 1853) |
| Stevens, Campaign | B. F. Stevens, compiler, The Campaign in Virginia, 1781. An Exact Reprint of Six Rare Pamphlets on the Clinton-Cornwallis Controversy (2 vols.; London, 1888) |
| Stevens, Facsimiles | B. F. Stevens, compiler, Facsimiles of Manuscripts In European Archives, Relating to America, 1773–1783 (25 vols.; London, 1889–95) |
| WAL, I, II | Warren-Adams Letters. Being Chiefly a Correspondence between John Adams, Samuel Adams and James Warren, Massachusetts Historical Society, Collections, vols. 72, 73 (1917, 1925) |
| Waters | John J. Waters, Jr., The Otis Family in Provincial and Revolutionary Massachusetts (Chapel Hill, 1968) |
| WMQ | William and Mary Quarterly |
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