Charles Francis Adams to His Son
London, June 19, 1863
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Our good friends in this country are always provided with a little later than the last news from America, which is equally sure to be very bad for us. We have just survived a complete capitulation of the whole army of General Grant. A few weeks since we went through the same process with all of you on the Rappahannock. Last year we had the same luck with General McClellan and all his force. The wonder is that anybody is left in the free states. Washington has been taken several times. I am not sure whether Boston has been considered in great peril or not. So little are the majority acquainted with our geography that such a story is as likely to be believed as any of the rest. The only effect all this has upon us is to furnish just so many instances of the intense earnestness of the benevolence prevailing in these parts. The progress of the war has developed this in so many and such various forms that no possible disavowal of it in any future times can avail to shake our conviction. If there were no valid reasons at home for a farther prosecution of the war, I should feel that this manifestation of the temper of the ruling class towards us ought to convince us of its importance to our future safety against them. . . .
