I have input all these works (the history of the
American Revolution and the plays) by hand. (The old type, with
"s" that looks like "f" and other peculiarities
characteristic of the time, makes this text impossible to scan). I
have modernized the spelling and punctuation and made other edits for
readability. Please let me know of typos, so I can fix them promptly,
and also about the location/availability of other works Mercy Warren.
Richard Seltzer
This edition Copyright 2002 Richard Seltzer. Permission is
granted to make and distribute complete verbatim electronic copies of
this item for non-commercial purposes provided the copyright
information and this permission notice are preserved on all copies.
All other rights reserved. Please contact us first if you are
interested in making copies for commercial purposes, Comments welcome.
Works by Mercy Warren, plus other books and documents related to
the American Revolution are available on CD:
What do Mercy Otis Warren, Thomas Jefferson, Alexis de Tocqueville,
Samuel Adams, and Thomas Paine have in common? They all wrote about
the American Revolution and/or the Early Republic and their works are
on the same American
Revolution CD, in plain text, with software that lets you
listen as well as read.
If you would rather read Mercy's history of the American Revolution
on your palm, for $5 you can buy a zipped file with that entire book
formatted for Palm Reader (.pdb), TomeRaider (.tr) and Microsoft
Reader (.lit) at www.palmgear.com
Portrait of Mercy Warren (by Copley) --
closeup
of face,
full
figure
Plays
- The
Adulateur, a five-act play, published in 1773
- The Defeat,
excerpts from a play, published 1773
- The Group,
a three-act play, published in 1775
- The
Blockheads, a three-act play, published in 1776, shortly
after the British withdrew from Boston
- The Motley
Assembly, a farce, published in 1779.
Observations
on the new Constitution, and on the Federal and State Conventions,
1788. Pamphlet against the Constitution, formerly attributed
to Elbridge Gerry, now acknowledged as written by Mercy Otis Warren
Chronology
of Mercy Otis Warren 1728 - 1814 by King Dykeman, Philosophy
Department, Fairfield University
Introduction
to the work of Mercy Otis Warren 1728 - 1814 by King Dykeman,
Philosophy Department, Fairfield University
Introduction
to Observations on the New Constitution by Mercy Otis Warren
by King Dykeman, Philosophy Department, Fairfield University
The Rise, Progress and Termination of the American Revolution
"Mercy
Warren: Conscience of the American Revolution" a detailed review
of this book by Richard Seltzer
The original 3-volume work is 1317 pages long. Mercy wrote early
drafts of this work near the time of the events described, and
completed the work about four years before it appeared in 1805. She
explains the delay as due to health problems, temporary bouts of
blindness, and grief at the death of one of her five sons.
Mercy writes in the third person even when dealing with events
involving her immediate family. Keep in mind that James Otis (early
advocate of the rights of the colonies) was her brother, James Warren
(speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives) was her
husband, and Winslow Warren (would-be diplomat) was her son.
- Volume 1 -- from the origins to Valley Forge in 1778
- Introduction
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
-- The Stamp Act. A Congress convened at New York, 1765. The
Stamp Act repealed. New grievances. Suspension of the
legislature of New York.
- Chapter 3
-- Cursory Observations. Massachusetts Circular Letter. A new
House of Representatives called. Governor Bernard impeached. A
riot on the seizure of a vessel. Troops arrive. A Combination
against all commerce with Great Britain. A General Assembly
convened at Boston, removed to Cambridge. Governor Bernard
after his impeachment repairs to England.
- Chapter 4
-- Character of Mr. Hutchinson. Appointed Governor of
Massachusetts. The attempted Assassination of Mr. Otiose.
Transactions of the March 5, 1770. Arrival of the East India
Company's Tea Ships. Establishment of Committees of
Correspondence. The Right of Parliamentary Taxation without
Representation urged by Mr. Hutchinson. Articles of
Impeachment resolved on in the House of Representatives
against Governor Hutchinson and Lieutenant Governor Oliver.
Chief Justice of the Province impeached. Chief Justice of the
Province impeached. Boston Port Bill. Governor Hutchinson
leaves the Province.
- Chapter 5
-- General Gage appointed Governor of Massachusetts. General
Assembly meets at Salem. A proposal for a Congress from all
the Colonies to be convened at Philadelphia. Mandamus
Counselors obliged to resign. Resolutions of the General
Congress. Occasional Observations. The Massachusetts attentive
to the military discipline of their youth. Suffolk Resolves. A
Provincial Congress chosen in the Massachusetts. Governor Gage
summons a new House of Representatives.
- Chapter 6
-- Parliamentary divisions on American affairs. Cursory
observations and events. Measures for raising an army of
observation by the four New England governments of New
Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
Battle of Lexington. Sketches of the conduct and characters of
the governors of the southern provinces. Ticonderoga taken.
Arrival of reinforcements from England. Proscription and
characters of Samuel Adams and John Hancock. Battle of Bunker
HIll. Death and character of General Joseph Warren.
Massachusetts adopts a stable form of government.
- Chapter 7
-- Continental Army. Mr. Washington appointed to the command.
General Gage recalled, succeeded by Sir William Howe.
Depredations on the sea coast. Falmouth burnt. Canadian
affairs. Death and character of General Montgomery.
- Chapter 8
-- Dissensions in the British Parliament. Petition of Governor
Penn rejected. Boston evacuated. Sir Henry Clinton sent to the
southward., followed by General Lee. His character. Sir Peter
Parker's attack on Sullivan's Island. General Howe's Arrival
at Sandy Hook. General Washington leaves Cambridge.
Observations on the temper of some of the colonies.
- Chapter 9
-- Declaration of Independence. Lord Howe's arrival in
America. Action on Long Island. Retreat of the Americans
through the Jerseys and the loss of Forts Washington and Lee.
Affairs in Canada. Surprise of the Hessians at Trenton.
Various transactions in the Jerseys. General Howe's retreat.
Makes headquarters at Brunswick. His indecisions. Some traits
of his character.
- Chapter
10 -- Desultory circumstances. Skirmishes
and events. General Howe withdraws from the Jerseys. Arrives
at the River Elk. Followed by Washington. The Battle of
Brandywine. General Washington defeated, retreats to
Philadelphia. Obliged to draw of his army. Lord Cornwallis
takes possession of the city. Action at Germantown, Red Bank,
etc. The British Army take winter quarters in Philadelphia.
The Americans encamp at Valley Forge. General Washington's
situation not eligible. De Lisle's letters. General Conway
resigns. The Baron de Steuben appointed Inspector General of
the American army.
- Volume 2 -- from Saratoga in 1778 to the eve of Yorktown in 1781
- Chapter
11 -- Northern Department. General
Carleton superseded. General Burgoyne vested with the command
for operations in Canada. Ticonderoga abandoned by General St.
Clair. Affair of Fort Stanwix. Of Bennington and various other
important movements of the two armies, until the Convention of
Saratoga. General Burgoyne repairs to England on parole. His
reception there. Reflections and observations on the events of
the Northern Campaign
- Chapter
12 -- Observations on the conduct of the
British Parliament, previous to the capture of Burgoyne. The
ineffectual efforts of the commissioners sent to America in
consequence of Lord North's Conciliatory Bill. Their
attempts to corrupt individuals and public bodies. Negotiation
broken off. Manifesto published by the commissioners.
Counter Declaration by Congress. Sir William Howe repairs to
England
- Chapter
13 -- Evacuation of Philadelphia. Battle
of Monmouth. General Lee censured. General Clinton reaches New
York. The Count de Estaing arrives there. Repairs to Rhode
Island. Expedition unsuccessful. French Fleet rendezvous at
Boston to refit after damages sustained by a storm. Lord Howe
leave the American Seas. Marauding exploits of General Grey.
Destruction of Wyoming. Expedition into the Indian
Territories.
- Chapter
14 -- Foreign negotiations. Dissensions
among the American commissioners. Deane recalled. Mr. Adams
appointed. Mr. Lee and Mr. Adams recalled. Spain declares war
against England. Mr. Jay sent to the Court of Madrid. Sir
George Collier's expedition to Virginia. His sudden recall.
Ravages on the North River. Depredations in the state of
Connecticut, in aid of Governor Tryon and his partisans.
General Washington seizes Stoney Point. Recovered by the
British. Penobscot expedition. Destruction of the American
navy.
- Chapter
15 -- A retrospect of some naval transactions in the West
Indies 1778 and 1779. Affairs in Georgia concisely reviewed.
General Lincoln sent to take the command at the southward.
The Count de Estaing's arrival in Georgia. Savannah closely
besieged by the combined forces of France and America.
Repulsed by General Prescott. The Count of Estaing leaves the
southern clime. The Count Pulaski slain in Georgia. Some
anecdotes of Count Kosciusko.
- Chapter
16 -- Sir Henry Clinton and Admiral Arbuthnot sail for
South Carolina. Charleston invested. Capitulates. General
Lincoln and his army prisoners of war. General Clinton returns
to New York. Lord Cornwallis's command and civil
administration in Charleston. Mr. Gadsden an other gentlemen
suspected and sent to St. Augustine. Much opposition to
British authority in both the Carolinas. The Count de
Rochambeau and the Admiral de Tiernay arrived at Newport.
British depredations in the Jerseys. Catastrophe of Mr.
Caldwell and his family. Armed neutrality. Some observations
on the state of Ireland. Riots in England. Cursory
observations.
- Chapter
17 --Distressed situation of the army and the country from
various causes. General Gates sent to the southward. Surprised
and defeated at Camden by Lord Cornwallis. Superseded. General
Greene appointed to the command in the Carolinas. Major
Ferguson's defeat. Sir Henry Clinton makes a diversion in the
Chesapeake in favor of Lord Cornwallis. General Arnold sent
there. His defection and character. Detection, trial, and
death of Major Andre. Disposition of the Dutch Republic with
regard to America. Governor Trumbull's character and
correspondence with Baron Van de Capellen. Mr. Laurens
appointed to negotiate with the Dutch Republic.
- Chapter
18 -- Revolt of the Pennsylvania line. Discontents in
other parts of the army Paper medium sunk. Some active
movements of Don Bernard de Galvez in America. War between
Great Britain and Spain opened in Europe by the siege of
Gibraltar. Short view of diplomatic transactions between
America and several European powers. Empress of Russia
refuses to treat with the American States.
- Chapter
19 -- General Gates surrenders the command of the southern
army to General Greene, on his arrival in South Carolina.
Action between General Sumpter and Colonel Tarleton. General
Morgan's expedition. Meet and defeats Colonel Tarleton. Lord
Cornwallis pursues General Morgan. Party of Americans cut off
at the Catawba. Lord Cornwallis arrives at Hillsborough. Calls
by proclamation on all the inhabitants of the state to join
him. Battle of Guilford. Americans defeated. Lord Cornwallis
marches towards Wilmington. General Greene pursues him.
General Greene returns towards Camden. Action at Camden. Lord
Rawdon evacuates Camden and returns to Charleston. Barbarous
state of society among the mountaineers, and in the back
settlements of the Carolinas. Attack on Ninety-Six.
Repulse. General Greene again obliged to retreat.
Execution of Colonel Hayne. Lord Rawdon leaves the state of
South Carolina and embarks for England. Action at the Eutaw
Springs. General Greene retires to the high hills of Santee.
Governor Rutledge returns to South Carolina and resumes the
reins of government.
- Chapter
20 -- Lord Cornwallis marches to Wilmington. Marquis de la
Fayette sent to Virginia. Death of General Phillips. Lord
Cornwallis moves from Petersburg to Williamsburg. Dissonant
opinions between him and Sir Henry Clinton. Crosses James
River. Takes post at Portsmouth. Indecision of Sir Henry
Clinton. Meditates an attack on Philadelphia. The project
relinquished.
- Volume 3 -- from Yorktown in 1781 to the Treaty of Paris in
1783, plus a few subsequent events and observations about the
Constitution (1787), the French Revolution (1789), and the
presidencies of Washington and Adams (up to 1801)
- Chapter
21 -- A first view of the forces of the contending
parties. The Generals Washington and Rochambeau meet at
Weathersfield. Attack on New York contemplated. The design
relinquished. Combined armies march toward Virginia. Count de
Grasse arrives in the Chesapeake. Sir Samuel Hood arrives at
New York. Sails to the Chesapeake. Naval action. Lord
Cornwallis attempts a retreat. Disappointed. Offers terms of
capitulation. Terms of surrender agreed on. Lord Digby and Sir
Henry Clinton arrive too late. Comparative view of the British
commanders. General exchange of prisoners.
- Chapter
22 -- General Wayne sent to the south. Embarrassments of
General Greene in that quarter. Recovery of Georgia and
evacuation of Savannah by the British. Death and character of
Colonel Laurens. Character of General Greene. Consequent
observations.
- Chapter
23 -- General observations on the conduct of the British
King and Parliament after the intelligence of the capture of
Lord Cornwallis and his army. King's speech. Address of thanks
opposed. Proposition by Sir Thomas Pitt to withhold supplies
from the Crown. Vote carried in favor of granting supplies.
General Burgoyne defends the American opposition to the
measures of the Court. Variety of desultory circumstances
discussed in Parliament.
- Chapter
24 -- Naval transactions. Rupture between England and
France opened in the Bay of Biscay. Admiral Keppel. Serapis
and the Countess of Scarborough captured by Paul Jones. The
protection given him by the States-General resented by the
British Court. Transactions in the West Indies. Sir George
Bridges Rodney returns to England after the capture of St.
Eustatia. Sent out again the succeeding year. Engages an
defeats the French squadron under the command of the Count de
Grasse. Capture of the Ville de Paris. The Count de Grasse
sent to England. Admiral Rodney created a peer of the realm on
his return to England.
- Chapter
25 -- Continuation of naval rencounters. Affair of Count
Byland. Sir Hyde Parker and Admiral Zeutman. Commodore
Johnstone ordered to the Cape of Good Hope. Admiral Kempenfelt.
Loss of the Royal George. Baron de Rullincort's expedition to
the Isle of Jersey. Capture of Minorca. Gibraltar again
besieged, defended, and relieved. Mr. Adams's
negotiations with the Dutch provinces.
- Chapter
26 -- General uneasiness with ministerial measures in
England, Scotland, and Ireland. Loud complaints against the
Board of Admiralty. Sir Hyde Parker resigns his commission.
Motion for an address for peace by General Conway. Resignation
of Lord George Germaine. Created a peer of the realm. Lord
North resigns. Some traits of his character. Petition of the
city of London for peace. Coalition of parties. A new
ministry. Death and character of the Marquis of Rockingham.
Lord Shelburne's administration. Negotiations for peace.
Provisional articles signed. Temper of the loyalists.
Execution of Captain Huddy. Consequent imprisonment of Captain
Asgill. Asgill's release.
- Chapter
27 -- Discontents with the provisional articles. Mr.
Hartley sent to Paris. The definitive treaty agreed to and
signed by all parties. A general pacification among the
nations at war. Mr. Pitt, Prime Minister in England. His
attention to East India affairs. Some subsequent observations.
- Chapter
28 -- Peace proclaimed in America. General Carleton delays
the withdraw of the the troops from New York. Situation of the
loyalists. Efforts in their favor by some gentlemen in
Parliament. Their final destination. Their dissatisfaction and
subsequent conduct.
- Chapter
29 -- Conduct of the American army on the news of peace.
Mutiny and insurrection. Congress surrounded by a part of the
American army. Mutineers disperse. Congress removes to
Princeton. Order of Cincinnati. Observations thereon.
- Chapter
30 -- A survey of the situation of America on the
conclusion of the war with Britain. Observations on the
Declaration of Independence. Withdraw of the British troops
from New York. A few observations on the detention of the
western posts. The American army disbanded, after the
commander in chief had addressed the public and taken leave of
his fellow soldiers. General Washington resigns his commission
to Congress.
- Chapter
31 -- Supplementary
observations on succeeding events, after the termination of
the American Revolution. Insurrection in the Massachusetts. A
general convention of the states. A new Constitution adopted.
General Washington chosen President. British treaty negotiated
by Mr. Jay. General Washington's second retreat from public
life. General observations
Biography of
Mercy's brother: James Otis the Pre-Revolutionist by John Ridpath
The Death of the
Federalist Party by Richard Seltzer
Mercy Warren's entry in the Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th edition,
1911:
"Warren, Mercy (1728-1814), American writer, sister of James
Otis, was born at Barnstable, Mass., and in 1754 married James Warren
(1726-1808) of Plymouth, Mass., a college friend of her brother. Her
literary inclinations were fostered by both these men, and she began
early to write poems and prose essays. As member of the Massachusetts
House of Representatives (1766-1774) and its speaker (1776-1777 and
1787-1788), member (1774 and 1775) and president (1775) of the
Provincial Congress, and paymaster-general in 1775, James Warren took
a leading part in the events of the American revolutionary period, and
his wife followed its progress with keen interest. Her gifts of satire
were utilized in her political dramas, The Adulator (1773) and The
Group (1775); and John Adams, whose wife Abigail was Mercy Warren's
close friend, encouraged her to further efforts. Her tragedies
"The Sack of Rome" and "The Ladies of Castile,"
were included in her Poems, Dramatic and Miscellaneous (1790),
dedicated to General Washington. Apart from their historical interest
among the beginnings of American literature, Mercy Warren's poems have
no permanent value. In 1805 she published a History of the American
Revolution, which was colored by somewhat outspoken personal criticism
and was bitterly resented by John Adams (see his correspondence,
published by the Massachusetts Historical Society, 1878). James Warren
died in 1808, and his wife followed him on the 19th of October
1814."
Mercy (a stage play)
by Richard Seltzer
This two-act historical comedy is based on the lives of Mercy Otis
Warren and General Johnny Burgoyne. A recent biography of Burgoyne,
entitled The Man Who Lost America, focuses on his defeat and surrender
at Saratoga in 1777. A recent biography of Mercy Warren, entitled
First Lady of the Revolution, indicates that she was intimately
connected with principal actors and actions of the Revolution.
Both Burgoyne and Mercy Warren were playwrights. After the
Revolution, Burgoyne wrote several "hit" plays for the
London stage. In 1775, during the British occupation of Boston, he
wrote The Blockade of Boston. Mercy replied with a play entitled The
Blockheads.
These two historical figures are natural antagonists who should be
made to meet on the stage.
