John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

17. III.45 Monday.

Anniversary of the Battle of Bunker’s Hill, and the burning of Charlestown; one of the first Events of which I have a personal recollection— Fifty eight years have since then elapsed— About one person in ten, then living yet exist— I was reminded of this anniversary, upon hearing with the rising Sun, a salute of 13 guns from Fort Independence; but passed the day in profound tranquility contrasting, with the deep and awful agitation of that day in 1775— I am reading and making petty annotations upon the Book of Leviticus— Strolling about my Garden and Nursery; hoeing and plucking up weeds, a never ceasing occupation— The perpetual re-appearance of weeds is an admonition to me of my own faults, and should be a warning how it is necessary to treat them—and I looked over my seedling plants, my buds and grafts as they grow—every day presenting some new aspect of observation— Planted for the first time a ripe Downton Strawberry in the Garden, and half a Kean-seedling, left by the Pirate-bird, in a cream-coloured pot— And I planted some Garden cherry Stones just ripening, and red and white Strawberries in a patch under the shade of the old St. Michael’s Pear tree— Some of my young red Oak trees, are putting forth shoots of a second growth this Season. 98Elms, the seeds of which were planted the last days of May, and first week of this month, are continuing to come up— I commenced Letter 6. to Edward Livingston, and read four chapters of Otis’s Translation of the Offices.