John Quincy Adams to John Adams, March 20, 1804

20. March 1804.

A letter is now reading from Captain Bainbridge, with an account of
the loss of the frigate Philadelphia, wreck’d on rocks on the coast of Tripoli—the last
week in October— They were in pursuit of a Tripolitan Cruizer, and struck on rocks, not laid down in any Chart they had on board — Captain
Bainbridge and 307 men, are prisoners in Tripoli.— I have already seen an account of
this misfortune in the Boston Centinel— 1 Of course it will be no news to you.

The House of Representatives have made sundry amendments in the
Louisiana Government Bill, which amendments are now under discussion in the Senate— They
are received somewhat cavalierly— All rejected, but two— One making an appropriation of
15000 dollars to remove the Indians on the Western side of the Mississippi— And the
other to limit the bill to [two] years, which was before attempted in the Senate and failed— But now two years is thought too long, and the Senate have
shortened it to one year— 2

My children both continue quite unwell— We were up almost all the
last Night with the youngest— They have coughs and whoop— But the Doctor says they have
not the whooping cough— 3 There is a sort
of catarrh, resembling the whooping-cough, very prevalent abroad, and the Doctor says my
children have it.— I am my self much recovered.