Mr. Craig Fehrman notes in his book “Author in Chief,” Founding Father John Adams demonstrated during a perilous transatlantic voyage years before he became president the qualities that define a true leader. In 1778, the Continental Congress asked Adams to go to France to serve as a diplomat for our fledgling Republic.
John Quincy, his 10-year-old son, also accompanied him on the voyage — thus two future American presidents made the trip together. On Feb. 13, Adams and his son boarded the Boston, a 24-gun frigate, for a treacherous and frigid winter Atlantic crossing known for its storms and ice flows.
It was not uncommon then for ships to sink at sea with the loss of all hands. Mother Nature can be both beautiful and cruel to those who go down to the sea in ships and a crossing in the winter is especially treacherous. After weathering severe storms and outrunning a British Man of War, the Boston’s crew spotted another British ship.
After the ship’s captain asked Adams to go below, the Boston sped toward an armed British merchantman named the Martha. The Martha fired several shots with the cannonballs flying directly over Adam’s head. In the midst of this John Adams was seen brandishing a musket while preparing to engage the British.
“My dear sir,” the captain asked, “how came you here?” “I ought to do my share of fighting,” Adams promptly replied. Even though we do not expect our contemporary commanders-in-chief to do their “share of the fighting”.