Joseph and Sarah Hodgkins wrote frequently and affectionately to each other while Joseph served in the Revolutionary War. He served for four years, while Sarah with difficulty took care of their family and farm back in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Joseph experienced the Battle of Long Island and other events that were discouraging to the American cause, but although he shared these experiences and his thoughts with his wife, they both encouraged each other and reiterated that they trusted in God that things would work out for the best. For example, she wrote to him on September 16, 1776:
my heart akes for you to think of the dificultys & fateagues you have to undergo but all that I can doo for you is to commit you to God who has hitherto preserved you and beg of him to be with you & preserve you still; dont be discoraged My Dear, God is as able to preserve us as ever and he will doo it if we trust in him aright tho as you say I think things Look very dark on our side but it has been observed that mans extremity was Gods oppertunity and I think it Seems to be a time of grate exstremity Now and I hope God will apear for us & send Salvation and deliverance to us in due time and if you Should be called to Battle again may he be with you & cover your heads & Strenthen your hands & encorage your hearts and give you all that fortitude and resilution that is left for you and in his own time return you home in Safty … for my part I am not wholy discoraged; many times the darkest time is jest before day
It was indeed a dark time, but although the day was still a good way off, it was coming.
Note: Sarah’s and Joseph’s letters have absolutely no punctuation, so I added a little bit in this quotation for clarity’s sake.