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diff --git a/7829.txt b/7829.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4ccd525 --- /dev/null +++ b/7829.txt @@ -0,0 +1,20013 @@ +Project Gutenberg's American Prisoners of the Revolution, by Danske Dandridge + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: American Prisoners of the Revolution + +Author: Danske Dandridge + + +Release Date: April, 2005 [EBook #7829] +This file was first posted on May 20, 2003 +Last Updated: June 5, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMERICAN PRISONERS *** + + + + +Produced by Dave Maddock, Charles Franks and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + + + + + + +AMERICAN PRISONERS OF THE REVOLUTION + +By Danske Dandridge + + + + +Dedication + +TO THE MEMORY OF MY GRANDFATHER + +Lieutenant Daniel Bedinger, of Bedford, Virginia + +"A BOY IN PRISON" + +AS REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL THAT WAS BRAVEST AND MOST HONORABLE IN THE LIFE +AND CHARACTER OF THE PATRIOTS OF 1776 + + + + +PREFACE + + +The writer of this book has been interested for many years in the +subject of the sufferings of the American prisoners of the Revolution. +Finding the information she sought widely scattered, she has, for her +own use, and for that of all students of the subject, gathered all the +facts she could obtain within the covers of this volume. There is little +that is original in the compilation. The reader will find that extensive +use has been made of such narratives as that Captain Dring has left us. +The accounts could have been given in the compiler's own words, but they +would only, thereby, have lost in strength. The original narratives are +all out of print, very scarce and hard to obtain, and the writer feels +justified in reprinting them in this collection, for the sake of the +general reader interested in the subject, and not able to search for +himself through the mass of original material, some of which she has +only discovered after months of research. Her work has mainly consisted +in abridging these records, collected from so many different sources. + +The writer desires to express her thanks to the courteous librarians +of the Library of Congress and of the War and Navy Departments; to Dr. +Langworthy for permission to publish his able and interesting paper +on the subject of the prisons in New York, and to many others who have +helped her in her task. + +DANSKE DANDRIDGE. + +_December 6th, 1910._ + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAPTER + + PREFACE + + I. INTRODUCTORY + + II. THE RIFLEMEN OF THE REVOLUTION + + III. NAMES OF SOME OF THE PRISONERS OF 1776 + + IV. THE PRISONERS OF NEW YORK--JONATHAN GILLETT + + V. WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM, THE PROVOST MARSHAL + + VI. THE CASE OF JABEZ FITCH + + VII. THE HOSPITAL DOCTOR--A TORY'S ACCOUNT OF NEW YORK IN + 1777--ETHAN ALLEN'S ACCOUNT OF THE PRISONERS + + VIII. THE ACCOUNT OF ALEXANDER GRAYDON + + IX. A FOUL PAGE OF ENGLISH HISTORY + + X. A BOY IN PRISON + + XI. THE NEWSPAPERS OF THE REVOLUTION + + XII. THE TRUMBULL PAPERS AND OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION + + XIII. A JOURNAL KEPT IN THE PROVOST + + XIV. FURTHER TESTIMONY OF CRUELTIES ENDURED BY AMERICAN PRISONERS + + XV. THE OLD SUGAR HOUSE--TRINITY CHURCHYARD + + XVI. CASE OF JOHN BLATCHFORD + + XVII. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AND OTHERS ON THE SUBJECT OF AMERICAN + PRISONERS + + XVIII. THE ADVENTURES OF ANDREW SHERBURNE + + XIX. MORE ABOUT THE ENGLISH PRISONS--MEMOIR OF ELI + BICKFORD--CAPTAIN FANNING + + XX. SOME SOUTHERN NAVAL PRISONERS + + XXI. EXTRACTS FROM NEWSPAPERS--SOME OF THE PRISON SHIPS--CASE OF + CAPTAIN BIRDSALL + + XXII. THE JOURNAL OF DR. ELIAS CORNELIUS--BRITISH PRISONS IN THE + SOUTH + + XXIII. A POET ON A PRISON SHIP + + XXIV. "THERE WAS A SHIP!" + + XXV. A DESCRIPTION OF THE JERSEY + + XXVI. THE EXPERIENCE OF EBENEZER FOX + + XXVII. THE EXPERIENCE OF EBENEZER FOX (CONTINUED) + + XXVIII. THE CASE OF CHRISTOPHER HAWKINS + + XXIX. TESTIMONY OF PRISONERS ON BOARD THE JERSEY + + XXX. RECOLLECTIONS OF ANDREW SHERBURNE + + XXXI. CAPTAIN ROSWELL PALMER + + XXXII. THE NARRATIVE OF CAPTAIN ALEXANDER COFFIN + + XXXIII. A WONDERFUL DELIVERANCE + + XXXIV. THE NARRATIVE OF CAPTAIN DRING + + XXXV. THE NARRATIVE OF CAPTAIN DRING (CONTINUED) + + XXXVI. THE INTERMENT OF THE DEAD + + XXXVII. DAME GRANT AND HER BOAT + +XXXVIII. THE SUPPLIES FOR THE PRISONERS + + XXXIX. FOURTH OF JULY ON THE JERSEY + + XL. AN ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE + + XLI. THE MEMORIAL TO GENERAL WASHINGTON + + XLII. THE EXCHANGE + + XLIII. THE CARTEL--CAPTAIN DRING'S NARRATIVE (CONTINUED) + + XLIV. CORRESPONDENCE OF WASHINGTON AND OTHERS + + XLV. GENERAL WASHINGTON AND REAR ADMIRAL DIGBY--COMMISSARIES + SPROAT AND SKINNER + + XLVI. SOME OF THE PRISONERS ON BOARD THE JERSEY + + CONCLUSION + + APPENDIX A. LIST OF 8000 MEN WHO WERE PRISONERS ON BOARD THE OLD + JERSEY + + APPENDIX B. THE PRISON SHIP MARTYRS OF THE REVOLUTION, AND AN + UNPUBLISHED DIARY OF ONE OF THEM, WILLIAM SLADE, NEW CANAAN, CONN., + LATER OF CORNWALL, VT. + + APPENDIX C. BIBLIOGRAPHY + + + +CHAPTER I + +INTRODUCTORY + + +It is with no desire to excite animosity against a people whose blood +is in our veins that we publish this volume of facts about some of the +Americans, seamen and soldiers, who were so unfortunate as to fall into +the hands of the enemy during the period of the Revolution. We have +concealed nothing of the truth, but we have set nothing down in malice, +or with undue recrimination. + +It is for the sake of the martyrs of the prisons themselves that this +work has been executed. It is because we, as a people, ought to know +what was endured; what wretchedness, what relentless torture, even unto +death, was nobly borne by the men who perished by thousands in British +prisons and prison ships of the Revolution; it is because we are in +danger of forgetting the sacrifice they made of their fresh young +lives in the service of their country; because the story has never been +adequately told, that we, however unfit we may feel ourselves for the +task, have made an effort to give the people of America some account of +the manner in which these young heroes, the flower of the land, in the +prime of their vigorous manhood, met their terrible fate. + +Too long have they lain in the ditches where they were thrown, a +cart-full at a time, like dead dogs, by their heartless murderers, +unknown, unwept, unhonored, and unremembered. Who can tell us their +names? What monument has been raised to their memories? + +It is true that a beautiful shaft has lately been erected to the martyrs +of the Jersey prison ship, about whom we will have very much to say. +But it is improbable that even the place of interment of the hundreds of +prisoners who perished in the churches, sugar houses, and other places +used as prisons in New York in the early years of the Revolution, can +now be discovered. We know that they were, for the most part, dumped +into ditches dug on the outskirts of the little city, the New York +of 1776. These ditches were dug by American soldiers, as part of the +entrenchments, during Washington's occupation of Manhattan in the spring +of 1776. Little did these young men think that they were, in some cases, +literally digging a grave for themselves. + +More than a hundred and thirty years have passed since the victims of +Cunningham's cruelty and rapacity were starved to death in churches +consecrated to the praise and worship of a God of love. It is a tardy +recognition that we are giving them, and one that is most imperfect, yet +it is all that we can now do. The ditches where they were interred have +long ago been filled up, built over, and intersected by streets. Who of +the multitude that daily pass to and fro over the ground that should be +sacred ever give a thought to the remains of the brave men beneath their +feet, who perished that they might enjoy the blessings of liberty? + +Republics are ungrateful; they have short memories; but it is due to the +martyrs of the Revolution that some attempt should be made to tell to +the generations that succeed them who they were, what they did, and why +they suffered so terribly and died so grimly, without weakening, and +without betraying the cause of that country which was dearer to them +than their lives. + +We have, for the most part, limited ourselves to the prisons and prison +ships in the city and on the waters of New York. This is because such +information as we have been able to obtain concerning the treatment +of American prisoners by the British relates, almost entirely, to that +locality. + +It is a terrible story that we are about to narrate, and we warn the +lover of pleasant books to lay down our volume at the first page. +We shall see Cunningham, that burly, red-faced ruffian, the Provost +Marshal, wreaking his vengeance upon the defenceless prisoners in his +keeping, for the assault made upon him at the outbreak of the war, when +he and a companion who had made themselves obnoxious to the republicans +were mobbed and beaten in the streets of New York. He was rescued by +some friends of law and order, and locked up in one of the jails +which was soon to be the theatre of his revenge. We shall narrate the +sufferings of the American prisoners taken at the time of the battle of +Long Island, and after the surrender of Fort Washington, which events +occurred, the first in August, the second in November of the year 1776. + +What we have been able to glean from many sources, none of which +contradict each other in any important point, about the prisons and +prison ships in New York, with a few narratives written by those who +were imprisoned in other places, shall fill this volume. Perhaps others, +far better fitted for the task, will make the necessary researches, in +order to lay before the American people a statement of what took place +in the British prisons at Halifax, Charleston, Philadelphia, the waters +off the coast of Florida, and other places, during the eight years of +the war. It is a solemn and affecting duty that we owe to the dead, and +it is in no light spirit that we, for our part, begin our portion of the +task. + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE RIFLEMEN OF THE REVOLUTION + + +We will first endeavor to give the reader some idea of the men who were +imprisoned in New York in the fall and winter of 1776, It was in the +summer of that year that Congress ordered a regiment of riflemen to be +raised in Maryland and Virginia. These, with the so-called "Flying Camp" +of Pennsylvania, made the bulk of the soldiers taken prisoners at Fort +Washington on the fatal 16th of November. Washington had already proved +to his own satisfaction the value of such soldiers; not only by his +experience with them in the French and Indian wars, but also during the +siege of Boston in 1775-6. + +These hardy young riflemen were at first called by the British +"regulars," "a rabble in calico petticoats," as a term of contempt. +Their uniform consisted of tow linen or homespun hunting shirts, +buckskin breeches, leggings and moccasins. They wore round felt hats, +looped on one side and ornamented with a buck tail. They carried long +rifles, shot pouches, tomahawks, and scalping knives. + +They soon proved themselves of great value for their superior +marksmanship, and the British, who began by scoffing at them, ended by +fearing and hating them as they feared and hated no other troops. The +many accounts of the skill of these riflemen are interesting, and some +of them shall be given here. + +One of the first companies that marched to the aid of Washington when he +was at Cambridge in 1775 was that of Captain Michael Cresap, which was +raised partly in Maryland and partly in the western part of Virginia. +This gallant young officer died in New York in the fall of 1775, a year +before the surrender of Fort Washington, yet his company may be taken as +a fair sample of what the riflemen of the frontiers of our country +were, and of what they could do. We will therefore give the words of +an eyewitness of their performances. This account is taken from the +_Pennsylvania Journal_ of August 23rd, 1775. + +"On Friday evening last arrived at Lancaster, Pa., on their way to the +American camp, Captain Cresap's Company of Riflemen, consisting of one +hundred and thirty active, brave young fellows, many of whom have been +in the late expedition under Lord Dunmore against the Indians. They +bear in their bodies visible marks of their prowess, and show scars and +wounds which would do honour to Homer's Iliad. They show you, to use the +poet's words: + + "'Where the gor'd battle bled at ev'ry vein!' + +"One of these warriors in particular shows the cicatrices of four bullet +holes through his body. + +"These men have been bred in the woods to hardships and dangers since +their infancy. They appear as if they were entirely unacquainted with, +and had never felt the passion of fear. With their rifles in their +hands, they assume a kind of omnipotence over their enemies. One cannot +much wonder at this when we mention a fact which can be fully attested +by several of the reputable persons who were eye-witnesses of it. Two +brothers in the company took a piece of board five inches broad, and +seven inches long, with a bit of white paper, the size of a dollar, +nailed in the centre, and while one of them supported this board +perpendicularly between his knees, the other at the distance of upwards +of sixty yards, and without any kind of rest, shot eight bullets through +it successively, and spared a brother's thigh! + +"Another of the company held a barrel stave perpendicularly in his +hands, with one edge close to his side, while one of his comrades, at +the same distance, and in the manner before mentioned, shot several +bullets through it, without any apprehension of danger on either side. + +"The spectators appearing to be amazed at these feats, were told that +there were upwards of fifty persons in the same company who could do the +same thing; that there was not one who could not 'plug nineteen bullets +out of twenty,' as they termed it, within an inch of the head of a +ten-penny nail. + +"In short, to evince the confidence they possessed in these kind of +arms, some of them proposed to stand with apples on their heads, while +others at the same distance undertook to shoot them off, but the people +who saw the other experiments declined to be witnesses of this. + +"At night a great fire was kindled around a pole planted in the Court +House Square, where the company with the Captain at their head, all +naked to the waist and painted like savages (except the Captain, who was +in an Indian shirt), indulged a vast concourse of people with a perfect +exhibition of a war-dance and all the manoeuvres of Indians; holding +council, going to war; circumventing their enemies by defiles; +ambuscades; attacking; scalping, etc. It is said by those who are judges +that no representation could possibly come nearer the original. The +Captain's expertness and agility, in particular, in these experiments, +astonished every beholder. This morning they will set out on their march +for Cambridge." + +From the _Virginia Gazette_ of July 22nd, 1775, we make the following +extract: "A correspondent informs us that one of the gentlemen appointed +to command a company of riflemen to be raised in one of the frontier +counties of Pennsylvania had so many applications from the people in +his neighborhood, to be enrolled in the service, that a greater number +presented themselves than his instructions permitted him to engage, +and being unwilling to give offence to any he thought of the following +expedient: He, with a piece of chalk, drew on a board the figure of a +nose of the common size, which he placed at the distance of 150 yards, +declaring that those who came nearest the mark should be enlisted. Sixty +odd hit the object.--General Gage, take care of your nose!" + +From the _Pennsylvania Journal_, July 25th, 1775: "Captain Dowdle with +his company of riflemen from Yorktown, Pa., arrived at Cambridge about +one o'clock today, and since has made proposals to General Washington to +attack the transport stationed at Charles River. He will engage to take +her with thirty men. The General thinks it best to decline at present, +but at the same time commends the spirit of Captain Dowdle and his brave +men, who, though they just came a very long march, offered to execute +the plan immediately." + +In the third volume of American Archives, is an extract from a letter to +a gentleman in Philadelphia, dated Frederick Town, Maryland, August +1st, 1775, which speaks of the same company of riflemen whose wonderful +marksmanship we have already noted. The writer says: + +"Notwithstanding the urgency of my business I have been detained here +three days by a circumstance truly agreeable. I have had the happiness +of seeing Captain Michael Cresap marching at the head of a formidable +company of upwards of one hundred and thirty men from the mountains +and backwoods; painted like Indians; armed with tomahawks and rifles; +dressed in hunting shirts and moccasins; and, tho' some of them had +travelled hundreds of miles from the banks of the Ohio, they seemed to +walk light and easy, and not with less spirit than at the first hour of +their march. + +"I was favored by being constantly in Captain Cresap's company, and +watched the behavior of his men and the manner in which he treated them, +for is seems that all who go out to war under him do not only pay the +most willing obedience to him as their commander, but in every instance +of distress look up to him as their friend and father. A great part of +his time was spent in listening to and relieving their wants, without +any apparent sense of fatigue and trouble. When complaints were before +him he determined with kindness and spirit, and on every occasion +condescended to please without losing dignity. + +"Yesterday, July 31st, the company were supplied with a small quantity +of powder, from the magazine, which wanted airing, and was not in good +order for rifles: in the evening, however, they were drawn out to show +the gentlemen of the town their dexterity in shooting. A clap board with +a mark the size of a dollar was put up; they began to fire offhand, and +the bystanders were surprised. Few shots were made that were not close +to, or into, the paper. When they had shot some time in this way, some +lay on their backs, some on their breasts or sides, others ran twenty or +thirty steps, and, firing as they ran, appeared to be equally certain +of the mark. With this performance the company were more than satisfied, +when a young man took up the board in his hand, and not by the end, but +by the side, and, holding it up, his brother walked to the distance, and +coolly shot into the white. Laying down his rifle he took the board, and +holding it as it was held before, the second brother shot as the former +had done. + +"By this exhibition I was more astonished than pleased, but will you +believe me when I tell you that one of the men took the board, and +placing it between his legs, stood with his back to a tree, while +another drove the centre? + +"What would a regular army of considerable strength in the forests of +America do with one thousand of these men, who want nothing to preserve +their health but water from the spring; with a little parched corn (with +what they can easily procure by hunting); and who, wrapped in their +blankets in the dead of night, would choose the shade of a tree for +their covering, and the earth for their bed?" + +The descriptions we have quoted apply to the rifle companies of 1775, +but they are a good general description of the abilities of the riflemen +raised in the succeeding years of the war, many indeed being the same +men who first volunteered in 1775. In the possession of one of his +descendants is a letter from one of these men written many years after +the Revolution to the son of an old comrade in arms, giving an account +of that comrade's experiences during a part of the war. The letter was +written by Major Henry Bedinger of Berkeley County, Virginia, to a son +of General Samuel Finley. + +Henry Bedinger was descended from an old German family. His grandfather +had emigrated to America from Alsace in 1737 to escape persecution for +his religious beliefs. The highest rank that Bedinger attained in the +War of the Revolution was that of captain. He was a Knight of the Order +of the Cincinnati, and he was, after the war, a major of the militia of +Berkeley County. The document in possession of one of his descendants +is undated, and appears to have been a rough copy or draught of the +original, which may now be in the keeping of some one of the descendants +of General Finley. We will give it almost entire. Such family letters +are, we need scarcely say, of great value to all who are interested in +historical research, supplying, as they do, the necessary details which +fill out and amplify the bare facts of history, giving us a living +picture of the times and events that they describe. + + +PART OF A LETTER FROM MAJOR HENRY BEDINGER TO A SON OF GENERAL SAMUEL +FINLEY + +"Some time in 1774 the late Gen'l Sam'l Finley Came to Martinsburg, +Berkeley County, Virginia, and engaged with the late Col'o John Morrow +to assist his brother, Charles Morrow, in the business of a retail +store. + +"Mr. Finley continued in that employment until the spring of 1775, when +Congress called on the State of Virginia for two Complete Independent +Volunteer Companies of Riflemen of l00 Men each, to assist Gen'l +Washington in the Siege of Boston & to serve one year. Captains Hugh +Stephenson of Berkeley, & Daniel Morgan of Frederick were selected to +raise and command those companies, they being the first Regular troops +required to be raised in the State of Virginia for Continental service. + +"Captain Hugh Stephenson's rendezvous was Shepherd's Town (not +Martinsburg) and Captain Morgan's was Winchester. Great exertions were +made by each Captain to complete his company first, that merit might +be claimed on that account. Volunteers presented themselves in every +direction in the Vicinity of these Towns, none were received but young +men of Character, and of sufficient property to Clothe themselves +completely, find their own arms, and accoutrements, that is, an approved +Rifle, handsome shot pouch, and powder horn, blanket, knapsack, with +such decent clothing as should be prescribed, but which was at first +ordered to be only a Hunting shirt and pantaloons, fringed on every edge +and in Various ways. + +"Our Company was raised in less than a week. Morgan had equal +success.--It was never decided which Company was first filled-- + +"These Companies being thus unexpectedly called for it was a difficult +task to obtain rifles of the quality required & we were detained at +Shepherds Town nearly six weeks before we could obtain such. Your Father +and some of his Bosom Companions were among the first enrolled. My +Brother, G. M. B., and myself, with many of our Companions, soon joined +to the amount of 100--no more could be received. The Committee of Safety +had appointed Wm Henshaw as 1st Lieut., George Scott 2nd, and Thomas +Hite as 3rd Lieut to this Company, this latter however, declined +accepting, and Abraham Shepherd succeeded as 3d Lieut--all the rest +Stood on an equal footing as _Volunteers_--We remained at Shepherds +Town untill the 16th July before we could be Completely armed, +notwithstanding the utmost exertions. In the mean time your Father +obtained from the gunsmith a remarkable neat light rifle, the stock +inlaid and ornamented with silver, which he held, untill Compelled, as +were all of us--to ground our arms and surrender to the enemy on the +evening of the 16th day of November 1776. + +"In our Company were many young men of Considerable fortune, & who +generally entered from patriotic motives ... Our time of service being +about to expire Captain Hugh Stephenson was commissioned a Colonel; +Moses Rawlings a Lieutenant Colonel, and Otho Williams Major, to raise a +Rifle Regiment for three years: four companies to be raised in Virginia +and four in Maryland. + +"Henshaw and Scott chose to return home. Abraham Shepherd was +commissioned Captain, Sam'l Finley First Lieutenant, William Kelly +Second Lieutenant, and myself 3rd Lieutenant. The Commissions of the +Field Officers were dated the 8th July, 1776, & those of our Company the +9th of the same month. Shepherd, Finley and myself were dispatched to +Berkeley to recruit and refill the old Company, which we performed +in about five weeks. Col'o Stephenson also returned to Virginia to +facilitate the raising the additional Companies. While actively employed +in August, 1776, he was taken sick, and in four days died. The command +of the Regiment devolved on Lieutenant Colonel Moses Rawlings, a Very +worthy and brave officer. + +"Our Company being filled we Marched early in September to our +Rendezvous at Bergen. So soon as the Regiment was formed it was ordered +up the North River to the English Neighborhood, & in a short time +ordered to cross the River and assist in the defence of Fort Washington, +where were about three thousand men under the command of Col'o Magaw, on +New York Island. The enemy in the mean time possessed New York, and +had followed General Washington to the White Plains, from whence, after +several partial actions, he returned, and approached us by the way of +King's bridge, with a force of from 8 to 12000 Men. Several frigates ran +up the Hudson from New York to cut off our intercourse with Fort Lee, a +fort on the opposite bank of the North River: and by regular approaches +invested us on all sides. + +"On the 15th November, 1776, the British General Pattison appeared with +a flag near our Guards, demanding a surrender of Fort Washington and the +Garrison. Col'o Magaw replied he should defend it to the last extremity. +Pattison declared all was ready to storm the lines and fort, we of +course prepared for the Pending contest. + +"At break of day the next morning, the enemy commenced a tremendous +Cannonade on every side, while their troops advanced. Our Regt. tho +weak, was most advantageously posted by Rawlings and Williams, on a +Small Ridge, about half a mile above Fort Washington. The Ridge ran from +the North River, in which lay three frigates, towards the East River. A +deep Valley divided us from the enemy, their frigates enfiladed, & their +Cannon on the heights behind the advancing troops played incessantly on +our party (consisting of Rawling's Regiment, say 250 men, and one other +company from Maryland, and four companies of Pennsylvania Flying Camp, +also for the present commanded by Rawlings and Williams). + +"The Artillery were endeavoring to clear the hill while their troops +crossing the Valley were ascending it, but without much effect. A few of +our men were killed with Cannon and Grape Shott. Not a Shott was fired +on our side untill the Enemy had nearly gained the Sumit. Though at +least five times our numbers our rifles brought down so many that they +gave way several times, but by their overwhelming numbers they at last +succeeded in possessing the summit. Here, however, was great carnage, +each making every effort to possess and hold so advantageous a position. +This obstinacy continued for more than an hour, when the enemy brought +up some field pieces, as well as reinforcements. Finding all resistance +useless, our Regiment gradually gave way, tho' not before Col'o +Rawlings, Major Williams, Peter Hanson, Nin Tannehill, and myself +were wounded. Lt. Harrison [Footnote: Lieutenant Battaille Harrison +of Berkeley County, Va.] was the only officer of our Regiment Killed. +Hanson and Tannehill were mortally wounded. The latter died the same +night in the Fort, & Hanson died in New York a short time after. Capt. +A. Shepherd, Lieut. Daniel Cresap and myself, with fifty men, were +detailed the day before the action and placed in the van to receive the +enemy as they came up the hill. + +"The Regiment was paraded in line about fifty yards in our rear, ready +to support us. Your Father of course on that day, and in the whole +of the action commanded Shepherd's Company, which performed its +duty admirably. About two o'clock P. M. the Enemy obtained complete +possession of the hill, and former battle-ground. Our troops retreated +gradually from redoubt to redoubt, contesting every inch of ground, +still making dreadful Havoc in the ranks of the enemy. We laboured too +under disadvantages, the wind blew the smoke full in our faces. About +two o'clock A. Shepherd, being the senior Captain, took command of the +Regiment, [Footnote: After Rawlings and Williams were disabled.] and by +the advice of Col'o Rawlings & Major Williams, gradually retreated from +redoubt to redoubt, to & into the fort with the surviving part of the +Regiment. Col'o Rawlings, Major Williams, and Lt Hanson and myself +quitted the field together, and retreated to the fort. I was slightly +wounded, tho my right hand was rendered entirely useless. Your Father +continued with the regiment until all had arrived in the fort. It was +admitted by all the surviving officers that he had conducted himself +with great gallantry and the utmost propriety. + +"While we were thus engaged the enemy succeeded much better in every +other quarter, & with little comparative loss. All were driven into the +fort and the enemy began by sundown to break ground within 100 yards of +the fort. + +"Finding our situation desperate Col'o Magaw dispatched a flag to +Gen. Howe who Commanded in person, proposing to surrender on certain +conditions, which not being agreed to, other terms were proposed and +accepted. The garrison, consisting of 2673 privates, & 210 officers, +marched out, grounded arms, and were guarded to the White House that +same night, but instead of being treated as agreed on, and allowed to +retain baggage, clothes, and Side Arms, every valuable article was torn +away from both officers and soldiers: every sword, pistol, every good +hat was seized, even in presence of Brittish officers, & the prisoners +were considered and treated as _Rebels_, to the king and country. On +the third day after our surrender we were guarded to New York, fourteen +miles from Fort Washington, where in the evening we received some +barrels of raw pork and musty spoiled biscuit, being the first Morsel of +provision we had seen for more than three days. The officers were then +separated from the soldiers, had articles of parole presented to +us which we signed, placed into deserted houses without Clothing, +provisions, or fire. No officer was permitted to have a servant, but we +acted in rotation, carried our Cole and Provisions about half a mile on +our backs, Cooked as well as we could, and tried to keep from Starving. + +"Our poor Soldiers fared most wretchedly different. They were crowded +into sugar houses and Jails without blankets or covering; had Very +little given to them to eat, and that little of the Very worst quality. +So that in two months and four days about 1900 of the Fort Washington +troops had died. The survivors were sent out and receipted for by +General Washington, and we the officers were sent to Long Island on +parole, and billetted, two in a house, on the families residing in the +little townships of Flatbush, New Utrecht, Newlots, and Gravesend, who +were compelled to board and lodge us at the rate of two dollars per +week, a small compensation indeed in the exhausted state of that section +of country. The people were kind, being mostly conquered Whigs, but +sometimes hard run to provide sustenance for their own families, with +the addition, generally, of two men who must have a share of what +could be obtained. These people could not have furnished us but for the +advantage of the fisheries, and access at all times to the water. Fish, +oysters, clams, Eels, and wild fowl could always be obtained in their +season. + +"We were thus fixed on the inhabitants, but without money, or clothing. +Sometimes a companion would receive a few hard dollars from a friend +through a flag of truce, which was often shared by others to purchase a +pair of shoes or a shirt. + +"While in New York Major Williams received from a friend about forty +silver dollars. He was still down with his wound, but requested Captain +Shepherd, your Father and myself to come to his room, and there lent +each of us ten Dollars, which enabled each of us to purchase a pair +shoes, a shirt, and some other small matters: this liberality however, +gave some offence. Major Williams was a Marylander, and to assist +a Virginian, in preference to a Marylander, was a Crime almost +unpardonable. It however passed off, as it so happened there were some +refugees in New York from Maryland who had generosity enough to relieve +the pressing wants of a few of their former acquaintances. + +"We thus lived in want and perfect idleness for years: tho sometimes +if Books could be obtained we made out to read: if paper, pen, and ink +could be had we wrote. Also to prevent becoming too feeble we exercised +our bodies by playing fives, throwing long bullets, wrestling, running, +jumping, and other athletick exercises, in all of which your Father +fully participated. Being all nearly on the same footing as to Clothing +and pocket money (that is we seldom had any of the latter) we lived on +an equality. + +"In the fall of 1777 the Brittish Commander was informed a plan was +forming by a party of Americans to pass over to Long Island and sweep +us off, release us from captivity. There were then on the Island about +three hundred American officers prisoners. We were of course ordered off +immediately, and placed on board of two large transports in the North +River, as prison ships, where we remained but about 18 days, but it +being Very Cold, and we Confined between decks, the Steam and breath of +150 men soon gave us Coughs, then fevers, and had we not been removed +back to our billets I believe One half would have died in six weeks. +This is all the imprisonment your----" + +The rest of this valuable letter has been, most unfortunately lost, or +possibly it was never completed. + +We have given a great deal of it because of its graphic description of +the men who were captured at Fort Washington, and of the battle itself. +Major Bedinger was a dignified, well-to-do, country gentleman; honored +and respected by all who knew him, and of unimpeachable veracity. + + + +CHAPTER III + +NAMES OF SOME OF THE PRISONERS OF 1776 + + +As we have seen, the officers fared well in comparison with the wretched +privates. Paroled and allowed the freedom of the city, they had far +better opportunities to obtain the necessities of life. "Our poor +soldiers fared most wretchedly different," says Major Bedinger. + +Before we begin, however, to speak of the treatment they received, we +must make some attempt to tell the reader who they were. We wish it were +possible to give the name of every private who died, or rather who was +murdered, in the prisons of New York at this time. But that, we fear, is +now an impossibility. As this account is designed as a memorial to those +martyred privates, we have made many efforts to obtain their names. +But if the muster rolls of the different companies who formed the Rifle +Regiment, the Pennsylvania Flying Camp, and the other troops captured by +the British in the summer and fall of 1776 are in existence, we have not +been able to find them. + +The records of the Revolution kept in the War Department in England +have been searched in vain by American historians. It is said that the +Provost Marshal, William Cunningham, destroyed his books, in order to +leave no written record of his crimes. The names of 8,000 prisoners, +mostly seamen, who were confined on the prison ship Jersey, alone, +have been obtained by the Society of Old Brooklynites, from the British +Archives, and, by the kind permission of this Society, we re-publish +them in the Appendix to this volume. + +Here and there, also, we have obtained a name of one of the brave young +riflemen who died in torment a hundred times worse, because so much less +swift, than that endured on a memorable occasion in India, when British +soldiers were placed, during a single night, into one of their own +"Black Holes." But the names of almost all of these our tortured +countrymen are forgotten as completely as their places of interment are +neglected. + +In the hands of the writer, however, at this time [Footnote: This +muster roll was lent to the writer by Henry Bedinger Davenport, Esq, a +descendant of Major Bedinger] is the pay-roll of one of these companies +of riflemen,--that of Captain Abraham Shepherd of Shepherdstown, +Virginia. It is in the handwriting of Henry Bedinger, one of the +lieutenants of the company. + +We propose to take this list, or pay roll, as a sample, and to follow, +as well as we can, at this late day, the misfortunes of the men named +therein. For this purpose we will first give the list of names, and +afterwards attempt to indicate how many of the men died in confinement, +and how many lived to be exchanged. + + +MUSTER ROLL + +The paper in question, falling to pieces with age, and almost illegible +in places, is headed, "An ABSTRACT of the Pay due the Officers and +Privates of the Company of Riflemen belonging to Captain Abraham +Shepherd, being part of a Battalion raised by Colonel Hugh Stevenson, +deceased, and afterwards commanded by Lieut Colonel Moses Rawlings, in +the Continental Service from July 1st, 1776, to October 1st, 1778." The +paper gives the dates of enlistment; those who were killed; those who +died; those who deserted; those who were discharged; drafted; made +prisoners; "dates until when pay is charged;" "pay per month;" "amount +in Dollars," and "amount in lawful Money, Pounds, Shillings and pence." +From this account much information can be gleaned concerning the members +of the company, but we will, for the present, content ourselves with +giving the muster roll of the company. + + +MUSTER ROLL OF CAPTAIN ABRAHAM SHEPHERD'S COMPANY OF RIFLEMEN RAISED IN +JULY, 1776 + +Captain Abraham Shepherd. First Lieutenant, Samuel Finley. Second +Lieutenant, William Kelly. Third Lieutenant, Henry Bedinger. First +Sergeant, John Crawford. Second Sergeant, John Kerney. Third Sergeant, +Robert Howard. Fourth Sergeant, Dennis Bush. First Corporal, John +Seaburn. Second Corporal, Evert Hoglant. Third Corporal, Thomas Knox. +Fourth Corporal, Jonathan Gibbons. Drummer, Stephen Vardine. Fifer, +Thomas Cook. Armourer, James Roberts. + +Privates, William Anderson, Jacob Wine, Richard Neal, Peter Hill, +William Waller, Adam Sheetz, James Hamilton, George Taylor, Adam +Rider, Patrick Vaughan, Peter Hanes, John Malcher, Peter Snyder, Daniel +Bedinger, John Barger, William Hickman, Thomas Pollock, Bryan Timmons, +Thomas Mitchell, Conrad Rush, David Harman, James Aitken, William +Wilson, John Wilson, Moses McComesky, Thomas Beatty, John Gray, +Valentine Fritz, Zechariah Bull, William Moredock, Charles Collins, +Samuel Davis, Conrad Cabbage, John Cummins, Gabriel Stevens, Michael +Wolf, John Lewis, William Donnelly, David Gilmore, John Cassody, Samuel +Blount, Peter Good, George Helm, William Bogle (or Boyle), John Nixon, +Anthony Blackhead, Christian Peninger, Charles Jones, William Case, +Casper Myre, George Brown, Benjamin McKnight, Anthony Larkin, William +Seaman, Charles Snowden, John Boulden, John Blake, Nicholas Russell, +Benjamin Hughes, James Brown, James Fox, William Hicks, Patrick Connell, +John Holmes, John McSwaine, James Griffith, Patrick Murphy, James +Aitken. + +Besides the names of this company we can give a few privates of the +Pennsylvania Flying Camp who are mentioned by Saffel. He adds that, as +far as is known, all of these perished in prison, after inscribing their +names high up upon the walls. + + +SOME PRIVATES OF THE PENNSYLVANIA FLYING CAMP WHO PERISHED IN PRISON IN +1776-7 + +"Charles Fleming, John Wright, James McKinney, Ebenezer Stille, Jacob +Leinhart, Abraham Van Gordon, Peter D'Aubert, William Carbury, John +McDowell, Wm. McKague, Henry Parker, James Burns, Henry Yepler, Baltus +Weigh, Charles Beason, Leonard Huber, John McCarroll, Jacob Guiger, John +May, Daniel Adams, George McCormick, Jacob Kettle, Jacob Miller, George +Mason, James Kearney, David Sutor, Adam Bridel, Christian Mull, Daniel +McKnight, Cornelius Westbrook, Luke Murphy, Joseph Conklin, Adam Dennis, +Edward Ogden, Wm. Scoonover, James Rosencrants." + +The names of the officers who were prisoners in New York after the +battle of Long Island and the surrender of Fort Washington, can easily +be obtained. But it is not with these, at present, that we have to +do. We have already seen how much better was their treatment than that +accorded to the hapless privates. It is chiefly to commemmorate the +sufferings of the private soldier and seaman in the British prisons that +this account has been written. + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE PRISONS OF NEW YORK--JONATHAN GILLETT + + +We will now endeavor to describe the principal places of confinement +used by the British in New York during the early years of the war. +Lossing, in his Field Book of the Revolution, thus speaks of these dens +of misery: "At the fight around Fort Washington," he says, "only one +hundred Americans were killed, while the British loss was one thousand, +chiefly Hessians, But the British took a most cruel revenge. Out of over +2600 prisoners taken on that day, in two months & four days 1900 were +killed in the infamous sugar houses and other prisons in the city. + +"Association of intense horror are linked with the records of the +prisons and prison ships of New York. Thousands of captives perished +miserably of hunger, cold, infection, and in some cases, actual poison. + +"All the prisoners taken in the battle near Brooklyn in August, 1776 and +at Fort Washington in November of the same year, were confined in New +York, nearly 4000 in all. The New Jail and the New Bridewell were the +only prisons. The former is the present Hall of Records. Three sugar +houses, some dissenting churches, Columbia College, and the Hospital +were all used as prisons. The great fire in September; the scarcity of +provisions; and the cruel conduct of the Provost Marshal all combined +to produce intense sufferings among the men, most of whom entered +into captivity, strong, healthy, young, able-bodied, the flower of the +American youth of the day. + +"Van Cortlandt's Sugar House was a famous (or infamous) prison. It stood +on the northwest corner of Trinity church-yard. + +"Rhinelander's Sugar House was on the corner of William and Duane +Streets. Perhaps the worst of all the New York prisons was the third +Sugar House, which occupied the space on Liberty Street where two +buildings, numbers 34 and 36, now stand. + +"The North Dutch Church on William Street contained 800 prisoners, and +there were perhaps as many in the Middle Dutch Church. The Friends' +Meeting House on Liberty and several other buildings erected for the +worship of a God of love were used as prisons. + +"The New Jail was made a Provost Prison, and here officers and men of +note were confined. At one time they were so crowded into this building, +that when they lay down upon the floor to sleep all in the row were +obliged to turn over at the same time at the call, 'Turn over! Left! +Right!' + +"The sufferings of these brave men were largely due to the criminal +indifference of Loring, Sproat, Lennox, and other Commissaries of the +prisoners. + +"Many of the captives were hanged in the gloom of night without trial +and without a semblance of justice. + +"Liberty Street Sugar House was a tall, narrow building five stories in +height, and with dismal underground dungeons. In this gloomy abode jail +fever was ever present. In the hot weather of July, 1777, companies of +twenty at a time would be sent out for half an hour's outing, in the +court yard. Inside groups of six stood for ten minutes at a time at the +windows for a breath of air. + +"There were no seats; the filthy straw bedding was never changed. Every +day at least a dozen corpses were dragged out and pitched like dead +dogs into the ditches and morasses beyond the city. Escapes, deaths, and +exchange at last thinned the ranks. Hundreds left names and records on +the walls." + +"In 1778 the hulks of decaying ships were moored in the Wallabout. These +prison ships were intended for sailors and seaman taken on the ocean, +mostly the crews of privateersmen, but some soldiers were also sent to +languish in their holds. + +"The first vessels used were transports in which cattle and other stores +had been brought over by the British in 1776. These lay in Gravesend Bay +and there many of the prisoners taken in battle near Brooklyn in August, +1776, were confined, until the British took possession of New York, when +they were moved to that city. In 1778 the hulks of ships were moored in +the Wallabout, a sheltered bay on the Long Island shore, where the Navy +Yard now is." + +The sufferings of the prisoners can be better understood by giving +individual instances, and wherever this is possible it shall be done. We +will commence by an abstract of + + +THE CASE OF JONATHAN GILLETT OF WEST HARFORD + +This man with seven others was captured on Long Island on the 27th of +August, 1776, before they could take to their boats. He was at first +confined in a prison ship, but a Masonic brother named John Archer +procured him the liberty of the city on parole. His rank, we believe, +was that of a lieutenant. He was a prisoner two years, then was allowed +to go home to die. He exhibited every symptom of poison as well as +starvation. + +When he was dying he said to his son, Jonathan Gillett, Junior, "Should +you enlist and be taken prisoner as I was, inquire for Mr. John Archer, +a man with whom I boarded. He will assist you." + +In course of time his son enlisted, was taken prisoner, and confined +in the Old Sugar House on Liberty Street. Here he was nearly starved to +death. The prisoners ate mice, rats, and insects. He one day found +in the prison yard the dry parings of a turnip which seemed to him +a delicious banquet. It is recorded that Jonathan Gillett, Jr., was +finally freed from captivity through the efforts of the same gentleman, +Mr. John Archer, who had aided his father. + +In 1852 Jacob Barker offered to present survivors who had been confined +in the Old Sugar House with canes made from the lumber used in its +construction. Four of these survivors were found. Their names were +William Clark, Samuel Moulton, Levi Hanford, and Jonathan Gillett, Jr. +The latter's father during his confinement wrote a letter to his friends +which has been preserved, and is as follows: + +My Friends, + +No doubt my misfortunes have reached your ears. Sad as it is, it is +true as sad. I was made prisoner the 27th day of August past by a people +called heshens, and by a party called Yagers the most Inhuman of all +Mortals. I can't give Room to picture them here but thus much--I at +first Resolved not to be taken, but by the Impertunity of the Seven +taken with me, and being surrounded on all sides I unhapily surendered; +would to God I never had--then I should never (have) known there +unmerciful cruelties; they first disarmed me, then plundered me of all I +had, watch, Buckles, money, and sum Clothing, after which they abused +me by bruising my flesh with the butts of there (guns). They knocked me +down; I got up and they (kept on) beating me almost all the way to +there (camp) where I got shot of them--the next thing was I was allmost +starved to death by them. I was keept here 8 days and then sent on board +a ship, where I continued 39 days and by (them was treated) much worse +than when on shore--after I was set on (shore) at New York (I was) +confined (under) a strong guard till the 20th day of November, after +which I have had my liberty to walk part over the City between sun and +sun, notwithstanding there generous allowance of food I must inevitably +have perished with hunger had not sum friends in this (city) Relieved my +extreme necessity, but I cant expect they can always do it--what I +shall do next I know not, being naked for clothes and void of money, and +winter present, and provisions very skerce; fresh meat one shilling per +pound, Butter three shillings per pound, Cheese two shillings, Turnips +and potatoes at a shilling a half peck, milk 15 Coppers per quart, bread +equally as dear; and the General says he cant find us fuel thro' the +winter, tho' at present we receive sum cole. [Footnote: I have made no +changes in this letter except to fill up some blanks and to add a few +marks of punctuation.] + +"I was after put on board siezed violently with the disentarry--it +followed me hard upwards of six weeks--after that a slow fever, but now +am vastly better * * * my sincere love to you and my children. May God +keep and preserve you at all times from sin, sickness, and death * * * +I will Endeavor to faintly lead you into the poor cituation the soldiers +are in, espechally those taken at Long Island where I was; in fact these +cases are deplorable and they are Real objects of pitty--they are still +confined and in houses where there is no fire--poor mortals, with little +or no clothes--perishing with hunger, offering eight dollars in paper +for one in silver to Relieve there distressing hunger; occasioned for +want of food--there natures are broke and gone, some almost loose there +voices and some there hearing--they are crouded into churches & there +guarded night and day. I cant paint the horable appearance they make--it +is shocking to human nature to behold them. Could I draw the curtain +from before you; there expose to your view a lean Jawd mortal, hunger +laid his skinny hand (upon him) and whet to keenest Edge his stomach +cravings, sorounded with tattred garments, Rotten Rags, close beset +with unwelcome vermin. Could I do this, I say, possable I might in some +(small) manner fix your idea with what appearance sum hundreds of these +poor creatures make in houses where once people attempted to Implore +God's Blessings, &c, but I must say no more of there calamities. God be +merciful to them--I cant afford them no Relief. If I had money I soon +would do it, but I have none for myself.--I wrote to you by Mr. Wells to +see if some one would help me to hard money under my present necessity +I write no more, if I had the General would not allow it to go out, & if +ever you write to me write very short or else I will never see it--what +the heshens robbed me of that day amounted to the value of seventy two +dollars at least. * * * I will give you as near an exact account of how +many prisoners the enemy have taken as I can. They took on Long Island +of the Huntingon Regiment 64, and of officers 40, of other Regiments +about 60. On Moulogin Island 14, Stratton Island (Staten) 7, at Fort +Washington 2200 officers and men. On the Jersey side about 28 officers +and men. In all 3135 and how many killed I do not know. Many died of +there wounds. Of those that went out with me of sickness occasioned by +hunger eight and more lie at the point of death. + +"Roger Filer hath lost one of his legs and part of a Thigh, it was his +left. John Moody died here a prisoner. + +"So now to conclude my little Ragged History * * * I as you know did +ever impress on your mind to look to God, for so still I continue to do +the same--think less of me but more of your Creator, * * * So in this +I wish you well and bid you farewell and subscribe myself your nearest +friend and well wisher for Ever + +John'a Gillett + +New York, Dec. 2nd, 1776. To Eliza Gillett at West Harford + +The figures given in this pathetic letter may be inaccurate, but the +description of the sufferings of the prisoners is unexaggerated. Of all +the places of torment provided for these poor men the churches seem +to have been the worst, and they were probably the scenes of the most +brutal cruelty that was inflicted upon these unfortunate beings by the +wicked and heartless men, in whose power they found themselves. Whether +it was because the knowledge that they were thus desecrating buildings +dedicated to the worship of God and instruction in the Christian duties +of mercy and charity, had a peculiarly hardening effect upon the jailers +and guards employed by the British, or whether it was merely because +of their unfitness for human habitation, the men confined in these +buildings perished fast and miserably. We cannot assert that no +prisoners shut up in the churches in New York lived to tell the awful +tale of their sufferings, but we do assert that in all our researches +we have never yet happened upon any record of a single instance of a +survivor living to reach his home. All the information we have gained +on this subject we shall lay before the reader, and then he may form his +own opinion of the justice of these remarks. + + + +CHAPTER V + +WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM, THE PROVOST MARSHAL + + +We will condense all that we have to say of this man, whose cruelty and +wickedness are almost inconceivable, into one chapter, and have done +with the dreadful subject. As far as we have been able to learn, the +facts about his life are the following. + +William Cunningham was an Irishman, born in Dublin Barracks in 1738. +His father was a trumpeter in the Blue Dragoons. When he was sixteen he +became an assistant to the riding-master of the troop. In 1761 he +was made a sergeant of dragoons, but peace having been proclaimed the +following year, the company to which he belonged was disbanded. He +afterwards commenced the business of a scaw-banker, which means that +he went about the country enticing mechanics and rustics to ship to +America, on promise of having their fortunes made in that country; and +then by artful practices, produced their indentures as servants, in +consequence of which on their arrival in America they were sold, or at +least obliged to serve a term of years to pay for their passage. This +business, no doubt, proved a fit apprenticeship for the career of +villainy before him. + +About the year 1774 he appears to have embarked from Newry in the ship +Needham for New York, with some indentured servants he had kidnapped in +Ireland. He is said to have treated these poor creatures so cruelly on +the passage that they were set free by the authorities in New York upon +their arrival. + +When Cunningham first appeared in New York he offered himself as a +horse-breaker, and insinuated himself into the favor of the British +officers by blatant toryism. He soon became obnoxious to the Whigs of +that city, was mobbed, and fled to the Asia man-of-war for protection. +From thence he went to Boston, where General Gage appointed him Provost +Marshal. When the British took possession of New York he followed them +to that city, burning with desire to be revenged upon the Whigs. + +He is said to have compassed the death of thousands of prisoners by +selling their provisions, exchanging good for spoiled food, and even by +poisoning them. Many also fell victims to his murderous violence. About +two hundred and fifty of these poor creatures were taken out of their +places of confinement at midnight and hung, without trial, simply to +gratify his bloodthirsty instincts. Private execution was conducted in +the following manner. A guard was first dispatched from the Provost, +about midnight, to the upper barracks, to order the people on the +line of march to shut their window shutters and put out their lights, +forbidding them at the same time to presume to look out of their windows +on pain of death. After this the prisoners were gagged, and conducted +to the gallows just behind the upper barracks and hung without ceremony +there. Afterwards they were buried by his assistant, who was a mulatto. + +This practice is said to have been stopped by the women along the line +of march from the Provost to the barracks. They appealed to General +Howe to prevent further executions, as the noise made by the sufferers +praying for mercy, and appealing to Heaven for justice was dreadful to +their ears. + +It would seem from this account that, although the wretched men were +gagged as they were conveyed along the streets, their ferocious murderer +could not deny himself the pleasure of hearing their shrieks of agony at +the gallows. + +Watson, in his "Annals of New York," says that Cunningham glutted his +vengence by hanging five or six of his prisoners every night, until the +women who lived in the neighborhood petitioned Howe to have the practice +discontinued. + +A pamphlet called "The Old Martyrs' Prison," says of Cunningham: "His +hatred of the Americans found vent in torture by searing irons and +secret scourges to those who fell under the ban of his displeasure. +The prisoners were crowded together so closely that many fell ill from +partial asphyxiation, and starved to death for want of the food which he +sold to enrich himself." + +They were given muddy and impure water to drink, and that not in +sufficient quantities to sustain life. Their allowance was, nominally, +two pounds of hard tack and two of pork _per week_, and this was often +uncooked, while either the pork, or the biscuit, or both, were usually +spoiled and most unwholesome. + +Cunningham's quarters were in the Provost Prison, and on the right hand +of the main door of entry. On the left of the hall was the guard room. +Within the first barricade was the apartment of his assistant, Sergeant +O'Keefe. Two sentinels guarded the entrance day and night; two more were +stationed at the first and second barricades, which were grated, barred, +and chained. + +"When a prisoner was led into the hall the whole guard was paraded, +and he was delivered over to Captain Cunningham or his deputy, and +questioned as to his name, age, size, rank, etc., all of which was +entered in a record book. These records appear to have been discreetly +destroyed by the British authorities. + +"At the bristling of arms, unbolting of locks and bars, clanking of +enormous iron chains in a vestibule dark as Erebus, the unfortunate +captive might well sink under this infernal sight and parade of +tyrannical power, as he crossed the threshold of that door which +probably closed on him for life. + +"The north east chamber, turning to the left on the second floor, was +appropriated to officers of superior rank, and was called Congress Hall. +* * * In the day time the packs and blankets used by the prisoners to +cover them were suspended around the walls, and every precaution was +taken to keep the rooms clean and well ventilated. + +"In this gloomy abode were incarcerated at different periods many +American officers and citizens of distinction, awaiting with sickening +hope the protracted period of their liberation. Could these dumb walls +speak what scenes of anguish might they not disclose! + +"Cunningham and his deputy were enabled to fare sumptuously by dint +of curtailing the prisoners' rations, selling good for bad provisions, +etc., in order to provide for the drunken orgies that usually terminated +his dinners. Cunningham would order the rebel prisoners to turn out +and parade for the amusement of his guests, pointing them out with such +characterizations as 'This is the d----d rebel, Ethan Allen. This is a +rebel judge, etc.'" + +Cunningham destroyed Nathan Hale's last letters containing messages to +his loved ones, in order, as he said, that "the rebels should not know +that they had a man in their army who could die with such firmness." + +From Elias Boudinot's "Journal of Events" during the Revolution we +extract the following account of his interview with Cunningham in +New York. "In the spring of 1777 General Washington wrote me a letter +requesting me to accept of a Commission as Commissary General of +Prisoners in the Army of America. I waited on him and politely declined +the task, urging the wants of the Prisoners and having nothing to supply +them." + +Washington, however, urged him not to refuse, saying that if no one in +whom he could trust would accept the office, the lot of the prisoners +would be doubly hard. At last Boudinot consented to fill the position as +best he could, and Washington declared that he should be supplied with +funds by the Secret Committee of Congress. "I own," he says, "that after +I had entered on my department, the applications of the Prisoners were +so numerous, and their distress so urgent, that I exerted every nerve +to obtain supplies, but in vain--Excepting L600 I had received from the +Secret Committee in Bills of exchange, at my first entrance into +the Office--I could not by any means get a farthing more, except in +Continental Money, which was of no avail in New York. I applied to the +General describing my delicate Situation and the continual application +of the Officers, painting their extreme distress and urging the +assurance they had received that on my appointment I was to be furnished +with adequate means for their full relief. The General appeared greatly +distressed and assured me that it was out of his power to afford me any +supplies. I proposed draining Clothing from the public stores, but to +this he objected as not having anything like a sufficient supply for the +Army. He urged my considering and adopting the best means in my power to +satisfy the necessities of the Prisoners, and he would confirm them. I +told him I knew of no means in my Power but to take what Monies I had +of my own, and to borrow from my friends in New York, to accomplish the +desirable purpose. He greatly encouraged me to the attempt, promising me +that if I finally met with any loss, he would divide it with me. On this +I began to afford them some supplies of Provisions over and above what +the Enemy afforded them, which was very small and very indifferent. + +"The complaints of the very cruel treatment our Prisoners met with in +the Enemy's lines rose to such a Heighth that in the Fall of this +Year, 1777 the General wrote to General Howe or Clinton reciting their +complaints and proposing to send an Officer into New York to examine +into the truth of them. This was agreed to, and a regular pass-port +returned accordingly. The General ordered me on this service. I +accordingly went over on the 3rd of Feb. 1778, in my own Sloop." + +The Commandant at this time was General Robertson, by whom Boudinot was +very well treated, and allowed, in company with a British officer, to +visit the prisons. He continues: "Accordingly I went to the Provost +with the Officer, where we found near thirty Officers from Colonels +downwards, in close confinement in the Gaol in New York. After some +conversation with the late Ethan Allen, I told him my errand, on which +he was very free in his abuse of the British. *** We then proceeded +upstairs to the Room of their Confinement. I had the Officers drawn up +in a Ring and informed them of my mission, that I was determined to hear +nothing in secret. That I therefore hoped they would each of them in +their turn report to me faithfully and candidly the Treatment they +severally had received,--that my design was to obtain them the proper +redress, but if they kept back anything from an improper fear of their +keepers, they would have themselves only to blame for their want of +immediate redress. That for the purpose of their deliverance the British +officer attended. That the British General should be also well informed +of the Facts. On this, after some little hesitation from a dread of +their keeper, the Provost Martial, one of them began and informed us +that * * * some had been confined in the Dungeon for a night to await +the leisure of the General to examine them and forgot for months; for +being Committee men, &c, &c. That they had received the most cruel +Treatment from the Provost Martial, being locked up in the Dungeon on +the most trifling pretences, such as asking for more water to drink on +a hot day than usual--for sitting up a little longer in the Evening +than orders allowed--for writing a letter to the General making their +Complaints of ill-usage and throwing (it) out of the Windows. That some +of them were kept ten, twelve, and fourteen weeks in the Dungeon on +these trifling Pretenses. A Captain Vandyke had been confined eighteen +months for being concerned in setting fire to the City, When, on +my calling for the Provost Books, it appeared that he had been made +Prisoner and closely confined in the Provost four days before the fire +happened. A Major Paine had been confined eleven months for killing a +Captain Campbell in the Engagement when he was taken Prisoner, when on +examination it appeared that the Captain had been killed in another +part of the Action. The charge was that Major Paine when taken had no +commission, though acknowledged by us as a Major. + +"Most of the cases examined into turned out wholly false or too trifling +to be regarded. It also appeared by the Declaration of some of the +Gentlemen that their water would be sometimes, as the Caprice of the +Provost Martial led him, brought up to them in the tubs they used in +their Rooms, and when the weather was so hot that they must drink or +perish. On hearing a number of these instances of Cruelty, I asked who +was the Author of them--they answered the provost keeper--I desired +the Officer to call him up that we might have him face to face. He +accordingly came in, and on being informed of what had passed, he was +asked if the complaints were true. He, with great Insolence answered +that every word was true--on which the British Officer, abusing him very +much, asked him how he dared to treat Gentlemen in that cruel Manner. +He, insolently putting his hands to his side, swore that he was as +absolute there as General Howe was at the head of his Army. I observed +to the Officer that now there could be no dispute about Facts, as the +fellow had acknowledged every word to be true. I stated all the Facts in +substance and waited again on General Robertson, who hoped I was quite +satisfied with the falsity of the reports I had heard. I then stated to +him the Facts and assured him that they turned out worse than anything +we had heard. On his hesitating as to the truth of this assertion--I +observed to him the propriety of having an Officer with me, to whom +I now appealed for the truth of the Facts. He being present confirmed +them--on which the General expressed great dissatisfaction, and promised +that the Author of them should be punished. I insisted that the Officers +should be discharged from his Power on Parole on Long Island, as other +Officers were--To this after receiving from me a copy of the Facts I had +taken down, he assented, & all were discharged except seven, who were +detained some time before I could obtain their release. I forgot to +mention that one Officer, Lieutenant--was taken Prisoner and brought in +with a wound through the leg. He was sent to the Provost to be examined, +next night he was put into the Dungeon and remained there ten weeks, +totally forgotten by the General, and never had his wound dressed +except as he washed it with a little Rum and Water given to him by the +Centinels, through the--hole out of their own rations. Captain--and a +Captain Chatham were confined with them and their allowance was four +pounds hard spoiled Biscuit, and two pounds Pork per week, which they +were obliged to eat raw. While they were thus confined for the +slightest Complaints, the Provost Martial would come down and beat them +unmercifully with a Rattan, and Knock them down with his fist. After +this I visited two Hospitals of our Sick Prisoners, and the Sugar +House:--in the two first were 211 Prisoners, and in the last about 190. +They acknowledged that for about two months past they fared pretty well, +being allowed two pounds of good Beef and a proportion of flour or Bread +per week, by Mr. Lewis, My Agent, over and above the allowance received +from the British, which was professed to be two thirds allowance; +but before they had suffered much from the small allowance they had +received, and and that their Bread was very bad, being mostly biscuit, +but that the British soldiers made the same complaint as to the bread. +From every account I received I found that their treatment had been +greatly changed for the better within a few months past, except at +the Provost. They all agreed that previous to the capture of General +Burgoyne, and for some time after, Their treatment had been cruel +beyond measure. That the Prisoners in the French church, amounting on an +average to three or four hundred, could not all lay down at once, that +from the 15th October to the first January they never received a single +stick of wood, and that for the most part they eat their Pork Raw, when +the Pews and Door, and Wood on Facings failed them for fuel. + +"But as to my own personal knowledge I found General Robertson very +ready to agree to every measure for alleviating the miseries of War and +very candidly admitted many faults committed by the inferior Officers, +and even the mistakes of the General himself, by hearkening to the +representations of those around him. He showed me a letter from General +Howe who was in Philadelphia, giving orders that we should not be at +liberty to purchase blankets within their lines, and containing a copy +of an order I had issued that they should not purchase provisions within +ours, by way of retaliation, but he represented it as if my order was +first. I stated the facts to General Robertson, who assured me that +General Howe had been imposed upon, and requested me to state the facts +by way of letter, when he immediately wrote to General Howe, urging the +propriety of reversing his orders, which afterwards he did in a very +hypocritical manner as will appear hereafter." + +It does not seem that Cunningham was very seriously punished. It is +probable that he was sent away from New York to Philadelphia, then in +the hands of General Howe. Cunningham was Provost Marshal in that city +during the British occupancy, where his cruelties were, if possible, +more astrocious than ever before. + +Dr. Albigense Waldo was a surgeon in the American army at Valley Forge, +and he declares in his Journal concerning the prisoners in Philadelphia +that "the British did not knock the prisoners in the head, or burn them +with torches, or flay them alive, or dismember them as savages do, but +they starved them slowly in a large and prosperous city. One of these +unhappy men, driven to the last extreme of hunger, is said to have +gnawed his own fingers to the first joint from the hand, before he +expired. Others ate the mortar and stone which they chipped from the +prison walls, while some were found with bits of wood and clay in +their mouths, which in their death agonies they had sucked to find +nourishment." [Footnote: This account is quoted by Mr. Bolton in a +recent book called "The Private Soldier under Washington," a valuable +contribution to American history.] + +Boudinot has something to say about these wretched sufferers in the +City of Brotherly Love during the months of January and February, 1778. +"Various Reports having reached us with regard to the Extreme +Sufferings of our Prisoners in Philadelphia, I was directed by the +Commander-in-Chief to make particular inquiry into the truth. After some +time I obtained full Information of their Sufferings. It was proved by +some Militia of good Character that on being taken they were put under +the care of the General's Guard, and kept four or five days without +the least food. That on the fifth day they were taken into the Provost, +where a small quantity of Raw Pork was given to them. One of their +number seized and devoured it with so much eagerness that he dropped +down dead:--that the Provost Martial used to sell their provisions and +leave them to starve, as he did their Allowance of Wood. I received +information from a British Officer who confided in my integrity, that he +happened in the Provost just at the time the Provost Martial was locking +up the Prisoners. He had ordered them from the Yard into the House. Some +of them being ill with the Dysentery could scarcely walk, and for not +coming faster he would beat them with his Rattan. One being delayed +longer than the rest. On his coming up Cunningham gave him a blow with +one of the large Keys of the Goal which killed him on the Spot. The +Officer, exceedingly affected with the sight, went next day and lodged +a formal Complaint of the Murder with General Howe's Aid. After waiting +some days, and not discovering any measures taken for the tryal of +Cunningham, he again went to head quarters and requested to see the +General, but was refused. He repeated his Complaint to his Aid, and told +him if this passed unpunished it would become disreputable to wear a +British uniform. No notice being taken the Officer determined to furnish +me privately with the means of proof of the Facts, so that General +Washington might remonstrate to General Howe on the subject:--I reported +them with the other testimony I had collected to General Washington. +He accordingly wrote in pretty strong Terms to General Howe and fixed +a day, when if he did not receive a satisfactory answer, he would +retaliate on the prisoners in his Custody. On the day he received an +answer from General Howe, acknowledging that, on Examination he found +that Cunningham had sold the Prisoners' rations publicly in the Market. +That he had therefor removed him from the Charge of the Prisoners +and appointed Mr. Henry H. Ferguson in his place. This gave us great +pleasure as we knew Mr. Ferguson to be a Gentleman of Character and +great Humanity, and the issue justified our expectations. But to our +great surprise Mr. Cunningham was only removed from the Charge of the +Prisons in Philadelphia, and sent to that of New York. Soon after this +great complaints being made of our Prisoners being likely to perish for +want of Cloathing and Blankets, having been mostly stripped and robbed +of their Cloaths when taken, application was made for permission to +purchase (with the provisions which the British wanted,) Blankets +and cloathing, which should be used only by the Prisoners while in +Confinement. This was agreed to, as we were informed by our own Agent +as well as by the British Commissioner. Provisions were accordingly +attempted to be sent in, when General Howe pretending to ignorance in +the business, forbid the provisions to be admitted, or the Blankets to +be purchased. On this I gave notice to the British Commissary that after +a certain day they must provide food for their prisoners south west of +New Jersey, and to be sent in from their lines, as they should no longer +be allowed to purchase provisions with us. The line drawn arose from our +being at liberty to purchase in New York. This made a great noise, +when General Howe on receiving General Robertson's letter from New York +before mentioned, urging the propriety of the measures, issued an order +that every Person in Philadelphia, who had a Blanket to sell or to spare +should bring them into the King's Stores. When this was done he then +gave my Agent permission to purchase Blankets and Cloathing, in the City +of Philadelphia. On my Agent attempting it he found every Blanket in the +City purchased by the Agents for the Army, so that not a Blanket could +be had. My Agent knowing the necessities of our Prisoners, immediately +employed persons in every part of the city and before General Howe could +discover his own omission, purchased up every piece of flannel he could +meet with, and made it up into a kind of Blanket, which answered our +purpose." + +Wherever General Howe and Cunningham were together, either in New York +or in Philadelphia, the most atrocious cruelties were inflicted upon +the American prisoners in their power, and yet some have endeavoured to +excuse General Howe, on what grounds it is difficult to determine. It +has been said that Cunningham _acted on higher authority than any in +America_, and that Howe in vain endeavored to mitigate the sufferings of +the prisoners. This, however, is not easy of belief. Howe must at least +have wilfully blinded himself to the wicked and murderous violence of +his subordinate. It was his duty to know how the prisoners at his mercy +fared, and not to employ murderers to destroy them by the thousands as +they were destroyed in the prisons of New York and Philadelphia. + +Oliver Bunce, in His "Romance of the Revolution," thus speaks of the +inhumanity of Cunningham. + +"But of all atrocities those committed in the prisons and prison ships +of New York are the most execrable, and indeed there is nothing in +history to excel the barbarities there inflicted. Twelve thousand +suffered death by their inhuman, cruel, savage, and barbarous usage on +board the filthy and malignant prison ships--adding those who died and +were poisoned in the infected prisons in the city a much larger number +would be necessary to include all those who suffered by command of +British Generals in New York. The scenes enacted in these prisons +almost exceed belief. * * * Cunningham, the like of whom, for unpitying, +relentless cruelty, the world has not produced, * * * thirsted for +blood, and took an eager delight in murder." + +He remained in New York until November, 1783, when he embarked on board +a British man-of-war and America was no longer cursed with his presence. +He is said to have been hung for the crime of forgery on the tenth of +August, 1791. The newspapers of the day contained the accounts of his +death, and his dying confession. These accounts have, however, been +discredited by historians who have in vain sought the English records +for the date of his death. It is said that no man of the name of +Cunningham was hung in England in the year 1791. It is not possible +to find any official British record of his transactions while Provost +Marshal, and there seems a mystery about the disappearance of his books +kept while in charge of the Provost, quite as great as the mystery which +envelopes his death. But whether or no he confessed his many crimes; +whether or no he received in this world a portion of the punishment +he deserved, it is certain that the crimes were committed, and duly +recorded in the judgment book of God, before whose awful bar he has been +called to account for every one of them. + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE CASE OF JABEZ FITCH + + +In presenting our gleanings from the books, papers, letters, pamphlets, +and other documents that have been written on the subject of our +prisoners during the Revolution, we will endeavor to follow some +chronological order, so that we may carry the story on month by month +and year by year until that last day of the British possession of New +York when Sergeant O'Keefe threw down upon the pavement of the Provost +the keys of that prison, and made his escape on board a British +man-of-war. + +One of the prisoners taken on Long Island in the summer of 1776 was +Captain Jabez Fitch, who was captured on the 27th of August, of that +year. While a prisoner he contracted a scorbutic affection which +rendered miserable thirty years of his life. + +On the 29th of August he was taken to the transport Pacific. It was a +very rainy day. The officers, of whom there were about twenty-five, +were in one boat, and the men "being between three and four hundred +in several other Boats, and had their hands tied behind them. In this +Situation we were carried by several Ships, where there appeared great +numbers of Women on Deck, who were very liberal of their Curses and +Execrations: they were also not a little Noisy in their Insults, but +clap'd their hands and used other peculiar gestures in so Extraordinary +a Manner yet they were in some Danger of leaping overboard in this +surprising Extacy." On arriving at the Pacific, a very large transport +ship, they were told that all officers and men together were to be +shut down below deck. The master of the ship was a brute named Dunn. At +sundown all were driven down the hatches, with curses and execrations. +"Both ye lower Decks were very full of Durt," and the rains had leaked +in and made a dreadful sloppy mess of the floor, so that the mud was +half over their shoes. At the same time they were so crowded that only +half their number could lie down at a time. + +"Some time in the Evening a number of the Infernal Savages came down +with a lanthorn and loaded two small pieces or Cannon with Grape shot, +which were pointed through two Ports in such a manner as to Rake ye deck +where our people lay, telling us at ye same time with many Curses yt in +Case of any Disturbance or the least noise in ye Night, they were to be +Imediately fired on ye Damned Rebels." When allowed to come on deck +"we were insulted by those Blackguard Villians in the most vulgar +manner....We were allowed no water that was fit for a Beast to Drink, +although they had plenty of good Water on board, which was used +plentifully by the Seamen, etc. + +"Lieutenant Dowdswell, with a party of Marines sent on board for our +Guard; this Mr. Dowdswell treated us with considerable humanity, and +appeared to be a Gentleman, nor were the Marines in General so Insolent +as the Ships Crew....On the 31st the Commissary of Prisoners came on +Board and took down the names, etc, of the prisoners....he told us +Colonel Clark and many other Officers were confined at Flatbush. On +Sunday, September 1st, we were removed to the ship Lord Rochford, +commanded by one Lambert. This ship was much crowded. Most of +the Officers were lodged on the quarter deck. Some nights we were +considerably wet with rain." + +The Lord Rochford lay off New Utrecht. On the third of September the +officers that had been confined at Flatbush were brought on board the +snow called the Mentor. "On the fifth," says Fitch, in his written +account, of which this is an abstract, "we were removed on board this +Snow, which was our prison for a long time. * * * We were about 90 in +number, and ye Field Officers had Liberty of ye Cabbin, etc. * * * This +Snow was commanded by one Davis, a very worthless, low-lived fellow. * * +* When we first met on board the Mentor we spent a considerable time in +Relating to each other ye particular Circumstances of our first being +Taken, and also ye various Treatment with which we met on yt occasion, +nor was this a disagreeable Entertainment in our Melancholy Situation. +* * * Many of the officers and men were almost Destitute of Clothes, +several having neither Britches, Stockings or Shoes, many of them when +first taken were stripped entirely naked. Corporal Raymond of the 17th +Regiment after being taken and Stripped was shamefully insulted and +Abused by Gen'l Dehightler, seized by ye Hair of his head, thrown on +the ground, etc. Some present, who had some small degree of humanity in +their Composition, were so good as to favor them (the prisoners) with +some old durty worn Garments, just sufficient to cover their nakedness, +and in this Situation (they) were made Objects of Ridicule for ye +Diversion of those Foreign Butchers. + +"One Sam Talman (an Indian fellow belonging to the 17th Regiment) was +Stripped and set up as a mark for them to Shoot at for Diversion or +Practice, by which he Received two severe wounds, in the neck and arm +* * * afterwards they destroyed him with many hundreds others by +starvation in the prisons of New York. + +"On October first orders came to land the prisoners in New York. This +was not done until the seventh. On Monday about four o'clock Mr. Loring +conducted us to a very large house on the West side of Broadway in the +corner south of Warren Street near Bridewell, where we were assigned a +small yard back of the house, and a Stoop in ye Front for our Walk. We +were also Indulged with Liberty to pass and Repass to an adjacent pump +in Ye Street." + +Although paroled the officers were closely confined in this place for +six weeks. Their provisions, he says: "were insufficient to preserve ye +Connection between Soul and Body, yet ye Charitable People of this City +were so good as to afford us very considerable Relief on this account, +but it was ye poor and those who were in low circumstances only who were +thoughtful of our Necessities, and provisions were now grown scarce and +Excessive dear. * * * Their unparalleled generosity was undoubtedly ye +happy means of saving many Lives, notwithstanding such great numbers +perished with hunger. + +"Here we found a number of Officers made prisoners since we were, +Colonel Selden, Colonel Moulton, etc. They were first confined in Ye +City Hall. Colonel Selden died the Fryday after we arrived. He was +Buried in the New Brick Churchyard, and most of the Officers were +allowed to attend his Funeral. Dr. Thatcher of the British army attended +him, a man of great humanity." + +Captain Fitch declares that there were two thousand wounded British +and Hessians in the hospitals in New York after the battle of Fort +Washington, which is a much larger estimate than we have found in other +accounts. He says that the day of the battle was Saturday, November +16th, and that the prisoners were not brought to New York until the +Monday following. They were then confined in the Bridewell, as the City +Jail was then called, and in several churches. Some of them were soon +afterwards sent on board a prison ship, which was probably the Whitby. +"A number of the officers were sent to our place of confinement; Colonel +Rawlings, Colonel Hobby, Major (Otho) Williams, etc. Rawlings and +Williams were wounded, others were also wounded, among them Lieutenant +Hanson (a young Gent'n from Va.) who was Shot through ye Shoulder with a +Musq't Ball of which wound he Died ye end of Dec'r. + +"Many of ye charitable Inhabitants were denied admittance when they came +to Visit us." + +On the twentieth of November most of the officers were set at liberty on +parole. "Ye first Objects of our attention were ye poor men who had been +unhappily Captivated with us. They had been landed about ye same time yt +we were, and confined in several Churches and other large Buildings +and although we had often Received Intelligence from them with ye most +Deplorable Representation of their Miserable Situation, yet when we came +to visit them we found their sufferings vastly superior to what we had +been able to conceive. Nor are words sufficient to convey an Adequate +Idea of their Unparalled Calamity. Well might ye Prophet say, 'They yt +be slain with ye sword are better than they yt be slain with hunger, for +these pine away, etc.' + +"Their appearance in general Rather Resembled dead Corpses than living +men. Indeed great numbers had already arrived at their long home, and ye +Remainder appeared far advanced on ye same Journey: their accommodations +were in all respects vastly Inferior to what a New England Farmer would +have provided for his Cattle, and although ye Commissary pretended to +furnish them with two thirds of ye allowance of ye King's Troops, yet +they were cheated out of one half of that. They were many times entirely +neglected from Day to Day, and received no Provision at all; they were +also frequently Imposed upon in Regard to ye Quality as well as Quantity +of their provision. Especially in the Necessary article of Bread of +which they often received such Rotten and mouldy stuff, as was entirely +unfit for use. + +"* * * A large number of ye most feeble were Removed down to ye Quaker +Meeting House on Queen Street, where many hundreds of them perished in +a much more miserable Situation than ye dumb Beasts, while those whose +particular business it was to provide them relief, paid very little or +no attention to their unparalleled sufferings. This house I understand +was under ye Superintendence of one Dr. Dibuke * * * who had been +at least once convicted of stealing (in Europe) and had fled to this +country for protection: It was said he often made application of his +Cane among ye Sick instead of other medicines. * * * I have often been +in danger of being stabbed for attempting to speak to a prisoner in ye +yard. * * * + +"About the 24th December a large number of prisoners were embarked on +a ship to be sent to New England. What privates of the 17th Regiment +remained living were Included in this number, but about one half had +already perished in Prison. I was afterwards informed that the Winds +being unfavourable and their accommodations and provisions on board ye +Ship being very similar to what they had been provided with before, a +large proportion of them perished before they could reach New England, +so that it is to be feared very few of them lived to see their native +homes. + +"Soon after there was large numbers of the prisoners sent off by land +both to the Southward and Eastward so yt when ye Officers were Removed +over into Long Island in the latter part of January there remained but +very few of the privates in that City except those released by Death +which number was supposed to be about 1800. + +"General Robertson, so famous for Politeness and Humanity was commanding +Officer at New York during the aforesaid treatment of the prisoners. +Governor Scheene was said to have visited the prisoners at the Churches +and manifested great dissatisfaction at their ill Usage, yet I was never +able to learn that ye poor Sufferers Rec'd any Advantage thereby." + +Captain Jabez Fitch was a prisoner eighteen months. After the Revolution +he lived in Vermont, where he died in 1812. + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE HOSPITAL DOCTOR--A TORY'S ACCOUNT OF NEW YORK IN 1777--ETHAN ALLEN'S +ACCOUNT OF THE PRISONERS + + +The doctor spoken of by Jabez Fitch as Dr. Dibuke is perhaps the +notorious character described by Mr. Elias Boudinot in the Journal from +which we have already quoted. On page 35 of this book he gives us the +following: + +"AN ACCOUNT OF THE FRENCHMAN WHO POISONED. AMERICAN PRISONERS IN NEW +YORK, AND WAS REWARDED FOR SO DOING BY GENERAL, HOWE + +"When the British Army took possession of New York they found a +Frenchman in Goal, under Condemnation for Burglery and Robbery. He was +liberated. He was a very loos, ignorant man. Had been a Servant. This +fellow was set over our Prisoners in the Hospital, as a Surgeon, though +he knew not the least principle of the Art. Dr. McHenry, a Physician +of note in the American Army, and then a Prisoner, finding the extreme +ignorance of this man, and that he was really murdering our people, +remonstrated to the British Director of the Hospital, and refused +visiting our sick Prisoners if this man was not dismissed. A British +Officer, convinced that he had killed several of our People, lodged +a complaint against him, when he was ordered to be tryed by a Court +Martial, but the morning before the Court were to set, this Officer was +ordered off to St Johns, and the Criminal was discharged for want of +Evidence. During this man having the Charge of our Prisoners in the +Hospital, two of our Men deserted from the Hospital and came into our +Army when they were ordered to me for Examination. They Joined in this +story. That they were sick in the Hospital under the care of the above +Frenchman. That he came and examined them, and gave to each of them a +dose of Physick to be taken immediately. A Young Woman, their Nurse, +made them some private signs not to take the Physick immediately. After +the Doctor was gone, she told them she suspected the Powder was poison. +That she had several times heard this Frenchman say that he would have +ten Rebels dead in such a Room and five dead in such a Room the next +morning, and it always so happened. They asked her what they should do: +She told them their only chance was to get off, sick as they were, +that she would help them out and they must shift for themselves. They +accordingly got off safe, and brought the Physick with them. This was +given to a Surgeon's Mate, who afterwards reported that he gave it to a +Dog, and that he died in a very short time. I afterwards saw an account +in a London Paper of this same Frenchman being taken up in England for +some Crime and condemned to dye. At his Execution he acknowledged the +fact of his having murdered a great number of Rebels in the Hospitals at +New York by poyson. That on his reporting to General Howe the number +of the Prisoners dead, he raised his pay. He further confessed that he +poisoned the wells used by the American Flying Camp, which caused such +an uncommon Mortality among them in the year 1776." + +Jabez Fitch seems to have been mistaken in thinking that General +Robertson instead of Lord Howe was commanding in New York at this time. + +We will now give the account written by a Tory gentleman, who lived in +New York during a part of the Revolution, of Loring, the Commissary of +Prisons, appointed by General Howe in 1776. Judge Thomas Jones was a +noted loyalist of the day. Finding it inconvenient to remain in this +country after the war, he removed to England, where he died in 1792, +having first completed his "History of New York during the Revolution." +He gives a much larger number of prisoners in that city in the year +1776 than do any of the other authorities. We will, however, give his +statements just as they were written. + +"Upon the close of the campaign in 1776 there were not less than 10,000 +prisoners (Sailors included) within the British lines in New York. A +Commissary of Prisoners was therefore appointed, and one Joshua Loring, +a Bostonian, was commissioned to the office with a guinea a day, and +rations of all kinds for himself and family. In this appointment there +was reciprocity. Loring had a handsome wife. The General, Sir William +Howe, was fond of her. Joshua made no objections. He fingered the cash: +the General enjoyed Madam. Everybody supposing the next campaign (should +the rebels ever risk another) would put a final period to the rebellion. +Loring was determined to make the most of his commission and by +appropriating to his own use nearly two thirds of the rations allowed +the prisoners, he actually starved to death about three hundred of the +poor wretches before an exchange took place, and which was not until +February, 1777, and hundreds that were alive at the time were so +emaciated and enfeebled for the want of provisions, that numbers died on +the road on their way home, and many lived but a few days after reaching +their habitations. The war continuing, the Commissaryship of Prisoners +grew so lucrative that in 1778 the Admiral thought proper to appoint one +for naval prisoners. Upon the French War a Commissary was appointed for +France. When Spain joined France another was appointed for Spain. When +Great Britain made war upon Holland a Commissary was appointed for +Dutch prisoners. Each had his guinea a day, and rations for himself and +family. Besides, the prisoners were half starved, as the Commissaries +filched their provisions, and disposed of them for their own use. It +is a known fact, also, that whenever an exchange was to take place the +preference was given to those who had, or could procure, the most money +to present to the Commissaries who conducted the exchange, by which +means large sums of money were unjustly extorted and demanded from the +prisoners at every exchange, to the scandal and disgrace of Britons. +We had five Commissaries of Prisoners, when one could have done all the +business. Each Commissary had a Deputy, a Clerk, a Messenger in full +pay, with rations of every kind." + +As Judge Jones was an ardent Tory we would scarcely imagine that he +would exaggerate in describing the corruptions of the commissaries. +He greatly deplored the cruelties with which he taxed General Howe and +other officials, and declared that these enormities prevented all hopes +of reconciliation with Great Britain. + +We will next quote from the "Life of Ethan Allen," written by himself, +as he describes the condition of the prisoners in the churches in New +York, more graphically than any of his contemporaries. + + +ETHAN ALLEN'S ACCOUNT OF THE AMERICAN PRISONERS + +"Our number, about thirty-four, were all locked up in one common large +room, without regard to rank, education, or any other accomplishment, +where we continued from the setting to the rising sun, and as sundry of +them were infected with the gaol and other distempers, the furniture +of this spacious room consisted principally of excrement tubs. We +petitioned for a removal of the sick into hospitals, but were denied. +We remonstrated against the ungenerous usage of being confined with +the privates, as being contrary to the laws and customs of nations, and +particularly ungrateful in them, in consequence of the gentleman-like +usage which the British imprisoned officers met with in America; and +thus we wearied ourselves petitioning and remonstrating, but o no +purpose at all; for General Massey, who commanded at Halifax, was as +inflexible as the d---l himself. * * * Among the prisoners were five +who had a legal claim to a parole, James Lovel, Esq; Captain Francis +Proctor; a Mr. Rowland, Master of a Continental armed vessel; a Mr. +Taylor, his mate, and myself. * * * The prisoners were ordered to go +on board of a man-of-war, which was bound for New York, but two of them +were not able to go on board and were left in Halifax: one died and +the other recovered. This was about the 12th of October, 1776. * * * We +arrived before New York and cast an anchor the latter part of October, +where we remained several days, and where Captain Smith informed me that +he had recommended me to Admiral Howe, and General Sir Wm. Howe, as a +gentleman of honor and veracity, and desired that I might be treated +as such. Captain Burk was then ordered on board a prison ship in the +harbor. I took my leave of Captain Smith, and with the other prisoners +was sent on board a transport ship. * * * Some of the last days of +November the prisoners were landed at New York, and I was admitted to +parole with the other officers, viz: Proctor, Rowland, and Taylor. +The privates were put into the filthy churches in New York, with the +distressed prisoners that were taken at Fort Washington, and the second +night Sergeant Roger Moore, who was bold and enterprising, found means +to make his escape, with every of the remaining prisoners that were +taken with me, except three who were soon after exchanged: so that out +of thirty-one prisoners who went with me the round exhibited in these +sheets, two only died with the enemy, and three only were exchanged, one +of whom died after he came within our lines. All the rest at different +times made their escape from the enemy. + +"I now found myself on parole, and restricted to the limits of the +city of New York, where I soon projected means to live in some measure +agreeable to my rank, though I was destitute of cash. My constitution +was almost worn out by such a long and barbarous captivity. * * * In +consequence of a regular diet and exercise my blood recruited, and +my nerves in a great measure recovered their former tone * * * in the +course of six months. + +"* * * Those who had the misfortune to fall into the enemy's hands at +Fort Washington * * * were reserved from immediate death to famish +and die with hunger: in fine the word rebel' was thought by the enemy +sufficient to sanctify whatever cruelties they were pleased to inflict, +death itself not excepted. * * * + +"The prisoners who were brought to New York were crowded into churches, +and environed with slavish Hessian guards, a people of a strange +language * * * and at other times by merciless Britons, whose mode of +communicating ideas being unintelligible in this country served only +to tantalize and insult the helpless and perishing; but above all the +hellish delight and triumph of the tories over them, as they were dying +by hundreds. This was too much for me to bear as a spectator; for I saw +the tories exulting over the dead bodies of their countrymen. I have +gone into the churches and seen sundry of the prisoners in the agonies +of death, in consequence of very hunger; and others speechless and +near death, biting pieces of chips; others pleading, for God's sake for +something to eat, and at the same time shivering with the cold. Hollow +groans saluted my ears, and despair seemed to be imprinted on every of +their countenances. The filth in these churches, in consequence of the +fluxes, was almost beyond description. I have carefully sought to direct +my steps so as to avoid it, but could not. They would beg for God's sake +for one copper or morsel of bread. I have seen in one of the churches +seven dead, at the same time, lying among the excrements of their +bodies. + +"It was a common practice with the enemy to convey the dead from these +filthy places in carts, to be slightly buried, and I have seen whole +gangs of tories making derision, and exulting over the dead, saying +'There goes another load of d----d rebels!' I have observed the British +soldiers to be full of their blackguard jokes and vaunting on those +occasions, but they seemed to me to be less malignant than the Tories. + +"The provision dealt out to the prisoners was by no means sufficient for +the support of life. It was deficient in Quantity, and much more so in +Quality. The prisoners often presented me with a sample of their bread, +which I certify was damaged to such a degree that it was loathsome and +unfit to be eaten, and I am bold to aver it as my opinion, that it had +been condemned and was of the very worst sort. I have seen and been +fed upon damaged bread, in the course of my captivity, and observed the +quality of such bread as has been condemned by the enemy, among which +was very little so effectually spoiled as what was dealt out to these +prisoners. Their allowance of meat, as they told me, was quite trifling +and of the basest sort. I never saw any of it, but was informed, bad as +it was, it was swallowed almost as quick as they got hold of it. I saw +some of them sucking bones after they were speechless; others who could +yet speak and had the use of their reason, urged me in the strongest +and most pathetic manner, to use my interest in their behalf: 'For you +plainly see,' said they,'that we are devoted to death and destruction,' +and after I had examined more particularly into their truly deplorable +condition and had become more fully apprized of the essential facts, I +was persuaded that it was a premeditated and systematized plan of the +British council to destroy the youths of our land, with a view thereby +to deter the country and make it submit to their despotism: but as I +could not do them any material service, and by any public attempt for +that purpose I might endanger myself by frequenting places the most +nauseous and contagious that could be conceived of, I refrained going +into the churches, but frequently conversed with such of the prisoners +as were admitted to come out into the yard, and found that the +systematical usage still continued. The guard would often drive me away +with their fixed bayonets. A Hessian one day followed me five or six +rods, but by making use of my legs, I got rid of the lubber. + +"Sometimes I could obtain a little conversation notwithstanding their +severities. + +"I was in one of the yards and it was rumoured among those in the +church, and sundry of the prisoners came with their usual complaints to +me, and among the rest a large-boned, tall young man, as he told me from +Pennsylvania, who was reduced to a mere skeleton. He said he was glad +to see me before he died, which he had expected to have done last night, +but was a little revived. He further informed me that he and his brother +had been urged to enlist into the British army, but had both resolved to +die first; that his brother had died last night, in consequence of that +resolve, and that he expected shortly to follow him; but I made the +other prisoners stand a little off and told him with a low voice to +enlist; he then asked whether it was right in the sight of God? I +assured him that it was, and that duty to himself obliged him to deceive +the British by enlisting and deserting the first opportunity; upon which +he answered with transport that he would enlist. I charged him not to +mention my name as his adviser, lest it should get air and I should be +closely confined, in consequence of it. + +"The integrity of these suffering prisoners is incredible. Many hundreds +of them, I am confident, submitted to death rather than enlist in the +British service, which, I am informed, they most generally were +pressed to do. I was astonished at the resolution of the two brothers, +particularly; it seems that they could not be stimulated to such +exertions of heroism from ambition, as they were but obscure soldiers. +Strong indeed must the internal principle of virtue be which supported +them to brave death, and one of them went through the operation, as did +many hundreds others * * * These things will have their proper effect +upon the generous and brave. + +"The officers on parole were most of them zealous, if possible, to +afford the miserable soldiers relief, and often consulted with one +another on the subject, but to no effect, being destitute of the means +of subsistence which they needed, nor could they project any measure +which they thought would alter their fate, or so much as be a mean of +getting them out of those filthy places to the privilege of fresh air. +Some projected that all the officers should go in procession to General +Howe and plead the cause of the perishing soldiers, but this proposal +was negatived for the following reasons: viz: because that General Howe +must needs be well acquainted and have a thorough knowledge of the state +and condition of the prisoners in every of their wretched apartments, +and that much more particular and exact than any officer on parole could +be supposed to have, as the General had a return of the circumstances of +the prisoners by his own officers every morning, of the number who +were alive, as also of the number who died every twenty-four hours: and +consequently the bill of mortality, as collected from the daily returns, +lay before him with all the material situations and circumstances of the +prisoners, and provided the officers should go in procession to General +Howe, according to the projection, it would give him the greatest +affront, and that he would either retort upon them, that it was no part +of their parole to instruct him in his conduct to prisoners; that +they were mutinying against his authority, and, by affronting him, had +forfeited their parole, or that, more probably, instead of saying one +word to them, would order them all into as wretched a confinement as the +soldiers whom they sought to relieve, for at that time the British, from +the General to the private centinel, were in full confidence, nor did +they so much as hesitate, but that they should conquer the country. + +"Thus the consultation of the officers was confounded and broken to +pieces, in consequence of the dread which at the time lay on their minds +of offending General Howe; for they conceived so murderous a tryant +would not be too good to destroy even the officers on the least pretence +of an affront, as they were equally in his power with the soldiers; +and as General Howe perfectly understood the condition of the private +soldiers, it was argued that it was exactly such as he and his council +had devised, and as he meant to destroy them it would be to no purpose +for them to try to dissuade him from it, as they were helpless and +liable to the same fate, on giving the least affront. Indeed anxious +apprehensions disturbed them in their then circumstances. + +"Meantime mortality raged to such an intolerable degree among the +prisoners that the very school boys in the street knew the mental design +of it in some measure; at least they knew that they were starved +to death. Some poor women contributed to their necessity till their +children were almost starved; and all persons of common understanding +knew that they were devoted to the cruellest and worst of deaths. + +"It was also proposed by some to make a written representation of the +condition of the soldiery, and the officers to sign it, and that it +should be couched in such terms, as though they were apprehensive that +the General was imposed upon by his officers, in their daily returns to +him of the state and condition of the prisoners, and that therefor the +officers moved with compassion, were constrained to communicate to him +the facts relative to them, nothing doubting but that they would meet +with a speedy redress; but this proposal was most generally negatived +also, and for much the same reason offered in the other case; for it was +conjectured that General Howe's indignation would be moved against such +officers as should attempt to whip him over his officers' backs; that he +would discern that he himself was really struck at, and not the officers +who made the daily returns; and therefor self preservation deterred +the officers from either petitioning or remonstrating to General Howe, +either verbally or in writing; as also they considered that no valuable +purpose to the distressed would be obtained. + +"I made several rough drafts on the subject, one of which I exhibited +to the Colonels Magaw, Miles, and Atlee; and they said that they would +consider the matter. Soon after I called on them, and some of the +gentlemen informed me that they had written to the General on the +subject, and I concluded that the gentlemen thought it best that they +should write without me, as there was such spirited aversion subsisting +between the British and me." + +Ethan Allen goes on to say: "Our little army was retreating in New +Jersey and our young men murdered by hundreds in New York." He then +speaks of Washington's success at Trenton in the following terms: "This +success had a mighty effect on General Howe and his council, and +roused them to a sense of their own weakness. * * * Their obduracy and +death-designing malevolence in some measure abated or was suspended. +The prisoners, who were condemned to the most wretched and cruellest +of deaths, and who survived to this period, _though most of them died +before,_ were immediately ordered to be sent within General Washington's +lines, for an exchange, and in consequence of it were taken out of their +filthy and poisonous places of confinement, and sent out of New York to +their friends in haste. Several of them fell dead in the streets of New +York, as they attempted to walk to the vessels in the harbor, for their +intended embarkation. What number lived to reach the lines I cannot +ascertain, but, from concurrent representations which I have since +received from numbers of people who lived in and adjacent to such parts +of the country, where they were received from the enemy, _I apprehend +that most of them died in consequence of the vile usage of the enemy._ +Some who were eye witnesses of the scene of mortality, more especially +in that part which continued after the exchange took place, are of +opinion that it was partly in consequence of a slow poison; but this +I refer to the doctors who attended them, who are certainly the best +judges. + +"Upon the best calculation I have been able to make from personal +knowledge, and the many evidences I have collected in support of the +facts, I learn that, of the prisoners taken on Long Island and Fort +Washington and some few others, at different times and places, about +two thousand perished with hunger, cold, and sickness, occasioned by the +filth of their prisons, at New York; and a number more on their passage +to the continental lines; most of the residue who reached their +friends having received their death wound, could not be restored by +the assistance of their physicians and friends: but like their brother +prisoners, fell a sacrifice to the relentless and scientific barbarity +of the British. I took as much pains as the circumstances would admit of +to inform myself not only of matters of fact, but likewise of the very +design and aims of General Howe and his council, the latter of which I +predicated on the former, and submit it to the candid public." + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE ACCOUNT OF ALEXANDER GRAYDON + + +One of the most interesting and best memoirs of revolutionary times is +that written by Alexander Graydon, and as he was taken prisoner at Fort +Washington, and closely connected with the events in New York during the +winter of 1776-7, we will quote here his account of his captivity. + +He describes the building of Fort Washington in July of 1776 by the men +of Magaw's and Hand's regiments. General Putnam was the engineer. It was +poorly built for defence, and not adapted for a siege. + +Graydon was a captain in Colonel Shee's Regiment, but, for some reason +or other, Shee went home just before the battle was fought, and his +troops were commanded by Cadwallader in his stead. Graydon puts the +number of privates taken prisoner at 2706 and the officers at about 210. +Bedinger, as we have already seen, states that there were 2673 privates +and 210 officers. He was a man of painstaking accuracy, and it is +quite probable that his account is the most trustworthy. As one of the +privates was Bedinger's own young brother, a boy of fifteen, whom he +undoubtedly visited as often as possible, while Graydon only went +once to the prisons, perhaps Bedinger had the best opportunities for +computing the number of captives. + +Graydon says that Colonel Rawlings was, some time late in the morning +of the 16th of November, attacked by the Hessians, when he fought with +great gallantry and effect as they were climbing the heights, until the +arms of the riflemen became useless from the foulness they contracted +from the frequent repetition of their fire. + +Graydon, himself, becoming separated from his own men, mistook a party +of Highlanders for them, and was obliged to surrender to them. He +was put under charge of a Scotch sergeant, who said to him and his +companion, Forrest: "Young men, ye should never fight against your +King!" + +Just then a British officer rode up at full gallop exclaiming, "What! +taking prisoners! Kill them, Kill every man of them!" + +"My back was towards him when he spoke," says Graydon, "and although +by this time there was none of that appearance of ferocity in the guard +which would induce much fear that they would execute his command, I yet +thought it well enough to parry it, and turning to him, I took off my +hat, saying, 'Sir, I put myself under your protection!' + +"No man was ever more effectually rebuked. His manner was instantly +softened; he met my salutation with an inclination of his body, and +after a civil question or two, as if to make amends for his sanguinary +mandate, rode off towards the fort, to which he had enquired the way. + +"Though I had delivered up my arms I had not adverted to a cartouche +box which I wore about my waist, and which, having once belonged to +his British Majesty, presented in front the gilded letters, G. R. +Exasperated at this trophy on the body of a rebel, one of the soldiers +seized the belt with great violence, and in the act to unbuckle it, had +nearly jerked me off my legs. To appease the offended loyalty of the +honest Scot I submissively took it off and handed it to him, being +conscious that I had no longer any right to it. At this moment a Hessian +came up. He was not a private, neither did he look like a regular +officer. He was some retainer, however, to the German troops, and as +much of a brute as any one I have ever seen in human form. The wretch +came near enough to elbow us, and, half unsheathing his sword, with a +countenance that bespoke a most vehement desire to use it against us, he +grunted out in broken English, 'Eh! you rebel! you damn rebel!' + +"I had by this time entire confidence in our Scotchmen, and therefore +regarded the caitiff with the same indifference that I should have +viewed a caged wild beast, though with much greater abhorrence. * * * + +"We were marched to an old stable, where we found about forty or fifty +prisoners already collected, principally officers, of whom I only +particularly recollect Lieutenant Brodhead of our battalion. We remained +on the outside of the building; and, for nearly an hour, sustained a +series of the most intolerable abuse. This was chiefly from the officers +of the light infantry, for the most part young and insolent puppies, +whose worthlessness was apparently their recommendation to a service, +which placed them in the post of danger, and in the way of becoming +food for powder, their most appropriate destination next to that of the +gallows. The term 'rebel,' with the epithet 'damned' before it, was +the mildest we received. We were twenty times told, sometimes with +a taunting affectation of concern, that we should every man of us be +hanged. * * * The indignity of being ordered about by such contemptible +whipsters, for a moment unmanned me, and I was obliged to apply my +handkerchief to my eyes. This was the first time in my life that I had +been the victim of brutal, cowardly oppression, and I was unequal to the +shock; but my elasticity of mind was soon restored, and I viewed it with +the indignant contempt it deserved. + +"For the greater convenience of guarding us we were now removed to the +barn of Colonel Morris's house, which had been the head-quarters of our +army. * * * It was a good, new building. * * * There were from a hundred +and fifty to two hundred, comprising a motley group, to be sure. Men and +officers of all descriptions, regulars and militia, troops continental +and state, and some in hunting shirts, the mortal aversion of a red +coat. Some of the officers had been plundered of their hats, and some +of their coats, and upon the new society into which we were introduced, +with whom a showy exterior was all in all, we were certainly not +calculated to make a very favorable impression. I found Captain Tudor +here, of our regiment, who, if I mistake not, had lost his hat. * * * It +was announced, by an huzza, that the fort had surrendered. + +"The officer who commanded the guard in whose custody we now were, was +an ill-looking, low-bred fellow of this dashing corps of light infantry. +* * * As I stood as near as possible to the door for the sake of air, +the enclosure in which we were being extremely crowded and unpleasant, +I was particularly exposed to his brutality; and repelling with some +severity one of his attacks, for I was becoming desperate and careless +of safety, the ruffian exclaimed, 'Not a word, sir, or damme, I'll give +you my butt!' at the same time clubbing his fusee, and drawing it back +as if to give the blow, I fully expected it, but he contented himself +with the threat. I observed to him that I was in his power, and disposed +to submit to it, though not proof against every provocation. * * * There +were several British officers present, when a Serjeant-Major came to +take an account of us, and particularly a list of such of us as were +officers. This Serjeant, though not uncivil, had all that animated, +degage impudence of air, which belongs to a self complacent, +non-commissioned officer of the most arrogant army in the world; and +with his pen in his hand and his paper on his knee applied to each of +us in his turn for his rank. * * * The sentinels were withdrawn to the +distance of about ten or twelve feet, and we were told that such of us +as were officers might walk before the door. This was a great relief to +us." + +The officers were lodged in the barn loft quite comfortably. A young +Lieutenant Beckwith had them in charge, and was a humane gentleman. In +the evening he told them he would send them, if possible, a bottle of +wine, but at any rate, a bottle of spirits. He kept his word as to the +spirits, which was all the supper the party in the loft had. "In the +morning a soldier brought me Mr. B.'s compliments, and an invitation +to come down and breakfast with him. * * * I thankfully accepted his +invitation, and took with me Forrest and Tudor. * * * He gave us a dish +of excellent coffee, with plenty of very good toast, which was the only +morsel we had eaten for the last twenty-four hours. * * * Our fellow +sufferers got nothing until next morning. * * * + +"All the glory that was going (in the battle of Fort Washington) had, in +my idea of what had passed, been engrossed by the regiment of Rawlings, +which had been actively engaged, killed a number of the enemy, and lost +many themselves. + +"About two o'clock Mr. B. sent me a plate amply supplied with corned +beef, cabbage, and the leg and wing of a turkey, with bread in +proportion." + +Though Mr. Graydon calls this gentleman Mr. Becket, it seems that there +was no young officer of that name at the battle of Fort Washington. +Becket appears to be a mistake for Lieutenant Onslow Beckwith. The +prisoners were now marched within six miles of New York and Graydon's +party of officers were well quartered in a house. "Here," he continues, +"for the first time we drew provisions for the famished soldiers. * * +* Previously to entering the city we were drawn up for about an hour on +the high ground near the East River. Here, the officers being separated +from the men, we were conducted into a church, where we signed a +parole." + +At this place a non-commissioned British officer, who had seen him at +the ordinary kept by his widowed mother in Philadelphia, when he was a +boy, insisted on giving him a dollar. + +"Quarters were assigned for us in the upper part of the town, in what +was called 'The holy ground.' * * * I ventured to take board at four +dollars per week with a Mrs. Carroll. * * * Colonel Magaw, Major West, +and others, boarded with me." + +He was fortunate in obtaining his trunk and mattress. Speaking of the +prisons in which the privates were confined he says: "I once and +once only ventured to penetrate into these abodes of human misery and +despair. But to what purpose repeat my visit, when I had neither relief +to administer nor comfort to bestow? * * * I endeavoured to comfort them +with the hope of exchange, but humanity forbade me to counsel them to +rush on sure destruction. * * * Our own condition was a paradise to +theirs. * * * Thousands of my unhappy countrymen were consigned to slow, +consuming tortures, equally fatal and potent to destruction." + +The American officers on parole in New York prepared a memorial to Sir +William Howe on the condition of these wretched sufferers, and it was +signed by Colonels Magaw, Miles, and Atlee. This is, no doubt, the paper +of which Colonel Ethan Allen writes. Captain Graydon was commissioned to +deliver this document to Sir William Howe. He says: "The representation +which had been submitted to General Howe in behalf of the suffering +prisoners was more successful than had been expected. * * * The +propositions had been considered by Sir William Howe, and he was +disposed to accede to them. These were that the men should be sent +within our lines, where they should be receipted for, and an equal +number of the prisoners in our hands returned in exchange. * * * Our +men, no longer soldiers (their terms for which they had enlisted having +expired) and too debilitated for service, gave a claim to sound men, +immediately fit to take the field, and there was moreover great danger +that if they remained in New York the disease with which they were +infected might be spread throughout the city. At any rate hope was +admitted into the mansions of despair, the prison doors were thrown +open, and the soldiers who were yet alive and capable of being moved +were conveyed to our nearest posts, under the care of our regimental +surgeons, to them a fortunate circumstance, since it enabled them to +exchange the land of bondage for that of liberty. * * * Immediately +after the release of our men a new location was assigned to us. On the +22nd of January, 1777, we were removed to Long Island." + + + +CHAPTER IX + +A FOUL PAGE OF ENGLISH HISTORY + + +We will not follow Mr. Graydon now to Long Island. It was then late in +January, 1777. The survivors of the American prisoners were, many +of them, exchanged for healthy British soldiers. The crime had been +committed, one of the blackest which stains the annals of English +history. By the most accurate computation at least two thousand helpless +American prisoners had been slowly starved, frozen, or poisoned to death +in the churches and other prisons in New York. + +No excuse for this monstrous crime can be found, even by those who are +anxiously in search of an adequate one. + +We have endeavored to give some faint idea of the horrors of that +hopeless captivity. As we have already said scarcely any one who endured +imprisonment for any length of time in the churches lived to tell the +tale. One of these churches was standing not many years ago, and the +marks of bayonet thrusts might plainly be seen upon its pillars. What +terrible deeds were enacted there we can only conjecture. We _know_ that +two thousand, healthy, high-spirited young men, many of them sons of +gentlemen, and all patriotic, brave, and long enduring, even unto death, +were foully murdered in these places of torment, compared to which +ordinary captivity is described by one who endured it as paradise. We +know, we say, that these young men perished awfully, rather than enlist +in the British army; that posterity has almost forgotten them, and +that their dreadful sufferings ought to be remembered wherever American +history is read. + +We have already said that it is impossible now to obtain the names of +all who suffered death at the hands of their inhuman jailors during the +fall and winter of 1776-7. But we have taken Captain Abraham Shepherd's +company of riflemen as a sample of the prisoners, and are able, thanks +to the pay roll now in our care, to indicate the fate of each man upon +the list. + +It is a mistake to say that no prisoners deserted to the British. After +the account we have quoted from Ethan Allen's book we feel sure that +no one can find the heart to blame the poor starving creatures who +endeavored to preserve their remains of life in this manner. + +Henry Bedinger gives the names of seven men of this company who +deserted. They are Thomas Knox, a corporal; William Anderson, Richard +Neal, George Taylor, Moses McComesky, Anthony Blackhead and Anthony +Larkin. Thomas Knox did not join the British forces until the 17th of +January, 1777; William Anderson on the 20th of January, 1777. Richard +Neal left the American army on the tenth of August, 1776. He, therefore, +was not with the regiment at Fort Washington. George Taylor deserted +on the 9th of July, 1776, which was nine days after he enlisted. Moses +McComesky did not desert until the 14th of June, 1777. Anthony Blackhead +deserted November 15th, 1776, the day before the battle was fought; +Anthony Larkin, September 15th, 1776. We cannot tell what became of any +of these men. Those who died of the prisoners are no less than fifty-two +in this one company of seventy-nine privates and non-commissioned +officers. This may and probably does include a few who lived to be +exchanged. The date of death of each man is given, but not the place in +which he died. + +A very singular fact about this record is that no less than _seventeen_ +of the prisoners of this company died on the same day, which was the +fifteenth of February, 1777. Why this was so we cannot tell. We can +only leave the cause of their death to the imagination of our readers. +Whether they were poisoned by wholesale; whether they were murdered in +attempting to escape; whether the night being extraordinarily severe, +they froze to death; whether they were butchered by British bayonets, we +are totally unable to tell. The record gives their names and the date of +death and says that all seventeen were prisoners. That is all. + +The names of these men are Jacob Wine, William Waller, Peter Snyder, +Conrad Rush, David Harmon, William Moredock, William Wilson, James +Wilson, Thomas Beatty, Samuel Davis, John Cassody, Peter Good, John +Nixon, Christopher Peninger, Benjamin McKnight, John McSwaine, James +Griffith, and Patrick Murphy. + +Two or three others are mentioned as dying the day after. Is it possible +that these men were on board one of the prison ships which was set on +fire? If so we have been able to discover no account of such a disaster +on that date. + +Many of the papers of Major Henry Bedinger were destroyed. It is +possible that he may have left some clue to the fate of these men, but +if so it is probably not now in existence. But among the letters and +memoranda written by him which have been submitted to us for inspection, +is a list, written on a scrap of paper, of the men that he recruited for +Captain Shepherd's Company in the summer of 1776. This paper gives the +names of the men and the date on which each one died in prison. It is as +follows: + + +LIST OF MEN RAISED BY LIEUTENANT HENRY BEDINGER, AND THAT HE BROUGHT +FROM NEW TOWN, BERKELEY COUNTY, VA., AUGUST FIRST, 1776 + +Dennis Bush, Fourth Sergeant. (He was taken prisoner at Fort Washington, +but lived to be exchanged, and was paid up to October 1st, 1778, at the +end of the term for which the company enlisted.) + +Conrad Cabbage, Prisoner, Died, Jan. 7th, 1777. John Cummins, Prisoner, +Died, Jan. 27th, 1777. Gabriel Stevens, Prisoner, Died, March 1st, +1777. William Donally, Prisoner, Died, Jan. 10th, 1777. David Gilmer, +Prisoner, Died, Jan. 26th, 1777. John Cassady, Prisoner, Died, Feb. +15th, 1777. Samuel Brown, Prisoner, Died, Feb. 26th, 1777. Peter Good, +Prisoner, Died, Feb. 13th, 1777. William Boyle, Prisoner, Died, Feb. +25th, 1777. John Nixon, Prisoner, Died, Feb. 18th, 1777. Anthony +Blackhead, deserted, Nov. 15th, 1776. William Case, Prisoner, Died, +March 15th, 1777. Caspar Myres, Prisoner, Died, Feb. 16th, 1777. William +Seaman, Prisoner, Died, July 8th, 1777. Isaac Price, Prisoner, Died, +Feb. 5th, 1777. Samuel Davis, Prisoner, Died, Feb. 15th, 1777. + +William Seaman was the son of Jonah Seaman, living near Darkesville. +Isaac Price was an orphan, living with James' Campbell's father. Samuel +Davis came from near Charlestown. + +Henry Bedinger. + +This is all, but it is eloquent with what it does not say. All but two +of this list of seventeen young, vigorous riflemen died in prison or +from the effects of confinement. One, alone had sufficient vitality to +endure until the 8th of July, 1777. Perhaps he was more to be pitied +than his comrades. + +We now begin to understand how it happened that, out of more than 2,600 +privates taken prisoner at Fort Washington, 1,900 were dead in the space +of two months and four days, when the exchange of some of the survivors +took place. Surely this is a lasting disgrace to one of the greatest +nations of the world. If, as seems undoubtedly true, more men perished +in prison than on the battle fields of the Revolution, it is difficult +to see why so little is made of this fact in the many histories of that +struggle that have been written. We find that the accounts of British +prisons are usually dismissed in a few words, sometimes in an appendix, +or a casual note. But history was ever written thus. Great victories are +elaborately described; and all the pomp and circumstance of war is set +down for our pleasure and instruction. But it is due to the grand solemn +muse of history, who carries the torch of truth, that the other side, +the horrors of war, should be as faithfully delineated. Wars will not +cease until the lessons of their cruelty, their barbarity, and the dark +trail of suffering they leave behind them are deeply impressed upon +the mind. It is our painful task to go over the picture, putting in the +shadows as we see them, however gloomy may be the effect. + + + +CHAPTER X + +A BOY IN PRISON + + +In the winter of 1761 a boy was born in a German settlement near +Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the third son of Henry Bedinger and his wife, +whose maiden name was Magdalene von Schlegel. These Germans, whom we +have already mentioned, moved, in 1762, to the neighborhood of the +little hamlet, then called Mecklenburg, Berkeley County, Virginia. +Afterwards the name of the town was changed to Shepherdstown, in honor +of its chief proprietor, Thomas Shepherd. + +Daniel was a boy of fourteen when the first company of riflemen was +raised at Shepherdstown by the gallant young officer, Captain Hugh +Stephenson, in 1775. + +The rendezvous of this company was the spring on his mother's farm, then +called Bedinger's Spring, where the clear water gushes out of a great +rock at the foot of an ancient oak. The son of Daniel Bedinger, Hon. +Henry Bedinger, Minister to the Court of Denmark in 1853, left a short +account of his father's early history, which we will quote in this +place. He says: "When the war of the Revolution commenced my father's +eldest brother Henry was about twenty-two years of age. His next +brother, Michael, about nineteen, and he himself only in his fifteenth +year. Upon the first news of hostilities his two brothers joined a +volunteer company under the command of Captain Hugh Stephenson, and set +off immediately to join the army at Cambridge. + +"My father himself was extremely anxious to accompany them, but they and +his mother, who was a widow, forbade his doing so, telling him he was +entirely too young, and that he must stay at home and take care of his +younger brothers and sisters. And he was thus very reluctantly compelled +to remain at home. At the expiration of about twelve months his brothers +returned home, and when the time for their second departure had arrived, +the wonderful tales they had narrated of their life in camp had wrought +so upon my father's youthful and ardent imagination that he besought +them and his mother with tears in his eyes, to suffer him to accompany +them. But they, regarding his youth, would not give their consent, but +took their departure without him. + +"However, the second night after their arrival in camp (which was at +Bergen, New Jersey), they were astonished by the arrival of my father, +he having run off from home and followed them all the way on foot, and +now appeared before them, haggard and weary and half starved by the +lengths of his march. * * * My father was taken prisoner at the battle +of Fort Washington, and the privations and cruel treatment which he then +underwent gave a blow to his constitution from which he never recovered. +After the close of the Revolution he returned home with a constitution +much shattered. * * *" + +Many years after the Revolution Dr. Draper, who died in Madison, +Wisconsin, and left his valuable manuscripts to the Historical Society +of that State, interviewed an old veteran of the war, in Kentucky. This +venerable relic of the Revolution was Major George Michael Bedinger, a +brother of Daniel. Dr. Draper took down from his lips a short account +of the battle of Fort Washington, where his two brothers were captured. +Major G. M. Bedinger was not in service at that time, but must have +received the account from one or both of his brothers. Dr. Draper +says: "In the action of Fort Washington Henry Bedinger heard a Hessian +captain, having been repulsed, speak to his riflemen in his own +language, telling them to follow his example and reserve their fire +until they were close. Bedinger, recognizing his mother tongue, watched +the approach of the Hessian officer, and each levelled his unerring +rifle at the other. Both fired, Bedinger was wounded in the finger: the +ball passing, cut off a lock of his hair. The Hessian was shot through +the head, and instantly expired. Captain Bedinger's young brother +Daniel, in his company, then but a little past fifteen, shot +twenty-seven rounds, and was often heard to say, after discharging his +piece, 'There! take that, you----!' + +"His youthful intrepidity, and gallant conduct, so particularly +attracted the attention of the officers, that, though taken prisoner, he +was promoted to an ensigncy, his commission dating back six months that +he might take precedence of the other ensigns of his company. + +"These two brothers remained prisoners, the youngest but a few months, +and the elder nearly four years, both on prison ships, with the most +cruel treatment, in filthy holds, impure atmosphere, and stinted +allowance of food. With such treatment it was no wonder that but eight +hundred out of the 2800 prisoners taken at Fort Washington survived. + +"During the captivity of his brother Henry, Major Bedinger would +by labor, loans at different times, and the property sold which he +inherited from his father, procure money to convey to the British +Commissary of Prisoners to pay his brother Henry's board. Then he was +released from the filthy prison ship, limited on his parole of honor to +certain limits at Flatbush, and decently provisioned and better treated, +and it is pleasant to add that the British officers having charge of +these matters were faithful in the proper application of funds thus +placed in their hands. Major Bedinger made many trips on this labor of +fraternal affection. This, with his attention to his mother and family, +kept him from regularly serving in the army. But he, never the less, +would make short tours of service." + +So far we have quoted Dr. Draper's recollections of an interview with +George Michael Bedinger in his extreme old age. We have already given +Henry Bedinger's own acount of his captivity. What we know of Daniel's +far severer treatment we will give in our own words. + +It was four days before the privates taken at Fort Washington had one +morsel to eat. They were then given a little mouldy biscuit and raw +pork. They were marched to New York, and Daniel was lodged with many +others, perhaps with the whole company, in the Old Sugar House on +Liberty Street. Here he very nearly died of exposure and starvation. +There was no glass in the windows and scarce one of the prisoners was +properly clothed. When it snowed they were drifted over as they slept. + +One day Daniel discovered in some vats a deposit of sugar which he was +glad to scrape to sustain life. A gentleman, confined with him in the +Old Sugar House, used to tell his descendants that the most terrible +fight he ever engaged in was a struggle with a comrade in prison for the +carcass of a decayed rat. + +It is possible that Henry Bedinger, an officer on parole in New York, +may have found some means of communicating with his young brother, and +even of supplying him, sometimes, with food. Daniel, however, was soon +put on board a prison ship, probably the Whitby, in New York harbor. + +Before the first exchange was effected the poor boy had yielded to +despair, and had turned his face to the wall, to die. How bitterly he +must have regretted the home he had been so ready to leave a few months +before! And now the iron had eaten into his soul, and he longed for +death, as the only means of release from his terrible sufferings. + +Daniel's father was born in Alsace, and he himself had been brought up +in a family where German was the familiar language of the household. +It seems that, in some way, probably by using his mother tongue, he had +touched the heart of one of the Hessian guards. When the officers +in charge went among the prisoners, selecting those who were to be +exchanged, they twice passed the poor boy as too far gone to be moved. +But he, with a sudden revival of hope and the desire to live, begged and +entreated the Hessian so pitifully not to leave him behind, that that +young man, who is said to have been an officer, declared that he would +be responsible for him, had him lifted and laid down in the bottom of +a boat, as he was too feeble to sit or stand. In this condition he +accompanied the other prisoners to a church in New York where the +exchange was effected. One or more of the American surgeons accompanied +the prisoners. In some way Daniel was conveyed to Philadelphia, where he +completely collapsed, and was taken to one of the military hospitals. + +Here, about the first of January, 1777, his devoted brother, George +Michael Bedinger, found him. Major Bedinger's son, Dr. B. F. Bedinger, +wrote an account of the meeting of these two brothers for Mrs. H. B. +Lee, one of Daniel's daughters, which tells the rest of the story. He +said: + +"My father went to the hospital in search of his brother, but did not +recognize him. On inquiry if there were any (that had been) prisoners +there a feeble voice responded, from a little pile of straw and rags in +a corner, 'Yes, Michael, there is one.' + +"Overcome by his feelings my father knelt by the side of the poor +emaciated boy, and took him in his arms. He then bore him to a house +where he could procure some comforts in the way of food and clothing. +After this he got an armchair, two pillows, and some leather straps. + +"He placed his suffering and beloved charge in the chair, supported him +by the pillows, swung him by the leather straps to his back, and carried +him some miles into the country, where he found a friendly asylum for +him in the house of some good Quakers. There he nursed him, and by the +aid of the kind owners, who were farmers, gave him nourishing food, +until he partially recovered strength. + +"But your father was very impatient to get home, and wished to proceed +before he was well able to walk, and did so leave, while my father +walked by his side, with his arm around him to support him. Thus they +travelled from the neighborhood of Philadelphia, to Shepherdstown +(Virginia) of course by short stages, when my father restored him safe +to his mother and family. + +"Your father related some of the incidents of that trip to me when I +last saw him at Bedford (his home) in the spring of 1817, not more +than one year before his death. Our uncle, Henry Bedinger, was also a +prisoner for a long time, and although he suffered greatly his suffering +was not to be compared to your father's. + +"After your father recovered his health he again entered the service +and continued in it to the end of the war. He was made Lieutenant, and +I have heard my father speak of many battles he was in, but I have +forgotten the names and places." [Footnote: Letter of Dr B. F. Bedinger +to Mrs H. B. Lee, written in 1871.] + +After Daniel Bedinger returned home he had a relapse, and lay, for a +long time, at the point of death. He, however, recovered, and re-entered +the service, where the first duty assigned him was that of acting as one +of the guards over the prisoners near Winchester. He afterwards fought +with Morgan in the southern campaigns, was in the battle of the Cowpens, +and several other engagements, serving until the army was disbanded. +He was a Knight of the Order of the Cincinnati. His grandson, the Rev. +Henry Bedinger, has the original parchment signed by General Washington, +in his possession. This grandson is now the chaplain of the Virginia +branch of the Society. + +In 1791 Daniel Bedinger married Miss Sarah Rutherford, a daughter of +Hon. Robert Rutherford, of Flowing Springs, in what is now Jefferson +County, West Virginia, but was then part of Berkeley County, Virginia. + +Lieutenant Bedinger lived in Norfolk for many years. He was first +engaged in the Custom House in that city. In 1802 he accepted the +position of navy agent of the Gosport Navy Yard. He died in 1818 at his +home near Shepherdstown, of a malady which troubled him ever after +his confinement as a prisoner in New York. He hated the British with +a bitter hatred, which is not to be wondered at. He was an ardent +supporter of Thomas Jefferson, and wrote much for the periodicals of +the time. Withal he was a scholarly gentleman, and a warm and generous +friend. He built a beautiful residence on the site of his mother's old +home near Sheperdstown; where, when he died in 1818, he left a large +family of children, and a wide circle of friends and admirers. + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE NEWSPAPERS OF THE REVOLUTION + + +What we have been able to glean from the periodicals of the day about +the state of the prisons in New York during the years 1776 and 1777 we +will condense into one short chapter. + +We will also give an abstract taken from a note book written by General +Jeremiah Johnson, who as a boy, lived near Wallabout Bay during the +Revolution and who thus describes one of the first prison ships used by +the British at New York. He says: "The subject of the naval prisoners, +and of the British prisons-ships, stationed at the Wallabout during the +Revolution, is one which cannot be passed by in silence. From printed +journals, published in New York at the close of the war, it appeared +that 11,500 American prisoners had died on board the prison ships. +Although this number is very great, yet if the numbers who perished had +been less, the Commissary of Naval Prisoners, David Sproat, Esq., and +his Deputy, had it in their power, by an official Return, to give the +true number taken, exchanged, escaped, and _dead_. Such a Return has +never appeared in the United States. + +"David Sproat returned to America after the war, and resided in +Philadelphia, where he died. [Footnote: This is, we believe, a mistake. +Another account says he died at Kirkcudbright, Scotland, in 1792.] The +Commissary could not have been ignorant of the statement published here +on this interesting subject. We may, therefore, infer that about that +number, 11,500, perished in the Prison ships. + +"A large transport called the Whitby, was the first prison ship anchored +in the Wallabout. She was moored near Remsen's Mill about the 20th of +October, 1776, and was then crowded with prisoners. Many landsmen were +prisoners on board this vessel: she was said to be the most sickly of +all the prison ships. Bad provisions, bad water, and scanted rations +were dealt to the prisoners. No medical men attended the sick. Disease +reigned unrelieved, and hundreds died from pestilence, or were starved +on board this floating Prison. I saw the sand beach, between a ravine in +the hill and Mr. Remsen's dock, become filled with graves in the course +of two months: and before the first of May, 1777, the ravine alluded to +was itself occupied in the same way. + +"In the month of May, 1777, two large ships were anchored in the +Wallabout, when the prisoners were transferred from the Whitby to them. +These vessels were also very sickly from the causes before stated. +Although many prisoners were sent on board of them, and none exchanged, +death made room for all. + +"On a Sunday afternoon about the middle of October, 1777, one of these +prison ships was burnt. The prisoners, except a few, who, it was said, +were burnt in the vessel, were removed to the remaining ship. It was +reported at the time, that the prisoners had fired their prison, +which, if true, proves that they preferred death, even by fire, to +the lingering sufferings of pestilence and starvation. In the month of +February, 1778, the remaining prison ship was burnt, when the prisoners +were removed from her to the ships then wintering in the Wallabout." + +One of the first notices we have in the newspapers of the day of +American prisoners is to the following effect: "London, August 5th, +1775. As every rebel, who is taken prisoner, has incurred the pain +of death by the law martial, it is said that Government will charter +several transports, after their arrival at Boston to carry the culprits +to the East Indies for the Company's service. As it is the intention of +Government only to punish the ringleaders and commanders _capitally_, +and to suffer the inferior Rebels to redeem their lives by entering into +the East India Company's service. This translation will only render them +more useful subjects than in their native country." + +This notice, copied from London papers, appeared in Holt's _New York +Journal_, for October 19th, 1775. It proved to be no idle threat. How +many of our brave soldiers were sent to languish out their lives in the +British possessions in India, and on the coast of Africa, we have no +means of knowing. Few, indeed, ever saw their homes again, but we +will give, in a future chapter, the narrative of one who escaped from +captivity worse than death on the island of Sumatra. + +An account of the mobbing of William Cunningham and John Hill is given +in both the Tory and Whig papers of the day. It occurred in March, 1775. +"William Cunningham and John Hill were mobbed by 200 men in New York, +dragged through the green, Cunningham was robbed of his watch and the +clothes torn off his back, etc., for being a Tory, and having made +himself obnoxious to the Americans. He has often been heard blustering +in behalf of the ministry, and his behavior has recommended him to +the favor of several men of eminence, both in the military and civil +departments. He has often been seen, on a footing of familiarity, at +their houses, and parading the streets on a horse belonging to one of +the gentlemen, etc., etc." + +The _Virginia Gazette_ in its issue for the first of July, 1775, says: +"On June 6th, 1775, the prisoners taken at Lexington were exchanged. +The wounded privates were soon sent on board the Levity. * * * At about +three a signal was made by the Levity that they were ready to deliver up +our prisoners, upon which General Putnam and Major Moncrief went to +the ferry, where they received nine prisoners. The regular officers +expressed themselves as highly pleased, those who had been prisoners +politely acknowledged the genteel kindness they had received from +their captors; the privates, who were all wounded men, expressed in the +strongest terms their grateful sense of the tenderness which had been +shown them in their miserable situation; some of them could do it only +by their tears. It would have been to the honor of the British arms +if the prisoners taken from us could with justice have made the same +acknowledgement. It cannot be supposed that any officers of rank or +common humanity were knowing to the repeated cruel insults that were +offered them; but it may not be amiss to hint to the upstarts concerned, +two truths of which they appear to be wholly ignorant, viz: That +compassion is as essential a part of the character of a truly brave man +as daring, and that insult offered to the person completely in the power +of the insulters smells as strong of cowardice as it does of cruelty." +[Footnote: The first American prisoners were taken on the 17th of June, +1775. These were thrown indiscriminately into the jail at Boston without +any consideration of their rank. General Washington wrote to General +Gage on this subject, to which the latter replied by asserting that +the prisoners had been treated with care and kindness, though +indiscriminately, as he acknowledged no rank that was not derived from +the King. General Carleton during his command conducted towards the +American prisoners with a degree of humanity that reflected the +greatest honor on his character." From Ramsay's "History of the American +Revolution"] + +At the battle of the Great Bridge "the Virginia militia showed the +greatest humanity and tenderness to the wounded prisoners. Several +of them ran through a hot fire to lift up and bring in some that were +bleeding, and whom they feared would die if not speedily assisted by the +surgeon. The prisoners had been told by Lord Dunmore that the Americans +would scalp them, and they cried out, 'For God's sake do not murder us!' +One of them who was unable to walk calling out in this manner to one of +our men, was answered by him: 'Put your arm about my neck and I'll show +you what I intend to do.' Then taking him, with his arm over his +neck, he walked slowly along, bearing him with great tenderness to the +breastwork." _Pennsylvania Evening Post_, January 6th, 1776. + +The Great Bridge was built over the southern branch of the Elizabeth +River, twelve miles above Norfolk. Colonel William Woodford commanded +the Virginia militia on this occasion. + +"The scene closed with as much humanity as it had been conducted +with bravery. The work of death being over, every one's attention was +directed to the succor of the unhappy sufferers, and it is an undoubted +fact that Captain Leslie was so affected with the tenderness of our +troops towards those who were yet capable of assistance that he gave +signs from the fort of his thankfulness for it." _Pennsylvania Evening +Post_, Jan. 6th, 1776. + +The first mention we can find of a British prison ship is in the _New +York Packet_ for the 11th of April, 1776: "Captain Hammond * * * Ordered +Captain Forrester, his prisoner, who was on board the Roebuck, up to the +prison ship at Norfolk in a pilot boat." + +_The Constitutional Gazette_ for the 19th of April, 1776, has this +announcement, and though it does not bear directly on the subject of +prisoners, it describes a set of men who were most active in taking +them, and were considered by the Americans as more cruel and vindictive +than even the British themselves. + +"Government have sent over to Germany to engage 1,000 men called Jagers, +people brought up to the use of the rifle barrel guns in boar-hunting. +They are amazingly expert. Every petty prince who hath forests keeps a +number of them, and they are allowed to take apprentices, by which means +they are a numerous body of people. These men are intended to act in the +next campaign in America, and our ministry plume themselves much in the +thought of their being a complete match for the American riflemen." + +From Gaine's _Mercury_, a notorious Tory paper published in New York +during the British occupancy, we take the following: "November 25th, +1776. There are now 5,000 prisoners in town, many of them half naked. +Congress deserts the poor wretches,--have sent them neither provisions +nor clothing, nor paid attention to their distress nor that of their +families. Their situation must have been doubly deplorable, but for +the humanity of the King's officers. Every possible attention has been +given, considering their great numbers and necessary confinement, to +alleviate their distress arising from guilt, sickness, and poverty." + +This needs no comment. It is too unspeakably false to be worth +contradicting. + +"New London, Conn., November 8th, 1776. Yesterday arrived E. Thomas, who +was captured September 1st, carried to New York, and put on board the +Chatham. He escaped Wednesday sennight." + +"New London, Nov. 20th, 1776. American officers, prisoners on parole, +are walking about the streets of New York, but soldiers are closely +confined, have but half allowance, are sickly, and die fast." + +"New London, Nov. 29th, 1776. A cartel arrived here for exchange of +seamen only. Prisoners had miserable confinement on board of store ships +and transports, where they suffered for want of the common necessaries +of life." + +"Exact from a letter written on board the Whitby Prison Ship. New York, +Dec. 9th, 1776. Our present situation is most wretched; more than 250 +prisoners, some sick and without the least assistance from physician, +drug, or medicine, and fed on two-thirds allowance of salt provisions, +and crowded promiscuously together without regard, to color, person or +office, in the small room of a ship's between decks, allowed to walk the +main deck only between sunrise and sunset. Only two at a time allowed to +come on deck to do what nature requires, and sometimes denied even that, +and use tubs and buckets between decks, to the great offence of every +delicate, cleanly person, and prejudice of all our healths. Lord Howe +has liberated all in the merchant service, but refuses to exchange those +taken in arms but for like prisoners." (This is an extract from the +Trumbull Papers.) + +From a Connecticut paper: "This may inform those who have friends in New +York, prisoners of war, that Major Wells, a prisoner, has come thence to +Connecticut on parole, to collect money for the much distressed officers +and soldiers there, and desires the money may be left at Landlord Betts, +Norwalk; Captain Benjamin's, Stratford; Landlord Beers, New Haven; +Hezekiah Wylly's, Hartford; and at said Well's, Colchester, with proper +accounts from whom received, and to whom to be delivered. N. B. The +letters must not be sealed, or contain anything of a political nature." +Conn. Papers, Dec. 6th, 1776. + +"Conn. _Gazette_, Feb. 8th, 1777. William Gamble deposes that the +prisoners were huddled together with negroes, had weak grog; no swab +to clean the ship; bad oil; raw pork; seamen refused them water; called +them d----d rebels; the dead not buried, etc." + +"Lieut. Wm. Sterrett, taken August 27, 1776, deposes that his clothing +was stolen, that he was abused by the soldiers; stinted in food; etc., +those who had slight wounds were allowed to perish from neglect. The +recruiting officers seduced the prisoners to enlist, etc." + +"March 7th, 1777. Forty-six prisoners from the Glasgow, transport ship, +were landed in New Haven, where one of them, Captain Craigie, died and +was buried." (Their names are published in the Connecticut _Courant_.) + +Connecticut _Gazette_ of April 30th, 1777, says: "The Connecticut +Assembly sent to New York a sufficient supply of tow shirts and trousers +for her prisoners, also L35 to Col. Ethan Allen, by his brother Levi." + +"Lt. Thos. Fanning, now on parole from Long Island at Norwich, a +prisoner to General Howe, will be at Hartford on his return to New +York about September 8th, whence he proposes to keep the public road to +King's Bridge. Letters and money left at the most noted public houses +in the different towns, will be conveyed safe to the prisoners. +Extraordinaries excepted." Connecticut _Gazette_, Aug. 15th, 1777. + +"Jan. 8th, '77. A flag of truce vessel arrived at Milford after +a tedious passage of eleven days, from New York, having above 200 +prisoners, whose rueful countenances too well discovered the ill +treatment they received in New York. Twenty died on the passage, and +twenty since they landed." New Haven, Conn. + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE TRUMBULL PAPERS AND OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION + + +We will now quote from the Trumbull Papers and other productions, what +is revealed to the public of the state of the prisoners in New York +in 1776 and 1777. Some of our information we have obtained from a book +published in 1866 called "Documents and Letters Intended to Illustrate +the Revolutionary Incidents of Long Island, by Henry Onderdonk, Jr." He +gives an affecting account of the wounding of General Woodhull, after +his surrender, and when he had given up his sword. The British +ruffians who held him insisted that he should cry, "God save the King!" +whereupon, taking off his hat, he replied, reverently, "God save all +of us!" At this the cruel men ran him through, giving him wounds that +proved mortal, though had they been properly dressed his life might have +been spared. He was mounted behind a trooper and carried to Hinchman's +Tavern, Jamaica, where permission was refused to Dr. Ogden to dress +his wounds. This was on the 28th of August, 1776. Next day he was taken +westward and put on board an old vessel off New Utrecht. This had been a +cattle ship. He was next removed to the house of Wilhelmus Van Brunt at +New Utrecht. His arm mortified from neglect and it was decided to take +it off. He sent express to his wife that he had no hope of recovery, and +begged her to gather up what provisions she could, for he had a large +farm, and hasten to his bedside. She accordingly loaded a wagon with +bread, ham, crackers, butter, etc., and barely reached her husband +in time to see him alive. With his dying breath he requested her to +distribute the provisions she had brought to the suffering and starving +American prisoners. + +Elias Baylis, who was old and blind, was chairman of the Jamaica +Committee of Safety. He was captured and first imprisoned in the church +at New Utrecht. Afterwards he was sent to the provost prison in New +York. He had a very sweet voice, and was an earnest Christian. In +the prison he used to console himself and his companions in misery by +singing hymns and psalms. Through the intervention of his friends, his +release was obtained after two months confinement, but the rigor of +prison life had been too much for his feeble frame. He died, in the arms +of his daughter, as he was in a boat crossing the ferry to his home. + +While in the Presbyterian church in New Utrecht used as a prison by the +British, he had for companions, Daniel Duryee, William Furman, William +Creed, and two others, all put into one pew. Baylis asked them to get +the Bible out of the pulpit and read it to him. They feared to do this, +but consented to lead the blind man to the pulpit steps. As he returned +with the Bible in his hands a British guard met him, beat him violently +and took away the book. They were three weeks in the church at New +Utrecht. When a sufficient number of Whig prisoners were collected there +they would be marched under guard to a prison ship. One old Whig +named Smith, while being conducted to his destination, appealed to an +onlooker, a Tory of his acquaintance, to intercede for him. The cold +reply of his neighbor was, "Ah, John, you've been a great rebel!" Smith +turned to another of his acquaintances named McEvers, and said to him, +"McEvers, its hard for an old man like me to have to go to a prison! +Can't you do something for me?" + +"What have you been doing, John?" + +"Why, I've had opinions of my own!" + +"Well, I'll see what I can do for you." + +McEvers then went to see the officers in charge and made such +representations to them that Smith was immediately released. + +Adrian Onderdonk was taken to Flushing and shut up in the old Friends' +Meeting House there, which is one of the oldest places of worship in +America. Next day he was taken to New York. He, with other prisoners, +was paraded through the streets to the provost, with a gang of loose +women marching before them, to add insult to suffering. + +Onderdonk says: "After awhile the rigor of the prison rules was somewhat +abated." He was allowed to write home, which he did in Dutch, for +provisions, such as smoked beef, butter, etc. * * * His friends procured +a woman to do his washing, prepare food and bring it to him. * * * +One day as he was walking through the rooms followed by his constant +attendant, a negro with coils of rope around his neck, this man asked +Onderdonk what he was imprisoned for. + +"'I've been a Committee man,'" said he. + +"'Well,' with an oath and a great deal of abuse, 'You shall be hung +tomorrow.'" + +This mulatto was named Richmond, and was the common hangman. He used +to parade the provost with coils of ropes, requesting the prisoners to +choose their own halters. He it was who hung the gallant Nathan Hale, +and was Cunningham's accessory in all his brutal midnight murders. In +Gaine's paper for August 4th, 1781, appears the following advertisement: +"One Guinea Reward, ran away a black man named Richmond, being the +common hangman, formerly the property of the rebel Colonel Patterson of +Pa. + +"Wm. Cunningham." + +After nearly four weeks imprisonment the friends of Adrian Onderdonk +procured his release. He was brought home in a wagon in the night, so +pale, thin, and feeble from bodily suffering that his family scarcely +recognized him. His constitution was shattered and he never recovered +his former strength. + +Onderdonk says that women often brought food for the prisoners in little +baskets, which, after examination, were handed in. Now and then the +guard might intercept what was sent, or Cunningham, if the humor took +him, as he passed through the hall, might kick over vessels of soup, +placed there by the charitable for the poor and friendless prisoners. + + +EXTRACT FROM A BETTER FROM DR. SILAS HOLMES + +"The wounded prisoners taken at the battle of Brooklyn were put in the +churches of Flatbush and New Utrecht, but being neglected and unattended +were wallowing in their own filth, and breathed an infected and impure +air. Ten days after the battle Dr. Richard Bailey was appointed to +superintend the sick. He was humane, and dressed the wounded daily; got +a sack bed, sheet, and blanket for each prisoner; and distributed the +prisoners into the adjacent barns. When Mrs. Woodhull offered to pay Dr. +Bailey for his care and attention to her husband, he said he had done no +more than his duty, and if there was anything due it was to me." + +Woodhull's wounds were neglected nine days before Dr. Bailey was allowed +to attend them. + +How long the churches were used as prisons cannot be ascertained, but +we have no account of prisoners confined in any of them after the year +1777. In the North Dutch Church in New York there were, at one time, +eight hundred prisoners huddled together. It was in this church that +bayonet marks were discernible on its pillars, many years after the war. + +The provost and old City Hall were used as prisons until Evacuation Day, +when O'Keefe threw his ponderous bunch of keys on the floor and retired. +The prisoners are said to have asked him where they were to go. + +"To hell, for what I care," he replied. + +"In the Middle Dutch Church," says Mr. John Pintard, who was a nephew +of Commissary Pintard, "the prisoners taken on Long Island and at Fort +Washington, sick, wounded, and well, were all indiscriminately huddled +together, by hundreds and thousands, large numbers of whom died by +disease, and many undoubtedly poisoned by inhuman attendants for the +sake of their watches, or silver buckles." + +"What was called the Brick Church was at first used as a prison, but +soon it and the Presbyterian Church in Wall Street, the Scotch Church +in Cedar Street, and the Friends' Meeting House were converted into +hospitals." + +Oliver Woodruff, who died at the age of ninety, was taken prisoner at +Fort Washington, and left the following record: "We were marched to New +York and went into different prisons. Eight hundred and sixteen went +into the New Bridewell (between the City Hall and Broadway); some into +the Sugar House; others into the Dutch Church. On Thursday morning they +brought us a little provision, which was the first morsel we got to eat +or drink after eating our breakfast on Saturday morning. * * * I was +there (in New Bridewell) three months. In the dungeons of the old City +Hall which stood on the site of what was afterwards the Custom House at +first civil offenders were confined, but afterwards whale-boatmen and +robbers." + +Robert Troup, a young lieutenant in Colonel Lasher's battalion, +testified that he and Lieut. Edward Dunscomb, Adjutant Hoogland, and +two volunteers were made prisoners by a detachment of British troops at +three o'clock a m. on the 27th of August, 1776. They were carried before +the generals and interrogated, with threats of hanging. Thence they were +led to a house near Flatbush. At 9 a. m. they were led, in the rear +of the army, to Bedford. Eighteen officers captured that morning were +confined in a small soldier's tent for two nights and nearly three days. +It was raining nearly all the time. Sixty privates, also, had but one +tent, while at Bedford the provost marshal, Cunningham, brought with him +a negro with a halter, telling them the negro had already hung several, +and he imagined he would hang some more. The negro and Cunningham also +heaped abuse upon the prisoners, showing them the halter, and calling +them rebels, scoundrels, robbers, murderers, etc. + +From Bedford they were led to Flatbush, and confined a week in a house +belonging to a Mr. Leffert, on short allowance of biscuit and salt pork. +Several Hessians took pity on them and gave them apples, and once some +fresh beef. + +From Flatbush after a week, he, with seventy or eighty other officers, +were put on board a snow, lying between Gravesend and the Hook, without +bedding or blankets; afflicted with vermin; soap and fresh water for +washing purposes being denied them. They drank and cooked with filthy +water brought from England. The captain charged a very large commission +for purchasing necessaries for them with the money they procured from +their friends. + +After six weeks spent on the snow they were taken on the 17th of October +to New York and confined in a house near Bridewell. At first they were +not allowed any fuel, and afterwards only a little coal for three days +in the week. Provisions were dealt out very negligently, were scanty, +and of bad quality. Many were ill and most of them would have died had +their wants not been supplied by poor people and loose women of the +town, who took pity on them. + +"Shortly after the capture of Fort Washington these officers were +paroled and allowed the freedom of the town. Nearly half the prisoners +taken on Long Island died. The privates were treated with great +inhumanity, without fuel, or the common necessaries of life, and were +obliged to obey the calls of nature in places of their confinement." +It is said that the British did not hang any of the prisoners taken in +August on Long Island, but "played the fool by making them ride with a +rope around their necks, seated on coffins, to the gallows. Major Otho +Williams was so treated." + +"Adolph Myer, late of Colonel Lasher's battalion, says he was taken by +the British at Montresor's Island. They threatened twice to hang him, +and had a rope fixed to a tree. He was led to General Howe's quarters +near Turtle Bay, who ordered him to be bound hand and foot. He was +confined four days on bread and water, in the 'condemned hole' of the +New Jail, without straw or bedding. He was next put into the +College, and then into the New Dutch Church, whence he escaped on the +twenty-fourth of January, 1777. He was treated with great inhumanity, +and would have died had he not been supported by his friends. * * * Many +prisoners died from want, and others were reduced to such wretchedness +as to attract the attention of the loose women of the town, from whom +they received considerable assistance. No care was taken of the sick, +and if any died they were thrown at the door of the prison and lay there +until the next day, when they were put in a cart and drawn out to the +intrenchments beyond the Jews' burial ground, when they were interred +by their fellow prisoners, conducted thither for that purpose. The +dead were thrown into a hole promiscuously, without the usual rites of +sepulchre. Myer was frequently enticed to enlist." This is one of the +few accounts we have from a prisoner who was confined in one of the +churches in New York, and he was so fortunate as to escape before it +was too late. We wish he had given the details of his escape. In such a +gloomy picture as we are obliged to present to our readers the only high +lights are occasional acts of humanity, and such incidents as fortunate +escapes. + +It would appear, from many proofs, that the Hessian soldier was +naturally a good-natured being, and he seems to have been the most +humane of the prison guards. We will see, as we go on, instances of the +kindness of these poor exiled mercenaries, to many of whom the war +was almost as great a scene of calamity and suffering as it was to the +wretched prisoners under their care. + +"Lieutenant Catlin, taken September 15th, '76, was confined in prison +with no sustenance for forty-eight hours; for eleven days he had only +two days allowance of pork offensive to the smell, bread hard, mouldy +and wormy, made of canail and dregs of flax-seed; water brackish. 'I +have seen $1.50 given for a common pail full. Three or four pounds of +poor Irish pork were given to three men for three days. In one church +were 850 prisoners for near three months.'" + +"About the 25th of December he with 225 men were put on board the +Glasgow at New York to be carried to Connecticut for exchange. They were +aboard eleven days, and kept on coarse broken bread, and less pork than +before, and had no fire for sick or well; crowded between decks, where +twenty-eight died through ill-usage and cold." (This is taken from the +"History of Litchfield," page 39.) + + +EXTRACT FROM A LETTER DATED NEW YORK, DEC. 26, 1776 + +"The distress of the prisoners cannot be communicated in words. Twenty +or thirty die every day; they lie in heaps unburied; what numbers of my +countrymen have died by cold and hunger, perished for want of the common +necessaries of life! I have seen it! This, sir, is the boasted British +clemency! I myself had well nigh perished under it. The New England +people can have no idea of such barbarous policy. Nothing can stop such +treatment but retaliation. I ever despised private revenge, but that of +the public must be in this case, both just and necessary; it is due to +the manes of our murdered countrymen, and that alone can protect the +survivors in the like situation. Rather than experience again their +barbarity and insults, may I fall by the sword of the Hessians." + +Onderdonk, who quotes this fragment, gives us no clue to the writer. A +man named S. Young testifies that, "he was taken at Fort Washington +and, with 500 prisoners, was kept in a barn, and had no provisions +until Monday night, when the enemy threw into the stable, in a confused +manner, as if to so many hogs, a quantity of biscuits in crumbs, mostly +mouldy, and some crawling with maggots, which the prisoners were obliged +to scramble for without any division. Next day they had a little pork +which they were obliged to eat raw. Afterwards they got sometimes a bit +of pork, at other times biscuits, peas, and rice. They were confined +two weeks in a church, where they suffered greatly from cold, not being +allowed any fire. Insulted by soldiers, women, and even negroes. Great +numbers died, three, four, or more, sometimes, a day. Afterwards they +were carried on board a ship, where 500 were confined below decks." + +The date of this testimony is given as Dec. 15th, 1776: "W. D. says the +prisoners were roughly used at Harlem on their way from Fort Washington +to New York, where 800 men were stored in the New Bridewell, which was a +cold, open house, the windows not glazed. They had not one mouthful from +early Saturday morning until Monday. Rations per man for three days were +half a pound of biscuit, half a pound of pork, half a gill of rice, half +a pint of peas, and half an ounce of butter, the whole not enough for +one good meal, and they were defrauded in this petty allowance. They had +no straw to lie on, no fuel but one cart load per week for 800 men. At +nine o'clock the Hessian guards would come and put out the fire, and lay +on the poor prisoners with heavy clubs, for sitting around the fire. + +"The water was very bad, as well as the bread. Prisoners died like +rotten sheep, with cold, hunger, and dirt; and those who had good +apparel, such as buckskin breeches, or good coats, were necessitated to +sell them to purchase bread to keep them alive." Hinman, page 277. + +"Mrs. White left New York Jan. 20th, 1777. She says Bridewell, the +College, the New Jail, the Baptist Meeting House, and the tavern lately +occupied by Mr. De la Montaigne and several other houses are filled with +sick and wounded of the enemy. General Lee was under guard in a small +mean house at the foot of King Street. Wm. Slade says 800 prisoners +taken at Fort Washington were put into the North church. On the first +of December 300 were taken from the church to the prison ship. December +second he, with others, was marched to the Grosvenor transport in the +North River; five hundred were crowded on board. He had to lie down +before sunset to secure a place." Trumbull Papers. + +"Henry Franklin affirms that about two days after the taking of Fort +Washington he was in New York, and went to the North Church, in which +were about 800 prisoners taken in said Fort. He inquired into their +treatment, and they told him they fared hard on account both of +provisions and lodging, for they were not allowed any bedding, or +blankets, and the provisions had not been regularly dealt out, so that +the modest or backward could get little or none, nor had they been +allowed any fuel to dress their victuals. The prisoners in New York were +very sickly, and died in considerable numbers." + +"Feb. 11, 1777. Joshua Loring, Commissary of Prisoners, says that but +little provisions had been sent in by the rebels for their prisoners." +Gaine's Mercury. + +_Jan. 4th_. 1777. "Seventy-seven prisoners went into the Sugar House. N. +Murray says 800 men were in Bridewell. The doctor gave poison powders to +the prisoners, who soon died. Some were sent to Honduras to cut logwood; +women came to the prison-gate to sell gingerbread." Trumbull Papers. + +The _New York Gazette_ of May 6th, 1777, states that "of 3000 prisoners +taken at Fort Washington, only 800 are living." + +Mr. Onderdonk says: "There seems to have been no systematic plan adopted +by the citizens of New York for the relief of the starving prisoners. +We have scattering notices of a few charitable individuals, such as the +following:--'Mrs. Deborah Franklin was banished from New York Nov. 21st, +1780, by the British commandant, for her unbounded liberality to the +American prisoners. Mrs. Ann Mott was associated with Mrs. Todd and Mrs. +Whitten in relieving the sufferings of American prisoners in New York, +during the Revolution. John Fillis died at Halifax, 1792, aged 68. He +was kind to American prisoners in New York. Jacob Watson, Penelope Hull, +etc., are also mentioned.'" + + +BRITISH ACCOUNT OF MORTALITY OF PRISONERS + +"P. Dobbyn, master of a transport, thus writes from New York, Jan. 15th, +1777. 'We had four or five hundred prisoners on board our ships, but +they had such bad distempers that each ship buried ten or twelve a day.' +Another writer, under date of Jan. 14th, '77, says, 'The Churches are +full of American prisoners, who die so fast that 25 or 30 are buried +at a time, in New York City. General Howe gave all who could walk +their liberty, after taking their oath not to take up arms against his +Majesty.'" (From a London Journal.) + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +A JOURNAL KEPT IN THE PROVOST + + +An old man named John Fell was taken up by the British, and confined +for some months in the Provost prison. He managed to secrete writing +materials and made notes of his treatment. He was imprisoned for being +a Whig and one of the councilmen of Bergen, New Jersey. We will give his +journal entire, as it is quoted by Mr. Onderdonk. + +April 23rd, 1777. Last night I was taken prisoner from my house by 25 +armed men (he lived in Bergen) who brought me down to Colonel Buskirk's +at Bergen Point, and from him I was sent to Gen. Pigot, at N. Y., who +sent me with Captain Van Allen to the Provost Jail. + +24th. Received from Mrs. Curzon, by the hands of Mr. Amiel, $16, two +shirts, two stocks, some tea, sugar, pepper, towels, tobacco, pipes, +paper, and a bed and bedding. + +May 1st. Dr. Lewis Antle and Capt. Thomas Golden at the door, refused +admittance. + +May 2nd. 6 10 P. M. died John Thomas, of smallpox, aged 70 & inoculated. + +5th. Capt. Colden has brought from Mr. Curson $16.00. + +11. Dr. Antle came to visit me. Nero at the door. (A dog?) + +13. Cold weather. + +20. Lewis Pintard came per order of Elias Boudinot to offer me money. +Refused admittance. Capt. Colden came to visit me. + +21. Capt and Mrs Corne came to visit me, and I was called downstairs to +see them. + +23. Lewis Pintard came as Commissary to take account of officers, in +order to assist them with money. + +24. Every person refused admittance to the Provost. + +25. All prisoners paraded in the hall: supposed to look for deserters. + +27. Rev. Mr. Hart and Col. Smith brought to the Provost from Long +Island. + +29. Stormy in Provost. + +30. Not allowed to fetch good water. + +31. Bad water; proposing buying tea-water, but refused. This night ten +prisoners from opposite room ordered into ours, in all twenty. + +June 1. Continued the same today. + +2. The people ordered back to their own room. + +3. Captain Van Zandt sent to the dungeon for resenting Captain +Cunningham's insulting and abusing me. + +4. Capt. Adams brought into our room. At 9 P.M. candles ordered out. + +7. Captain Van Zandt returned from the dungeon. + +8. All prisoners paraded and called over and delivered to care of Sergt. +Keath. (O'Keefe, probably.) And told we are all alike, no distinction to +be made. + +10. Prisoners very sickly. + +11. Mr Richards from Connecticut exchanged. + +12. Exceeding strict and severe. "Out Lights!" + +13. Melancholy scene, women refused speaking to their sick husbands, and +treated cruelly by sentries. + +14. Mr. James Ferris released on parole. People in jail very sickly and +not allowed a doctor. + +17. Capt. Corne came to speak to me; not allowed. + +18. Letter from prisoners to Sergeant Keath, requesting more privileges. + +19. Received six bottles claret and sundry small articles, but the note +not allowed to come up. + +20. Memorandum sent to Gen. Pigot with list of grievances. + +21. Answered. "Grant no requests made by prisoners." + +22. Mrs. Banta refused speaking to her son. + +23. Mr Haight died. + +24. Nineteen prisoners from Brunswick. Eighteen sent to the Sugar House. + +25. Dr Bard came to visit Justice Moore, but his wife was refused, tho' +her husband was dying. + +26. Justice Moore died and was carried out. + +27. Several sick people removed below. + +30. Provost very sickly and some die. + +July 3. Received from Mrs Curson per Mrs. Marriner, two half Joes. + +6. Received of E. Boudinot, per Pintard, ten half Joes. + +7. Capt. Thomas Golden came to the grates to see me. + +9. Two men carried out to be hung for desertion, reprieved. + +11. Mr Langdon brought into our room. + +13. The Sergeant removed a number of prisoners from below. + +14. Messrs Demarests exchanged. Dr. Romaine ordered to visit the sick. + +15. A declaration of more privileges, and prisoners allowed to speak at +the windows. + +17. Peter Zabriskie had an order to speak with me, and let me know that +all was well at home + +19. Sergt. from Sugar House came to take account of officers in the +Provost. Capt. Cunningham in town. + +21. Sergt. took account of officers. Capt. Jas. Lowry died. + +22. Mr. Miller died. Capt. Lowry buried. + +Aug. 1. Very sick. Weather very hot. + +5. Barry sent to the dungeon for bringing rum for Mr Phillips without +leave of the Sergt. Everything looks stormy. + +6. Warm weather. Growing better. Mr. Pintard came to supply prisoners of +war with clothes. + +10. Two prisoners from Long Island and four Lawrences from Tappan. + +11. John Coven Cromwell from White Plains. Freeland from Polly (?) Fly +whipped about salt. + +12. Sergt. Keath took all pens and ink out of each room, and forbid the +use of any on pain of the dungeon. + +13. Abraham Miller discharged. + +14. Jacobus Blauvelt died in the morning, buried at noon. + +16. Capt. Ed. Travis brought into our room from the dungeon, where he +had long been confined and cruelly treated. + +17. Mr. Keath refused me liberty to send a card to Mr Amiel for a lb of +tobacco. + +21. Capt. Hyer discharged from the Provost. + +25. Barry brought up from the dungeon, and Capt. Travis sent down again +without any provocation. + +26. Badcock sent to dungeon for cutting wood in the evening. Locks +put on all the doors, and threatened to be locked up. Col. Ethan Allen +brought to the Provost from Long Island and confined below. + +27. Badcock discharged from below. + +30. 5 P.M. all rooms locked up close. + +31. A.M. Col Allen brought into our room. + +Sep. 1. Pleasant weather. Bad water. + +4. Horrid scenes of whipping. + +6. Lewis Pintard brought some money for the officers. P.M. Major Otho H. +Williams brought from Long Island and confined in our room. Major Wells +from same place confined below. A. M. William Lawrence of Tappan died. + +8. Campbell, Taylor, John Cromwell, and Buchanan from Philadelphia +discharged. + +10. Provisions exceedingly ordinary,--pork very rusty, biscuit bad. + +12. Capt. Travis, Capt. Chatham and others brought out of dungeon. + +14. Two prisoners from Jersey, viz: Thomas Campbell of Newark and +Joralemon. (Jos. Lemon?) + +16. Troops returned from Jersey. Several prisoners brought to Provost +viz:--Capt. Varick, Wm. Prevost Brower, etc. Seventeen prisoners from +Long Island. + +22. Nothing material. Major Wells brought from below upstairs. + +24. Received from Mr. Curson per Mr. Amiel four guineas, six bottles of +wine, and one lb tobacco. + +26. Mr. Pintard carried list of prisoners and account of grievances to +the General Capt. Chatham and others carried to dungeon. + +28. Yesterday a number of soldiers were sent below, and several +prisoners brought out of dungeon. Statement of grievances presented to +General Jones which much displeased Sergt. Keath who threatened to lock +up the rooms. + +29. Last night Sergt. K. locked up all the rooms. Rev. Mr. Jas. Sears +was admitted upstairs. + +30. Sent Mr. Pintard a list of clothing wanted for continental and state +prisoners in the Provost. Sergt. locks up all the rooms. + +Oct. 2. Candles ordered out at eight.--Not locked up. + +4. Locked up. Great numbers of ships went up North River. Received +sundries from Grove Bend. Three pair ribbed hose, three towels. + +5. Garret Miller, of Smith's Cove, signed his will in prison, in +presence of Benjamin Goldsmith, Abr. Skinner, and myself. C. G. Miller +died of small-pox--P. M. Buried. + +7. Wm. Prevost discharged from Provost. + +8. Capt. Chatham and Lewis Thatcher brought out of dungeon. + +10. Mr. Pintard sent up blankets, shoes, and stockings for the +prisoners. + +12. Lt. Col. Livingstone and upwards of twenty officers from Fort +Montgomery and Clinton, all below. + +13. Received from Mr. Pintard a letter by flag from Peter R. Fell, A. M. +Mr. Noble came to the grates to speak to me. + +14. Sergt. Keath sent Lt. Mercer and Mr. Nath. Fitzrandolph to the +dungeon for complaining that their room had not water sufficient. + +15. Mr. Pintard brought sundry articles for the prisoners. + +17. Mr. Antonio and other prisoners brought here from up North River. + +19. Ben Goldsmith ill of smallpox, made his will and gave it to me. Died +two A. M. Oct. 20. + +21. Glorious news from the Northward. + +22. Confirmation strong as Holy Writ. Beef, loaf bread, and butter drawn +today. + +23. Weather continues very cold. Ice in the tub in the hall. A number +of vessels came down North River. Mr. Wm. Bayard at the door to take out +old Mr. Morris. + +24. Prisoners from the Sugar House sent on board ships. + +25. Rev. Mr. Hart admitted on parole in the city. Sergt. Woolley from +the Sugar House came to take names of officers, and says an exchange is +expected. + +28. Last night and today storm continues very severe. Provost in a +terrible condition. Lt. Col. Livingston admitted upstairs a few minutes. + +Nov. 1. Lt. Callender of the train ordered back on Long Island; also +several officers taken at Fort Montgomery sent on parole to Long Island. + +3. In the evening my daughter, Elizabeth Colden, came to see me, +accompained by Mayor Matthews. + +5. Elizabeth Colden came to let me know she was going out of town. +Yesterday Sergt refused her the liberty of speaking to me. Gen. +Robertson's Aid-decamp came to inquire into grievances of prisoners. + +16. Jail exceedingly disagreeable.--many miserable and shocking objects, +nearly starved with cold and hunger,--miserable prospect before me. + +18. The Town Major and Town Adjutant came with a pretence of viewing the +jail. + +19. Peter and Cor. Van Tassel, two prisoners from Tarrytown, in our +room. + +20 Mr. Pintard sent three barrels of flour to be distributed among the +prisoners. + +21. Mr. Pintard came for an account of what clothing the prisoners +wanted. + +24. Six tailors brought here from prison ship to work in making clothes +for prisoners. They say the people on board are very sickly. Three +hundred sent on board reduced to one hundred. + +25. Mr. Dean and others brought to jail from the town. + +26. Dean locked up by himself, and Mr. Forman brought upstairs attended +by Rev. Mr. Inglis, and afterwards ordered downstairs. New order--one of +the prisoners ordered to go to the Commissary's and see the provisions +dealt out for the prisoners. Vast numbers of people assembled at the +Provost in expectation of seeing an execution. + +27. John, one of the milkmen, locked upstairs with a sentry at his +door. A report by Mr. Webb that a prisoner, Herring, was come down to be +exchanged for Mr Van Zandt or me. + +30. Captain Cunningham came to the Provost. + +Dec. 1. Capt. Money came down with Mr Webb to be exchanged for Major +Wells. + +2. Col. Butler visited the Provost and promised a doctor should attend. +Received from Mr Bend cloth for a great coat, etc. Mr. Pmtard took a +list of clothing wanted for the prisoners. + +3. Several prisoners of war sent from here on board the prison shop, & +some of the sick sent to the hospital, Dr Romaine being ordered by Sir +H. Clinton to examine the sick Prisoners sickly: cause, cold. Prisoners +in upper room (have) scanty clothing and only two bushels of coal for +room of twenty men per week. + +5. Mr. Blanch ordered out; said to be to go to Morristown to get +prisoners exchanged. Cold. + +7. Mr. Webb came to acquaint Major Wells his exchange was agreed to with +Capt. Money. + +8. Major Gen. Robertson, with Mayor came to Provost to examine +prisoners. I was called and examined, and requested my parole. The +General said I had made bad use of indulgence granted me, in letting my +daughter come to see me. * * * + +9. Major Wells exchanged. + +10. Mr. Pintard sent 100 loaves for the prisoners. A. M. Walter Thurston +died. Prisoners very sickly and die very fast from the hospitals and +prison ships. + +11. Some flags from North River. + +12. Abel Wells died, a tailor from the prison ship. Mr. Pintard brought +letters for sundry people. + +14. Sunday. Guards more severe than ever notwithstanding General +Robertson's promise of more indulgence. Capt. Van Zandt brought from +Long Island. + +16. Sent message to Mr Pintard for wood. Cold and entirely out of wood. + +17. Commissary Winslow came and released Major Winslow on his parole on +Long Island. + +18. Mr Pintard sent four cords of wood for the prisoners. + +19. Capt. John Paul Schoot released on parole. Mr Pintard with clothing +for the people. + +21. A paper found at the door of the Provost, intimating that three +prisoners had a rope concealed in a bag in one of the rooms in order to +make their escape. The Sergt. examined all the rooms, and at night we +were all locked up. + +22. Received from Mr Pintard 100 loaves and a quarter of beef. + +24. Distributed clothing, etc., to the prisoners. + +28. Gen. Robertson sent a doctor to examine me in consequence of the +petition sent by Col. Allen for my releasement. The doctor reported to +Dr. Mallet. + +29. Gen. Robertson sent me word I should be liberated in town, provided +I procured a gentleman in town to be responsible for my appearance. +Accordingly I wrote to Hon. H. White, Esq. + +30. Dr Romaine, with whom I sent the letter, said Mr White had a number +of objections, but the doctor hoped to succeed in the afternoon. Mr. +Winslow came and told the same story I heard the day before. + +31. Sergt. Keath brought a message from the General to the same purpose +as yesterday. N. B. I lost the memoranda from this date to the time of +my being liberated from the Provost on Jan. 7, 1778. + +New York Feb. 11. '78. Received a letter from Joshua Loring, Esq, +Commissary of Prisoners, with leave from Gen. Robertson for my having +the bounds of the city allowed me. + +March. 23. Wrote to Major Gen. Robertson and told him this was the +eleventh month of my imprisonment. + +Fell's note to the general follows, in which he begs to be liberated to +the house of Mrs. Marriner, who kept an ordinary in the town. A card in +reply from the general states that it is impossible to comply with his +request until Mr. Fell's friends give him sufficient security that he +will not attempt to escape. A Mr. Langdon having broken his faith in +like circumstances has given rise to a rule, which it is out of the +general's power to dispense with, etc, etc. + +"Feb. 4, 1778. I delivered to Mr. Pintard the wills of Garret Miller +and Benjamin Goldsmith, to be forwarded to their respective families. +Present E. Boudinot. + +"May 20 '78, I had my parole extended by order of Gen. Daniel Jones, to +my own house in Bergen County, for thirty days. + +"July 2. I left town, and next day arrived safe home. + +"Nov. 15, 1778 I received a certificate from A. Skinner, Deputy Com. of +Prisoners of my being exchanged for Gov. Skene. Signed by Joshua Loring, +Commissary General of Prisoners, dated New York, Oct 26 1778." + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +FURTHER TESTIMONY OF CRUELTIES ENDURED BY AMERICAN PRISONERS + + +Mr. Fell's notes on his imprisonment present the best picture we +can find of the condition of the Provost Jail during the term of +his captivity. We have already seen how Mr Elias Boudinot, American +Commissary of Prisoners, came to that place of confinement, and what +he found there. This was in February, 1778. Boudinot also describes +the sufferings of the American prisoners in the early part of 1778 in +Philadelphia, and Mr. Fell speaks of Cunningham's return to New York. +He had, it appears, been occupied in starving prisoners in Philadelphia +during his absence from the Provost, to which General Howe sent him +back, after he had murdered one of his victims in Philadelphia with the +great key. + +It appears that the prisoners in the Provost sent an account of their +treatment to General Jones, by Mr. Pintard, in September, 1777, several +months before the visit of Mr. Elias Boudinot. They complained that +they were closely confined in the jail without distinction of rank +or character, amongst felons, a number of whom were under sentence +of death: that their friends were not allowed to speak to them, even +through the grates: that they were put on the scanty allowance of two +pounds hard biscuit, and two pounds of raw pork per week, without fuel +to dress it. That they were frequently supplied with water from a pump +where all kinds of filth was thrown, by which it was rendered obnoxious +and unwholesome, the effects of which were to cause much sickness. That +good water could have been as easily obtained. That they were denied the +benefit of a hospital; not permitted to send for medicine, nor to have +the services of a doctor, even when in the greatest distress. That +married men and others who lay at the point of death were refused +permission to have their wives or other relations admitted to see them. +And that these poor women, for attempting to gain admittance, were often +beaten from the prison door. That commissioned officers, and others, +persons of character and reputation, were frequently, without a cause, +thrown into a loathsome dungeon, insulted in a gross manner, and vilely +abused by a Provost Marshal, who was allowed to be one of the basest +characters in the British Army, and whose power was so unlimited, that +he had caned an officer, on a trivial occasion; and frequently beaten +the sick privates when unable to stand, "many of whom are daily +obliged to enlist in the New Corps to prevent perishing for want of the +necessaries of life. + +"Neither pen, ink, or paper allowed (to prevent their treatment being +made public) the consequence of which indeed, the prisoners themselves +dread, knowing the malignant disposition of their keeper." + +The Board of War reported on the 21 of January, 1778, that there were +900 privates and 300 officers in New York, prisoners, and that "the +privates have been crowded all summer in sugar houses, and the officers +boarded on Long Island, except about thirty, who have been confined in +the Provost-Guard, and in most loathsome jails, and that since Oct. 1st, +all those prisoners, both officers and privates, have been confined +in prisons, prison ships, or the Provost." Lists of prisoners in the +Provost; those taken by the Falcon, Dec. 1777, and those belonging to +Connecticut who were in the Quaker and Brick Meeting House hospitals in +Jan. 1778, may be found in the Trumbull Papers, VII, 62. + +It seems that General Lee, while a prisoner in New York, in 1778, drew +a prize of $500 in the New York Lottery, and immediately distributed +it among the prisoners in that city. A New London, Connecticut, +paper, dated Feb. 20, 1778, states that "it is said that the American +prisoners, since we have had a Commissary in New York, are well served +with good provisions, which are furnished at the expense of the States, +and they are in general very healthy." + +We fear this was a rose-colored view of the matter, though there is +no doubt that our commissaries did what they could to alleviate the +miseries of captivity. + +Onderdonk quotes from Gaine's _Mercury_ an advertisement for nurses in +the hospital, but it is undated. "Nurses wanted immediately to attend +the prison hospitals in this city. Good recommendations required, signed +by two respectable inhabitants. Lewis Pintard." + +From the New York _Gazette_, May 6, 1778, we take the following: +"Colonel Miles, Irvin, and fifty more exchanged." + +"Conn. _Gazette_. July 10, '78. About three weeks ago Robert Shefield, +of Stonington, made his escape from New York after confinement in a +prison ship. After he was taken he, with his crew of ten, were thrust +into the fore-peak, and put in irons. On their arrival at New York they +were carried on board a prison ship, and to the hatchways, on opening +which, tell not of Pandora's box, for that must be an alabaster box in +comparison to the opening of these hatches. True there were gratings (to +let in air) but they kept their boats upon them. The steam of the hold +was enough to scald the skin, and take away the breath, the stench +enough to poison the air all around. + +"On his descending these dreary mansions of woe, and beholding the +numerous spectacles of wretchedness and despair, his soul fainted within +him. A little epitome of hell,--about 300 men confined between decks, +half Frenchmen. He was informed there were three more of these vehicles +of contagion, which contained a like number of miserable Frenchmen also, +who were treated worse, if possible, than Americans. + +"The heat was so intense that (the hot sun shining all day on deck) they +were all naked, which also served the well to get rid of vermin, but the +sick were eaten up alive. Their sickly countenances, and ghastly looks +were truly horrible; some swearing and blaspheming; others crying, +praying, and wringing their hands; and stalking about like ghosts; +others delirious, raving and storming,--all panting for breath; some +dead, and corrupting. The air was so foul that at times a lamp could +not be kept burning, by reason of which the bodies were not missed until +they had been dead ten days. + +"One person alone was admitted on deck at a time, after sunset, which +occasioned much filth to run into the hold, and mingle with the bilge +water, which was not pumped out while he was aboard, notwithstanding the +decks were leaky, and the prisoners begged permission to let in water +and pump it out again. + +"While Mr. Sheffield was on board, which was six days, five or six died +daily, and three of his people. He was sent for on shore as evidence in +a Court of Admiralty for condemning his own vessel, and happily escaped. + +"He was informed in New York that the fresh meat sent in to our +prisoners by our Commissary was taken by the men-of-war for their own +use. This he can say: he did not see any aboard the ship he was in, but +they were well supplied with soft bread from our Commissaries on shore. +But the provision (be it what it will) is not the complaint. Fresh air +and fresh water, God's free gift, is all their cry." + +"New London, Conn. July 31. 78. Last week 500 or 600 prisoners were +released from confinement at New York and sent out chiefly by way of New +Jersey, being exchanged." + +"New London Conn. Sep. 26, 78. All American prisoners are nearly sent +out of New York, but there are 615 French prisoners still there." + +"Oct 18, 78. The Ship, Good Hope, lies in the North River." + +"New London Dec. 18, 78. A Flag with 70 men from the horrible prison +ships of New York arrived: 30 very sickly, 2 died since they arrived." + +"N. London. Dec. 25, 78. A cartel arived here from New York with 172 +American prisoners. They were landed here and in Groton, the greater +part are sickly and in most deplorable condition, owing chiefly to the +ill usage in the prison ships, where numbers had their feet and legs +frozen" + + + +CHAPTER XV + +THE OLD SUGAR HOUSE--TRINTY CHURCHYARD + + +We will now take our readers with us to the Sugar House on Liberty +Street, long called the Old Sugar House, and the only one of the three +Sugar Houses which appear to have been used as a place of confinement +for American prisoners of war after the year 1777. + +We have already mentioned this dreary abode of wretchedness, but it +deserves a more elaborate description. + +From Valentine's Manual of the Common Council of New York for 1844 we +will copy the following brief sketch of the British Prisons in New York +during the Revolution. + +"The British took possession of New York Sep. 15, '76, and the capture +of Ft. Washington, Nov. 16, threw 2700 prisoners into their power. +To these must be added 1000 taken at the battle of Brooklyn, and such +private citizens as were arrested for their political principles, in +New York City and on Long Island, and we may safely conclude that Sir +William Howe had at least 5000 prisoners to provide for. + +"The sudden influx of so many prisoners; the recent capture of the city, +and the unlooked-for conflagration of a fourth part of it, threw his +affairs into such confusion that, from these circumstances alone, the +prisoners must have suffered much, from want of food and other bodily +comforts, but there was superadded the studied cruelty of Captain +Cunningham, the Provost Marshal, and his deputies, and the criminal +negligence of Sir Wm. Howe. + +"To contain such a vast number of prisoners the ordinary places of +confinement were insufficient. Accordingly the Brick Church, the Middle +Church, the North Church, and the French Church were appropriated to +their use. Beside these, Columbia College, the Sugar House, the New +Gaol, the new Bridewell, and the old City Hall were filled to their +utmost capacity. + +"Till within a few years there stood on Liberty Street, south of the +Middle Dutch Church, a dark, stone building, with small, deep porthole +looking windows, rising tier above tier; exhibiting a dungeon-like +aspect. It was five stories high, and each story was divided into two +dreary apartments. + +"On the stones and bricks in the wall were to be seen names and dates, +as if done with a prisoner's penknife, or nail. There was a strong, +gaol-like door opening on Liberty St., and another on the southeast, +descending into a dismal cellar, also used as a prison. There was a walk +nearly broad enough for a cart to travel around it, where night and day, +two British or Hessian guards walked their weary rounds. The yard was +surrounded by a close board fence, nine feet high. 'In the suffocating +heat of summer,' says Wm. Dunlap, 'I saw every narrow aperture of these +stone walls filled with human heads, face above face, seeking a portion +of the external air.' + +"While the gaol fever was raging in the summer of 1777, the prisoners +were let out in companies of twenty, for half an hour at a time, to +breathe fresh air, and inside they were so crowded, that they divided +their numbers into squads of six each. No. 1 stood for ten minutes as +close to the windows as they could, and then No. 2 took their places, +and so on. + +"Seats there were none, and their beds were but straw, intermixed with +vermin. + +"For many days the dead-cart visited the prison every morning, into +which eight or ten corpses were flung or piled up, like sticks of wood, +and dumped into ditches in the outskirts of the city." + +Silas Talbot says: "A New York gentleman keeps a window shutter that was +used as a checkerboard in the Sugar House. The prisoners daily unhinged +it, and played on it." + +Many years ago a small pamphlet was printed in New York to prove that +some of the American prisoners who died in the Old Sugar House were +buried in Trinity church-yard. Andrew S. Norwood, who was a boy during +the Revolution, deposed that he used to carry food to John Van Dyke, in +this prison. The other prisoners would try to wrest away the food, as +they were driven mad by hunger. They were frequently fed with bread made +from old, worm-eaten ship biscuits, reground into meal and offensive +to the smell. Many of the prisoners died, and some were put into oblong +boxes, sometimes two in a box, and buried in Trinity church-yard, and +the boy, himself, witnessed some of the interments. A part of Trinity +church-yard was used as a common burying-ground,--as was also the yard +of St. George's Church, and what was called the Swamp Burying-Ground. + +This boy also deposed that his uncle Clifford was murdered during the +Revolution, it was supposed by foreign soldiers, and he was buried in +Trinity church-yard. + +Jacob Freeman, also a boy during the Revolution, deposed that his father +and several other inhabitants of Woodbridge were arrested and sent to +New York. His grandfather was sixty years old, and when he was arrested, +his son, who was concealed and could have escaped, came out of his +hiding-place and surrendered himself for the purpose of accompanying his +father to prison. The son was a Lieutenant. They were confined in the +Sugar House several months. Every day some of the prisoners died and +were buried in Old Trinity church-yard. Ensign Jacob Barnitz was wounded +in both legs at the battle of Fort Washington. He was conveyed to New +York and there thrown into the Sugar House, and suffered to lie on +the damp ground. A kind friend had him conveyed to more comfortable +quarters. Barnitz came from York, or Lancaster, Pa. + +Little John Pennell was a cabin boy, bound to Captain White of the sloop +of war, Nancy, in 1776. He testified that the prisoners of the Sugar +House, which was very damp, were buried on the hill called "The Holy +Ground." "I saw where they were buried. The graves were long and six +feet wide. Five or six were buried in one grave." It was Trinity Church +ground. + +We will now give an account of Levi Hanford, who was imprisoned in the +Sugar House in 1777. Levi Hanford was a son of Levi Hanford, and was +born in Connecticut, in the town of Norwalk, on the 19th of Feb., 1759. +In 1775 he enlisted in a militia company. In 1776 he was in service in +New York. In March 1777, being then a member of a company commanded by +Captain Seth Seymour, he was captured with twelve others under Lieut. J. +B. Eels, at the "Old Well" in South Norwalk, Conn. While a prisoner in +the Old Sugar House he sent the following letter to his father. A friend +wrote the first part for him, and he appears to have finished it in his +own handwriting. + +New York June 7. 1777 + +Loving Father:-- + +I take the opportunity to let you know I am alive, and in reasonable +health, since I had the small-pox.--thanks be to the Lord for it. * * * +I received the things you sent me. * * * I wish you would go and see if +you can't get us exchanged--if you please. Matthias Comstock is dead. +Sam. Hasted, Ebenezer Hoyt, Jonathan Kellog has gone to the hospital to +be inoculated today. We want money very much. I have been sick but hope +I am better. There is a doctor here that has helpt me. * * * I would not +go to the Hospital, for all manner of disease prevail there. * * * If +you can possibly help us send to the Governor and try to help us. * * * +Remember my kind love to all my friends. I am + +Your Obedient son, Levi Hanford. + +Poor Levi Hanford was sent to the prison ship, Good Intent, and was not +exchanged until the 8th of May, 1778. + +In the "Journal of American History," the third number of the second +volume, on page 527, are the recollections of Thomas Stone, a soldier +of the Revolution, who was born in Guilford, Conn., in 1755. In April, +1777, he enlisted under Capt. James Watson in Colonel Samuel Webb's +Regiment, Connecticut line. He spent the following campaign near the +Hudson. The 9th of December following Stone and his comrades under Gen. +Parsons, embarked on board some small vessel at Norwalk, Conn, with a +view to take a small fort on Long Island. "We left the shore," he says, +"about six o'clock, P. M. The night was very dark, the sloop which I was +aboard of parted from the other vessels, and at daybreak found +ourselves alongside a British frigate. Our sloop grounded, we struck +our colors-fatal hour! We were conducted to New York, introduced to the +Jersey Prison Ship. We were all destitute of any clothing except what we +had on; we now began to taste the vials of Monarchial tender mercy. + +"About the 25th of Jan. 1778, we were taken from the ships to the Sugar +House, which during the inclement season was more intolerable than the +Ships. + +"We left the floating Hell with joy, but alas, our joy was of short +duration. Cold and famine were now our destiny. Not a pane of glass, nor +even a board to a single window in the house, and no fire but once in +three days to cook our small allowance of provision. There was a scene +that truly tried body and soul. Old shoes were bought and eaten with as +much relish as a pig or a turkey; a beef bone of four or five ounces, +after it was picked clean, was sold by the British guard for as many +coppers. + +"In the spring our misery increased; frozen feet began to mortify; by +the first of April, death took from our numbers, and, I hope, from +their misery, from seven to ten a day; and by the first of May out of +sixty-nine taken with me only fifteen were alive, and eight out of that +number unable to work. + +"Death stared the living in the face: we were now attacked by a fever +which threatened to clear our walls of its miserable inhabitants. + +"About the 20th of July I made my escape from the prison-yard. Just +before the lamps were lighted. I got safely out of the city, passed all +the guards, was often fired at, but still safe as to any injury done me; +arrived at Harlem River eastward of King's Bridge. + +"Hope and fear were now in full exercise. The alarm was struck by the +sentinels keeping firing at me. I arrived at the banks of Harlem,--five +men met me with their bayonets at my heart; to resist was instant death, +and to give up, little better. + +"I was conducted to the main guard, kept there until morning then +started for New York with waiters with bayonets at my back, arrived at +my old habitation about 1 o'clock, P. M.; was introduced to the Prison +keeper who threatened me with instant death, gave me two heavy blows +with his cane; I caught his arm and the guard interfered. Was driven to +the provost, thrust into a dungeon, a stone floor, not a blanket, not +a board, not a straw to rest on. Next day was visited by a Refugee +Lieutenant, offered to enlist me, offered a bounty, I declined. Next +day renewed the visit, made further offers, told me the General was +determined I should starve to death where I was unless I would enter +their service. I told him his General dare not do it. (I shall here omit +the imprecations I gave him in charge.) + +"The third day I was visited by two British officers, offered me a +sergeant's post, threatened me with death as before, in case I refused. +I replied, 'Death if they dare!' + +"In about ten minutes the door was opened, a guard took me to my old +habitation the Sugar House, it being about the same time of day I left +my cell that I entered it, being three days and nights without a morsel +of food or a drop of water,--all this for the crime of getting out of +prison. When in the dungeon reflecting upon my situation I thought if +ever mortal could be justified in praying for the destruction of his +enemies, I am the man. + +"After my escape the guard was augmented, and about this time a new +prison keeper was appointed, our situation became more tolerable. + +"The 16th of July was exchanged. Language would fail me to describe the +joy of that hour; but it was transitory. On the morning of the 16th, +some friends, or what is still more odious, some Refugees, cast into +the Prison yard a quantity of warm bread, and it was devoured with +greediness. The prison gate was opened, we marched out about the number +of 250. Those belonging to the North and Eastern States were conducted +to the North River and driven on board the flag ship, and landed at +Elizabethtown, New Jersey. Those who ate of the bread soon sickened; +there was death in the bread they had eaten. Some began to complain +in about half an hour after eating the bread, one was taken sick after +another in quick succession and the cry was, 'Poison, poison!' I was +taken sick about an hour after eating. When we landed, some could walk, +and some could not. I walked to town about two miles, being led most +of the way by two men. About one half of our number did not eat of the +bread, as a report had been brought into the prison _that the prisoners +taken at Fort Washington had been poisoned in the same way_. + +"The sick were conveyed in wagons to White Plains, where I expected +to meet my regiment, but they had been on the march to Rhode Island +I believe, about a week. I was now in a real dilemma; I had not the +vestige of a shirt to my body, was moneyless and friendless. What to +do I knew not. Unable to walk, a gentleman, I think his name was Allen, +offered to carry me to New Haven, which he did. The next day I was +conveyed to Guilford, the place of my birth, but no near relative to +help me. Here I learned that my father had died in the service the +Spring before. I was taken in by a hospitable uncle, but in moderate +circumstances. Dr. Readfield attended me for about four months I was +salivated twice, but it had no good effect. They sent me 30 miles to +Dr Little of East Haddam, who under kind Providence restored me to such +state of health that I joined my Regiment in the Spring following. + +"In the year 1780, I think in the month of June, General Green met the +enemy at Springfield, New Jersey, and in the engagement I had my left +elbow dislocated in the afternoon. The British fired the village and +retreated. We pursued until dark. The next morning my arm was so swollen +that it _could_ not, or at least was not put right, and it has been ever +since a weak, feeble joint, which has disabled me from most kinds of +manual labor." + +To this account the grandson of Thomas Stone, the Rev. Hiram Stone, adds +some notes, in one of which he says, speaking of the Sugar House: "I +have repeatedly heard my grandfather relate that there were no windows +left in the building, and that during the winter season the snow would +be driven entirely across the great rooms in the different stories, +and in the morning lie in drifts upon our poor, hungry, unprotected +prisoners. Of a morning several frozen corpses would be dragged out, +thrown into wagons like logs, then driven away and pitched into a large +hole or trench, and covered up like dead brutes." + +Speaking of the custom of sending the exchanged prisoners as far as +possible from their own homes, he says: "I well remember hearing my +grandfather explain this strange conduct of the enemy in the following +way. Alter the poison was thus perfidiously administered, the prisoners +belonging at the North were sent across to the Jersey side, while those +of the South were sent in an opposite direction, the intention of the +enemy evidently being to send the exchanged prisoners as far from home +as possible, that most of them might die of the effect of the poison +before reaching their friends. Grandfather used to speak of the +treatment of our prisoners as most cruel and murderous, though charging +it more to the Tories or Refugees than to the British. + +"The effects of the poison taken into his system were never eradicated +in the life-time of my grandfather, a 'breaking out,' or rash, appearing +every spring, greatly to his annoyance and discomfort." + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE CASE OF JOHN BLATCHFORD + + +In our attempt to describe the sufferings of American prisoners taken +during the Revolution, we have, for the most part, confined ourselves +to New York, only because we have been unable to make extensive research +into the records of the British prisons in other places. But what little +we have been able to gather on the subject of the prisoners sent out of +America we will also lay before our readers. + +We have already stated the fact that some of our prisoners were sent to +India and some to Africa. They seem to have been sold into slavery, and +purchased by the East India Company, and the African Company as well. + +It is doubtful if any of the poor prisoners sent to the unwholesome +climate of Africa ever returned to tell the story of British cruelties +inflicted upon them there,--where hard work in the burning sun,--scanty +fare,--and jungle fever soon ended their miseries. But one American +prisoner escaped from the Island of Sumatra, where he had been employed +in the pepperfields belonging to the East India Company. His story is +eventful, and we will give the reader an abridgement of it, as it was +told by himself, in his narrative, first published in a New England +newspaper. + +John Blatchford was born at Cape Ann, Mass., in the year 1762. In June, +1777, he went as a cabin boy on board the Hancock, a continental ship +commanded by Capt. John Manly. On the 8th of July the Hancock was +captured by the Rainbow, under Sir George Collier, and her crew was +taken to Halifax. + +John Blatchford was, at this time, in his sixteenth year. He was of +medium height, with broad shoulders, full chest, and well proportioned +figure. His complexion was sallow, his eyes dark, and his hair black and +curly. He united great strength with remarkable endurance, else he could +not have survived the rough treatment he experienced at the hands of +fate. It is said that as a man he was temperate, grave, and dignified, +and although his strength was so great, and his courage most undaunted, +yet he was peaceable and slow to anger. His narrative appears to have +been dictated by himself to some better educated person. It was first +published in New London, Conn., in the year 1788. In the year 1797 +an abstract of it appeared in Philip Freneau's _Time Piece_, a paper +published in New York. In July, 1860, the entire production was +published in the _Cape Ann Gazette_. We will now continue the narrative +in Blatchford's own words: + +"On our arrival at Halifax we were taken on shore and confined in a +prison which had formerly been a sugar-house. + +"The large number of prisoners confined in this house, near 300, +together with a scanty allowance of provisions, occasioned it to be very +sickly. * * * George Barnard, who had been a midshipman on the Hancock, +and who was confined in the same room as myself, concerted a plan to +release us, which was to be effected by digging a small passage under +ground, to extend to a garden that was behind the prison, and without +the prison wall, where we might make a breach in the night with safety, +and probably all obtain our liberty. This plan greatly elated our +spirits, and we were anxious to proceed immediately in executing it. + +"Our cabins were built one above another, from the floor to the height +of a man's head; and mine was pitched upon to be taken up; and six of us +agreed to do the work, whose names were George Barnard, William Atkins, +late midshipmen in the Hancock; Lemuel Towle of Cape Ann, Isaiah +Churchill of Plymouth; Asa Cole of Weathersfield, and myself. + +"We took up the cabin and cut a hole in the plank underneath. The sugar +house stood on a foundation of stone which raised the floor four feet +above the ground, and gave us sufficient room to work, and to convey +away the dirt that we dug up. + +"The instruments that we had to work with were one scraper, one long +spike, and some sharp sticks; with these we proceeded in our difficult +undertaking. As the hole was too small to admit of more than one person +to work at a time we dug by turns during ten or twelve days, and carried +the dirt in our bosoms to another part of the cellar. By this time +we supposed we had dug far enough, and word was given out among the +prisoners to prepare themselves for flight. + +"But while we were in the midst of our gayety, congratulating +ourselves upon our prospects, we were basely betrayed by one of our own +countrymen, whose name was Knowles. He had been a midshipman on board +the Boston frigate, and was put on board the Fox when she was taken by +the Hancock and Boston. What could have induced him to commit so vile an +action cannot be conceived, as no advantage could accrue to him from +our detection, and death was the certain consequence to many of his +miserable countrymen. That it was so is all that I can say. A few +hours before we were to have attempted our escape Knowles informed +the Sergeant of the guard of our design, and by his treachery cost his +country the lives of more than one hundred valuable citizens,--fathers, +and husbands, whose return would have rejoiced the hearts of now +weeping, fatherless children, and called forth tears of joy from wives, +now helpless and disconsolate widows. + +"When we were discovered the whole guard were ordered into the room and +being informed by Knowles who it was that performed the work we were all +six confined in irons; the hole was filled up and a sentinel constantly +placed in the room, to prevent any further attempt. + +"We were all placed in close confinement, until two of my +fellow-sufferers, Barnard and Cole, died; one of which was put into the +ground with his irons on his hands. + +"I was afterwards permitted to walk the yard. But as my irons were too +small, and caused my hands to swell, and made them very sore, I asked +the Sergeant to take them off and give me larger ones. He being a person +of humanity, and compassionating my sufferings, changed my irons for +others that were larger, and more easy to my hands. + +"Knowles, who was also permitted to walk the yard, for his perfidy, +would take every opportunity to insult and mortify me, by asking me +whether I wanted to run away again, and when I was going home, etc? + +"His daily affronts, together with his conduct in betraying, his +countrymen, so exasperated me that I wished for nothing more than an +opportunity to convince him that I did not love him. + +"One day as he was tantalizing over me as usual, I suddenly drew my one +hand out of my irons, flew at him and struck him in the face, knocked +out two or three of his teeth, and bruised his mouth very much. He cried +out that the prisoner had got loose, but before any assistance came, I +had put my hand again into the hand-cuff, and was walking about the +yard as usual. When the guard came they demanded of me in what manner I +struck him. I replied with both my hands. + +"They then tried to pull my hands out, but could not, and concluded it +must be as I said. Some laughed and some were angry, but in the end I +was ordered again into prison. + +"The next day I was sent on board the Greyhound, frigate, Capt. Dickson, +bound on a cruise in Boston Bay. + +"After being out a few days we met with a severe gale of wind, in which +we sprung our main-mast, and received considerable other damage. We were +then obliged to bear away for the West Indies, and on our passage fell +in with and took a brig from Norwich, laden with stock. + +"The Captain and hands were put on board a Danish vessel the same day. +We carried the brig into Antigua, where we immediately repaired, and +were ordered in company of the Vulture, sloop of war, to convoy a sloop +of merchantmen into New York. + +"We left the fleet off Sandy Hook, and sailed for Philadelphia, where +we lay until we were made a packet, and ordered for Halifax with +dispatches. We had a quick passage, and arrived safe. + +"While we lay in the road Admiral Byron arrived, in the Princess Royal +from England, who, being short of men, and we having a surplusage for +a packet, many of our men were ordered on board the Princess Royal, and +among them most of our boat's crew. + +"Soon after, some of the officers going on shore, I was ordered into the +boat. We landed at the Governor's slip--it being then near night. This +was the first time since I had been on board the Greyhound that I +had had an opportunity to escape from her, as they were before this +particularly careful of me; therefore I was determined to get away if +possible, and to effect it I waded round a wharf and went up a byway, +fearing I should meet the officers. I soon got into the street, and made +the best of my way towards Irishtown (the southern suburbs of Halifax) +where I expected to be safe, but unfortunately while running I was met +and stopped by an emissary, who demanded of me my business, and where I +was going? I tried to deceive him, that he might let me pass, but it was +in vain, he ordered me to follow him. + +"I offered him what money I had, about seven shillings, sixpence, to let +me go, this too was in vain. I then told him I was an American, making +my escape, from a long confinement, and was determined to pass, and took +up a stone. He immediately drew his bayonet, and ordered me to go back +with him. I refused and told him to keep his distance. He then run upon +me and pushed his bayonet into my side. It come out near my navel; +but the wound was not very deep; he then made a second pass at me, and +stabbed me through my arm; he was about to stab me a third time, when +I struck him with the stone and knocked him down. I then run, but the +guard who had been alarmed, immediately took me and carried me before +the Governor, where I understood the man was dead. + +"I was threatened with every kind of death, and ordered out of the +Governor's presence. * * * Next day I was sent on board the Greyhound, +the ship I had run from, and we sailed for England. Our captain being +a humane man ordered my irons off, a few days after we sailed, and +permitted me to do duty as formerly. Being out thirteen days we spoke +the Hazard sloop of war, who informed that the French fleet was then +cruising in the English Channel. For this reason we put into Cork, and +the dispatches were forwarded to England. + +"While we lay in the Cove of Cork I jumped overboard with the intention +of getting away; unfortunately I was discovered and fired at by the +marines; the boat was immediately sent after me, took me up, and carried +me on board again. At this time almost all the officers were on shore, +and the ship was left in charge of the sailing-master, one Drummond, who +beat me most cruelly. To get out of his way I run forward, he followed +me, and as I was running back he came up with me and threw me down the +main-hold. The fall, together with the beating was so severe that I was +deprived of my senses for a considerable time. When I recovered them +I found myself in the carpenter's berth, placed upon some old canvas +between two chests, having my right thigh, leg and arm broken, and +several parts of my body severely bruised. In this situation I lay +eighteen days till our officers, who had been on business to Dublin, +came on board. The captain inquired for the prisoners, and on being +informed of my situation came down with the doctor to set my bones, but +finding them callussed they concluded not to meddle with me. + +"The ship lay at Cork until the French fleet left the Channel, and then +sailed for Spithead. On our arrival there I was sent in irons on +board the Princess Amelia, and the next day was carried on board the +Brittania, in Portsmouth Harbor, to be tried before Sir Thomas Pye, lord +high admiral of England, and President of the court martial. + +"Before the officers had collected I was put under the care of a +sentinel, and the seamen and women who came on board compassionated my +sufferings, which rather heightened than diminished my distress. + +"I was sitting under the awning, almost overpowered by the reflection +of my unhappy situation, every morning expecting to be summoned for my +trial, when I heard somebody enquire for the prisoner, and supposing it +to be an officer I rose up and answered that I was there. + +"The gentleman came to me, told me to be of good chear, and taking out a +bottle of cordial, bade me drink, which I did. He then enquired where I +belonged. I informed him. He asked me if I had parents living, and if I +had any friends in England? I answered I had neither. He then assured me +he was my friend, and would render me all the assistance in his power. +He then enquired of me every circumstance relative to my fray with the +man at Halifax, for whose death I was now to be tried and instructed me +what to say on my trial, etc." + +Whether this man was a philanthropist, or an agent for the East India +Company, we do not know. He instructed Blatchford to plead guilty, and +then defended him from the charge of murder, no doubt on the plea +of self-defence. Blatchford was therefore acquitted of murder, but +apparently sold to the East India Company as a slave. How this was +condoned we do not know, but will let the poor sailor continue his +narrative in his own words. + +"I was carried on board an Indiaman, and immediately put down into the +run, where I was confined ten days. * * * On the seventh day I heard the +boatswain pipe all hands, and about noon I was called up on board, where +I found myself on board the Princess Royal, Captain Robert Kerr, bound +to the East Indies, with six others, all large ships belonging to the +East India Company." He had been told that he was to be sent back to +America to be exchanged, and his disappointment amounted almost to +despair. + +"Our captain told me if I behaved well and did my duty I should receive +as good usage as any man on board; this gave me great encouragement. I +now found my destiny fixed, that whatever I could do would not in the +least alter my situation, and therefor was determined to do the best I +could, and make myself as contented as my unfortunate situation would +admit. + +"After being on board seven days I found there were in the Princess +Royal 82 Americans, all destined to the East Indies, for being what they +called 'Rebels.' + +"We had a passage of seventeen weeks to St Helena, where we put in and +landed part of our cargo, which consisted wholly of provisions. * * * +The ship lay here about three weeks. We then sailed for Batavia, and on +the passage touched at the Cape of Good Hope, where we found the +whole of the fleet that sailed with us from England. We took in some +provisions and necessaries, and set sail for Batavia, where we arrived +in ten weeks. Here we purchased a large quantity of arrack, and remained +a considerable time. + +"We then sailed for Bencoulen in the Island of Sumatria, and after a +passage of about six weeks arrived there. This was in June, 1780. + +"At this place the Americans were all carried on shore, and I found that +I was no longer to remain on board the ship, but condemned to serve as a +soldier for five years. I offered to bind myself to the captain for five +years, or any longer term if I might serve on board the ship. He told me +it was impossible for me to be released from acting as a soldier, unless +I could pay L50, sterling. As I was unable to do this I was obliged to +go through the manual exercise with the other prisoners; among whom was +Wm. Randall of Boston, and Josiah Folgier of Nantucket, both young men, +and one of them an old ship-mate of mine. + +"These two and myself agreed to behave as ignorant and awkward as +possible, and what motions we learned one day we were to forget the +next. We pursued this conduct nearly a fortnight, and were beaten every +day by the drill-sergeant who exercised us, and when he found we were +determined, in our obstinacy, and that it was not possible for him +to learn us anything, we were all three sent into the pepper gardens +belonging to the East India Company; and continued picking peppers +from morning till night, and allowed but two scanty meals a day. This, +together with the amazing heat of the sun, the island lying under the +equator, was too much for an American constitution, unused to a hot +climate, and we expected that we should soon end our misery and our +lives; but Providence still preserved us for greater hardships. + +"The Americans died daily with heat and hard fare, which determined my +two comrades and myself in an endeavor to make our escape. We had been +in the pepper-gardens four months when an opportunity offered, and we +resolved upon trying our fortune. Folgier, Randall and myself sat out +with an intention of reaching Croy (a small harbor where the Dutch often +touched at to water, on the opposite side of the island). Folgier had by +some means got a bayonet, which he fixed in the end of a stick. Randall +and myself had nothing but staves, which were all the weapons we carried +with us. We provided ourselves with fireworks [he means flints to strike +fire] for our journey, which we pursued unmolested till the fourth day +just at night, when we heard a rustle in the bushes and discovered nine +sepoys, who rushed out upon us. + +"Folgier being the most resolute of us run at one of them, and pushed +his bayonet through his body into a tree. Randall knocked down another; +but they overpowered us, bound us, and carried us back to the fort, +which we reached in a day and a half, though we had been four days +travelling from it, owing to the circle we made by going round the +shore, and they came across the woods being acquainted with the way. + +"Immediately on our arrival at the fort the Governor called a court +martial, to have us tried. We were soon all condemned to be shot next +morning at seven o'clock, and ordered to be sent into the dungeon and +confined in irons, where we were attended by an adjutant who brought a +priest with him to pray and converse with us, but Folgier, who hated the +sight of an Englishman, desired that we might be left alone. * * * +the clergyman reprimanded him, and told him he made very light of his +situation on the supposition that he would be reprieved; but if +he expected it he deceived himself. Folgier still persisted in the +clergyman's leaving us, if he would have us make our peace with God, +'for,' said he, 'the sight of Englishmen, from whom we have received +such treatment, is more disagreeable than the evil spirits of which you +have spoken;' that, if he could have his choice, he would choose death +in preference to life, if he must have it on the condition of such +barbarous usage as he had received from their hands; and the thoughts of +death did not seem so hideous to him as his past sufferings. + +"He visited us again about midnight, but finding his company was not +acceptable, he soon left us to our melancholy reflections. + +"Before sunrise we heard the drums beat, and soon after heard the +direful noise of the door grating on its iron hinges. We were all taken +out, our irons taken off, and we conducted by a strong guard of soldiers +to the parade, surrounded by a circle of armed men, and led into +the midst of them, where three white officers were placed by our +side;--silence was then commanded, and the adjutant taking a paper out +of his pocket read our sentence;--and now I cannot describe my feelings +upon this occasion, nor can it be felt by any one but those who have +experienced some remarkable deliverance from the grim hand of death, +when surrounded on all sides, and nothing but death expected from +every quarter, and by Divine Providence there is some way found out for +escape--so it seemed to me when the adjutant pulled out another +paper from his pocket and read: 'That the Governor and Council, in +consideration of the youth of Randall and myself, supposing us to be +led on by Folgier, who was the oldest, thought proper to pardon us from +death, and that instead we were to receive 800 lashes each.' + +"Although this last sentence seemed terrible to me, yet in comparison +with death, it seemed to be light. Poor Folgier was shot in our +presence,--previous to which we were told we might go and converse with +him. Randall went and talked with him first, and after him I went up to +take my leave, but my feelings were such at the time I had not power to +utter a single word to my departing friend, who seemed as undaunted and +seemingly as willing to die as I was to be released, and told me not +to forget the promises we had formerly made to each other, which was to +embrace the first opportunity to escape. + +"We parted, and he was immediately after shot dead. We were next taken +and tied, and the adjutant brought a small whip made of cotton, which +consisted of a number of strands and knotted at the ends; but these +knots were all cut off by the adjutant before the drummer took it, which +made it not worse than to have been whipped with cotton yarn. + +"After being whipped 800 lashes we were sent to the Company's hospital, +where we had been about three weeks when Randall told me he intended +very soon to make his escape:--This somewhat surprised me, as I had lost +all hopes of regaining my liberty, and supposed he had. I told him I +had hoped he would never mention it again; but however, if that was his +design, I would accompany him. He advised me, if I was fearful, to tarry +behind; but finding he was determined on going, I resolved to run +the risque once more; and as we were then in a hospital we were not +suspected of such a design. + +"Having provided ourselves with fire-works, and knives, about the +first of December, 1780, we sat out, with the intent to reach the Dutch +settlement of Croy, which is about two or three hundred miles distance +upon a direct line, but as we were obliged to travel along the coast +(fearing to risque the nearest way), it was a journey of 800 miles. + +"We took each a stick and hung it around our neck, and every day cut a +notch, which was the method we took to keep time. + +"In this manner we travelled, living upon fruit, turtle eggs, and +sometimes turtle, which we cooked every night with the fire we built +to secure us from wild beasts, they being in great plenty,--such as +buffaloes, tigers, jackanapes, leopards, lions, and baboons and monkies. + +"On the 30th day of our traveling we met with nothing we could eat and +found no water. At night we found some fruit which appeared to the eyes +to be very delicious, different from any we had seen in our travels. It +resembled a fruit which grows in the West Indies, called a Jack, about +the size of an orange. We being very dry and hungry immediately gathered +some of this fruit, but finding it of a sweet, sickish taste, I eat but +two. Randall eat freely. In the evening we found we were poisoned: I +was sick and puked considerably, Randall was sick and began to swell +all round his body. He grew worse all night, but continued to have his +senses till the next day, when he died, and left me to mourn my greater +wretchedness,--more than 400 miles from any settlement, no companion, +the wide ocean on one side, and a prowling wilderness on the other, +liable to many kinds of death, more terrible than being shot. + +"I laid down by Randall's body, wishing, if possible, that he might +return and tell me what course to take. My thoughts almost distracted +me, so that I was unable to do anything untill the next day, during all +which time I continued by the side of Randall. I then got up and made a +hole in the sand and buried him. + +"I now continued my journey as well as the weak state of my body would +permit,--the weather being at the time extremely hot and rainy. +I frequently lay down and would wish that I might never rise +again;--despair had almost wholly possessed me; and sometimes in a +kind of delirium I would fancy I heard my mother's voice, and my father +calling me, and I would answer them. At other times my wild imagination +would paint to my view scenes which I was acquainted with. Then +supposing myself near home I would run as fast as my legs could carry +me. Frequently I fancied that I heard dogs bark, men cutting wood, and +every noise which I have heard in my native country. + +"One day as I was travelling a small dog, as I thought it to be, came +fawning round me and followed me, but I soon discovered it to be a +young lion. I supposed that its dam must be nigh, and therefore run. It +followed me some time and then left me. I proceeded on, but had not got +far from it before it began to cry. I looked round and saw a lioness +making towards it. She yelled most frightfully, which greatly terrified +me; but she laid down something from her mouth for her young one, and +then with another yell turned and went off from me. + +"Some days after I was travelling by the edge of a woods, which from its +appearance had felt severely the effects of a tornado or hurricane, the +trees being all torn up by the roots, and I heard a crackling noise in +the bushes. Looking about I saw a monstrous large tiger making slowly +towards me, which frightened me exceedingly. When he had approached +within a few rods of me, in my surprise I lifted up my hands and +hollowed very loud. The sudden noise frightened him, seemingly as much +as I had been, and he immediately turned and run into the woods, and I +saw him no more. + +"After this I continued to travel on without molestation, only from the +monkies who were here so plentiful that oftentimes I saw them in large +droves; sometimes I run from them, as if afraid of them, they would then +follow, grin, and chatter at me, and when they got near I would turn, +and they would run from me back into the woods, and climb the trees to +get out of my way. + +"It was now 15 weeks since I had left the hospital. I had travelled most +all of the day without any water and began to be very thirsty, when I +heard the sound of running water, as it were down a fall of rocks. I +had heard it a considerable time and at last began to suspect it was +nothing, but imaginary, as many other noises I had before thought +to have heard. I however went on as fast as I could, and at length +discovered a brook. On approaching it I was not a little surprised and +rejoiced by the sight of a Female Indian, who was fishing at the +brook. She had no other dress on than that which mother nature affords +impartially to all her children, except a small cloth which she wore +round her waist. + +"I knew not how to address myself to her. I was afraid if I spoke she +would run, and therefore I made a small noise; upon which she looked +round, and seeing me, run across the brook, seemingly much frightened, +leaving her fishing line. I went up to her basket which contained five +or six fish which looked much like our trout. I took up the basket and +attempted to wade across where she had passed, but was too weak to wade +across in that place, and went further up the stream, where I passed +over, and then looking for the Indian woman I saw her at some distance +behind a large cocoa-nut tree. I walked towards her but dared not keep +my eyes steadily upon her lest she would run as she did before. I called +to her in English, and she answered in her own tongue, which I could not +understand. I then called to her in the Malaysian, which I understood +a little of; she answered me in a kind of surprise and asked me in the +name of Okrum Footee (the name of their God) from whence I came, and +where I was going. I answered her as well as I could in the Melais, that +I was from Fort Marlborough, and going to Croy--that I was making my +escape from the English, by whom I had been taken in war. She told me +that she had been taken by the Malays some years before, for that the +two nations were always at war, and that she had been kept as a slave +among them three years and was then retaken by her countrymen. While we +were talking together she appeared to be very shy, and I durst not come +nearer than a rod to her, lest she should run from me. She said that +Croy, the place I was bound to, was about three miles distant: That if I +would follow her she would conduct me to her countrymen, who were but a +small distance off. I begged her to plead with her countrymen to spare +my life. She said she would, and assured me that if I behaved well I +should not be hurt. She then conducted me to a small village, consisting +of huts or wigwams. When we arrived at the village the children that saw +me were frightened and run away from me, and the women exhibited a great +deal of fear and kept at a distance. But my guide called to them and +told them not to be afraid, for that I was not come to hurt them, and +then informed them from whence I came, and that I was going to Croy. + +"I told my guide I was very hungry, and she sent the children for +something for me to eat. They came and brought me little round balls +of rice, and they, not daring to come nigh, threw them at me. These I +picked up and eat. Afterwards a woman brought some rice and goat's milk +in a copper bason, and setting it on the ground made signs for me to +take it up and eat it, which I did, and then put the bason down again. +They then poked away the bason with a stick, battered it with stones, +and making a hole in the ground, buried it. + +"After that they conducted me to a small hut, and told me to tarry there +until the morning, when they would conduct me to the harbor. I had but +little sleep that night, and was up several time to look out, and saw +two or three Indians at a little distance from the hut, who I supposed +were placed there to watch me. + +"Early in the morning numbers came around the hut, and the female +who was my guide asked me where my country was? I could not make her +understand, only that it was at a great distance. She then asked me if +my countrymen eat men? I told her, no, and seeing some goats pointed at +them, and told her we eat such as them. She then asked me what made me +white, and if it was not the white rain that come upon us when we were +small * * * as I wished to please them I told her that I supposed it +was, for it was only in certain seasons of the year that it fell, and +in hot weather when it did not fall the people grew darker until it +returned, and then the people all grew white again. This seemed to +please them very much. + +"My protectress then brought a young man to me who she said was her +brother, and who would show me the way to the harbour. She then cut a +stick about eight feet long, and he took hold of one end and gave me the +other. She told me that she had instructed her brother what to say at +the harbour. He then led off, and I followed. During our walk I put +out my hand to him several times, and made signs of friendship, but he +seemed to be afraid of me, and would look upwards and then fall flat on +the ground and kiss it: this he repeated as often as I made any sign or +token of friendship to him. + +"When we had got near the harbor he made a sign for me to sit down upon +a rock, which I did. He then left me and went, as I supposed, to talk to +the people at the water concerning me; but I had not sat long before I +saw a vessel coming round the point into the harbor. + +"They soon came on shore in the boat. I went down to them and made my +case known and when the boat returned on board they took me with them. +It was a Dutch snow bound from China to Batavia. After they had wooded +and watered they set sail for Batavia:--being out about three weeks we +arrived there: I tarried on board her about three weeks longer, and +then got on board a Spanish ship which was from Rio de la Plate bound to +Spain, but by stress of weather was obliged to put into this port. After +the vessel had repaired we sailed for Spain. When we made the Cape of +Good Hope we fell in with two British cruisers of twenty guns each, who +engaged us and did the vessel considerable damage, but at length we beat +them off, and then run for the coast of Brazil, where we arrived safe, +and began to work at repairing our ship, but upon examination she +was found to be not fit to proceed on her voyage. She was therefore +condemned. I then left her and got on board a Portuguese snow bound up +to St. Helena, and we arrived safe at that place. + +"I then went on shore and quitted her and engaged in the garrison there +to do duty as a soldier for my provisions till some ship should arrive +there bound for England. After serving there a month I entered on board +a ship called the Stormont, but orders were soon after received that no +Indiaman should sail without convoy; and we lay here six months, during +which time the Captain died. + +"While I was in St. Helena the vessel in which I came out from England +arrived here, homeward bound; she being on the return from her second +voyage since I came from England. And now I made known my case to +Captain Kerr, who readily took me on board the Princess Royal, and used +me kindly and those of my old ship-mates on board were glad to see me +again. Captain Kerr on first seeing me asked me if I was not afraid to +let him know who I was, and endeavored to frighten me; yet his conduct +towards me was humane and kind. + +"It had been very sickly on board the Princess Royal, and the greater +part of the hands who came out of England in her had died, and she +was now manned chiefly with lascars. Among those who had died was the +boatswain, and boatswain's mate, and Captain Kerr made me boatswain of +the ship, in which office I continued until we arrived in London, and it +protected me from being impressed upon our arrival in England. + +"We sailed from St. Helena about the first of November, 1781, under +convoy of the Experiment of fifty guns, commanded by Captain Henry, and +the Shark sloop of war of 18 guns, and we arrived in London about the +first of March, 1782, it having been about two years and a half from the +time I had left it. + +"In about a fortnight after our arrival in London I entered on board the +King George, a store-ship bound to Antigua, and after four weeks passage +arrived there. + +"The second night after we came to anchor in Antigua I took the ship's +boat and escaped in her to Montserrat (in the West Indies) which place +had but just before been taken by the French. + +"Here I did not meet with the treatment which I expected; for on my +arrival at Montserrat I was immediately taken up and put in prison, +where I continued twenty-four hours, and my boat taken from me. I was +then sent to Guadaloupe, and examined by the Governor. I made known my +case to him, by acquainting him with the misfortunes I had gone through +in my captivity, and in making my escape. He seemed to commiserate +me, gave me ten dollars for the boat that I escaped in, and provided +a passage for me on board a French brigantine that was bound from +Gaudaloupe to Philadelphia. + +"The vessel sailed in a few days, and now my prospects were favorable, +but my misfortunes were not to end here, for after being out twenty-one +days we fell in with the Anphitrite and Amphene, two British cruizers, +off the Capes of Delaware, by which we were taken, carried in to New +York and put on board the Jersey prison ship. After being on board about +a week a cartel was fitted out for France, and I was sent on board as +a French prisoner. The cartel was ordered for St. Maloes, and after a +passage of thirty-two days we arrived safe at that place. + +"Finding no American vessel at St. Male's, I went to the Commandant, and +procured a pass to go by land to Port l'Orient. On my arrival there +I found three American privateers belonging to Beverley in the +Massachusetts. I was much elated at seeing so many of my countrymen, +some of whom I was well acquainted with. I immediately entered on board +the Buccaneer, Captain Pheirson. We sailed on a cruise, and after being +out eighteen days we returned to L'Orient with six prizes. Three days +after our arrival in port we heard the joyful news of peace; on which +the privateer was dismantled, the people discharged, and Captain P +sailed on a merchant voyage to Norway. + +"I then entered on board a brig bound to Lisbon (Captain Ellenwood of +Beverley) and arrived at Lisbon in eight days. We took in a cargo of +salt, and sailed for Beverley, where we arrived the ninth of May, 1783. +Being now only fifteen miles from home, I immediately set out for Cape +Ann, went to my father's house, and had an agreeable meeting with my +friends, after an absence of almost six years. + +"John Blatchford + +"New London, May 10th, 1788. + +"N. B. Those who are acquainted with the narrator will not scruple to +give full credence to the foregoing account, and others may satisfy +themselves by conversing with him. The scars he carries are a proof of +his narrative, and a gentleman of New London who was several months with +him, was acquainted with part of his sufferings, though it was out of +his power to relieve him. He is a poor man with a wife and two children. +His employment is fishing and coasting. _Editor_." + +Our readers may be interested to know what became of John Blatchford, +who wrote, or dictated, the narrative we have given, in the year 1788. +He was, at that time, a married man. He had married a young woman named +Ann Grover. He entered the merchant marine, and died at Port au Prince +about the year 1794, when nearly thirty-three years of age. Thus early +closed the career of a brave man, who had experienced much hardship, and +had suffered greatly from man's inhumanity to man, and who is, as far +as we know, the only American prisoner sent to the East Indies who ever +returned to tell the story of the barbarities inflicted upon him. + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AND OTHERS ON THE SUBJECT OF AMERICAN PRISONERS + + +When Benjamin Franklin and Silas Deane were in Paris they wrote the +following letter to Lord Stormont, the English Ambassador to France. + +Paris, April 2nd, 1777. + +My Lord:-- + +We did ourselves the honor of writing some time since to your Lordship +on the subject of exchanging prisoners: you did not condescend to give +us any answer, and therefore we expect none to this. We, however, take +the liberty of sending you copies of certain depositions which we shall +transmit to Congress, whereby it will be known to your Court, that the +United States are not unacquainted with the barbarous treatment their +people receive when they have the misfortune to be your prisoners here +in Europe, and that if your conduct towards us is not altered, it is +not unlikely that severe reprisals may be thought justifiable from a +necessity of putting some check to such abominable practices. For the +sake of humanity it is to be wished that men would endeavor to alleviate +the unavoidable miseries attending a state of war. It has been said that +among the civilized nations of Europe the ancient horrors of that state +are much diminished; but the compelling men by chains, stripes, and +famine to fight against their friends and relatives, is a new mode of +barbarity, which your nation alone has the honor of inventing, and the +sending American prisoners of war to Africa and Asia, remote from all +probability of exchange, and where they can scarce hope ever to hear +from their families, even if the unwholesomeness of the climate does not +put a speedy end to their lives, is a manner of treating captives that +you can justify by no other precedent or custom except that of the +black savages of Guinea. We are your Lordship's most obedient, humble +servants, Benjamin Franklin, Silas Deane. + +The reply to this letter was laconic. + +"The King's Ambassador recognizes no letters from Rebels, except when +they come to ask mercy." + +Inclosed in the letter from our representatives were the following +depositions. + + +THE DEPOSITION OF ELIPHALET DOWNER + +Eliphalet Downer, Surgeon, taken in the Yankee privateer, testifies +that after he was made prisoner by Captains Ross and Hodge, who took +advantage of the generous conduct of Captain Johnson of the Yankee +to them his prisoners, and of the confidence he placed in them in +consequence of that conduct and their assurances; he and his countrymen +were closely confined, yet assured that on their arrival in port they +should be set at liberty, and these assurances were repeated in the most +solemn manner, instead of which they were, on their approach to land, +in the hot weather of August, shut up in a small cabin; the windows of +which were spiked down and no air admitted, insomuch that they were all +in danger of suffocation from the excessive heat. + +Three or four days after their arrival in the river Thames they were +relieved from this situation in the middle of the night, hurried on +board a tender and sent down to Sheerness, where the deponent was +put into the Ardent, and there falling sick of a violent fever in +consequence of such treatment, and languishing in that situation for +some time, he was removed, still sick, to the Mars, and notwithstanding +repeated petitions to be suffered to be sent to prison on shore, he was +detained until having the appearance of a mortification in his legs, he +was sent to Haslar hospital, from whence after recovering his health, he +had the good fortune to make his escape. + +While on board those ships and in the hospital he was informed and +believes that many of his countrymen, after experiencing even worse +treatment than he, were sent to the East Indies, and many of those taken +at Quebec were sent to the coast of Africa, as soldiers. + + +THE DEPOSITION OF CAPTAIN SETH CLARK OF NEWBURY PORT IN THE STATE OF +MASSACHUSETTS BAY IN AMERICA + +"This deponent saith that on his return from Cape Nichola Mole to +Newbury Port, he was taken on the 17th of September last by an armed +schooner in his British Majesty's service, ---- Coats, Esquire, +Commander, and carried down to Jamaica, on his arrival at which place +he was sent on board the Squirrel, another armed vessel, ---- Douglas, +Esquire, Commander, where, although master and half owner of the vessel +in which he was taken, he was returned as a common sailor before the +mast, and in that situation sailed for England in the month of November, +on the twenty-fifth of which month they took a schooner from Port a Pie +to Charlestown, S. C., to which place she belonged, when the owner, Mr. +Burt, and the master, Mr. Bean, were brought on board. On the latter's +denying he had any ship papers Captain Douglas ordered him to be +stripped and tied up and then whipped with a wire cat of nine tails that +drew blood every stroke and then on his saying that he had thrown his +papers overboard he was untied and ordered to his duty as a common +sailor, with no place for himself or his people to lay on but the decks. +On their arrival at Spithead, the deponent was removed to the Monarch, +and there ordered to do duty as a fore-mast-man, and on his refusing on +account of inability to do it, he was threatened by the Lieutenant, +a Mr. Stoney, that if he spoke one word to the contrary he should be +brought to the gangway, and there severely flogged. + +"After this he was again removed and put on board the Bar-fleur, where +he remained until the tenth of February. On board this ship the deponent +saw several American prisoners, who were closely confined and ironed, +with only four men's allowance to six. These prisoners and others +informed this deponent that a number of American prisoners had been +taken out of the ship and sent to the East Indies and the coast of +Africa, which he has told would have been his fate, had he arrived +sooner. + +"This deponent further saith, That in Haslar hospital, to which place on +account of sickness he was removed from the Bar-fleur, he saw a Captain +Chase of Providence, New England, who told him he had been taken in +a sloop of which he was half owner and master, on his passage from +Providence to South Carolina, by an English transport, and turned +over to a ship of war, where he was confined in irons thirteen weeks, +insulted, beat, and abused by the petty officers and common sailors, and +on being released from irons was ordered to do duty as a foremost man +until his arrival in England, when being dangerously ill he was sent to +said hospital." + +Paris March 30th. 1777. + +Benjamin Franklin, in a letter written in 1780, to a Mr. Hartley, an +English gentleman who was opposed to the war, said that Congress +had investigated the cruelties perpetrated by the English upon their +defenceless prisoners, and had instructed him to prepare a _school book_ +for the use of American children, to be illustrated by thirty-five +good engravings, each to picture some scene of horror, some enormity of +suffering, such as should indelibly impress upon the minds of the school +children a dread of British rule, and a hatred of British malice and +wickedness! + +The old philosopher did not accomplish this task: had he done so it is +improbable that we would have so long remained in ignorance of some of +the facts which we are now endeavoring to collect. It will be pleasant +to glance, for a moment, on the other side the subject. It is well known +that there was a large party in England, who, like Benjamin Franklin's +correspondent, were opposed to the war; men of humanity, fair-minded +enough to sympathize with the struggles of an oppressed people, of the +same blood as themselves. + +"The Prisoners of 1776, A Relic of the Revolution," is a little book +edited by the Rev. R. Livesey, and published in Boston, in 1854. The +facts in this volume were complied from the journal of Charles Herbert +of Newburyport, Mass. This young man was taken prisoner in December, +1776. He was a sailor on board the brigantine Dolton. He and his +companions were confined in the Old Mill Prison in Plymouth, England. + +Herbert, who was in his nineteenth year, was a prisoner more than two +years. He managed to keep a journal during his captivity, and has left +us an account of his treatment by the English which is a pleasant +relief in its contrast to the dark pictures that we have drawn of the +wretchedness of American prisoners elsewhere. A collection of upwards of +$30,000 was taken up in England for the relief of our prisoners confined +in English jails. + +Herbert secreted his journal in a chest which had a false bottom. It is +too long to give in its entirety, but we have made a few extracts which +will describe the treatment the men received in England, where all +that was done was open to public inspection, and where no such inhuman +monsters as Cunningham were suffered to work their evil will upon their +victims. + +"Dec. 24th, 1776. We were taken by the Reasonable, man-of-war of 64 +guns. I put on two shirts, pair of drawers and breeches, and trousers +over them, two or three jackets, and a pair of new shoes, and then +filled my bosom and pockets as full as I could carry. Nothing but a few +old rags and twelve old blankets were sent to us. Ordered down to the +cable tier. Almost suffocated. Nothing but the bare cable to lie on, and +that very uneven. + +"Jan. 15, 1777. We hear that the British forces have taken Fort +Washington with a loss of 800." + +After several changes Herbert was put on board the Tarbay, a ship of 74 +guns, and confined between decks, with not room for all to lie down at +once. + +"Very cold. Have to lie on a wet deck without blankets. Some obliged to +sit up all night." + +On the 18th of February they received flock beds and pillows, rugs, and +blankets. "Ours are a great comfort to us after laying fifty-five nights +without any, all the time since we were taken. * * * + +"We are told that the Captain of this ship, whose name is Royer, gave us +these clothes and beds out of his own pocket." + +On the twelfth of April he was carried on shore to the hospital, where +his daily allowance was a pound of beef, a pound of potatoes, and three +pints of beer. + +On the 7th of May he writes: "I now have a pound of bread, half a pound +of mutton and a quart of beer daily. The doctor is very kind. Three of +our company have died." + +On the fifth of June he was committed to the Old Mill Prison at +Plymouth. Many entries in his journal record the escapes of his +companions. "Captain Brown made his escape." "William Woodward of the +charming Sallie escaped, etc., etc." + +June 6th he records: "Our allowance here in prison is a pound of beef, +a pound of greens, and a quart of beer, and a little pot liquor that +the greens and beef were boiled in, without any thickening." Still he +declares that he has "a continued gnawing in his stomach." The people of +the neighborhood came to see them daily when they were exercising in the +prison yard, and sometimes gave them money and provisions through the +pickets of the high fence that surrounded the prison grounds. Herbert +had a mechanical turn, and made boxes which he sold to these visitors, +procuring himself many comforts in this manner. + +About ten prisoners were brought in daily. They were constantly digging +their way out and were sometimes recaptured, but a great number made +their escape. On the twentieth of July he records that they begin to +make a breach in the prison wall. "Their intention is to dig eighteen +feet underground to get into a field on the other side of the wall. + +"We put all the dirt in our chests." + +August third he says: "There are 173 prisoners in the wards. On the +fifth thirty-two escaped, but three were brought back. These were +confined in the Black Hole forty days on half allowance, and obliged to +lie on the bare floor. + +"September 12th. We had a paper wherein was a melancholy account of the +barbarous treatment of American prisoners, taken at Ticonderoga. + +"Sept. 16th. Today about twenty old countrymen petitioned the Board for +permission to go on board His Majesty's ships. + +"Jan. 7th. 1778. 289 prisoners here in Plymouth. In Portsmouth there +are 140 prisoners. Today the prison was smoked with charcoal and +brim-stone." + +He records the gift of clothes, blankets, and all sorts of provisions. +They were allowed to wash at the pump in relays of six. Tobacco and +everything necessary was freely given them. + +"Jan. 27th. The officers in a separate prison are allowed to burn +candles in the evening until gun-fire, which is eight o'clock. + +"28th. Today some new washing troughs were brought up for us to wash our +clothes in; and now we have plenty of clothes, soap, water, and tubs to +wash in. In general we are tolerably clean. + +"Feb. 1st. Sunday. Last evening between 7 and 9 o'clock five of the +officers in a separate prison, who had agreed with the sentry to let +them go, made their escape and took two sentries with them. The five +officers were Captain Henry Johnston, Captain Eleazar Johnston, Offin +Boardman, Samuel Treadwell, and one Mr. Deal. + +"Feb. 8th. Sunday. We have the paper wherein is an account of a letter +from Dr. Franklin, Dean, and Lee, to Lord North, and to the ministry, +putting them in mind of the abuse which the prisoners have had from +time to time, and giving them to know that it is in the power of the +Americans to make ample retaliation. * * * We learn that their answer +was that in America there was an exchange." + +On the 9th of March he writes: "We are all strong, fat and hearty. + +"March 12th. Today our two fathers came to see us as they generally do +once or twice a week. They are Mr. Heath, and Mr. Sorry, the former a +Presbyterian minister, in Dock, the latter a merchant in Plymouth. They +are the two agents appointed by the Committee in London to supply us +with necessaries. A smile from them seems like a smile from a father. +They tell us that everything goes well on our side. + +"April 7th. Today the latter (Mr. Sorry) came to see us, and we desired +him, for the future, to send us a four penny white loaf instead of a +six-penny one to each mess, per day, for we have more provision than +many of us want to eat, and any person can easily conjecture that +prisoners, in our situation, who have suffered so much for the want of +provisions would abhor such an act as to waste what we have suffered so +much for the want of." + +Herbert was liberated at the end of two years. Enough has been quoted to +prove the humanity with which the prisoners at Plymouth were treated. He +gives a valuable list of crews in Old Mill Prison, Plymouth, during +the time of his incarceration, with the names of captains, number that +escaped, those who died, and those who joined the English. + + + Joined + NAMES OF SHIPS AND CAPTAINS No. of British + Men Escaped Died Ships + Brig Dolton, Capt. Johnston 120 21 8 7 + Sloop Charming Sally, Capt. Brown. 52 6 7 16 + Brig Fancy, Capt. Lee 56 11 2 0 + Brig Lexington, Capt. Johnston 51 6 1 26 + Schooner Warren, Capt. Ravel 40 2 0 6 + + PARTS OF CREWS TAKEN INTO PLYMOUTH + + Brig Freedom, Capt. Euston 11 3 1 0 + Ship Reprisal, Capt. Weeks 10 2 0 3 + Sloop Hawk 6 0 0 0 + Schooner Hawk, Capt. Hibbert 6 0 0 0 + Schooner Black Snake, Capt. Lucran 3 1 0 0 + Ship Oliver Cromwell 7 1 0 4 + Letter of Marque Janey, Capt. Rollo 2 1 0 0 + Brig Cabot 3 0 0 0 + True Blue, Capt. Furlong 1 0 0 0 + Ranger 1 0 0 0 + Sloop Lucretia 2 0 0 0 + Musquito Tender 1 0 0 1 + Schooner, Capt. Burnell 2 1 0 1 + Sturdy Beggar 3 0 0 0 + Revenge, Capt Cunningham 3 0 0 0 + + Total 380 55 19 62 + Remained in Prison until exchanged, 244 + + +Before we leave the subject of Plymouth we must record the fact that +some time in the year 1779 a prize was brought into the harbor captured +from the French with 80 French prisoners. The English crew put in charge +of the prize procured liquor, and, in company of some of the loose women +of the town, went below to make a night of it. In the dead of night the +Frenchmen seized the ship, secured the hatches, cut the cable, took her +out of port, homeward bound, and escaped. + +A writer in the London _Gazette_ in a letter to the Lord Mayor, dated +August 6th, 1776, says: "I was last week on board the American privateer +called the Yankee, commanded by Captain Johnson, and lately brought into +this port by Captain Ross, who commanded one of the West India sugar +ships, taken by the privateer in July last: and as an Englishman I +earnestly wish your Lordship, who is so happily placed at the head +of this great city (justly famed for its great humanity even to its +enemies), would be pleased to go likewise, or send proper persons, to +see the truly shocking and I may say barbarous and miserable condition +of the unfortunate American prisoners, who, however criminal they may +be thought to have been, are deserving of pity, and entitled to common +humanity. + +"They are twenty-five in number, and all inhumanly shut close down, +like wild beasts, in a small stinking apartment, in the hold of a sloop, +about seventy tons burden, without a breath of air, in this sultry +season, but what they receive from a small grating overhead, the +openings in which are not more than two inches square in any part, and +through which the sun beats intensely hot all day, only two or three +being permitted to come on deck at a time; and then they are exposed in +the open sun, which is reflected from the decks like a burning glass. + +"I do not at all exaggerate, my lord, I speak the truth, and the +resemblance that this barbarity bears to the memorable Black Hole at +Calcutta, as a gentleman present on Saturday observed, strikes every eye +at the sight. All England ought to know that the same game is now acting +upon the Thames on board this privateer, that all the world cried out +against, and shuddered at the mention of in India, some years ago, as +practised on Captain Hollowell and other of the King's good subjects. +The putrid steams issuing from the hold are so hot and offensive that +one cannot, without the utmost danger, breathe over it, and I should not +be at all surprised if it should cause a plague to spread. + +"The miserable wretches below look like persons in a hot bath, panting, +sweating, and fainting, for want of air; and the surgeon declares that +they must all soon perish in this situation, especially as they are +almost all in a sickly state from bilious disorders. + +"The captain and surgeon, it is true, have the liberty of the cabin (if +it deserves the name of a cabin), and make no complaints on their own +account. They are both sensible and well behaved young men, and can give +a very good account of themselves, having no signs of fear, and being +supported by a consciousness of the justice of their cause. + +"They are men of character, of good families in New England, and highly +respected in their different occupations; but being stripped of their +all by the burning of towns, and other destructive measures of the +present unnatural war, were forced to take the disagreeable method of +making reprisals to maintain themselves and their children rather than +starve. * * * English prisoners taken by the Americans have been treated +with the most remarkable tenderness and generosity, as numbers who are +safely returned to England most freely confess, to the honor of our +brethern in the colonies, and it is a fact, which can be well attested +in London, that this very surgeon on board the privateer, after the +battle of Lexington, April 19th, 1775, for many days voluntarily and +generously without fee or reward employed himself in dressing the King's +wounded soldiers, who but an hour before would have shot him if +they could have come at him, and in making a collection for their +refreshment, of wine, linen, money, etc., in the town where he lived. +* * * The capture of the privateer was, solely owing to the ill-judged +lenity and brotherly kindness of Captain Johnson, who not considering +his English prisoners in the same light that he would French or Spanish, +put them under no sort of confinement, but permitted them to walk the +decks as freely as his own people at all times. Taking advantage of this +indulgence the prisoners one day watched their opportunity when most of +the privateer's people were below, and asleep, shut down the hatches, +and making all fast, had immediate possession of the vessel without +using any force." + +What the effect of this generous letter was we have no means of +discovering. It displays the sentiments of a large party in England, who +bitterly condemned the "unnatural war against the Colonies." + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +THE ADVENTURES OF ANDREW SHERBURNE + + +While we are on the subject of the treatment of American prisoners +in England, which forms a most grateful contrast to that which they +received in New York, Philadelphia, and other parts of America, we will +give an abstract of the adventures of another young man who was confined +in the Old Mill Prison at Plymouth, England. This young man was named +Andrew Sherburne. He was born at Rye, New Hampshire, on the 3oth of +September, 1765. + +He first served on the continental ship of war, Ranger, which shipped +a crew at Portsmouth, N. H. His father consented that he should go with +her, and his two half uncles, Timothy and James Weymouth, were on +board. There were about forty boys in the crew. Andrew was then in his +fourteenth year, and was employed as waiter to the boatswain. The vessel +sailed in the month of June, 1779. She took ten prizes and sailed for +home, where she arrived in August, 1779. Next year she sailed again on +another cruise, but was taken prisoner by the British at Charleston, S. +C., on the 12th of May, 1780. + +"Our officers," says Sherburne, "were paroled and allowed to retain +their waiters. We were for several days entirely destitute of provisions +except muscles, which we gathered from the muscle beds. I was at this +time waiter to Captain Pierce Powers, master's mate of the Ranger. He +treated me with the kindness of a father." + +"At this time," he continues, "Captain Simpson and the other officers +procured a small vessel which was employed as a cartel, to transport +the officers, their boys and baggage, agreeably to the terms of +capitulation, to Newport, R. I. It being difficult to obtain suitable +casks for water they procured such as they could. These proved to be +foul, and after we got to sea our water became filthy and extremely +noxious. Very few if any on board escaped an attack of the diarrhoea." + +After his return he next shipped under Captain Wilds on the Greyhound, +from Portsmouth, N. H., and at last, after many adventures, was taken +prisoner by Newfoundlanders, off Newfoundland. He was then put on board +the Fairy, a British sloop of war, commanded by Captain Yeo, "a complete +tyrant" "Wilds and myself," he continues, "were called to the quarter +deck, and after having been asked a few questions by Captain Yeo, he +turned to his officers and said: 'They are a couple of fine lads for his +Majesty's service. Mr. Gray, see that they do their duty.'" + +When the sloop arrived in England the boys complained that they were +prisoners of war, in consequence of which they were sent to the Old Mill +Prison at Plymouth, accused of "rebellion, piracy, and high treason." + +Here they found acquaintances from Portsmouth, N. H. The other prisoners +were very kind to young Sherburne, gave him clothing and sent him to a +school which was kept in the prison. Ship building and other arts were +carried on in this place, and he learned navigation, which was of great +service to him in after life. + +The fare, he declared, was tolerably good, but there was not enough +of it. He amused himself by making little toy ships. He became ill and +delirious, but recovered in time to be sent to America when a general +exchange of prisoners was effected in 1781. The rest of his adventures +has nothing to do with prisons, in England, and shall not now be +detailed. + +Although the accounts of the English prisons left by Herbert, Sherburne +and others are so favorable, yet it seems that, after the year 1780, +there was some cause of complaint even there. We will quote a passage +from the British Annual Register to prove this statement. This passage +we take from the Register for 1781, page 152. + +"A petition was presented to the House the same day (June 20th) by Mr. +Fox, from the American prisoners in Mill Prison, Plymouth, setting forth +that they were treated with less humanity than the French and Spanish, +though by reason that they had no Agent established in this country +for their protection, they were entitled to expect a larger share of +indulgence than others. They had not a sufficient allowance of _bread_, +and were very scantily furnished with clothing. + +"A similar petition was presented to the House of Peers by the Duke of +Richmond, and these petitions occasioned considerable debate in both +Houses. Several motions were grounded on these petitions, but to those +proposed by the Lords and gentlemen in the opposition, were determined +in the negative, and others to _exculpate_ the Government in this +business were resolved in the affirmative. It appeared upon inquiry, +that the American prisoners were allowed a half pound of bread less +per day than the French and Spanish prisoners. But the petitions of the +Americans produced no alterations in their favor, and the conduct of +the Administration was equally unpolitic and illiberal. The additional +allowance, which was solicited on behalf of the prisoners, could be +no object, either to Government or to the Nation, and it was certainly +unwise, by treating American prisoners worse than those of France or +Spain, to increase the fatal animosity which had unhappily taken place +between the mother country and the Colonies, and this, too, at a period +when the subjugation of the latter had become hopeless." + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +MORE ABOUT THE ENGLISH PRISONS--MEMOIR OF ELI BICKFORD--CAPTAIN FANNING + + +Eli Bickford, who was born on the 29th of September, 1754, in the town +of Durham, N. H., and enlisted on a privateer, was taken prisoner by +the British, confined at first on the Old Jersey, and afterwards sent +to England with many others, in a vessel commanded by Captain Smallcorn, +whom he called "a sample of the smallest corn he had ever met." While +on board this vessel he was taken down with the smallpox. No beds or +bedding were provided for the prisoners and a plank on deck was his only +pillow. He and his fellow sufferers were treated with great severity, +and insulted at every turn. When they reached England they were sent to +prison, where he remained in close confinement for four years and six +months. + +Finding a piece of a door hinge, he and some of the others endeavored +to make their escape by digging a passage under the walls. A report of +their proceedings reached the jailer, but, secure in the strength of +the walls he did not believe it. This jailor would frequently jest with +Bickford on the subject, asking him when he intended to make his escape. +His answers were so truthful and accurate that they served to blind the +jailor still further. One morning as this official entered the prison he +said: "Well, Bickford, how soon will you be ready to go out?" + +"Tomorrow night!" answered Bickford. + +"O, that's only some of your nonsense," he replied. + +However, it was true. + +After digging a passage for some days underground, the prisoners found +themselves under an adjoining house. They proceeded to take up the brick +floor, unlocked the door and passed out, without disturbing the inmates, +who were all asleep. Unable to escape they concealed themselves for +awhile, and then tamely gave themselves up. Such a vigilant watch was +kept upon the house after they were missed from the prison, that they +had no other choice. So they made a contract with a man who was to +return them to the prison, and then give them half of the reward of +forty shillings which was offered for their re-capture. So successful +was this expedient that it was often put into operation when they needed +money. + +As a punishment for endeavoring to escape they were confined in the +Black Hole for a week on bread and water. + +Bickford describes the prison regulations for preserving order which +were made and carried out by the prisoners themselves. If a difficulty +arose between two of them it was settled in the following manner. The +prisoners formed a circle in the centre of which the disputants took +their stand, and exchanged a few rounds of well-directed blows, after +which they shook hands, and were better friends than before. + +Bickford was not released until peace was declared. He then returned to +his family, who had long thought him dead. It was on Sunday morning +that he reached his native town. As he passed the meeting house he was +recognized, and the whole congregation ran out to see and greet him. + +He had but seven dollars as his whole capital when he married. He moved +to Vermont, where he farmed a small place, and succeeded in making a +comfortable livelihood. He attained the great age of 101, and was one of +the last surviving prisoners of the Revolution. + + +THE ADVENTURES OF A NAVAL OFFICER + +In the year 1806 a little book with this title was published in New +York, by Captain Nathaniel Fanning. It was dedicated to John Jackson, +Esquire, the man who did so much to interest the public in the +preservation and interment of the remains of the martyrs of the +prisonships in the Wallabout. + +Fanning was born in Connecticut, in the year 1755. On the 26th of May, +1778, he went on board the brig Angelica, commanded by Captain William +Dennis, which was about to sail on a six months cruise. There were 98 +men and boys in the crew, and Fanning was prize-master on board the +privateer. She was captured by the Andromeda, a frigate of 28 guns, five +days from Philadelphia, with General Howe on board on his way back to +England. + +All the prisoners were paraded on deck and asked if they were willing +to engage in his British Majesty's service. Nearly all answered in the +negative. They were then told that they were "a set of rebels," and that +it was more than probable that they would all be hung at Portsmouth. + +Their baggage was then taken away, and they were confined in the hold +of the ship. Their clothes were stolen by the sailors, and a frock and +cheap trousers dealt out to each man in their place. + +The heat was intolerable in the hold, although they went naked. In this +condition they plotted to seize the vessel, and procured some weapons +through the agency of their surgeon. Spencer, the captain's clerk, +betrayed them to the captain of the Andromeda, and, after that, the +hatches were barred down, and they began to think that they would all +die of suffocation. The sentence pronounced upon them was that they +should be allowed only half a pint of water a day for each man, and +barely food enough to sustain life. + +Their condition would have been terrible, but, fortunately for them, +they were lodged upon the water casks, over which was constructed a +temporary deck. By boring holes in the planks they managed, by means of +a proof glass, to obtain all the water they needed. + +Between them and the general's store room was nothing but a partition of +plank. They went to work to make an aperture through which a man could +pass into this store room. A young man named Howard from Rhode Island +was their instigator in all these operations. They discovered that one +of the shifting boards abaft the pump room was loose, and that they +could ship and unship it as they pleased. When it was unshipped there +was just room for a man to crawl into the store room. "Howard first went +in," writes Captain Fanning, "and presently desired me to hand him a +mug or can with a proof glass. A few minutes after he handed me back the +same full, saying 'My friends, as good Madeira wine as ever was drank at +the table of an Emperor!' + +"I took it from his hands and drank about half a pint. + +"Thus we lived like hearty fellows, taking care every night to secure +provisions, dried fruit, and wines for the day following * * * and all +without our enemies' knowledge." + +Scurvy broke out among the crew, and some of the British sailors died, +but the Americans were all "brave and hearty." + +"The Captain would say, 'What! are none of them damned Yankees sick? +Damn them, there's nothing but thunder and lightning will kill 'em.'" +On the thirtieth of June the vessel arrived at Portsmouth. The prisoners +were sent to Hazel hospital, to be examined by the Commissioners of the +Admiralty, and then marched to Forton prison, where they were committed +under the charges of piracy and high treason. This prison was about two +miles from Portsmouth harbor, and consisted of two commodious buildings, +with a yard between them large enough to parade a guard of 100 men, +which was the number required to maintain law and order at the station. + +They also had a spacious lot of about three quarters of an acre in +extent, adjoining the houses, in which they took their daily exercise. +In the middle of this lot was a shed with seats. It was open on all +sides. The lot was surrounded by a wall of iron pickets, eight feet in +height. The agent for American prisoners was nicknamed by them "the old +crab." He was very old and ugly. + +Only three-fourths of the usual allowance to prisoners of war was dealt +out to them, and they seem to have fared much worse than the inmates of +the Old Mill Prison at Plymouth. + +Captain Fanning declares that they were half starved, and would +sometimes beg bones from the people who came to look at them. When they +obtained bones they would dig out the marrow, and devour it. The guard +was cruel and spiteful. One day they heated some pokers red hot and +began to burn the prisoners' shirts that were hung up to dry. These men +begged the guard, in a very civil manner, not to burn all their shirts, +as they had only one apiece. This remonstrance producing no effect they +then ran to the pickets and snatched away their shirts. At this the +officer on command ordered a sentinel to fire on them. This he did, +killing one prisoner, and wounding several. There were three hundred +American prisoners in the yard at this time. + +These prisons appear to have been very imperfectly guarded, and the +regular occupation of the captives, whenever their guards were asleep +or absent, was to make excavations for the purpose of escaping. A +great many regained their freedom in this manner, though some were +occasionally brought back and punished by being shut up for forty days +in the Black Hole on bread and water. Some, less fortunate, remained +three or four years in the prison. + +There was always digging going on in some part of the prison and as soon +as one hole was discovered and plastered up, another would be begun. +For a long time they concealed the dirt that they took out of these +excavations in an old stack of disused chimneys. The hours for +performing the work were between eleven and three o'clock at night. +Early in the morning they ceased from their labors, concealing the hole +they had made by pasting white paper over it. + +There was a school kept constantly in the prison, where many of them had +the first opportunity that had ever been granted them of receiving an +education. Many learned to read and write, and became proficient in +French. + +At one time there were 367 officers confined in this place. In the +course of twelve months 138 of them escaped and got safely to France. +While some of the men were digging at night, others would be dancing +to drown the noise. They had several violins, and seem to have been a +reckless and jovial set. + +The officers bunked on the second floor over the guard room of the +English officers. At times they would make so much noise that the guard +would rush up the stairs, only to find all lights out and every man +_asleep and snoring_ in his hammock. They would relieve their feelings +by a volley of abusive language and go down stairs again, when instantly +the whole company would be on their feet, the violins would strike up, +and the fun be more fast and furious than ever. These rushes of the +guard would sometimes be repeated several times a night, when they would +always find the prisoners in their hammocks. Each hammock had what was +called a "king's rug," a straw bed, and pillow. + +At one time several men were suddenly taken sick, with strong symptoms +of poison. They were removed to the hospital, and for a time, there was +great alarm. The prisoners feared that "the same game was playing here +as had been done on the Old Jersey, where we had heard that thousands of +our countrymen had died." The poison employed in this instance was glass +pounded fine and cooked with their bread. + +An English clergyman named Wren sympathized strongly with the prisoners +and assisted them to escape. He lived at Gosport, and if any of the +captives were so fortunate as to dig themselves out and succeed in +reaching his house, they were safe. This good man begged money and food +for "his children," as he called them. + +On the second of June, 1779, 120 of them were exchanged. There were then +600 confined in that prison. On the 6th of June they sailed for Nantes +in France. The French treated them with great kindness, made up a purse +for them, and gave them decent clothing. + +Fanning next went to L'Orient, and there met John Paul Jones, who +invited him to go on board the Bon Homme Richard as a midshipman. They +sailed on the 14th of August on the memorable expedition to the British +Channel. + +After being with Jones for some time Fanning, on the 23rd of March, +1781, sailed for home in a privateer from Morlaix, France. This +privateer was captured by the English frigate, Aurora. + +"Captain Anthon and myself and crew," writes Mr. Fanning, "were all +ordered to a prison at about two miles from Falmouth. The very dirtiest +and most loathsome building I ever saw. Swarms of lice, remarkably fat +and full grown; bed bugs, and fleas. I believe the former were of Dutch +extraction, as there were confined here a number of Dutch prisoners of +war, and such a company of dirty fellows I never saw before or since." + +Yet these same poor fellows ceded to Captain Anthon and Mr. Fanning a +corner of the prison for their private use. This they managed to get +thoroughly cleansed, screened themselves off with some sheets, provided +themselves with large swinging cots, and were tolerably comfortable. +They were paroled and allowed full liberty within bounds, which were a +mile and a half from the prison. In about six weeks Fanning was again +exchanged, and went to Cherbourg in France, where he met Captain Manly, +who had just escaped from the Mill prison after three years confinment. + + + +CHAPTER XX + +SOME SOUTHERN NAVAL PRISONERS + + +Very little is known of the State navies of the south during the +Revolution. Each State had her own small navy, and many were the +interesting adventures, some successful, and others unfortunate, that +the hardy sailors encountered. The story of each one of these little +vessels would be as interesting as a romance, but we are here only +concerned with the meagre accounts that have reached us of the +sufferings of some of the crews of the privateers who were so unlucky as +to fall into the hands of the enemy. + +In the infant navy of Virginia were many small, extremely fleet +vessels. The names of some of the Virginia ships, built at Gosport, +Fredericksburg, and other Virginia towns, were the Tartar, Oxford, +Thetis, Virginia, Industry, Cormorant, Loyalist (which appears to +have been captured from the British), Pocohontas, Dragon, Washington, +Tempest, Defiance, Oliver Cromwell, Renown, Apollo, and the Marquis +Lafayette. Virginia also owned a prisonship called the Gloucester. Brigs +and brigantines owned by the State were called the Raleigh, Jefferson, +Sallie Norton, Northampton, Hampton, Greyhound, Dolphin, Liberty, +Mosquito, Rochester, Willing Lass, Wilkes, American Fabius, Morning +Star, and Mars. Schooners were the Adventure, Hornet, Speedwell, Lewis, +Nicholson, Experiment, Harrison, Mayflower, Revenge, Peace and Plenty, +Patriot, Liberty, and the Betsy. Sloops were the Virginia, Rattlesnake, +Scorpion, Congress, Liberty, Eminence, Game-Cock, and the American +Congress. Some of the galleys were the Accomac, Diligence, Hero, +Gloucester, Safeguard, Manly, Henry, Norfolk, Revenge, Caswell, +Protector, Washington, Page, Lewis, Dragon, and Dasher. There were +two armed pilot boats named Molly and Fly. Barges were the York and +Richmond. The Oxford, Cormorant, and Loyalist were prizes. The two +latter were taken from the English by the French and sold to Virginia. + +What an interesting book might be written about this little navy! Nearly +all were destined to fall at last into the hands of the enemy; their +crews to languish out the remainder of their days in foul dungeons, +where famine and disease made short work of them. Little remains to us +now except the names of these vessels. + +The Virginia was built at Gosport. The Dragon and some others were built +at Fredericksburg. Many were built at Norfolk. + +The Hermit was early captured by the British. The gallant little +Mosquito was taken by the Ariadne. Her crew was confined in a loathsome +jail at Barbadoes. But her officers were sent to England, and confined +in Fortune jail at Gosport. They succeeded in escaping and made their +way to France. The names of these officers were Captain John Harris; +Lieutenant Chamberlayne; Midshipman Alexander Moore; Alexander Dock, +Captain of Marines; and George Catlett, Lieutenant of Marines. + +The Raleigh was captured by the British frigate Thames. Her crew was so +shamefully maltreated that upon representations made to the Council +of State upon their condition, it was recommended that by way of +retaliation the crew of the Solebay, a sloop of war which had fallen +into the hands of the Americans, should be visited with the like severe +treatment. To what extent this was carried out we cannot discover. + +The Scorpion was taken by the British in the year 1781, a fatal year for +the navy of Virginia. + +In the year 1857 an unsigned article on the subject of the Virginia Navy +was published in the _Southern Literary Messenger_, which goes on to +say: "But of all the sufferings in these troublous times none endured +such horrors as did those Americans who were so unfortunate as to become +prisoners of war to the British. They were treated more as felons than +as honorable enemies. It can scarcely be credited that an enlightened +people would thus have been so lost to the common instincts of humanity, +as were they in their conduct towards men of the same blood, and +speaking the same language with themselves. True it is they sometimes +excused the cruelty of their procedures by avowing in many instances +their prisoners were deserters from the English flag, and were to be +dealt with accordingly. Be this as it may, no instance is on record +where a Tory whom the Americans had good cause to regard as a traitor, +was visited with the severities which characterized the treatment of the +ordinary military captives, on the part of the English authorities. * +* * The patriotic seamen of the Virginia navy were no exceptions to the +rule when they fell into the hands of the more powerful lords of the +ocean. They were carried in numbers to Bermuda, and to the West Indies, +and cast into loathsome and pestilential prisons, from which a few +sometimes managed to escape, at the peril of their lives. Respect +of position and rank found no favor in the eyes of their ungenerous +captors, and no appeal could reach their hearts except through the +promises of bribes. Many languished and died in those places, away from +country and friends, whose fate was not known until long after they had +passed away. But it was not altogether abroad that they were so cruelly +maltreated. The record of their sufferings in the prisons of the +enemy, in our own country, is left to testify against these relentless +persecutors. + +"In New York and Halifax many of the Virginian officers and seamen were +relieved of their pains, alone by the hand of death; and in their own +State, at Portsmouth, the like fate overtook many more, who had endured +horrors rivalled only by the terrors of the Black Hole of Calcutta. * +* * The reader will agree that we do not exaggerate when he shall have +seen the case as given under oath by one who was in every respect a +competent witness. + +"It will be remembered that, in another part of this narrative, mention +was made of the loss in Lynhaven Bay of the galley Dasher, and the +capture of the officers and the crew. Captain Willis Wilson was her +unfortunate commander on that occasion. He and his men were confined in +the Provost Jail at Portsmouth, Virginia, and after his release he +made public the 'secrets' of that 'Prison House,' by the following +deposition, which is copied from the original document. + +"'The deposition of Willis Wilson, being first sworn deposes and sayeth: +That about the 23rd July last the deponent was taken a prisoner of war; +was conducted to Portsmouth (Virginia) after having been plundered of +all his clothing, etc., and there lodged with about 190 other prisoners, +in the Provost. This deponent during twenty odd days was a spectator to +the most savage cruelty with which the unhappy prisoners were treated +by the English. The deponent has every reason to believe there was +a premeditated scheme to infect all the prisoners who had not been +infected with the smallpox. There were upwards of 100 prisoners +who never had the disorder, notwithstanding which negroes, with the +infection upon them, were lodged under the same roof of the Provost. +Others were sent in to attend upon the prisoners, with the scabs of that +disorder upon them. + +"'Some of the prisoners soon caught the disorder, others were down with +the flux, and some from fevers. From such a complication of disorders +'twas thought expedient to petition General O'Hara who was then +commanding officer, for a removal of the sick, or those who were not, as +yet, infected with the smallpox. Accordingly a petition was sent by Dr. +Smith who shortly returned with a verbal answer, as he said, from the +General. He said the General desired him to inform the prisoners that +the _law of nations was annihilated_, that he had nothing then to bind +them but bolts and bars, and they were to continue where they were, but +that they were free agents to inoculate if they chose. + +"'About thirty agreed with the same Smith to inoculate them at a guinea +a man; he performed the operation, received his guinea from many, and +then left them to shift for themselves, though he had agreed to attend +them through the disorder. Many of them, as well as those who took it +in the natural way, died. Colonel Gee, with many respectable characters, +fell victims to the unrelenting cruelty of O'Hara, who would admit of no +discrimination between the officers, privates, negroes, and felons; but +promiscuously confined the whole in one house. * * * They also suffered +often from want of water, and such as they got was very muddy and unfit +to drink. + +"'Willis Wilson. + +"'This day came before me Captain Willis Wilson and made oath that the +above is true. + +"'Samuel Thorogood.'" + +There is much of great interest in this article on the Virginia Navy +which is not to our present purpose. The writer goes on to tell how, on +one occasion, the ship Favorite, bearing a flag of truce, was returning +to Virginia, with a number of Americans who had just been liberated or +exchanged in Bermuda, when she was overhauled by a British man-of-war, +and both her crew and passengers robbed of all they had. The British +ships which committed this dastardly deed were the Tiger, of 14 guns, +and the schooner Surprise, of 10 guns. + +Captain James Barron, afterwards Commodore Barren, was the master +spirit of the service in Virginia. One of the Virginian vessels, very +appropriately named the Victory, was commanded by him, and was never +defeated. + +In 1781 Joseph Galloway wrote a letter to Lord Howe in which he says: +"The rebel navy has been in a great measure destroyed by the small +British force remaining in America, and the privateers sent out from +New York. Their navy, which consisted, at the time of your departure, +of about thirty vessels, is now reduced to eight, and the number of +privateers fitted out in New England amounting to an hundred and upwards +is now less than forty." + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +EXTRACTS FROM NEWSPAPERS--SOME OF THE PRISON SHIPS--CASE OF CAPTAIN +BIRDSALL + + +At the risk of repetition of some facts that have already been given, we +must again refer the reader to some extracts from the newspapers of the +day. In this instance the truth can best be established by the mouths of +many witnesses, and we do not hesitate to give the English side whenever +we have been able to discover anything bearing on the subject in the +so-called loyal periodicals of the time. + +From Freeman's _Journal,_ date of Jan. 19th, 1777, we take the +following: + +"General Howe has discharged all the privates who were prisoners in New +York. Half he sent to the world of spirits for want of food: the others +he hath sent to warn their countrymen of the danger of falling into +his hands, and to convince them by ocular demonstration, that it is +infinitely better to be slain in battle, than to be taken prisoner by +British brutes, whose tender mercies are cruelties." + +In the _Connecticut Journal_ of Jan. 30th, 1777, is the following: + +"This account of the sufferings of these unfortunate men was obtained +from the prisoners themselves. As soon as they were taken they were +robbed of all their baggage; of whatever money they had, though it were +of paper; of their silver shoe buckles and knee buckles, etc.; and many +were stripped almost of their clothes. Especially those who had good +clothes were stripped at once, being told that such were 'too good for +rebels.' + +"Thus deprived of their clothes and baggage, they were unable to shift +even their linen, and were obliged to wear the same shirts for even +three or four months together, whereby they became extremely nasty; and +this of itself was sufficient to bring on them many mortal diseases. + +"After they were taken they were in the first place put on board the +ships, and thrust down into the hold, where not a breath of fresh air +could be obtained, and they were nearly suffocated for want of air. + +"Some who were taken at Fort Washington were first in this manner thrust +down into the holds of vessels in such numbers that even in the cold +season of November they could scarcely bear any clothes on them, being +kept in a constant sweat. Yet these same persons, after lying in this +situation awhile, till the pores of their bodies were as perfectly +open as possible, were of a sudden taken out and put into some of the +churches of New York, without covering, or a spark of fire, where they +suffered as much by the cold as they did by the sweating stagnation of +the air in the other situation; and the consequence was that they took +such colds as brought on the most fatal diseases, and swept them off +almost beyond conception. + +"Besides these things they suffered severely for want of provisions. +The commissioners pretended to allow a half a pound of bread, and four +ounces of pork per day; but of this pittance they were much cut short. +What was given them for three days was not enough for one day and, in +some instances, they went for three days without a single mouthful of +food of any kind. They were pinched to such an extent that some on board +the ships would pick up and eat the salt that happened to be scattered +there; others gathered up the bran which the light horse wasted, and eat +it, mixed with dirt and filth as it was. + +"Nor was this all, both the bread and pork which they did allow them was +extremely bad. For the bread, some of it was made out of the bran which +they brought over to feed their light horse, and the rest of it was so +muddy, and the pork so damnified, being so soaked in bilge water during +the transportation from Europe, that they were not fit to be eaten by +human creatures, and when they were eaten were very unwholesome. Such +bread and pork as they would not pretend to give to their own countrymen +they gave to our poor sick dying prisoners. + +"Nor were they in this doleful condition allowed a sufficiency of water. +One would have thought that water was so cheap and plentiful an element, +that they would not have grudged them that. But there are, it seems, +no bounds to their cruelty. The water allowed them was so brackish, and +withal nasty, that they could not drink it until reduced to extremity. +Nor did they let them have a sufficiency of even such water as this. + +"When winter came on, our people suffered extremely for want of fire and +clothes to keep them warm. They were confined in churches where there +were no fireplaces that they could make fires, even if they had wood. +But wood was only allowed them for cooking their pittance of victuals; +and for that purpose very sparingly. They had none to keep them warm +even in the extremest of weather, although they were almost naked, +and the few clothes they had were their summer clothes. Nor had they +a single blanket, nor any bedding, not even straw allowed them until a +little before Christmas. + +"At the time those were taken on Long Island a considerable part of them +were sick of the dysentery; and with this distemper on them were first +crowded on board the ships, afterwards in the churches in New York, +three, four or five hundred together, without any blankets, or anything +for even the sick to lie upon, but the bare floors or pavements. + +"In this situation that contagious distemper soon communicated from the +sick to the well, who would probably have remained so, had they not in +this manner been thrust in together without regard to sick or well, or +to the sultry, unwholesome season, it being then the heat of summer. Of +this distemper numbers died daily, and many others by their confinement +and the sultry season contracted fevers and died of them. During their +sickness, with these and other diseases, they had no medicines, nothing +soothing or comfortable for sick people, and were not so much as visited +by the physician for months together. + +"Nor ought we to omit the insults which the humane Britons offered to +our people, nor the artifices which they used to enlist them in their +service to fight against their country. It seems that one end of their +starving our people was to bring them, by dint of necessity, to turn +rebels to their own country, their own consciences, and their God. For +while thus famishing they would come and say to them: 'This is the just +punishment of your rebellion. Nay, you are treated too well for rebels; +you have not received half you deserve or half you shall receive. But if +you will enlist into his Majesty's service, you shall have victuals and +clothes enough.' + +"As to insults, the British officers, besides continually cursing and +swearing at them as rebels, often threatened to hang them all; and, on a +particular time, ordered a number, each man to choose his halter out +of a parcel offered, wherewith to be hanged; and even went so far as to +cause a gallows to be erected before the prison, as if they were to be +immediately executed. + +"They further threatened to send them all into the East Indies, and sell +them there for slaves. + +"In these and numberless other ways did the British officers seem to +rack their inventions to insult, terrify, and vex the poor prisoners. +The meanest, upstart officers among them would insult and abuse our +colonels and chief officers. + +"In this situation, without clothes, without victuals or drink, or even +water, or with those which were base and unwholesome; without fire, a +number of them sick, first with a contagious and nauseous distemper; +these, with others, crowded by hundreds into close confinement, at the +most unwholesome season of the year, and continued there for four months +without blankets, bedding, or straw; without linen to shift or clothes +to cover their bodies;--No wonder they all became sickly, and having at +the same time no medicine, no help of physicians, nothing to refresh +or support nature, died by scores in a night, and those who were so far +gone as to be unable to help themselves lay uncared for, till death, +more kind than Britons, put an end to their misery. + +"By these means, and in this way, 1,500 brave Americans, who had nobly +gone forth in defence of their injured, oppressed country, but whom the +chance at war had cast into the hands of our enemies, died in New York, +many of whom were very amiable, promising youths, of good families, the +very flower of our land; and of those who lived to come out of prison, +the greater part, as far as I can learn, are dead or dying. Their +constitutions are broken; the stamina of nature worn out; they cannot +recover--they die. Even the few that might have survived are dying of +the smallpox. For it seems that our enemies determining that even these, +whom a good constitution and a kind Providence had carried through +unexampled sufferings, should not at last escape death, just before +their release from imprisonment infected them with that fatal distemper. + +"To these circumstances we subjoin the manner in which they buried those +of our people who died. They dragged them out of the prison by one leg +or one arm, piled them up without doors, there let them lie until a +sufficient number were dead to make a cart load, then loaded them up in +a cart, drove the cart thus loaded out to the ditches made by our people +when fortifying New York; there they would tip the cart, tumble the +corpses together into the ditch, and afterwards slightly cover them +with earth. * * * While our poor prisoners have been thus treated by our +foes, the prisoners we have taken have enjoyed the liberty of walking +and riding about within large limits at their pleasure; have been freely +supplied with every necessary, and have even lived on the fat of the +land. None have been so well fed, so plump, and so merry as they; and +this generous treatment, it is said, they could not but remember. +For when they were returned in the exchange of prisoners, and saw the +miserable, famished, dying state of our prisoners, conscious of the +treatment they had received, they could not refrain from tears." +_Connecticut Journal,_ Jan. 30th, 1777. + +In April of the year 1777 a committee that was appointed by Congress +to inquire into the doings of the British on their different marches +through New York and New Jersey reported that "The prisoners, instead +of that humane treatment which those taken by the United States +experienced, were in general treated with the greatest barbarity. Many +of them were kept near four days without food altogether. * * * Freemen +and men of substance suffered all that generous minds could suffer from +the contempt and mockery of British and foreign mercenaries. Multitudes +died in prison. When they were sent out several died in being carried +from the boats on shore, or upon the road attempting to go home. The +committee, in the course of their inquiry, learned that sometimes +the common soldiers expressed sympathy with the prisoners, and the +foreigners (did this) more than the English. But this was seldom or +never the case with the officers, nor have they been able to hear of any +charitable assistance given them by the inhabitants who remained in, +or resorted to the city of New York, which neglect, if universal, they +believe was never known to happen in any similar case in a Christian +country." + +We have already shown that some of the citizens of New York, even a +number of the profligate women of the town, did their best to relieve +the wants of the perishing prisoners. But the guards were very strict, +and what they could do was inadequate to remove the distresses under +which these victims of cruelty and oppression died. As we are attempting +to make this work a compendium of all the facts that can be gathered +upon the subject, we must beg the reader's indulgence if we continue to +give corroborating testimony of the same character, from the periodicals +of the day. We will next quote from the _New Hampshire Gazette,_ date of +February 4th, 1779. + +"It is painful to repeat the indubitable accounts we are constantly +receiving, of the cruel and inhuman treatment of the subjects of these +States from the British in New York and other places. They who hear our +countrymen who have been so unfortunate as to fall into the hands of +those unrelenting tyrants, relate the sad story of their captivity, the +insults they have received, and the slow, cool, systematic manner in +which great numbers of those who could not be prevailed on to enter +their service have been murdered, must have hearts of stone not to +melt with pity for the sufferers, and burn with indignation at their +tormentors. As we have daily fresh instances to prove the truth of such +a representation, public justice requires that repeated public mention +should be made of them. A cartel vessel lately arrived at New London in +Connecticut, carrying about 130 American prisoners from the prison ships +in New York. Such was the condition in which these poor creatures +were put on board the cartel, that in the short run, 16 died on board; +upwards of sixty when they were landed, were scarcely able to move, and +the remainder greatly emaciated and enfeebled; and many who continue +alive are never likely to recover their former health. The greatest +inhumanity was experienced by the prisoners in a ship of which one +Nelson, a Scotchman, had the superintendence. Upwards of 300 American +prisoners were confined at a time, on board this ship. There was but +one small fire-place allowed to cook the food of such a number. The +allowance of the prisoners was, moreover, frequently delayed, insomuch +that, in the short days of November and December, it was not begun to be +delivered out until 11 o'clock in the forenoon so that the whole +could not be served until three. At sunset the fire was ordered to be +quenched; no plea from the many sick, from their absolute necessity, +the shortness of the time or the smallness of the hearth, was allowed to +avail. The known consequence was that some had not their food dressed at +all; many were obliged to eat it half raw. On board the ship no flour, +oatmeal, and things of like nature, suited to the condition of infirm +people, were allowed to the many sick, nothing but ship-bread, beef, +and pork. This is the account given by a number of prisoners, who are +credible persons, and this is but a part of their sufferings; so that +the excuse made by the enemy that the prisoners were emaciated and +died by contagious sickness, which no one could prevent, is futile. It +requires no great sagacity to know that crowding people together without +fresh air, and feeding, or rather starving them in such a manner as the +prisoners have been, must unavoidably produce a contagion. Nor is it +a want of candor to suppose that many of our enemies saw with pleasure +this contagion, which might have been so easily prevented, among the +prisoners who could not be persuaded to enter the service." + + +THE CASE OF CAPTAIN BIRDSALL + +Soon after the battle of Long Island Captain Birdsall, a Whig officer, +made a successful attempt to release an American vessel laden with +flour for the army, which had been captured in the Sound by the British. +Captain Birdsall offered, if the undertaking was approved of by his +superior officer, to superintend the enterprise himself. The proposal +was accepted, when Birdsall, with a few picked men, made the experiment, +and succeeded in sending the vessel to her original destination. But he +and one of his men fell into the hands of the enemy. He was sent to the +Provost Jail under surveillance of "that monster in human shape, the +infamous Cunningham." He requested the use of pen, ink, and paper, for +the purpose of acquainting his family of his situation. On being refused +he made a reply which drew from the keeper some opprobious epithets, +accompanied by a thrust from his sword, which penetrated the shoulder of +his victim, and caused the blood to flow freely. Being locked up alone +in a filthy apartment, and denied any assistance whatever, he was +obliged to dress the wound with his own linen, and then to endure, in +solitude and misery, every indignity which the malice of the Provost +Master urged him to inflict upon a _damned rebel_, who, he declared, +ought to be hung. "After several months of confinement and starvation he +was exchanged." + +Two Whig gentlemen of Long Island were imprisoned in the Provost Prison +some time in the year 1777. Two English Quakers named Jacob Watson and +Robert Murray at last procured their release. Their names were George +Townsend and John Kirk. Kirk caught the smallpox while in prison. He was +sent home in a covered wagon. His wife met him at the door, and tenderly +nursed him through the disorder. He recovered in due time, but she and +her infant daughter died of the malady. There were hundreds of such +cases: indeed throughout the war contagion was carried into every part +of the country by soldiers and former prisoners. In some instances the +British were accused of selling inoculated clothing to the prisoners. +Let us hope that some, at least, of these reports are unfounded. + +The North Dutch Church was the last of the churches used as prisons +to be torn down. As late as 1850 it was still standing, and marks of +bayonet thrusts were plainly to be discerned upon its pillars. How many +of the wretched sufferers were in this manner done to death we have no +means of discovering, but it must have been easier to die in that manner +than to have endured the protracted agonies of death by starvation. + +John Pintard, who assisted his uncle, Lewis Pintard, Commissioner for +American prisoners in New York, thus wrote of their sufferings. It must +be remembered that the prisoners taken in 1776 died, for the most +part, before our struggling nation was able to protect them, before +Commissioners had been appointed, and when, in her feeble infancy, the +Republic was powerless to aid them. + +"The prisoners taken on Long Island and at Fort Washington, sick, +wounded, and well, were all indiscriminately huddled together, by +hundreds and thousands, large numbers of whom died by disease, and +many undoubtedly poisoned by inhuman attendants, for the sake of their +watches or silver buckles." + +It was on the 20th of January, 1777, that Washington proposed to +Mr. Lewis Pintard, a merchant of New York, that he should accept the +position as resident agent for American prisoners. In May of that year +General Parsons sent to Washington a plan for making a raid upon Long +Island, and bringing off the American officers, prisoners of war on +parole. Washington, however, disapproved of the plan, and it was not +executed. + +No one sympathized with the unfortunate victims of British cruelty more +deeply than the Commander-in-chief. But he keenly felt the injustice +of exchanging sound, healthy, British soldiers, for starved and dying +wretches, for the most part unable even to reach their homes. In a +letter written by him on the 28th of May, 1777, to General Howe, he +declared that a great proportion of prisoners sent out by the British +were not fit subjects for exchange, and that, being made so unfit by the +severity of their treatment, a deduction should be made. It is needless +to say that the British General refused this proposition. + +On the 10th of June, 1777, Washington, in a long letter to General Howe, +states that he gave clothing to the British prisoners in his care. +He also declares that he was not informed of the sufferings of the +Americans in New York until too late, and that he was refused permission +to establish an agency in that city to purchase what was necessary to +supply the wants of the prisoners. + +It was not until after the battle of Trenton that anything could be done +to relieve these poor men. Washington, by his heroism, when he led his +little band across the half frozen Delaware, saved the lives of the +small remnant of prisoners in New York. After the battle he had so many +British and Hessian prisoners in his power, that he was able to impress +upon the British general the fact that American prisoners were too +valuable to be murdered outright, and that it was more expedient to keep +them alive for purposes of exchange. + +Rivington's _Gazette_ of Jan. 15th, 1779, contains this notice: +"Privateers arriving in New York Harbor are to put their prisoners on +board the Good Hope or Prince of Wales prison ships. + +"James Dick." + +If the Jersey were in use at that time it must have been too crowded +for further occupancy. But although there is frequent mention in the +periodicals of the day of the prison ships of New York the Jersey did +not become notorious until later. + +On the 29th of June, 1779, Sir George Collier, in a notice in +Rivington's _Gazette_, forbids "privateers landing prisoners on Long +Island to the damage and annoyance of His Majesty's faithful servants." + +This order was no doubt issued, in fear of contagion, which fear led +the British to remove their prison ships out of New York Harbor to the +retired waters of Wallabout Bay, where the work of destruction could go +on with less fear of producing a general pestilence. + +In the issue for the 23rd of August, 1779, we read: "To be sold, The +sails and rigging of the ship Good Hope. Masts, spars, and yards as good +as new." + +Among the accounts of cruelty to the prisoners it is refreshing to come +upon such a paragraph as this, from a New London, Conn. paper, dated +August 18th, 1779. "Last week five or six hundred American prisoners +were exchanged. A flag returned here with 47 American prisoners, and +though taken out of the Good Hope prison ship, it must (for once) be +acknowledged that all were very well and healthy. Only 150 left." + +The next quotation that we will give contains one of the first mentions +of the Jersey as a prison ship, that we have been able to find. + +"New London, Sept. 1st, 1779. D. Stanton testifies that he was taken +June 5th and put in the Jersey prison ship. An allowance from Congress +was sent on board. About three or four weeks past we were removed on +board the Good Hope, where we found many sick. There is now a hospital +ship provided, to which they are removed, and good attention paid." + +A Boston paper dated September 2nd, 1779, has the following: "Returned +to this port Alexander Dickey, Commissary of Prisoners, from New +York, with a cartel, having on board 180 American prisoners. Their +countenances indicate that they have undergone every conceivable +inhumanity." + +"New London, Sep. 29th 1779. A Flag arrived here from New York with 117 +prisoners, chiefly from New England." + +From Rivington's _Gazette,_ March lst, 1780. "Last Saturday afternoon +the Good Hope prison ship, lying in the Wallebocht Bay was entirely +consumed after having been wilfully set on fire by a Connecticut +man named Woodbury, who confessed to the fact. He with others of the +incendiaries are removed to the Provost. The prisoners let each other +down from the port holes and decks into the water." + +So that was the end of the Good Hope. She seems to have been burned +by some of the prisoners in utter desperation, probably with some hope +that, in the confusion, they might be enabled to escape, though we do +not learn that any of them were so fortunate, and the only consequence +of the deed appears to have been that the remaining ships were crowded +to suffocation. + +A writer in the Connecticut _Gazette,_ whose name is not given, says: +"May 25th, 1780. I am now a prisoner on board the Falmouth, a place the +most dreadful; we are confined so that we have not room even to lie down +all at once to sleep. It is the most horrible, cursed, hole that can +be thought of. I was sick and longed for some small beer, while I lay +unpitied at death's door, with a putrid fever, and though I had money I +was not permitted to send for it. I offered repeatedly a hard dollar for +a pint. The wretch who went forward and backward would not oblige me. I +am just able to creep about. Four prisoners have escaped from this ship. +One having, as by accident, thrown his hat overboard, begged leave to +go after it in a small boat, which lay alongside. Having reached the hat +they secured the sentinel and made for the Jersey shore, though several +armed boats pursued, and shot was fired from the shipping." + +The New Jersey _Gazette_ of June 4th, 1780, says: "Thirty-five +Americans, including five officers, made their escape from the prison +ship at New York and got safely off." + +"For Sale. The remains of the hospital ship Kitty, as they now lie at +the Wallebocht, with launch, anchors, and cables." Gaine's _Mercury_, +July 1st, 1780. + +New Jersey _Gazette_, August 23, 1780. "Captain Grumet, who made his +escape from the Scorpion prison ship, at New York, on the evening of +the 15th, says more lenity is shown the prisoners. There are 200 in the +Strombolo, and 120 in the Scorpion." + +It was in 1780 that the poet Freneau was a prisoner on the Scorpion, +which, at that time, was anchored in the East River. In Rivington's +_Gazette_, at the end of that year, the "hulks of his Majesty's sloops +Scorpion and Hunter" are advertised for sale. Also "the Strombolo +fire-ship, now lying in North River." It appears, however, that there +were no purchasers, and they remained unsold. They were still in use +until the end of the year 1781. Gaine's _Mercury_ declares that "the +Strombolo, from August 21st to December 10th, 1781, had never less than +150 prisoners on board, oftener over 200." + +"Captain Cahoon with four others escaped from a prison ship to Long +Island in a boat, March 8, notwithstanding they were fired on from the +prison and hospital ships, and pursued by guard boats from three in the +afternoon to seven in the evening. He left 200 prisoners in New York." +_Connecticut Journal_, March 22, 1781. + +The _Connecticut Gazette_, in May, 1781, stated that 1100 French and +American prisoners had died during the winter in the prison ships. "New +London, November 17th, 1781. A Flag of truce returned here from New York +with 132 prisoners, with the rest of those carried off by Arnold. They +are chiefly from the prison ships, and some from the Sugar House, and +are mostly sick." + +"New London, Jan. 4th, 1782. 130 prisoners landed here from New York +December third, in most deplorable condition. A great part are since +dead, and the survivors so debilitated that they will drag out a +miserable existence. It is enough to melt the most obdurate heart to see +these miserable objects landed at our wharves sick and dying, and the +few rags they have on covered with vermin and their own excrements." + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +THE JOURNAL OF DR. ELIAS CORNELIUS--BRITISH PRISONS IN THE SOUTH + + +We must now conduct our readers back to the Provost Prison in New York, +where, for some time, Colonel Ethan Allen was incarcerated. Dr. Elias +Cornelius, a surgeon's mate, was taken prisoner by the British on the +22nd of August, 1777. On that day he had ridden to the enemy's advanced +post to make observations, voluntarily accompanying a scouting party. On +his way back he was surprised, over-powered, and captured by a party of +British soldiers. + +This was at East Chester. He seems to have lagged behind the rest of +the party, and thus describes the occurrence: "On riding into town (East +Chester) four men started from behind a shed and took me prisoner. They +immediately began robbing me of everything I had, horse and harness, +pistols, Great Coat, shoe-buckles, pocket book, which contained over +thirty pounds, and other things. The leader of the guard abused me very +much. * * * When we arrived at King's Bridge I was put under the Provost +Guard, with a man named Prichard and several other prisoners." They were +kept at the guard house there for some time, and regaled with mouldy +bread, rum and water, and sour apples, which were thrown down for them +to scramble for, as if they were so many pigs. They were at last marched +to New York. Just before reaching that city they were carried before a +Hessian general to be "made a show of." The Hessians mocked them, told +them they were all to be hung, and even went so far as to draw their +swords across their throats. But a Hessian surgeon's mate took pity on +Cornelius, and gave him a glass of wine. + +On the march to New York in the hot summer afternoon they were not +allowed to stop even for a drink of water. Cornelius was in a fainting +condition, when a poor woman, compassionating his sad plight, asked to +be allowed to give them some water. They were then about four miles from +New York. She ran into her house and brought out several pails of +beer, three or four loaves of bread, two or three pounds of cheese, and +besides all this, she gave money to some of the prisoners. Her name was +Mrs. Clemons. She was from Boston and kept a small store along the road +to New York. + +Cornelius says: "We marched till we come to the Bowery, three quarters +of a mile from New York. * * * As we come into town, Hessians, Negroes, +and children insulted, stoned, and abused us. * * * In this way we were +led through half the streets as a show. * * * At last we were ordered to +the Sugar House, which formerly went by the name of Livingstone's +Sugar House. Here one Walley, a Sergeant of the 20th Regiment of Irish +traitors in the British service, had the charge of the prisoners. This +man was the most barbarous, cruel man that ever I saw. He drove us into +the yard like so many hogs. From there he ordered us into the Sugar +House, which was the dirtiest and most disagreeable place that I ever +saw, and the water in the pump was not better than that in the docks. +The top of the house was open * * * to the weather, so that when it +rained the water ran through every floor, and it was impossible for us +to keep dry. Mr. Walley gave thirteen of us four pounds of mouldy bread +and four pounds of poor Irish pork for four days. I asked Mr Walley if +I was not to have my parole. He answered 'No!' When I asked for pen and +ink to write a few lines to my father, he struck me across the face with +a staff which I have seen him beat the prisoners." (with) + +On the next morning Cornelius was conveyed to the Provost Guard. "I was +then taken down to a Dungeon. The provost marshal was Sergeant +Keith" (Cunningham appears to have been, at this time, murdering the +unfortunate prisoners in his power at Philadelphia). + +"There was in this place a Captain Travis of Virginia, and Captain of +a sloop of war. There were also in this dismal place nine thieves, +murderers, etc. A Captain Chatham was taken sick with nervous fever. +I requested the Sergeant to suffer me to send for some medicine, or I +believed he might die, to which he replied he might die, and if he did +he would bury him. + +"All the provisions each man had was but two pounds meat and two pounds +bread for a week, always one and sometimes both was not fit to eat. * +* * I had no change of linen from the 25th of August to the 12th of +September." + +It seems that the father of Cornelius, who lived on Long Island, was an +ardent Tory. Cornelius asked Sergeant O'Keefe to be allowed to send +to his father for money and clothing. But this was refused. "In this +hideous place," he continues, "I was kept until the 20th of September; +when Sergeant Keath took Captains C., and Travis, and myself, and led us +to the upper part of the prison, where were Ethan Allen, Major Williams, +Paine and Wells and others. Major Williams belonged at Maryland and was +taken prisoner at Fort Washington. * * * + +"While at this place we were not allowed to speak to any friend, not +even out of the window. I have frequently seen women beaten with canes +and ram-rods who have come to the prisons' windows to speak to their +Husbands, Sons, or Brothers, and officers put in the dungeon just for +asking for cold water." + +Dried peas were given out to the prisoners, without the means of cooking +them. + +When Fort Montgomery was taken by the British the American officers who +had been in command at that post were brought to the Provost and +put into two small rooms on the lower floor. Some of them were badly +wounded, but no surgeon was allowed to dress their wounds. Cornelius +asked permission to do so, but this was refused. "All of us in the +upper prison," he continues, "were sometimes allowed to go on top of the +house. I took this opportunity to throw some Ointment and Lint down the +chimney to the wounded in the lower rooms with directions how to use it. +I knew only one of them--Lt. Col. Livingstone." + +At the time of Burgoyne's surrender a rumor of the event reached the +prisoners, and women passing along the street made signs to assure them +that that general was really a captive. Colonel Livingstone received a +letter from his father giving an account of Burgoyne's surrender. "Soon +we heard hollooing and other expressions of joy from him and others in +the (lower) rooms. * * * He put the letter up through a crack in +the floor for us to read. * * * The whole prison was filled with joy +inexpressible. * * * From this time we were better treated, although +the provision was bad, but we drew rather larger quantities of it. Some +butter, and about a gill of rice and some cole were dealt out to us, +which we never drew before. + +"About this time my father came to see me. I was called down to the +grates. My heart at first was troubled within me; I burst into tears, +and did not speak for some minutes. I put my hand through the grates, +and took my father's and held it fast. The poor old gentleman shed many +tears, and seemed much troubled to see me in so woeful a place. * * * +He asked me what I thought of myself now, and why I could not have been +ruled by him. * * * Soon the Provost Marshal came and said he could not +allow my father to stay longer. + +"* * * Toward the latter part of December we had Continental bread and +beef sent us, and as much wood as we wished to burn. A friend gave me +some money which was very useful. + +"Jan. 9th, 1778. This day Mr. Walley came and took from the prison +myself and six others under guard to the Sugar House. * * * At this time +my health was bad, being troubled with the scurvy, and my prospects for +the winter were dark." + +He describes the Sugar House as a dreadful place of torment, and +says that thirty disorderly men were allowed to steal from the other +prisoners the few comforts they possessed. They would even take the sick +out of their beds, steal their bedding, and beat and kick the wretched +sufferers. The articles thus procured they would sell to Mr. Walley (or +Woolley) for rum. + +On the 13th of January Cornelius was sent to the hospital. The Brick +Meeting House was used for the sick among the prisoners. + +"Here," he continues, "I stayed until the 16th. I was not much better +than I was in the Sugar House, no medicine was given me, though I had a +cough and a fever. The Surgeon wished me as soon as I got better to take +the care of the sick, provided I could get my parole. + +"Jan. 16th. On coming next morning he (the surgeon) said he could get +my parole. I was now determined to make my escape, though hardly able to +undertake it. Just at dusk, having made the Sentinel intoxicated, I with +others, went out into the backyard to endeavor to escape over the fence. +The others being backward about going first, I climbed upon a tombstone +and gave a spring, and went over safe, and then gave orders for the +others to do so also. A little Irish lad undertook to leap over, and +caught his clothes in the spikes on the wall, and made something of a +noise. The sentinel being aroused called out 'Rouse!' which is the same +as to command the guards to turn out. They were soon out and surrounded +the prison. In the mean time I had made my way to St. Paul's Church, +which was the wrong way to get out of town. + +"The guards, expecting that I had gone towards North River, went in that +direction. On arriving at the Church I turned into the street to go by +the College and thus go out of town by the side of the river. Soon after +I was out of town I heard the eight o'clock gun, which * * * was the +signal for the sentinels to hail every man that came by. I wished much +to cross the river, but could not find any boat suitable. While going +along up the side of the river at 9 P.M., I was challenged by a sentinel +with the usual word (Burdon), upon which I answered nothing, and on +being challenged the second time I answered 'Friend.' He bade me advance +and give the countersign, upon which I fancied (pretended) I was drunk, +and advanced in a staggering manner, and after falling to the ground he +asked me where I was going. I told him 'Home,' but that I had got lost, +and having been to New York had taken rather too much liquor, and become +somewhat intoxicated. He then asked me my name which I told him was +Matthew Hoppen. Mr. Hoppen lived not far distant. I solicited him to +put me in the right direction, but he told me I must not go until the +Sergeant of the guard dismissed me from him, unless I could give him the +countersign. I still entreated him to let me go. Soon he consented and +directed my course, which I thanked him for. Soon the moon arose and +made it very light, and there being snow on the ground, crusted over, +and no wind, therefore a person walking could be heard a great distance. + +"At this time the tumor in my lungs broke, and being afraid to cough for +fear of being heard, prevented me from relieving myself of the pus that +was lodged there. + +"I had now to cross lots that were cleared and covered with snow, the +houses being thick on the road which I was to cross, and for fear of +being heard I lay myself flat on my stomach and crept along on the +frozen snow. When I come to the fence I climbed over, and walked down +the road, near a house where there was music and dancing. At this time +one of the guards came out. I immediately fell down upon my face. Soon +the man went into the house. I rose again, and crossed the fence into +the field, and proceeded towards the river. There being no trees or +rocks to prevent my being seen, and not being able to walk without being +heard, and the dogs beginning to bark, I lay myself down flat again, and +crept across the field, which took me half an hour. I at length reached +the river and walked by the side of it some distance, and saw a small +creek which ran up into the island, and by the side of it a small house, +and two Sentinels one on each side of it. Not knowing what to do I crept +into a hole in the bank which led in between two rocks. Here I heard +them talk. I concluded to endeavor to go around the head of the creek, +which was about half a mile, but on getting out of the hole I took +hold of the limb of a tree which gave way, and made a great noise. The +sentinel, on hearing it said, 'Did you not hear a person on the creek?' + +"I waited some minutes and then went around the head of the creek and +came down the river on the other side to see if I could not find a boat +to cross to Long Island. But on finding sentinels near by I retreated +a short distance back, and went up the river. I had not gone more than +thirty rods when I saw another sentinel posted on the bank of the river +where I must pass. * * * I stood some time thinking what course to +pursue, but on looking at the man found he did not move and was leaning +on his gun. I succeeded in passing by without waking him up. After this +I found a Sentinel every fifteen or twenty rods until I came within two +miles of Hell Gate. Here I stayed until my feet began to freeze, and +having nothing to eat I went a mile further up the river. It now being +late I crept into the bushes and lay down to think what to do next. +I concluded to remain where I was during the night, and early in the +morning to go down to New York and endeavor to find some house to +conceal myself in. + +"In the morning as soon as the Revelry Beating commenced I went on my +way to New York which was eight miles from this place. After proceeding +awhile I heard the morning guns fired from New York, though I was four +miles from it. I passed the sentinels unmolested down the middle of +the road, and arrived there before many were up. I met many British and +Hessian soldiers whom I knew very well, but they did not know me. + +"I went to a house, and found them friends of America, and was kindly +received of them, and (they) promised to keep me a few days. + +"I had not been here but three quarters of an hour when I was obliged to +call for a bed. After being in bed two or three hours I was taken with +a stoppage in my breast, and made my resperation difficult, and still +being afraid to cough loud for fear of being heard. The good lady of the +house gave me some medicine of my own prescribing, which soon gave +me relief. Soon after a rumor spread about town among the friends of +America of my confinement, and expecting soon to be retaken, they took +measures to have me conveyed to Long Island, which was accordingly done. + +"Feb. 18th, 1778. The same day I was landed I walked nine miles, and put +up at a friend's house, during my walk I passed my Grandfather's house, +and dare not go in for fear he would deliver me up to the British. Next +morning I started on my journey again, and reached the place I intended +at 12 o'clock, and put up with two friends. The next morning I and +two companions started from our friends with four days provisions, and +shovels and axes to build us a hut in the woods. We each of us had a +musket, powder, and balls. After going two miles in the woods we dug +away the snow and made us a fire. After warming ourselves we set to work +to build ourselves a hut; and got one side of it done the first day, +and the next we finished it. It was tolerably comfortable. We kept large +fires, and cooked our meat on the coals. In eight or ten days we had +some provisions brought us by our friends. At this time we heard that +Captain Rogers was cast away on Long Island, and concealed by some of +his friends. We went to see him, and found him. We attempted to stay in +the house in a back room. At about ten A. M. there came in a Tory, he +knowing some of us seemed much troubled. We made him promise that he +would not make known our escape. The next day our two comrades went back +to their old quarters, and Captain Rogers and myself and a friend +went into the woods and built us a hut, about ten miles from my former +companions, with whom we kept up a constant correspondence. Soon a man +was brought to us by our friends, whom we found to be John Rolston, a +man who was confined in the Provost Jail with us, and was carried to +the Hospital about three weeks after I was, and made his escape the same +way, and by friends was brought to Long Island. + +"March 19th, 1778. About 5 o'clock a friend came to us and and said we +had an opportunity to go over to New England in a boat that had just +landed with four Tories, that had stolen the boat at Fairfield, Conn. +We immediately sent word to our two friends with whom I first helped to +build a hut, but they could not be found. At sunset those that came in +the boat went off, and some of our friends guided us through the woods +to the boat, taking two oars with us, for fear we should not find any +in the boat. On arrival at the place our kind friends helped us off. We +rowed very fast till we were a great distance from land. The moon rose +soon, and the wind being fair we arrived we knew not where, about a half +hour before day. We went on shore, and soon found it was Norwalk, Conn. +We had bade farewell to Long Island, for the present, upon which I +composed the following lines:-- + + "O fair you well, once happy land, + Where peace and plenty dwelt, + But now oppressed by tyrants' hands, + Where naught but fury's felt + + "Behold I leave you for awhile, + To mourn for all your sons, + Who daily bleed that you may smile + When we've your freedom won + +"After being rested, just as the day began to dawn, we walked to a place +called the Old Mill, where we found a guard (American) who hailed us at +a distance, and on coming up to him kindly received us, and invited +us to his house to warm us. This being done we went home with Captain +Rodgers, for he lived in Norwalk. Here we went to bed at sunrise, and +stayed till 10 o'clock. After dinner we took leave of Captain Rodgers +and started for head-quarters in Pennsylvania, where the grand Army was +at that time. In seven days we arrived at Valley Forge. + +"Elias Cornelius." + +This portion of the journal of Dr. Cornelius was published in the +_Putnam County Republican_, in 1895, with a short account of the author. + +Dr. Cornelius was born on Long Island in 1758, and was just twenty at +the time of his capture. His ancestors came from Holland. They were +of good birth, and brought a seal bearing their coat of arms to this +country. On the 15th of April, 1777, he was appointed surgeon's mate to +the Second Regiment of Rhode Island troops under Colonel Israel Angell. + +The article in the _Republican_ gives a description of Cunningham and +the Provost which we do not quote in full, as it contains little that +is new. It says, however that "While Cunningham's victims were dying +off from cold and starvation like cattle, he is said to have actually +mingled an arsenical preparation with the food to make them die the +quicker. It is recorded that he boasted that he had killed more rebels +with his own hand than had been slain by all the King's forces in +America." + +Cornelius continued in the Continental service until January 1st, +1781, and received an honorable discharge. After the war he settled +at Yorktown, Westchester County, and came to be known as the "beloved +physician." He was very gentle and kind, and a great Presbyterian. He +died in 1823, and left descendants, one of whom is Judge C. M. Tompkins, +of Washington, D. C. + +As we have seen, Cunningham was not always in charge of the Provost. It +appears that, during his absence in Philadelphia and other places, where +he spread death and destruction, he left Sergeant O'Keefe, almost as +great a villian as himself, in charge of the hapless prisoners in New +York. It is to be hoped that his boast that he had killed more Americans +than all the King's forces is an exaggeration. It may, however, be true +that in the years 1776 and 1777 he destroyed more American soldiers than +had, at that time, fallen on the field of battle. + +When an old building that had been used as a prison near the City Hall +was torn down a few years ago to make way for the Subway Station of +the Brooklyn Bridge, a great number of skeletons were found _in its +cellars_. That these men starved to death or came to their end by +violence cannot be doubted. New York, at the time of the Revolution, +extended to about three-quarters of a mile from the Battery, its suburbs +lying around what is now Fulton Street. Cornelius speaks of the Bowery +as about three-quarters of a mile from New York! "St. Paul's Church," +says Mr. Haltigan, in his very readable book called "The Irish in the +American Revolution," "where Washington attended divine service, is now +the only building standing that existed in those days, and that is a +veritable monument to Irish and American patriotism. * * * On the Boston +Post Road, where it crossed a brook in the vicinity of Fifty-Second +street and Second avenue, then called Beekman's Hill, William Beekman +had an extensive country house. During the Revolution this house was the +British headquarters, and residence of Sir William Howe, where Nathan +Hale was condemned to death, and where Major Andre received his last +instructions before going on his ill-fated mission to the traitor +Arnold." + +Lossing tells us of the imprisonment of one of the signers of the +Declaration of Independence, in the following language: "Suffering and +woe held terrible sway after Cornwallis and his army swept over +the plains of New Jersey. Like others of the signers of the great +Declaration, Richard Stockton was marked for peculiar vengeance by the +enemy. So suddenly did the flying Americans pass by in the autumn of +1776, and so soon were the Hessian vultures and their British companions +on the trail, that he had barely time to remove his family to a place of +safety before his beautiful mansion was filled with rude soldiery. The +house was pillaged, the horses and stock were driven away, the furniture +was converted into fuel, the choice old wines in the cellar were drunk, +the valuable library, and all the papers of Mr. Stockton were committed +to the flames, and the estate was laid waste. Mr. Stockton's place of +concealment was discovered by a party of loyalists, who entered the +house at night, dragged him from his bed, and treating him with every +indignity that malice could invent, hurried him to New York, where he +was confined in the loathsome Provost Jail and treated with the utmost +cruelty. When, through the interposition of Congress he was released, +his constitution was hopelessly shattered, and he did not live to +see the independence of his country achieved. He died at his home at +Princeton, in February, 1781, blessed to the last with the tender and +affectionate attentions of his noble wife." + +We have gathered very little information about the British prisons in +the south, but that little shall be laid before the reader. It repeats +the same sad story of suffering and death of hundreds of martyrs to the +cause of liberty, and of terrible cruelty on the part of the English as +long as they were victorious. + +Mr. Haltigan tells of the "tender mercies" of Cornwallis at the south in +the following words: "Cornwallis was even more cruel than Clinton, and +more flagrant in his violations of the conditions of capitulation. After +the fall of Charleston the real misery of the inhabitants began. Every +stipulation made by Sir Henry Clinton for their welfare was not only +grossly violated, but he sent out expeditions in various sections to +plunder and kill the inhabitants, and scourge the country generally. +One of these under Tarleton surprised Colonel Buford and his Virginia +regiment at Waxhaw, N. C., and while negotiations were pending for a +surrender, the Americans, without notice, were suddenly attacked and +massacred in cold blood. Colonel Buford and one hundred of his men saved +themselves only by flight. Though the rest sued for quarter, one hundred +and thirteen of them were killed on the spot, and one hundred and fifty +more were so badly hacked by Tarleton's dragoons that they could not +be removed. Only fifty-three out of the entire regiment were spared and +taken prisoners. 'Tarleton's quarter' thereafter became the synonym for +barbarity. * * * Feeling the silent influence of the eminent citizens +under parole in Charleston, Cornwallis resolved to expatriate them to +Florida. + +"Lieutenant Governor Gadsden and seventy-seven other public and +influential men were taken from their beds by armed parties, before +dawn on the morning of the 27th of August, 1780, hurried on board +the Sandwich prison ship, without being allowed to bid adieu to their +families, and were conveyed to St. Augustine. + +"The pretence for this measure, by which the British authorities +attempted to justify it, was the false accusation that these men were +concerting a scheme for burning the town and massacring the loyal +inhabitants. Nobody believed the tale, and the act was made more +flagrant by this wicked calumny. Arrived at St. Augustine the prisoners +were offered paroles to enjoy liberty within the precincts of the town. +Gadsden, the sturdy patriot, refused acquiescence, for he disdained +making further terms with a power that did not regard the sanctity of a +solemn treaty. He was determined not to be deceived the second time. + +"'Had the British commanders,' he said, 'regarded the terms of +capitulation at Charleston I might now, although a prisoner, enjoy the +smiles and consolations of my family under my own roof; but even without +a shadow of accusation preferred against me, for any act inconsistent +with my plighted faith, I am torn from them, and here, in a distant +land, invited to enter into new engagements. I will give no parole.' + +"'Think better of it,' said Governor Tonyn, who was in command, 'a +second refusal of it will fix your destiny,--a dungeon will be your +future habitation.' + +"'Prepare it then,' replied the inflexible patriot, 'I will give no +parole, so help me God!' + +"And the petty tyrant did prepare it, and for forty-two weeks that +patriot, of almost threescore years of age, never saw the light of the +blessed sun, but lay incarcerated in the dungeon of the castle of St +Augustine. All the other prisoners accepted paroles, but they were +exposed to indignities more harrowing to the sensitive soul than close +confinement. When they were exchanged, in June, 1781, they were not +allowed even to touch at Charleston, but were sent to Philadelphia, +whither their families had been banished when the prisoners were taken +to the Sandwich. More than a thousand persons were thus exiled, and +husbands and wives, fathers and children, first met in a distant State +after a separation of ten months. + +"Nearly all the soldiers taken prisoners at Charleston were confined in +prison ships in the harbor, where foul air, bad food, filth, and +disease killed hundreds of them. Those confined at Haddrell's Point also +suffered terribly. Many of them had been nurtured in affluence; now +far from friends and entirely without means, they were reduced to the +greatest straits. They were not even allowed to fish for their support, +but were obliged to perform the most menial services. After thirteen +months captivity, Cornwallis ordered them to be sent to the West Indies, +and this cruel order would have been carried out, but for the general +exchange of prisoners which took place soon afterwards. + +"Governor Rutledge, in speaking before the South Carolina Assembly at +Jacksonboro, thus eloquently referred to the rigorous and unjustifiable +conduct of the British authorities: + +"'Regardless of the sacred ties of honor, destitute of the feelings +of humanity, and determined to extinguish, if possible, every spark +of freedom in this country, the enemy, with the insolent pride of +conquerors, gave unbounded scope to the exercise of their tyrannical +disposition, infringed their public engagements, and violated their most +solemn treaties. Many of our worthiest citizens, without cause, were +long and closely confined, some on board prison ships, and others in the +town and castle of St. Augustine. Their properties were disposed of +at the will and caprice of the enemy, and their families sent to +a different and distant part of the continent without the means of +support. Many who had surrendered prisoners of war were killed in cold +blood. Several suffered death in the most ignominious manner, and others +were delivered up to savages and put to tortures, under which they +expired. Thus the lives, liberties, and properties of the people were +dependent solely on the pleasure of the British officers, who deprived +them of either or all on the most frivolous pretenses. Indians, slaves, +and a desperate banditti of the most profligate characters were +caressed and employed by the enemy to execute their infamous purposes. +Devastation and ruin marked their progress and that of their adherents; +nor were their violences restrained by the charms or influence of beauty +and innocence; even the fair sex, whom it is the duty of all, and +the pleasure and pride of the brave to protect, they and their tender +offspring, were victims to the inveterate malice of an unrelenting foe. +Neither the tears of mothers, nor the cries of infants could excite pity +or compassion. Not only the peaceful habitation of the widow, the aged +and the infirm, but the holy temples of the Most High were consumed in +flames, kindled by their sacrilegious hands. They have tarnished +the glory of the British army, disgraced the profession of a British +soldiery, and fixed indelible stigmas of rapine, cruelty and peridy, and +profaneness on the British name.'" + +When in 1808 the Tammany Society of New York laid the cornerstone of a +vault in which the bones of many of the prison ship martyrs were laid +Joseph D. Fay, Esq., made an oration in which he said: + +"But the suffering of those unfortunate Americans whom the dreadful +chances of war had destined for the prison-ships, were far greater than +any which have been told. In that deadly season of the year, when the +dog-star rages with relentless fury, when a pure air is especially +necessary to health, the British locked their prisoner, after long +marches, in the dungeons of ships affected with contagion, and reeking +with the filth of crowded captives, dead and dying. * * * No reasoning, +no praying could obtain from his stern tyrants the smallest alleviation +of his fate. + +"In South Carolina the British officer called Fraser, after trying in +every manner to induce the prisoners to enlist, said to them: 'Go to +your dungeons in the prison ships, where you shall perish and rot, but +first let me tell you that the rations which have been hitherto allowed +for your wives and children shall, from this moment, cease forever; and +you shall die assured that they are starving in the public streets, and +that _you_ are the authors of their fate.' + +"A sentence so terribly awful appalled the firm soul of every listening +hero. A solemn silence followed the declaration; they cast their +wondering eyes one upon the other, and valor, for a moment, hung +suspended between love of family, and love of country. Love of country +at length rose superior to every other consideration, and moved by one +impulse, this glorious band of patriots thundered into the astonished +ears of their persecutors, 'The prison-ships and Death, or Washington +and our country!' + +"Meagre famine shook hands with haggard pestilence, joining a league to +appall, conquer, and destroy the glorious spirit of liberty." + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +A POET ON A PRISON SHIP + + +Philip Freneau, the poet of the Revolution, as he has been called, was +of French Huguenot ancestry. The Freneaus came to New York in 1685. His +mother was Agnes Watson, a resident of New York, and the poet was born +on the second of January, 1752. + +In the year 1780 a vessel of which he was the owner, called the Aurora, +was taken by the British. Freneau was on board, though he was not the +captain of the ship. The British man-of-war, Iris, made the Aurora her +prize, after a fight in which the sailing master and many of the crew +were killed. This was in May, 1780. The survivors were brought to New +York, and confined on board the prison ship, Scorpion. Freneau has left +a poem describing the horrors of his captivity in very strong language, +and it is easy to conceive that his suffering must have been intense +to have aroused such bitter feelings. We give a part of his poem, as +it contains the best description of the indignities inflicted upon the +prisoners, and their mental and physical sufferings that we have found +in any work on the subject. + + +PART OF PHILIP FRENEAU'S POEM ON THE PRISON SHIPS + + Conveyed to York we found, at length, too late, + That Death was better than the prisoner's fate + There doomed to famine, shackles, and despair, + Condemned to breathe a foul, infected air, + In sickly hulks, devoted while we lay,-- + Successive funerals gloomed each dismal day + + The various horrors of these hulks to tell-- + These prison ships where Pain and Penance dwell, + Where Death in ten-fold vengeance holds his reign, + And injured ghosts, yet unavenged, complain: + This be my task--ungenerous Britons, you + Conspire to murder whom you can't subdue + + * * * * * + + So much we suffered from the tribe I hate, + So near they shoved us to the brink of fate, + When two long months in these dark hulks we lay, + Barred down by night, and fainting all the day, + In the fierce fervors of the solar beam + Cooled by no breeze on Hudson's mountain stream, + That not unsung these threescore days shall fall + To black oblivion that would cover all. + + No masts or sails these crowded ships adorn, + Dismal to view, neglected and forlorn; + Here mighty ills oppressed the imprisoned throng; + Dull were our slumbers, and our nights were long. + From morn to eve along the decks we lay, + Scorched into fevers by the solar ray; + No friendly awning cast a welcome shade, + Once was it promised, and was never made; + No favors could these sons of Death bestow, + 'Twas endless vengeance, and unceasing woe. + Immortal hatred doth their breasts engage, + And this lost empire swells their souls with rage. + + Two hulks on Hudson's stormy bosom lie, + Two, on the east, alarm the pitying eye, + There, the black Scorpion at her mooring rides, + And there Strombolo, swinging, yields the tides; + Here bulky Jersey fills a larger space, + And Hunter, to all hospitals disgrace. + Thou Scorpion, fatal to thy crowded throng, + Dire theme of horror to Plutonian song, + Requir'st my lay,--thy sultry decks I know, + And all the torments that exist below! + The briny wave that Hudson's bosom fills + Drained through her bottom in a thousand rills; + Rotten and old, replete with sighs and groans, + Scarce on the water she sustained her bones: + + Here, doomed to toil, or founder in the tide, + At the moist pumps incessantly we plied; + Here, doomed to starve, like famished dogs we tore + The scant allowance that our tyrants bore. + Remembrance shudders at this scene of fears, + Still in my view, some tyrant chief appears, + Some base-born Hessian slave walks threatening by, + Some servile Scot with murder in his eye, + Still haunts my sight, as vainly they bemoan + Rebellions managed so unlike their own. + O may I never feel the poignant pain + To live subjected to such fiends again! + Stewards and mates that hostile Britain bore, + Cut from the gallows on their native shore; + Their ghastly looks and vengeance beaming eyes + Still to my view in dismal visions rise,-- + O may I ne'er review these dire abodes, + These piles for slaughter floating on the floods! + And you that o'er the troubled ocean go + Strike not your standards to this venomed foe, + Better the greedy wave should swallow all, + Better to meet the death-conducting ball, + Better to sleep on ocean's oozy bed, + At once destroyed and numbered with the dead, + Than thus to perish in the face of day + Where twice ten thousand deaths one death delay. + When to the ocean sinks the western sun, + And the scorched tories fire their evening gun, + "Down, rebels, down!" the angry Scotchmen cry, + "Base dogs, descend, or by our broadswords die!" + + Hail, dark abode! What can with thee compare? + Heat, sickness, famine, death, and stagnant air,-- + + * * * * * + + Swift from the guarded decks we rushed along, + And vainly sought repose, so vast our throng. + Three hundred wretches here, denied all light, + In crowded quarters pass the infernal night. + Some for a bed their tattered vestments join, + And some on chest, and some on floors recline; + Shut from the blessings of the evening air + Pensive we lay with mingled corpses there: + Meagre and wan, and scorched with heat below, + We looked like ghosts ere death had made us so: + How could we else, where heat and hunger joined + Thus to debase the body and the mind? + Where cruel thirst the parching throat invades, + Dries up the man and fits him for the shades? + No waters laded from the bubbling spring + To these dire ships these little tyrants bring-- + By plank and ponderous beams completely walled + In vain for water, still in vain we called. + No drop was granted to the midnight prayer + To rebels in these regions of despair! + The loathsome cask a deadly dose contains, + Its poison circles through the languid veins. + "Here, generous Briton, generous, as you say, + To my parched tongue one cooling drop convey-- + Hell has no mischief like a thirsty throat, + Nor one tormentor like your David Sproat!" + + Dull flew the hours till, from the East displayed, + Sweet morn dispelled the horrors of the shade: + On every side dire objects met the sight, + And pallid forms, and murders of the night: + The dead were past their pains, the living groan, + Nor dare to hope another morn their own. + + * * * * * + + O'er distant streams appears the living green, + And leafy trees on mountain tops are seen: + But they no grove or grassy mountain tread, + Marked for a longer journey to the dead. + + Black as the clouds that shade St. Kilda's shore, + Wild as the winds that round her mountains roar, + At every post some surly vagrant stands, + Culled from the English, or the Scottish bands. + Dispensing death triumphantly they stand, + Their musquets ready to obey command; + Wounds are their sport, and ruin is their aim; + On their dark souls compassion has no claim, + And discord only can their spirits please, + Such were our tyrants here, such foes as these. + + * * * * * + + But such a train of endless woes abound + So many mischiefs in these hulks are found + That on them all a poem to prolong + Would swell too high the horrors of our song. + Hunger and thirst to work our woe combine, + And mouldy bread, and flesh of rotten swine; + The mangled carcase and the battered brain; + The doctor's poison, and the captain's cane; + The soldier's musquet, and the steward's debt: + The evening shackle, and the noonday threat. + + * * * * * + + That charm whose virtue warms the world beside, + Was by these tyrants to our use denied. + While yet they deigned that healthsome balm to lade, + The putrid water felt its powerful aid; + But when refused, to aggravate our pains, + Then fevers raged and revelled through our veins; + Throughout my frame I felt its deadly heat; + I felt my pulse with quicker motions beat; + A pallid hue o'er every face was spread, + Unusual pains attacked the fainting head: + No physic here, no doctor to assist, + With oaths they placed me on the sick man's list: + Twelve wretches more the same dark symptoms took, + And these were entered on the doctor's book. + The loathsome Hunter was our destined place, + The Hunter, to all hospitals disgrace. + With soldiers sent to guard us on the road, + Joyful we left the Scorpion's dire abode: + Some tears we shed for the remaining crew, + Then cursed the hulk, and from her sides withdrew. + + THE HOSPITAL PRISON SHIP + + Now towards the Hunter's gloomy decks we came, + A slaughter house, yet hospital in name; + For none came there till ruined with their fees, + And half consumed, and dying of disease:-- + + But when too near, with laboring oar, we plied, + The Mate, with curses, drove us from the side:-- + That wretch, who banished from the navy crew, + Grown old in blood did here his trade renew. + His rancorous tongue, when on his charge let loose, + Uttered reproaches, scandal, and abuse; + Gave all to hell who dared his king disown, + And swore mankind were made for George alone. + A thousand times, to irritate our woe, + He wished us foundered in the gulph below: + A thousand times he brandished high his stick, + And swore as often, that we were not sick:-- + And yet so pale! that we were thought by some + A freight of ghosts from Death's dominions come. + But, calmed at length, for who can always rage? + Or the fierce war of boundless passion wage? + He pointed to the stairs that led below + To damps, disease, and varied forms of woe:-- + Down to the gloom I took my pensive way, + Along the decks the dying captives lay, + Some struck with madness, some with scurvy pained, + But still of putrid fevers most complained. + On the hard floors the wasted objects laid + There tossed and tumbled in the dismal shade: + There no soft voice their bitter fate bemoaned, + But Death strode stately, while his victims groaned. + Of leaky decks I heard them long complain, + Drowned as they were in deluges of rain: + Denied the comforts of a dying bed, + And not a pillow to support the head: + How could they else but pine, and grieve and sigh, + Detest a wretched life, and wish to die? + + Scarce had I mingled with this wretched band, + When a thin victim seized me by the hand:-- + "And art thou come?"--death heavy on his eyes-- + "And art thou come to these abodes?" he cries, + "Why didst thou leave the Scorpion's dark retreat? + And hither haste, a surer death to meet? + Why didst thou leave thy damp, infected cell? + If that was purgatory, this is hell. + We too, grown weary of that horrid shade, + Petitioned early for the Doctor's aid; + His aid denied, more deadly symptoms came, + Weak and yet weaker, glowed the vital flame; + And when disease had worn us down so low + That few could tell if we were ghosts or no, + And all asserted death would be our fate, + Then to the Doctor we were sent, too late" + + Ah! rest in peace, each injured, parted shade, + By cruel hands in death's dark weeds arrayed, + The days to come shall to your memory raise + Piles on these shores, to spread through earth your praise. + + THE HESSIAN DOCTOR + + From Brooklyn heights a Hessian doctor came, + Nor great his skill, nor greater much his fame: + Fair Science never called the wretch her son, + And Art disdained the stupid man to own. + + He on his charge the healing work begun + With antmomial mixtures by the tun: + Ten minutes was the time he deigned to stay, + The time of grace allotted once a day: + He drenched us well with bitter draughts, tis true, + Nostrums from hell, and cortex from Peru: + Some with his pills he sent to Pluto's reign, + And some he blistered with his flies of Spain. + His Tartar doses walked their deadly round, + Till the lean patient at the potion frowned, + And swore that hemlock, death, or what you will, + Were nonsense to the drugs that stuffed his bill. + On those refusing he bestowed a kick, + Or menaced vengeance with his walking stick: + Here uncontrolled he exercised his trade, + And grew experienced by the deaths he made. + + Knave though he was, yet candor must confess + Not chief physician was this man of Hesse: + One master o'er the murdering tribe was placed, + By him the rest were honored or disgraced + Once, and but once, by some strange fortune led, + He came to see the dying and the dead. + He came, but anger so inflamed his eye, + And such a faulchion glittered on his thigh, + And such a gloom his visage darkened o'er, + And two such pistols in his hands he bore, + That, by the gods, with such a load of steel, + We thought he came to murder, not to heal. + Rage in his heart, and mischief in his head, + He gloomed destruction, and had smote us dead + Had he so dared, but fear withheld his hand, + He came, blasphemed, and turned again to land + + THE BENEVOLENT CAPTAIN + + From this poor vessel, and her sickly crew + A british seaman all his titles drew, + Captain, Esquire, Commander, too, in chief, + And hence he gained his bread and hence his beef: + But sir, you might have searched creation round, + And such another ruffian not have found + Though unprovoked an angry face he bore,-- + All were astonished at the oaths he swore + He swore, till every prisoner stood aghast, + And thought him Satan in a brimstone blast + He wished us banished from the public light; + He wished us shrouded in perpetual night; + + * * * * * + + He swore, besides, that should the ship take fire + We, too, must in the pitchy flames expire-- + That if we wretches did not scrub the decks + His staff should break our base, rebellious necks; + + * * * * * + + If, where he walked, a murdered carcase lay, + Still dreadful was the language of the day; + He called us dogs, and would have held us so, + But terror checked the meditated blow + Of vengeance, from our injured nation due, + To him, and all the base, unmanly crew + Such food they sent to make complete our woes + It looked like carrion torn from hungry crows + Such vermin vile on every joint were seen, + So black, corrupted, mortified, and lean, + That once we tried to move our flinty chief, + And thus addressed him, holding up the beef-- + "See, Captain, see, what rotten bones we pick, + What kills the healthy cannot cure the sick, + Not dogs on such by Christian men are fed, + And see, good master, see, what lousy bread!" + "Your meat or bread," this man of death replied, + "Tis not my care to manage or provide + But this, base rebel dogs I'd have you know, + That better than you merit we bestow-- + Out of my sight!" nor more he deigned to say, + But whisked about, and frowning, strode away + + CONCLUSION + + Each day at least six carcases we bore + And scratched them graves along the sandy shore + By feeble hands the shallow graves were made, + No stone memorial o'er the corpses laid + In barren sands and far from home they lie, + No friend to shed a tear when passing by + O'er the mean tombs insulting Britons tread, + Spurn at the sand, and curse the rebel dead. + When to your arms these fatal islands fall-- + For first or last, they must be conquered, all, + Americans! to rites sepulchral just + With gentlest footstep press this kindred dust, + And o'er the tombs, if tombs can then be found, + Place the green turf, and plant the myrtle round + +This poem was written in 1780, the year that Freneau was captured. He +was on board the Scorpion and Hunter about two months, and was then +exchanged. We fear that he has not in the least exaggerated the horrors +of his situation. In fact there seem to have been many bloody pages torn +from the book of history, that can never be perused. Many dark deeds +were done in these foul prisons, of which we can only give hints, and +the details of many crimes committed against the helpless prisoners are +left to our imaginations. But enough and more than enough is known to +make us fear that _inhumanity_, a species of cruelty unknown to the +lower animals, is really one of the most prominent characteristics of +men. History is a long and bloody record of battles, massacres, torture +chambers; greed and violence; bigotry and sin. The root of all crimes +is selfishness. What we call inhumanity is we fear not _inhuman_, but +_human nature unrestrained_. It is true that some progress is made, +and it is no longer the custom to kill all captives, at least not in +civilized countries. But war will always be "_horrida bella_," chiefly +because war means license, when the unrestrained, wolfish passions of +man get for the time the upper hand. Our task, however, is not that of +a moralist, but of a narrator of facts, from which all who read can draw +the obvious moral for themselves. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +"THERE WAS A SHIP" + + +Of all the ships that were ever launched the "Old Jersey" is the +most notorious. Never before or since, in the dark annals of human +sufferings, has so small a space enclosed such a heavy weight of misery. +No other prison has destroyed so many human beings in so short a space +of time. And yet the Jersey was once as staunch and beautiful a vessel +as ever formed a part of the Royal Navy of one of the proudest nations +of the world. How little did her builders imagine that she would go down +to history accompanied by the execrations of all who are acquainted with +her terrible record! + +It is said that it was in the late spring of 1780 that the Old Jersey, +as she was then called, was first moored in Wallabout Bay, off the coast +of Long Island. We can find no record to prove that she was used as a +prison ship until the winter of that year. She was, at first, a hospital +ship for British soldiers. + +The reason for the removal of the unfortunate prisoners from the ships +in New York Harbor was that pestilential sickness was fast destroying +them, and it was feared that the inhabitants of New York would suffer +from the prevailing epidemics. They were therefore placed in rotten +hulks off the quiet shores of Long Island, where, secluded from the +public eye, they were allowed to perish by the thousands from cruel and +criminal neglect. + +"The Old Jersey and the two hospital ships," says General J. Johnson, +"remained in the Wallabout until New York was evacuated by the British. +The Jersey was the receiving ship: the others, truly, the ships of +death! + +"It has been generally thought that all the prisoners died on board the +Jersey. This is not true. Many may have died on board of her who were +not reported as sick, but all who were placed on the sick list were +removed to the hospital ships, from which they were usually taken, sewed +up in a blanket, to their graves. + +"After the hospital ships were brought into the Wallabout, it was +reported that the sick were attended by physicians. Few indeed were +those who recovered, or came back to tell the tale of their sufferings +in those horrible places. It was no uncommon sight to see five or +six dead bodies brought on shore in a single morning, when a small +excavation would be dug at the foot of the hill, the bodies cast into +it, and then a man with a shovel would quickly cover them by shovelling +sand down the hill upon them. + +"Many were buried in a ravine of this hill and many on Mr. Remsen's +farm. The whole shore, from Rennie's Point, to Mr. Remsen's dooryard, +was a place of graves; as were also the slope of the hill near the +house; the shore, from Mr. Remsen's barn along the mill-pond to +Rappelye's farm; and the sandy island between the flood-gates and the +mill-dam, while a few were buried on the shore on the east side of the +Wallabout. + +"Thus did Death reign here, from 1776 (when the Whitby prison ship was +first moored in the Wallabout) until the peace. The whole Wallabout was +a sickly place during the war. The atmosphere seemed to be charged with +foul air: from the prison ships; and with the effluvia of dead bodies +washed out of their graves by the tides. * * * More than half of the +dead buried on the outer side of the mill-pond, were washed out by the +waves at high tide, during northeasterly winds. + +"The bodies of the dead lay exposed along the beach, drying and +bleaching in the sun, and whitening the shores, till reached by the +power of a succeeding storm, as the agitated waves receded, the bones +receded with them into the deep, where they remain, unseen by man, +awaiting the resurrection morn, when, again joined to the spirits to +which they belong, they will meet their persecuting murderers at the bar +of the Supreme Judge of the quick and the dead. + +"We have ourselves," General Johnson continues, "examined many of +the skulls lying on the shore. From the teeth they appeared to be the +remains of men in the prime of life." + +We will quote more of this interesting account written by an eyewitness +of the horrors he records, in a later chapter. At present we will +endeavor to give the reader a short history of the Jersey, from the day +of her launching to her degradation, when she was devoted to the foul +usages of a prison ship. + +She was a fourth rate ship of the line, mounting sixty guns, and +carrying a crew of four hundred men. She was built in 1736, having +succeeded to the name of a celebrated 50-gun ship, which was then +withdrawn from the service, and with which she must not be confounded. +In 1737 she was fitted for sea as one of the Channel Fleet, commanded by +Sir John Norris. + +In the fall of 1738 the command of the Jersey was given to Captain +Edmund Williams, and in July, 1739, she was one of the vessels which +were sent to the Mediterranean under Rear Admiral Chaloner Ogle, when +a threatened rupture with Spain rendered it necessary to strengthen the +naval force in that quarter. + +The trouble in the Mediterranean having been quieted by the appearance +of so strong a fleet, in 1740 the Jersey returned home; but she was +again sent out, under the command of Captain Peter Lawrence, and was one +of the vessels forming the fleet of Sir John Norris, when, in the +fall of that year and in the spring of 1741, that gentleman made his +fruitless demonstrations against the Spanish coast. Soon afterwards the +Jersey, still forming one of the fleet commanded by Sir Chaloner Ogle, +was sent to the West Indies, to strengthen the forces at that station, +commanded by Vice-Admiral Vernon, and she was with that distinguished +officer when he made his well-known, unsuccessful attack on Carthagena, +and the Spanish dominions in America in that year. + +In March, 1743, Captain Lawrence was succeeded m the command of the +Jersey by Captain Harry Norris, youngest son of Admiral Sir John Norris: +and the Jersey formed one of the fleet commanded by Sir John Norris, +which was designed to watch the enemy's Brest fleet; but having suffered +severely from a storm while on that station, she was obliged to return +to the Downs. + +Captain Harry Norris having been promoted to a heavier ship, the +command of the Jersey was given soon afterwards to Captain Charles Hardy +subsequently well known as Governor of the Colony of New York; and in +June, 1744, that officer having been appointed to the command of the +Newfoundland Station, she sailed for North America, and bore his flag in +those waters during the remainder of the year. In 1745, still under +the immediate command of Captain Hardy, the Jersey was one of the ships +which, under Vice-Admiral Medley, were sent to the Mediterranean, where +Vice-Admiral Sir William Rowley then commanded; and as she continued +on that station during the following year there is little doubt that +Captain Hardy remained there, during the remainder of his term of +service on that vessel. + +It was while under the command of Captain Hardy in July, 1745, that the +Jersey was engaged with the French ship, St. Esprit, of 74 guns, in one +of the most desperate engagements on record. The action continued during +two hours and a half, when the St. Esprit was compelled to bear away for +Cadiz, where she was repaired and refitted for sea. At the close of +Sir Charles Hardy's term of service in 1747, the Jersey was laid up, +evidently unfit for active service; and in October, 1748, she was +reported among the "hulks" in port. + +On the renewal of hostilities with France in 1756 the Jersey was +refitted for service, and the command given to Captain John Barker, and +in May, 1757, she was sent to the Mediterranean, where, under the orders +of Admiral Henry Osbourne, she continued upwards of two years, having +been present, on the 28th of February, 1758, when M. du Quesne made his +ineffectual attempt to reinforce M. De la Clue, who was then closely +confined, with the fleet under his command, in the harbor of Carthagena. + +On the 18th of August, 1759, while commanded by Captain Barker, the +Jersey, with the Culloden and the Conqueror, were ordered by Admiral +Boscowan, the commander of the fleet, to proceed to the mouth of the +harbor of Toulon, for the purpose of cutting out or destroying two +French ships which were moored there under cover of the batteries with +the hope of forcing the French Admiral, De la Clue, to an engagement. +The three ships approached the harbour, as directed, with great +firmness; but they were assailed by so heavy a fire, not only from the +enemy's ships and fortifications, but from several masked batteries, +that, after an unequal but desperate contest of upwards of three hours, +they were compelled to retire without having succeeded in their object; +and to repair to Gibraltar to be refitted. + +In the course of the year 1759 Captain Barker was succeeded in the +command of the Jersey by Captain Andrew Wilkinson, under whom, forming +one of the Mediterranean fleet, commanded by Sir Charles Saunders, she +continued in active service until 1763. + +In 1763 peace was established, and the Jersey returned to England and +was laid up; but in May, 1766, she was again commissioned, and under +the command of Captain William Dickson, and bearing the flag of Admiral +Spry, she was ordered to her former station in the Mediterranean, where +she remained three years. + +In the spring of 1769, bearing the flag of Commodore Sir John Byron, the +Jersey sailed for America. She seems to have returned home at the close +of the summer, and her active duties appear to have been brought to an +end. + +She remained out of commission until 1776, when, without armament, and +under the command of Captain Anthony Halstead, she was ordered to New +York as a hospital ship. + +Captain Halstead died on the 17th of May, 1778, and, in July following, +he was succeeded by Commander David Laird, under whom, either as a +hospital, or a prison ship, she remained in Wallabout bay, until she was +abandoned at the close of the war, to her fate, which was to rot in the +mud at her moorings, until, at last, she sank, and for many years her +wretched worm-eaten old hulk could be seen at low tide, shunned by all, +a sorry spectacle, the ghost of what had once been a gallant man-of-war. + +This short history of the Jersey has been condensed from the account +written in 1865 by Mr. Henry B. Dawson and published at Morrisania, New +York, in that year. + +In an oration delivered by Mr. Jonathan Russel, in Providence, R. I., on +the 4th of July 1800, he thus speaks of this ill-fated vessel and of her +victims: "But it was not in the ardent conflicts of the field only, that +our countrymen fell; it was not the ordinary chances of war alone +which they had to encounter. Happy indeed, thrice happy were Warren, +Montgomery, and Mercer; happy those other gallant spirits who fell with +glory in the heat of the battle, distinguished by their country and +covered with her applause. Every soul sensible to honor, envies rather +than compassionates their fate. It was in the dungeons of our inhuman +invaders; it was in the loathsome and pestiferous prisons, that the +wretchedness of our countrymen still makes the heart bleed. It was +there that hunger, and thirst, and disease, and all the contumely that +cold-hearted cruelty could bestow, sharpened every pang of death. Misery +there wrung every fibre that could feel, before she gave the Blow of +Grace which sent the sufferer to eternity. It is said that poison was +employed. No, there was no such mercy there. There, nothing was employed +which could blunt the susceptibility to anguish, or which, by hastening +death, could rob its agonies of a single pang. On board one only of +these Prison ships above 11,000 of our brave countrymen are said to have +perished. She was called the Jersey. Her wreck still remains, and at low +ebb, presents to the world its accursed and blighted fragments. Twice +in twenty-four hours the winds of Heaven sigh through it, and repeat +the groans of our expiring countrymen; and twice the ocean hides in +her bosom those deadly and polluted ruins, which all her waters cannot +purify. Every rain that descends washes from the unconsecrated bank +the bones of those intrepid sufferers. They lie, naked on the shore, +accusing the neglect of their countrymen. How long shall gratitude, +and even piety deny them burial? They ought to be collected in one vast +ossory, which shall stand a monument to future ages, of the two extremes +of human character: of that depravity which, trampling on the rights of +misfortune, perpetrated cold and calculating murder on a wretched and +defenceless prisoner; and that virtue which animated this prisoner to +die a willing martyr to his country. Or rather, were it possible, there +ought to be raised a Colossal Column whose base sinking to Hell, should +let the murderers read their infamy inscribed upon it; and whose capital +of Corinthian laurel ascending to Heaven, should show the sainted +Patriots that they have triumphed. + +"Deep and dreadful as the coloring of this picture may appear, it is +but a taint and imperfect sketch of the original. You must remember a +thousand unutterable calamities; a thousand instances of domestic as +well as national anxiety and distress; which mock description. You +ought to remember them; you ought to hand them down in tradition to your +posterity, that they may know the awful price their fathers paid for +freedom." + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +A DESCRIPTION OF THE JERSEY + + +SONNET + +SUGGESTED BY A VISION OF THE JERSEY PRISON SHIP + +BY W P P + + O Sea! in whose unfathomable gloom + A world forlorn of wreck and ruin lies, + In thy avenging majesty arise, + And with a sound as of the trump of doom + Whelm from all eyes for aye yon living tomb, + Wherein the martyr patriots groaned for years, + A prey to hunger and the bitter jeers + Of foes in whose relentless breasts no room + Was ever found for pity or remorse; + But haunting anger and a savage hate, + That spared not e'en their victim's very corse, + But left it, outcast, to its carrion fate + Wherefore, arise, O Sea! and sternly sweep + This floating dungeon to thy lowest deep + +It was stated in the portion of the eloquent oration given in our last +chapter that more than 11,000 prisoners perished on board the Jersey +alone, during the space of three years and a half that she was moored in +the waters of Wallabout Bay. This statement has never been contradicted, +as far as we know, by British authority. Yet we trust that it is +exaggerated. It would give an average of more than three thousand deaths +a year. The whole number of names copied from the English War Records +of prisoners on board the Jersey is about 8,000. This, however, is an +incomplete list. You will in vain search through its pages to find the +recorded names of many prisoners who have left well attested accounts of +their captivity on board that fatal vessel. All that we can say now is +that the number who perished there is very great. + +As late as 1841 the bones of many of these victims were still to be +found on the shores of Walabout Bay, in and around the Navy Yard. On the +4th of February of that year some workmen, while engaged in digging +away an embankment in Jackson Street, Brooklyn, near the Navy Yard, +accidentally uncovered a quantity of human bones, among which was a +skeleton having a pair of iron manacles still upon the wrists. (See +Thompson's History of Long Island, Vol. 1, page 247.) + +In a paper published at Fishkill on the 18th of May, 1783, is the +following card: "To All Printers, of Public Newspapers:--Tell it to the +world, and let it be published in every Newspaper throughout America, +Europe, Asia, and Africa, to the everlasting disgrace and infamy of the +British King's commanders at New York: That during the late war it +is said that 11,644 American prisoners have suffered death by their +inhuman, cruel, savage, and barbarous usage on board the filthy and +malignant British prison ship called the Jersey, lying at New York. +Britons tremble, lest the vengeance of Heaven fall on your isle, for the +blood of these unfortunate victims! + + "An American" + + "They died, the young, the loved, the brave, + The death barge came for them, + And where the seas yon black rocks lave + Is heard their requiem + They buried them and threw the sand + Unhallowed o'er that patriot band + + The black ship like a demon sate + Upon the prowling deep, + From her came fearful sounds of hate, + Till pain stilled all in sleep + It was the sleep that victims take, + Tied, tortured, dying, at the stake. + + Yet some the deep has now updug, + Their bones are in the sun, + Whether by sword or deadly drug + They perished, one by one, + Was it not dread for mortal eye + To see them all so strangely die? + + Are there those murdered men who died + For freedom and for me? + They seem to point, in martyred pride + To that spot upon the sea + From whence came once the frenzied yell, + From out that wreck, that prison hell" + +This rough but strong old poem was written many years ago by a Mr. +Whitman We have taken the liberty of retouching it to a slight degree. + +It is well known that _twenty hogsheads_ of bones were collected in 1808 +from the shores of the Wallabout, and buried under the auspices of the +Tammany Society in a vault prepared for the purpose. These were but a +small part of the remains of the victims of the prison ships. Many were, +as we have seen, washed into the sea, and many more were interred on the +shores of New York Harbor, before the prison ships were removed to the +Wallabout. It will be better that we should give the accounts left to us +by eye witnesses of the sufferings on board these prison ships, and +we will therefore quote from the narrative of John Van Dyke, who was +confined on board the Jersey before her removal to the Wallabout. + +Captain John Van Dyke was taken prisoner in May, 1780, at which time +he says: "We were put on board the prison ship Jersey, anchored off Fly +Market. (New York City) This ship had been a hospital ship. When I came +on board her stench was so great, and my breathing this putrid air--I +thought it would kill me, but after being on board some days I got used +to it, and as though all was a common smell. * * * + +"On board the Jersey prison ship it was short allowance, so short +a person would think it was not possible for a man to live on. They +starved the American prisoners to make them enlist in their service. I +will now relate a fact. Every man in a mess of six took his daily turn +to get the mess's provisions. One day I went to the galley and drew a +piece of salt, boiled pork. I went to our mess to divide it. * * * I cut +each one his share, and each one eat our day's allowance in one mouthful +of this salt pork and nothing else. One day called peaday I took the +drawer of our doctor's chest (Dr. Hodges of Philadelphia) and went to +the galley, which was the cooking place, with my drawer for a soup dish. +I held it under a large brass cock, the cook turned it. I received the +allowance of my mess, and behold! Brown water, and fifteen floating +peas--no peas on the bottom of my drawer, and this for six men's +allowance for 24 hours. The peas were all in the bottom of the kettle. +Those left would be taken to New York and, I suppose, sold. + +"One day in the week, called pudding day, we would receive three pounds +of damaged flour, in it would be green lumps such as their men would +not eat, and one pound of very bad raisins, one third raisin sticks. We +would pick out the sticks, mash the lumps of flour, put all with some +water into our drawer, mix our pudding and put it into a bag and boil +it with a tally tied to it with the number of our mess. This was a day's +allowance. We, for some time, drew a half pint of rum for each man. One +day Captain Lard (Laird) who commanded the ship Jersey, came on board. +As soon as he was on the main deck of the ship he cried out for the +boatswain. The boatswain arrived and in a very quick motion, took off +his hat. There being on deck two half hogshead tubs where our allowance +of rum was mixed into grog, Captain L., said, 'Have the prisoners had +their allowance of rum today?' 'No, sir' answered the boatswain. Captain +L. replied, 'Damn your soul, you rascal, heave it overboard.' + +"The boatswain, with help, upset the tubs of rum on the middle deck. The +grog rum run out of the scuppers of the ship into the river. I saw no +more grog on board. * * * Every fair day a number of British officers +and sergeants would come on board, form in two ranks on the quarter +deck, facing inwards, the prisoners in the after part of the quarter +deck. As the boatswain would call a name, the word would be 'Pass!' As +the prisoners passed between the ranks officers and sergeants stared +them in the face. This was done to catch deserters, and if they caught +nothing the sergeants would come on the middle deck and cry out 'Five +guineas bounty to any man that will enter his Majesty's service!' + +"Shortly after this party left the ship a Hessian party would come on +board, and the prisoners had to go through the same routine of duty +again. + +"From the Jersey prison ship eighty of us were taken to the pink stern +sloop-of-war Hunter, Captain Thomas Henderson, Commander. We were taken +there in a large ship's long boat, towed by a ten-oar barge, and one +other barge with a guard of soldiers in the rear. + +"On board the ship Hunter we drew one third allowance, and every Monday +we received a loaf of wet bread, weighing seven pounds for each mess. +This loaf was from Mr. John Pintard's father, of New York, the American +Commissary, and this bread, with the allowance of provisions, we found +sufficient to live on. + +"After we had been on board some time Mr. David Sproat, the British +Commissary of prisoners, came on board; all the prisoners were ordered +aft; the roll was called and as each man passed him Mr. Sproat would +ask, 'Are you a seaman?' The answer was 'Landsman, landsman.' There were +ten landsmen to one answer of half seaman. When the roll was finished +Mr. Sproat said to our sea officers, 'Gentlemen, how do you make out at +sea, for the most part of you are landsmen?' + +"Our officers answered: 'You hear often how we make out. When we meet +our force, or rather more than our force we give a good account of +them.' + +"Mr. Sproat asked, 'And are not your vessels better manned than these. +Our officers replied, 'Mr Sproat, we are the best manned out of the port +of Philadelphia.' Mr. Sproat shrugged his shoulders saying, 'I cannot +see how you do it.'" + +We do not understand what John Van Dyke meant by his expression "half +seaman." It is probable that the sailors among the prisoners pretended +to be soldiers in order to be exchanged. There was much more difficulty +in exchanging sailors than soldiers, as we shall see. David Sproat was +the British Commissary for Naval Prisoners alone. In a paper published +in New York in April 28th, 1780, appears the following notice:--"I do +hereby direct all Captains, Commanders, Masters, and Prize Masters +of ships and other vessels, who bring naval prisoners into this port, +immediately to send a list of their names to this office, No. 33 Maiden +Lane, where they will receive an order how to dispose of them. + +"(Signed) David Sproat." + +The Jersey and some of the other prison ships often had landsmen among +their prisoners, at least until the last years of the war, when they +were so overcrowded with sailors, that there must have been scant room +for any one else. + +The next prisoner whose recollections we will consider is Captain Silas +Talbot, who was confined on board the Jersey in the fall of 1780. He +says: "All her port holes were closed. * * * There were about 1,100 +prisoners on board. There were no berths or seats, to lie down on, not a +bench to sit on. Many were almost without cloaths. The dysentery, fever, +phrenzy and despair prevailed among them, and filled the place with +filth, disgust and horror. The scantiness of the allowance, the bad +quality of the provisions, the brutality of the guards, and the +sick, pining for comforts they could not obtain, altogether furnished +continually one of the greatest scenes of human distress and misery +ever beheld. It was now the middle of October, the weather was cool +and clear, with frosty nights, so that the number of deaths per day was +_reduced to an average of ten_, and this number was considered by the +survivors a small one, when compared with the terrible mortality that +had prevailed for three months before. The human bones and skulls, yet +bleaching on the shore of Long Island, and daily exposed, by the falling +down of the high bank on which the prisoners were buried, is a shocking +sight, and manifestly demonstrates that the Jersey prison ship had been +as destructive as a field of battle." + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +THE EXPERIENCE OF EBENEZER FOX + + +Ebenezer Fox, a prisoner on board the Jersey, wrote a little book +about his dreadful experiences when he was a very old man. The book +was written in 1838, and published by Charles Fox in Boston in 1848. +Ebenezer Fox was born in the East Parish of Roxbury, Mass., in 1763. In +the spring of 1775 he and another boy named Kelly ran away to sea. +Fox shipped as a cabin boy in a vessel commanded by Captain Joseph +Manchester. + +He made several cruises and returned home. In 1779 he enlisted, going as +a substitute for the barber to whom he was apprenticed. His company was +commanded by Captain William Bird of Boston in a regiment under Colonel +Proctor. Afterwards he signed ship's papers and entered the naval +service on a twenty gun ship called the Protector, Captain John F. +Williams of Massachusetts. On the lst of April, 1780, they sailed for +a six months cruise, and on the ninth of June, 1780, fought the Admiral +Duff until she took fire and blew up. A short time afterwards the +Protector was captured by two English ships called the Roebuck and +Mayday. + +Fox concealed fifteen dollars in the crown of his hat, and fifteen more +in the soles of his shoes. + +All the prisoners were sent into the hold. One third of the crew of the +Protector were pressed into the British service. The others were sent to +the Jersey. Evidently this prison ship had already become notorious, for +Fox writes: "The idea of being incarcerated in this floating pandemonium +filled us with horror, but the ideas we had formed of its horror fell +far short of the reality. * * * The Jersey was removed from the East +River, and moored with chain cables at the Wallabout in consequence +of the fears entertained that the sickness which prevailed among the +prisoners might spread to the shore. * * * I now found myself in a +loathsome prison, among a collection of the most wretched and disgusting +looking objects that I ever beheld in human form. + +"Here was a motley crew, covered with rags and filth; visages pallid +with disease; emaciated with hunger and anxiety; and hardly retaining a +trace of their original appearance. Here were men, who had once enjoyed +life while riding over the mountain wave or roaming through pleasant +fields, full of health and vigor, now shrivelled by a scanty and +unwholesome diet, ghastly with inhaling an impure atmosphere, exposed to +contagion; in contact with disease, and surrounded with the horrors of +sickness, and death. Here, thought I, must I linger out the morning +of my life" (he was seventeen) "in tedious days and sleepless nights, +enduring a weary and degrading captivity, till death should terminate my +sufferings, and no friend will know of my departure. + +"A prisoner on board the 'Old Jersey!' The very thought was appalling. I +could hardly realize my situation. + +"The first thing we found it necessary to do after our capture was to +form ourselves into small parties called messes, consisting of six +in each, as previous to doing this, we could obtain no food. All the +prisoners were obliged to fast on the first day of their arrival, and +seldom on the second could they obtain any food in season for cooking +it. * * * All the prisoners fared alike; officers and sailors received +the same treatment on board of this old hulk. * * * We were all +'rebels.' The only distinction known among us was made by the prisoners +themselves, which was shown in allowing those who had been officers +previous to their captivity, to congregate in the extreme afterpart of +the ship, and to keep it exclusively to themselves as their place of +abode. * * * The prisoners were confined in the two main decks below. +The lowest dungeon was inhabited by those prisoners who were foreigners, +and whose treatment was more severe than that of the Americans. + +"The inhabitants of this lower region were the most miserable and +disgusting looking objects that can be conceived. Daily washing in salt +water, together with their extreme emaciation, caused the skin to appear +like dried parchment. Many of them remained unwashed for weeks; their +hair long, and matted, and filled with vermin; their beards never cut +except occasionally with a pair of shears, which did not improve their +comeliness, though it might add to their comfort. Their clothes were +mere rags, secured to their bodies in every way that ingenuity could +devise. + +"Many of these men had been in this lamentable condition for two years, +part of the time on board other prison ships; and having given up all +hope of ever being exchanged, had become resigned to their situation. +These men were foreigners whose whole lives had been one continual scene +of toil, hardship, and suffering. Their feelings were blunted; their +dispositions soured; they had no sympathies for the world; no home to +mourn for; no friends to lament for their fate. But far different was +the condition of the most numerous class of prisoners, composed mostly +of young men from New England, fresh from home. + +"They had reason to deplore the sudden change in their condition. * * * +The thoughts of home, of parents, brothers, sisters, and friends, would +crowd upon their minds, and brooding on what they had been, and what +they were, their desire for home became a madness. The dismal and +disgusting scene around; the wretched objects continually in sight; +and 'hope deferred which maketh the heart sick', produced a state of +melancholy that often ended in death,--the death of a broken heart." + +Fox describes the food and drink, the prison regulations, deaths, and +burials, just as they were described by Captain Dring, who wrote the +fullest account of the Jersey, and from whose memoirs we shall +quote further on. He says of their shallow graves in the sand of +the Wallabout: "This was the last resting place of many a son and a +brother,--young and noble-spirited men, who had left their happy homes +and kind friends to offer their lives in the service of their country. +* * * Poor fellows! They suffered more than their older companions +in misery. They could not endure their hopeless and wearisome +captivity:--to live on from day to day, denied the power of doing +anything; condemned to that most irksome and heart-sickening of all +situations, utter inactivity; their restless and impetuous spirits, +like caged lions, panted to be free, and the conflict was too much +for endurance, enfeebled and worn out as they were with suffering and +confinement. * * * The fate of many of these unhappy victims must have +remained forever unknown to their friends; for in so large a number, +no exact account could be kept of those who died, and they rested in +a nameless grave; while those who performed the last sad rites were +hurried away before their task was half completed, and forbid to express +their horror and indignation at this insulting negligence towards the +dead. * * * + +"The regular crew of the Jersey consisted of a Captain, two Mates, a +steward, a cook, and about twelve sailors. There was likewise on board +a guard of about thirty soldiers, from the different regiments quartered +on Long Island, who were relieved by a fresh party every week. + +"The physical force of the prisoners was sufficient at any time to take +possession of the ship, but the difficulty was to dispose of themselves +after a successful attempt. Long Island was in possession of the +British, and the inhabitants were favorable to the British cause. To +leave the ship and land on the island, would be followed by almost +certain detection; and the miseries of our captivity would be increased +by additional cruelties heaped upon us from the vindictive feelings of +our oppressors. + +"Yet, small as was the chance for succeeding in the undertaking, the +attempt to escape was often made, and in not a few instances with +success. + +"Our sufferings were so intolerable, that we felt it to be our duty to +expose ourselves to almost any risk to obtain our liberty. To remain +on board of the prison ship seemed to be certain death, and in its most +horrid form; to be killed, while endeavoring to get away, could be no +worse. + +"American prisoners are proverbial for their ingenuity in devising ways +and means to accomplish their plans, whether they be devised for their +own comfort and benefit, or for the purpose of annoying and tormenting +their keepers. + +"Although we were guarded with vigilance yet there did not appear much +system in the management of the prisoners; for we frequently missed a +whole mess from our number, while their disappearance was not noticed by +our keepers. Occasionally a few would be brought back who had been found +in the woods upon Long Island, and taken up by the Tories. + +"Our mess one day noticed that the mess that occupied the place next to +them were among the missing. This circumstance led to much conjecture +and inquiry respecting the manner in which they had effected their +escape. By watching the movements of our neighbors we soon found out the +process necessary to be adopted. + +"Any plan which a mess had formed they kept a secret among their +number, in order to insure a greater prospect of success. * * * For +the convenience of the officers of the ship a closet, called the "round +house", had been constructed under the forecastle, the door of which was +kept locked. This room was seldom used, there being other conveniences +in the ship preferable to it. + +"Some of the prisoners had contrived to pick the lock of the door; and +as it was not discovered the door remained unfastened. + +"After we had missed our neighbor prisoners, and had ascertained to our +satisfaction their mode of operation, the members of our mess determined +to seize the first opportunity that offered to attempt our escape. We +selected a day, about the 15th of August, and made all the preparations +in our power for ensuring us success in our undertaking. At sunset, when +the usual cry from the officer of the guard, 'Down, rebels, down!' was +heard, instead of following the multitude down the hatchways, our mess, +consisting of six, all Americans, succeeded in getting into the 'round +house', except one. The round house was found too small to contain more +than five; and the sixth man, whose name, I think, was Putnam of Boston, +concealed himself under a large tub, which happened to be lying near the +place of our confinement. The situation of the five, as closely packed +in the round house as we could stand and breathe, was so uncomfortable +as to make us very desirous of vacating it as soon as possible. + +"We remained thus cooped up, hardly daring to breathe, for fear we +should be heard by the guard. The prisoners were all below, and no noise +was heard above, saving the tramp of the guard as he paced the deck. It +was customary, after the prisoners were secured below, for the ship's +mate every night to search above; this, however, was considered a mere +formality, and the duty was very imperfectly executed. While we were +anxiously awaiting the completion of this service, an event transpired, +that we little anticipated, and which led to our detection. + +"One of the prisoners, an Irishman, had made his arrangements to escape +the same evening, and had not communicated with any one on the subject +except a countryman of his, whom he persuaded to bury him up in the coal +hole, near the forecastle. + +"Whether his friend covered him faithfully or not, or whether the +Irishman thought that if he could not see anybody, nobody could see him, +or whether, feeling uncomfortable in his position, he turned over to +relieve himself, I know not; but when the mate looked in the coal +hole he espied something rather whiter than the coal, which he soon +ascertained to be the Irishman's shoulder. This discovery made the +officer suspicious, and induced him to make a more thorough search than +usual. + +"We heard the uproar that followed the discovery, and the threats of the +mate that he would search every damned corner. He soon arrived at the +round house, and we heard him ask a soldier for the key. Our hopes +and expectations were a little raised when we heard the soldier +reply, 'There is no need of searching this place, for the door is kept +constantly locked.' + +"But the mate was not to be diverted from his purpose, and ordered the +soldier to get the key. + +"During the absence of the soldier, we had a little time to reflect upon +the dangers of our situation; crowded together in a space so small as +not to admit of motion; with no other protection than the thickness of +a board; guarded on the outside by about twelve soldiers, armed with +cutlasses, and the mate, considerably drunk, with a pistol in each hand, +threatening every moment to fire through;--our feelings may be +more easily conceived than described. There was but little time for +deliberation; something must be immediately done. * * * In a whispered +consultation of some moments, we conceived that the safest course +we could pursue would be to break out with all the violence we could +exercise, overcome every obstacle, and reach the quarter-deck. By this +time the soldier had arrived with the key, and upon applying it, the +door was found to be unlocked. We now heard our last summons from the +mate, with imprecations too horrible to be repeated, and threatening us +with instant destruction if we did not immediately come out. + +"To remain any longer where we were would have been certain death to +some of us; we therefore carried our hastily formed plan into execution. +The door opened outwards, and forming ourselves into a solid body, we +burst open the door, rushed out pellmell, and making a brisk use of our +fists, knocked the guard heels over head in all directions, at the same +time running with all possible speed for the quarter-deck. As I rushed +out, being in the rear, I received a wound from a cutlass on my side, +the scar of which remains to this day. + +"As nearly all the guards were prostrated by our unexpected sally, we +arrived at our destined place, without being pursued by anything but +curses and threats. + +"The mate exercised his authority to protect us from the rage of the +soldiers, who were in pursuit of us, as soon as they had recovered +from the prostration into which they had been thrown; and, with the +assistance of the Captain's mistress, whom the noise had brought upon +deck, and whose sympathy was excited when she saw we were about to be +murdered: she placed herself between us and the enraged guard, and made +such an outcry as to bring the Captain" (Laird) "up, who ordered +the guard to take their station at a little distance and to watch us +narrowly. We were all put in irons, our feet being fastened to a long +bar, a guard placed over us, and in this situation we were left to pass +the night. + +"During the time of the transactions related, our fellow prisoner, +Putnam, remained quietly under the tub, and heard the noise from his +hiding place. He was not suffered to remain long in suspense. A soldier +lifted up the tub, and seeing the poor prisoner, thrust his bayonet into +his body, just above his hip, and then drove him to the quarter-deck, +to take his place in irons among us. The blood flowed profusely from +his wound, and he was soon after sent on board the hospital ship, and we +never heard anything respecting him afterwards. + +"With disappointed expectations we passed a dreary night. A cold +fog, followed by rain, came on; to which we were exposed, without any +blankets or covering to protect us from the inclemency of the weather. +Our sufferings of mind and body during that horrible night, exceeded any +that I have ever experienced. + +"We were chilled almost to death, and the only way we could preserve +heat enough in our bodies to prevent our perishing, was to lie upon each +other by turns. + +"Morning at last came, and we were released from our fetters. Our limbs +were so stiff that we could hardly stand. Our fellow prisoners assisted +us below, and wrapping us in blankets, we were at last restored to a +state of comparative comfort. + +"For attempting to escape we were punished by having our miserable +allowance reduced one third in quantity for a month; and we had found +the whole of it hardly sufficient to sustain life. * * * + +"One day a boat came alongside containing about sixty firkins of grease, +which they called butter. The prisoners were always ready to assist in +the performance of any labor necessary to be done on board of the ship, +as it afforded some little relief to the tedious monotony of their +lives. On this occasion they were ready to assist in hoisting the butter +on board. The firkins were first deposited upon the deck, and then +lowered down the main hatchway. Some of the prisoners, who were the most +officious in giving their assistance, contrived to secrete a firkin, +by rolling it forward under the forecastle, and afterwards carrying it +below in their bedding. + +"This was considered as quite a windfall; and being divided among a few +of us, proved a considerable luxury. It helped to fill up the pores +in our mouldy bread, when the worms were dislodged, and gave to the +crumbling particles a little more consistency. + +"Several weeks after our unsuccessful attempt to escape, another one +attended with better success, was made by a number of the prisoners. +At sunset the prisoners were driven below, and the main hatchway was +closed. In this there was a trap-door, large enough for a man to pass +through, and a sentinel was placed over it with orders to permit one +prisoner at a time to come up during the night. + +"The plan that had been formed was this:--one of the prisoners should +ascend, and dispose of the sentinel in such a manner that he should be +no obstacle in the way of those who were to follow. + +"Among the soldiers was an Irishman who, in consequence of having a head +of hair remarkable for its curly appearance, and withal a very crabbed +disposition, had been nicknamed 'Billy the Ram'. He was the sentinel on +duty this night, for one was deemed sufficient, as the prisoners were +considered secure when they were below, having no other place of egress +saving the trap-door, over which the sentinel was stationed. + +"Late in the night one of the prisoners, a bold, athletic fellow, +ascended upon deck, and in an artful manner engaged the attention of +Billy the Ram, in conversation respecting the war; lamenting that he had +engaged in so unnatural a contest, expressing his intention of enlisting +in the British service, and requesting Billy's advice respecting the +course necessary to be pursued to obtain the confidence of the officers. + +"Billy happened to be in a mood to take some interest in his views, +and showed an inclination, quite uncommon for him, to prolong the +conversation. Unsuspicious of any evil design on the part of the +prisoner, and while leaning carelessly on his gun, Billy received a +tremendous blow from the fist of his entertainer on the back of his +head, which brought him to the deck in a state of insensibility. + +"As soon as he was heard to fall by those below, who were anxiously +awaiting the result of the friendly conversation of their pioneer with +Billy, and were satisfied that the final knock-out argument had been +given, they began to ascend, and, one after another, to jump overboard, +to the number of about thirty. + +"The noise aroused the guard, who came upon deck, where they found Billy +not sufficiently recovered from the stunning effects of the blow he had +received to give any account of the transaction. A noise was heard in +the water; but it was so dark that no object could be distinguished. +The attention of the guard, however, was directed to certain spots which +exhibited a luminous appearance, which salt water is known to assume in +the night when it is agitated, and to these appearances they directed +their fire, and getting out the boats, picked out about half the number +that attempted to escape, many of whom were wounded, though not one was +killed. The rest escaped. + +"During the uproar overhead the prisoners below encouraged the +fugitives, and expressed their approbation of their proceedings in +three hearty cheers; for which gratification we suffered our usual +punishment--a short allowance of our already short and miserable fare. + +"For about a fortnight after this transaction it would have been a +hazardous experiment to approach near to 'Billy the Ram', and it was a +long time before we ventured to speak to him, and finally to obtain from +him an account of the events of the evening. + +"Not long after this another successful attempt to escape was made, +which for its boldness is perhaps unparalleled in the history of such +transactions. + +"One pleasant morning about ten o'clock a boat came alongside, +containing a number of gentlemen from New York, who came for the purpose +of gratifying themselves with a sight of the miserable tenants of the +prison-ship, influenced by the same kind of curiosity that induces some +people to travel a great distance to witness an execution. + +"The boat, which was a beautiful yawl, and sat like a swan upon the +water, was manned by four oarsmen, with a man at the helm. Considerable +attention and respect was shown the visitors, the ship's side being +manned when they showed their intention of coming on board, and the +usual naval courtesies extended. The gentlemen were soon on board; +and the crew of the yawl, having secured her to the forechains on the +larboard side of the ship, were permitted to ascend the deck. + +"A soldier as usual was pacing with a slow and measured tread the whole +length of the deck, wheeling round with measured precision, when he +arrived at the end of his walk; and whether upon this occasion, any one +interested in his movements had secretly slipped a guinea into his hand, +not to quicken but to retard his progress, was never known; but it was +evident to the prisoners that he had never occupied so much time before +in measuring the distance with his back to the place where the yawl was +fastened. + +"At this time there were sitting in the forecastle, apparently admiring +the beautiful appearance of the yawl, four mates and a captain, who had +been brought on board as prisoners a few days previous, taken in some +vessel from a southern port. + +"As soon as the sentry had passed these men, in his straightforward +march, they, in a very quiet manner, lowered themselves down into the +yawl, cut the rope, and the four mates taking in hand the oars, while +the captain managed the helm, in less time than I have taken to describe +it, they were under full sweep from the ship. They plied the oars with +such vigor that every stroke they took seemed to take the boat out of +the water. In the meantime the sentry heard nothing and saw nothing of +this transaction, till he had arrived at the end of his march, when, +in wheeling slowly round, he could no longer affect ignorance, or avoid +seeing that the boat was several times its length from the ship. +He immediately fired; but, whether he exercised his best skill as a +marksman, or whether it was on account of the boat's going ahead +its whole length at every pull of the rowers, I could never exactly +ascertain, but the ball fell harmlessly into the water. The report of +the gun brought the whole guard out, who blazed away at the fugitives, +without producing any dimunition in the rapidity of their progress. + +"By this time the officers of the ship were on deck with their visitors; +and while all were gazing with astonishment at the boldness and +effrontery of the achievement, the guard were firing as fast as they +could load their guns. When the prisoners gave three cheers to the +yawl's crew, as an expression of their joy at their success, the Captain +ordered all of us to be driven below at the point of the bayonet, and +there we were confined the remainder of the day. + +"These five men escaped, greatly to the mortification of the captain +and officers of the prison-ship. After this, as long as I remained a +prisoner, whenever any visitors came on board, all the prisoners were +driven below, where they were obliged to remain till the company had +departed." + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +THE EXPERIENCE OF EBENEZER FOX (CONTINUED) + + +The miseries of our condition were continually increasing. The +pestilence on board spread rapidly; and every day added to our bill of +mortality. The young were its most frequent victims. The number of the +prisoners was constantly augmenting, notwithstanding the frequent and +successful attempts to escape. When we were mustered and called upon to +answer to our names, and it was ascertained that nearly two hundred +had mysteriously disappeared, without leaving any information of their +departure, the officers of the ship endeavored to make amends for +their past remissness by increasing the rigor of our confinement, and +depriving us of all hope of adopting any of the means for liberating +ourselves from our cruel thralldom, so successfully practiced by many of +our comrades. + +"With the hope that some relief might be obtained to meliorate the +wretchedness of our situation, the prisoners petitioned General Clinton, +commanding the British forces in New York, for permission to send a +memorial to General Washington, describing our condition, and requesting +his influence in our behalf, that some exchange of prisoners might be +effected. + +"Permission was obtained, and the memorial was sent. * * * General +Washington wrote to Congress, and also to the British Commissary of +Naval prisoners, remonstrating with him, deprecating the cruel treatment +of the Americans, and threatening retaliation. + +"The long detention of American sailors on board of British prison-ships +was to be attributed to the little pains taken by our countrymen to +retain British subjects who were taken prisoner on the ocean during the +war. Our privateers captured many British seamen, who, when willing to +enlist in our service, as was generally the case, were received on board +of our ships. Those who were brought into port were suffered to go at +large; for in the impoverished condition of the country, no state +or town was willing to subject itself to the expence of maintaining +prisoners in a state of confinement; they were permitted to provide for +themselves. In this way the number of British seamen was too small for +a regular and equal exchange. Thus the British seamen, after their +capture, enjoyed the blessings of liberty, the light of the sun, and the +purity of the atmosphere, while the poor American sailors were compelled +to drag out a miserable existence amid want and distress, famine and +pestilence. As every principle of justice and humanity was disregarded +by the British in their treatment of the prisoners, so likewise was +every moral and legal right violated in compelling them to enter into +their service. + +"We had obtained some information in relation to an expected draught +that would soon be made upon the prisoners to fill up a complement of +men that were wanted for the service of his Majesty's fleet. + +"One day in the last part of August our fears for the dreaded event were +realized. A British officer with a number of soldiers came on board. The +prisoners were all ordered on deck, placed on the larboard gangway, and +marched in single file round to the quarter-deck, where the officers +stood to inspect them, and select such ones as suited their fancies +without any reference to the rights of the prisoners. * * * We continued +to march round in solemn and melancholy processsion, till they had +selected from among our number about three hundred of the ablest, nearly +all of whom were Americans, and they were directed to go below under a +guard, to collect together whatever things they wished to take belonging +to them. They were then driven into the boats, waiting alongside, and +left the prison ship, not to enjoy their freedom, but to be subjected +to the iron despotism, and galling slavery of a British man-of-war; to +waste their lives in a foreign service; and toil for masters whom they +hated. Such, however, were the horrors of our situation as prisoners, +and so small was the prospect of relief, that we almost envied the lot +of those who left the ship to go into the service of the enemy. + +"That the reader may not think I have given an exaggerated account of +our sufferings on board the Jersey, I will here introduce some facts +related in the histories of the Revolutionary War. I introduce them as +an apology for the course that I and many of my fellow citizens adopted +to obtain temporary relief from our sufferings. + +"The prisoners captured by Sir William Howe in 1776 amounted to several +thousands. * * * The privates were confined in prisons, deserted +churches, and other large open buildings, entirely unfit for the +habitations of human beings, in severe winter weather, without any of +the most ordinary comforts of life. + +"To the indelible and everlasting disgrace of the British name, these +unfortunate victims of a barbarity more befitting savages than gentlemen +belonging to a nation boasting itself to be the most enlightened and +civilized of the world,--many hundreds of them, perished from want of +proper food and attention. + +"The cruelty of their inhuman jailors was not terminated by the death +of these wretched men, as so little care was taken to remove the corpses +that seven dead bodies have been seen at one time lying in one of +the buildings in the midst of their living fellow-prisoners, who were +perhaps envying them their release from misery. Their food * * * was +generally that which was rejected by the British ships as unfit to be +eaten by the sailors, and unwholesome in the highest degree, as well as +disgusting in taste and appearance. + +"In December, 1776, the American board of war, after procuring such +evidence as convinced them of the truth of their statements, reported +that: 'There were 900 privates and 300 officers of the American army, +prisoners in the city of New York, and 500 privates and 50 officers in +Philadelphia. That since the beginning of October, all these officers +and privates had been confined in prisons or in the provost. That, from +the best evidence the subject could admit of, the general allowance of +the prisoners did not exceed four ounces of meat a day, and that often +so damaged as to be uneatable. That it had been a common practice of the +British to keep their prisoners four or five days without a morsel of +meat and thus tempt them to enlist to save their lives.' + +"Many were actually starved to death, in hope of making them enroll +themselves in the British army. The American sailors when captured +suffered even more than the soldiers, for they were confined on board +prison ships in great numbers, and in a manner which showed that the +British officers were willing to treat fellow beings, whose only crime +was love of liberty, worse than the vilest animals; and indeed in every +respect, with as much cruelty as is endured by the miserable inhabitants +of the worst class of slave ships. * * * In the course of the war it has +been asserted on good evidence, that 11,000 prisoners died on board the +Jersey. * * * These unfortunate beings died in agony in the midst of +their fellow sufferers, who were obliged to witness their tortures, +without the power of relieving their dying countrymen, even by cooling +their parched lips with a drop of cold water, or a breath of fresh air; +and, when the last breath had left the emaciated body, they sometimes +remained for hours in close contact with the corpse, without room to +shrink from companions that Death had made so horrible, and when at +last the dead were removed, they were sent in boats to the shore, and +so imperfectly buried that long after the war was ended, their bones lay +whitening in the sun on the beach of Long Island, a lasting memorial of +British cruelty, so entirely unwarranted by all the laws of war or even +common humanity. + +"They could not even pretend that they were retaliating, for the +Americans invariably treated their prisoners with kindness, and as +though they were fellow men. All the time that these cruelties were +performed those who were deprived of every comfort and necessary were +constantly entreated to leave the American service, and induced to +believe, while kept from all knowledge of public affairs, that the +republican cause was hopeless; that all engaged in it would meet the +punishment of traitors to the king, and that all their prospect of +saving their lives, or escaping from an imprisonment worse than death to +young and high-spirited men, as most of them were, would be in joining +the British army, where they would be sure of good pay and quick +promotion. + +"These were the means employed by our enemies to increase their own +forces, and discourage the patriots, and it is not strange they were +successful in many instances. High sentiments of honor could not well +exist in the poor, half-famished prisoners, who were denied even water +to quench their thirst, or the privilege of breathing fresh, pure air, +and cramped, day after day, in a space too small to admit of exercising +their weary limbs, with the fear of wasting their lives in a captivity, +which could not serve their country, nor gain honor to themselves. + +"But worse than all was the mortifying consideration that, after they +had suffered for the love of their country, more than sailors in active +service, they might die in these horrible places, and be laid with their +countrymen on the shores of Long Island, or some equally exposed spot, +without the rites of burial, and their names never be heard of by those +who, in future ages, would look back to the roll of patriots, who +died in defence of liberty, with admiration and respect, while, on the +contrary, by dissembling for a time, they might be able to regain a +place in the service so dear to them, and in which they were ready to +endure any hardship or encounter any danger. + +"Of all the prisons, on land or water, for the confinement of the +Americans, during the Revolutionary War, the Old Jersey was acknowledged +to be the worst; such an accumulation of horrors was not to be found in +any other one, or perhaps in all collectively. + +"The very name of it struck terror into the sailor's heart, and caused +him to fight more desperately, to avoid being made a captive. Suffering +as we did, day after day, with no prospect of relief, our numbers +continually augmenting, * * * can it be thought strange that the younger +part of the prisoners, to whom confinement seemed worse than death, +should be tempted to enlist into the British service; especially when, +by so doing, it was probable that some opportunity would be offered +to desert? We were satisfied that death would soon put an end to our +sufferings if we remained prisoners much longer, yet when we discussed +the expediency of seeking a change in our condition, which we were +satisfied could not be worse under any circumstances, and it was +proposed that we should enter the service of King George, our minds +revolted at the idea, and we abandoned the intention. + +"In the midst of our distresses, perplexities, and troubles of this +period, we were not a little puzzled to know how to dispose of the +vermin that would accumulate upon our persons, notwithstanding all our +attempts at cleanliness. To catch them was a very easy task, but to +undertake to deprive each individual captive of life, as rapidly as they +could have been taken, would have been a more herculean task for each +individual daily, than the destruction of 3000 Philistines by Sampson of +old. To throw them overboard would have been but a small relief, as they +would probably add to the impurities of the boiler, by being deposited +in it the first time it was filled up for cooking our unsavory mess. +What then was to be done with them? A general consultation was held, and +it was determined to deprive them of their liberty. This being agreed +upon, the prisoners immediately went to work, for their comfort and +amusement, to make a liberal contribution of those migratory creatures, +who were compelled to colonize for a time within the boundaries of a +large snuff box appropriated for the purpose. There they lay, snugly +ensconced, of all colors, ages, and sizes, to the amount of some +hundreds, waiting for orders. + +"British recruiting officers frequently came on board, and held out to +the prisoners tempting offers to enlist in his Majesty's service; not +to fight against their own country, but to perform garrison duty in the +island of Jamaica. + +"One day an Irish officer came on board for this purpose, and not +meeting with much success among the prisoners who happened to be on +deck, he descended below to repeat his offers. He was a remarkably tall +man, and was obliged to stoop as he passed along between decks. The +prisoners were disposed for a frolic, and kept the officer in their +company for some time, flattering him with expectations, till he +discovered their insincerity, and left them in no very pleasant humor. +As he passed along, bending his body and bringing his broad shoulders to +nearly a horizontal position, the idea occurred to our minds to furnish +him with some recruits from the colony in the snuff box. A favorable +opportunity presented, the cover of the box was removed, and the whole +contents discharged upon the red-coated back of the officer. Three +cheers from the prisoners followed the migration, and the officer +ascended to the deck, unconscious of the number and variety of the +recruits he had obtained without the formality of an enlistment. The +captain of the ship, suspecting that some joke had been practised, or +some mischief perpetrated, from the noise below, met the officer at the +head of the gangway, and seeing the vermin crawling up his shoulders, +and aiming at his head, with the instinct peculiar to them, exclaimed, +'Hoot mon! what's the maitter wi' your back!' * * * By this time many of +them in their wanderings, had travelled from the rear to the front, and +showed themselves, to the astonishment of the officer. He flung off his +coat, in a paroxysm of rage, which was not allayed by three cheers from +the prisoners on deck. Confinement below, with a short allowance, was +our punishment for this gratification. + +"From some information we had obtained we were in daily expectation of a +visit from the British recruiting officers, and from the summary method +of their procedure, no one felt safe from the danger of being forced +into their service. Many of the prisoners thought it would be better +to enlist voluntarily, as it was probable that afterwards they would be +permitted to remain on Long Island, preparatory to their departure to +the West Indies, and during that time some opportunity would be offered +for their escape to the Jersey shore. * * * Soon after we had formed +this desperate resolve a recruiting officer came on board to enlist +men for the 88th Regiment to be stationed at Kingston, in the island +of Jamaica. * * * The recruiting officer presented his papers for our +signature. We hesitated, we stared at each other, and felt we were about +to do a deed of which we were ashamed, and which we might regret. Again +we heard the tempting offers, and again the assurance that we should not +be called upon to fight against our government or country, and with the +hope that we should find an opportunity to desert, of which it was +our firm intention to avail ourselves when offered,--with such hopes, +expectations, and motives, we signed the papers, and became soldiers in +his Majesty's service, + +"How often did we afterwards lament that we had ever lived to see this +hour? How often did we regret that we were not in our wretched prison +ship again, or buried in the sand at the Wallabout!" + +There were twelve of the prisoners who left the Jersey with Ebenezer +Fox. They were at first taken to Long Island and lodged in barns, but +so vigilantly were they guarded that they found it impossible to escape. +They were all sent to Kingston, and Fox was allowed to resume his +occupation as a barber, much patronized by the officers stationed at +that post. He was soon allowed the freedom of the city, and furnished +with a pass to go about it as much as he wished. At last, in company +with four other Americans, he escaped, and after many adventures the +party succeeded in reaching Cuba, by means of a small sailing boat which +they pressed into service for that purpose. From Cuba they took passage +in a small vessel for St. Domingo, and dropped anchor at Cape Francois, +afterwards called Cape Henri. There they went on board the American +frigate, Flora, of 32 guns, commanded by Captain Henry Johnson, of +Boston. + +The vessel soon sailed for France and took several prizes. It finally +went up the Garonne to Bordeaux, where it remained nine months. In the +harbor of Bordeaux were about six hundred vessels bearing the flags of +various nations. Here they remained until peace was proclaimed, when Fox +procured service on board an American brig lying at Nantes, and set sail +for home in April, 1783. + +At length he again reached his mother's house at Roxbury, after an +absence of about three years. His mother, at first, did not recognize +him. She entertained him as a stranger, until he made himself known, and +then her joy was great, for she had long mourned him as lost. + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +THE CASE OF CHRISTOPHER HAWKINS + + +Christopher Hawkins was born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1764. When +he was in his thirteenth year he sailed on board an American privateer +as a cabin boy. The privateer was a schooner, called the Eagle, +commanded by Captain Potter. Taken prisoner by the British, Hawkins was +sent on board the Asia, an old transport ship, but was soon taken off +this vessel, then used for the confinement of American prisoners, and +sent on board a frigate, the Maidstone, to serve as a waiter to the +British officers on board. He remained on board the Maidstone a year. +At the end of that time he was allowed a good deal of liberty. He and +another boy were sent on shore to New York with a message, managed to +elude the sentinels, and escaped first to Long Island, and afterwards +returned home to Providence. + +About 1781 he again went on board a privateer under Captain Whipple, was +again captured, and this time he was sent to the Jersey. He describes +the condition of the prisoners on their way in a transport to this +fearful prison ship. They were so crowded together that they could +scarcely move, yet they all joined in singing a patriotic song every +stanza of which ended with the words: + +"For America and all her sons forever will shine!" + +They were on board this transport three or four days unable to sit or +lie down for want of room. When at last they reached the Jersey they +found 800 prisoners on board. Many of these poor wretches would become +sick in the night and die before day. Hawkins was obliged to lie down to +rest only twenty feet from the gangway, and in the path of the prisoners +who would run over him to get on the upper deck. He describes the +condition of these men as appalling. + +"Near us," he writes, "was a guard ship and hospital ship, and along the +shore a line of sentinels at regular intervals." + +Yet he determined to escape. Many did so; and many were murdered in the +attempt. A mess of six had just met a dreadful fate. One of them became +terrified and exclaimed as soon as he touched the water, "O Lord, I +shall be drowned!" The guard turned out, and murdered five of the poor +wretches. The sixth managed to hide, and held on by the flukes of the +anchor with nothing but his nose above water. Early in the morning he +climbed up the anchor over the bow of the ship to the forecastle, and +fled below. A boy named Waterman and Hawkins determined to drop through +a port-hole, and endeavor to reach Long Island by swimming. He thus +describes the adventure: + +"The thunder-storm was opportune to our design, for having previously +obtained from the cook's room an old axe and crow-bar from the upper +deck for the purpose, we concealed them till an opportunity should offer +for their use. We took advantage of the peals of thunder in a storm that +came over us in the afternoon to break one of the gun ports on the lower +deck, which was strongly barred with iron and bolts. * * * When a peal +of thunder roared we worked with all our might with the axe and crow-bar +against the bars and bolts. When the peals subsided we ceased, without +our blows being heard by the British, until another peal commenced. We +then went to work again, and so on, until our work was completed to +our liking. The bars and bolts, after we had knocked them loose, were +replaced so as not to draw the attention of our British gentry if they +should happen to visit the lower deck before our departure. We also hung +some old apparel over and around the shattered gunport to conceal any +marks. + +"Being thus and otherwise prepared for our escape, the ship was visited +by our Captain Whipple the next day after we had broken the gun-port. To +him we communicated our intention and contemplated means of escape. He +strongly remonstrated against the design. We told him we should start +the ensuing evening. Captain Whipple answered: + +"'How do you think of escaping?' + +"I answered, 'By swimming to that point,' at the same time pointing to a +place then in our view on Long Island, in a northeasterly direction +from the prison ship. We must do this to avoid the sentinels who were +stationed in the neighborhood of the ship. + +"'What!' said Captain Whipple, 'Do you think of swimming to that point?' + +"'Yes, we must, to avoid the sentinels,' I answered. + +"'Well,' said Captain Whipple, 'Give it up, It is only throwing your +lives away, for there is not a man on earth who can swim from this ship +to that point as cold as the water is now. Why, how far do you think it +is?' + +"'Why,' I answered, 'Waterman and myself have estimated the distance at +a mile and a half.' + +"'Yes,' said he, 'It's all of two and a half miles. You cannot measure +across as well as I can. So you had better give it up, for I have +encouragement of getting home next week, and if I do, I will make it my +whole business to get you all exchanged immediately.' + +"Altho' Waterman was several years my senior in age, the conversation +was carried on between Captain Whipple and myself for the reason that +Captain W. was more acquainted with me than with Waterman, but Waterman +was present." (Captain Whipple was captured five times during the +Revolution, each time on his own vessel.) + +"His advice had great weight on our minds, but did not shake our +purpose. We had not been on board the Old Jersey more than one hour +before we began to plot our escape. We had been only three days on board +when we left it forever. We had been on board long enough to discover +the awful scenes which took place daily in this 'floating hell.' + +"Our preparations for leaving were completed by procuring a piece of +rope from an old cable that was stretched under the fo'castle of the +ship, * * * and wound around the cable to preserve it. We had each of us +packed our wearing apparel in a knapsack for each, made on board the +Old Jersey. I gave some of my apparel to the two Smiths. I stowed in +my knapsack a thick woolen sailor jacket, well lined, a pair of thick +pantaloons, one vest, a pair of heavy silver shoe buckles, two silk +handkerchiefs, four silver dollars, not forgetting a junk bottle of rum, +which we had purchased on board at a dear rate. Waterman had stowed his +apparel and other articles in his knapsack. Mine was very heavy. It +was fastened to my back with two very strong garters, passing over my +shoulders, and under each arm, and fastened with a string to my breast, +bringing my right and left garter in contact near the centre. + +"Thus equipt we were ready to commit ourselves to the watery element, +and to our graves, as many of our hardy fellow prisoners predicted. +The evening was as good an one as we could desire at that season of the +year, the weather was mild and hazy, and the night extremely dark. + +"It was arranged between Waterman and myself that after leaving the ship +we should be governed in our course by the lights on board the ships and +the responses of the sentinels on shore, and after arriving on shore to +repair near a dwelling house which we could see from the Old Jersey in +the day time, and spend the balance of the night in a barn, but a few +rods from the dwelling. + +"Waterman was the first to leave the ship through the broken-open +gun-port, and suspended to the rope by his hands, and at the end behind +him (it was held) by several of our fellow prisoners whom we were +leaving behind us, and with whom we affectionately parted with +reciprocal good wishes. He succeeded in gaining the water and in leaving +the ship without discovery from the British. It had been agreed, if +detection was about to take place, that he should be received again into +the ship. I had agreed to follow him in one minute in the same manner. +I left and followed in half that time, and succeeded in leaving the ship +without giving the least alarm to those who had held us in captivity. + +"I kept along close to the side of the ship until I gained the stern, +and then left the ship. This was all done very slowly, sinking my body +as deep in the water as possible, without stopping my course, until I +was at such a distance from her that my motions in the water would not +create attention from those on board. After gaining a suitable distance +from the ship, I hailed Waterman three times. He did not answer me. * +* * I have never seen him since he left the Old Jersey to this day. His +fate and success I have since learned from James Waterman, one of his +brothers. + +"In the meantime I kept on my course without thinking that any accident +would befall him, as I knew him to be an excellent swimmer, and no +fainthearted or timid fellow. + +"I could take my course very well from the light reflected from the +stern lanthorns of the prison, guards, and hospital ships, and also from +the responses of the sentinels on shore; in the words, 'All's well.' +These responses were repeated every half hour on board the guard ship, +and by the sentinels. * * * These repetitions served me to keep the time +I was employed in reaching the shore;--no object occupied my mind during +this time so much as my friend Waterman, if I may except my own success +in getting to land in safety. + +"I flattered myself I should find him on shore or at the barn we had +agreed to occupy after we might gain it. After I had been swimming +nearly or quite two hours my knapsack had broken loose from my back, +from the wearing off of the garters under my arms, in consequence of the +friction in swimming. * * * This occurrence did not please me much. I +endeavored to retain my knapsack by putting it under one arm, * * * +but soon found that this impeded my progress, and led me from my true +course. * * * By this time I had become much chilled, and benumbed from +cold, but could swim tolerably well. * * * I hesitated whether or not to +retain my knapsack longer in my possession, or part from it forever, +I soon determined on the latter, and sent it adrift. In this balancing +state of mind and subsequent decision I was cool and self collected as +perhaps at any time in my life. * * * I now soon found I was close in +with the shore. * * * I swam within twelve feet of the shore before I +could touch bottom, and in so doing I found I could not stand, I was +so cold * * * but I moved around in shoal water until I found I could +stand, then stept on shore. * * * I had not sent my clothes adrift +more than twenty-five minutes or so before striking the shore. I was +completely naked except for a small hat on my head which I had brought +from the Old Jersey. What a situation was this, without covering to hide +my naked body, in an enemy's country, without food or means to obtain +any, and among Tories more unrelenting than the devil,--more perils to +encounter and nothing to aid me but the interposition of heaven! Yet +I had gained an important portion of my enterprise: I had got on land, +after swimming in the water two hours and a half, and a distance of +perhaps two miles and a half." + +Hawkins at last found the barn and slept in it the rest of the night, +but not before falling over a rock in the darkness, and bruising his +naked body severely. Next morning a black girl came into the barn, +apparently hunting for eggs, but he did not dare reveal himself to her. +He remained there all day, and endeavored to milk the cows, but they +were afraid of a naked stranger. He left the place in the night and +travelled east. In a field he found some overripe water melons, but they +were neither wholesome nor palatable. After wandering a long time in the +rain he came to another barn, and in it he slept soundly until late the +next day. Nearly famished he again wandered on and found in an orchard +a few half rotten pears. Near by was a potato patch which he entered +hoping to get some of them. Here a young woman, who had been stooping +down digging potatoes, started up. "I was, of course," he continues, +"naked, my head excepted. She was, or appeared to be, excessively +frightened, and ran towards a house, screeching and screaming at every +step." Hawkins ran in the other direction, and got safely away. At last +the poor boy found another barn, and lay, that night, upon a heap of +flax. After sunrise next morning he concluded to go on his way. "I could +see the farmers at their labor in the fields. I then concluded to still +keep on my course, and go to some of these people then in sight. I was, +by this time, almost worn out with hunger. I slowly approached two tall +young men who were gathering garden sauce. They soon discovered me and +appeared astonished at my appearance, and began to draw away from me, +but I spoke to them in the following words:--'Don't be afraid of me: I +am a human being!' They then made a halt and inquired of me, 'Are +you scared?' 'No,' said I. They then advanced slowly towards me, and +inquired, 'How came you here naked?' + +"I seated myself on the ground and told them the truth." + +One of the young men told him to conceal himself from the sight of the +neighbors, and he would go and consult with his mother what had best be +done. He soon returned, bringing two large pieces of bread and butter +and a decent pair of pantaloons. He then told him to go to the side of +the barn and wait there for his mother, but not to allow himself to be +seen. The boys' mother came out to speak to him with a shirt on her arm. +As he incautiously moved around the side of the barn to meet her, she +exclaimed, "For God's sake don't let that black woman see you!" A slave +was washing clothes near the back door of the farm house. The poor woman +explained to Hawkins that this negress would betray him, "For she is as +big a devil as any of the king's folks, and she will bring me out, and +then we should all be put in the provost and die there, for my husband +was put there more than two years ago, and rotted and died there not +more than two weeks since." + +The poor woman wept as she told her story, and the escaped prisoner wept +with her. This woman and her two sons were Dutch, and their house was +only nine miles from Brooklyn ferry. She now directed the boy to a house +at Oyster Bay where she said there was a man who would assist him to +escape. + +After running many risks he found the house at last, but the woman +who answered his knock told him that her husband was away and when he +explained who he was she became very angry, and said that it was her +duty to give him up. So he ran away from her, and at last fell into the +hands of a party of British, who recaptured him, and declared that they +would send him immediately back to the prison ship. They were quartered +in a house near Oyster Bay, and here they locked him in a room, and he +was told to lie down on some straw to sleep, as it was now night. In +the night the fleas troubled him so much that he was very restless. A +sentinel had been placed to guard him, and when this wretch heard him +moving in the dark he exclaimed, "Lie still, G--d---you," and pricked +him several times with his bayonet, so that the poor boy felt the fresh +blood running down his body. He begged the sentinel to spare his life, +declaring that it was hard he should be killed merely because the fleas +had made him restless. He now did not dare to move, and was obliged to +endure the attacks the fleas and the stiffness of his wounds in perfect +silence until the sentinel was relieved. The next sentinel was kind and +humane and seemed to compassionate his sufferings. He said that some +men were natural brutes, and seemed to take an interest in the boy, but +could do little for him. At daylight he was sent to the quarters of a +Tory colonel a mile from the guard room. The colonel was a tall man of +fine appearance, who examined him, and then said he must be sent back to +the Jersey. The poor lad was now left in an unlocked room on the ground +floor of the colonel's house. He was given his breakfast, and a mulatto +man was set to guard him. Now there was a pantry opening into this room, +and a negro girl, who appeared very friendly with the mulatto, called +him to eat his breakfast in this pantry. The mulatto, while eating, +would look out every few minutes. Just after one of these inspections +the boy got up softly, with his shoes in his hands, stepped across the +room, out at the back door, and concealed himself in a patch of standing +hemp. From thence he made his way into an orchard, and out into a wood +lot. Here he hid himself and remained quiet for several hours, and +although he heard several persons talking near him, he was not pursued. +At last he stole out, walked about six miles, and at night fall entered +a barn and slept there. He was in rather better case than before his +recapture, for a doctor belonging to the British service had taken pity +on him the night before, and had furnished him with warm clothes, shoes, +and a little money. + +Next morning a woman who lived in a small house near the road gave him +some bread and milk. The time of the year was autumn, it was a day or +two before Cornwallis's surrender at Yorktown. He now very fortunately +met an acquaintance named Captain Daniel Havens. He was an uncle of a +boy named John Sawyer, with whom young Hawkins had run away from New +York some years before. Through the agency of this old friend Hawkins +got on board a smuggler in the night and finally reached home in safety. + +Christopher Hawkins's account of the Old Jersey is not so reliable as +that of some others who were among her inmates. He was only on board +that vessel three days, but in that time he saw enough to decide him +to risk death in the attempt to escape rather than remain any longer on +board of her. He declares that: "The cruel and unjustifiable treatment +of the prisoners by the British soon produced the most demoralizing +effects upon them. Boxing was tolerated without stint.... After I left +the ship an American vessel came into the port of New York as a cartel +for the exchange of prisoners.... A ship's mate was so fortunate as +to be one of the exchanged. He had a large chest on board, and, as +privately as he could, he put the cabin boy into the chest, locked him +in, and carried him on board the cartel. A prisoner named Spicer had +seen the boy put into the chest, and after he had been conveyed on board +the cartel, Spicer communicated the affair to the commanding officer on +board the Jersey. The cartel was immediately boarded, as she had not yet +left the port, and the boy was found and brought back. Spicer paid +for his treachery with his life. The prisoners knocked him down the +hatchway, when they were going down for the night; they then fell upon +him, cut off his ears, and mangled him in a shocking manner, so that he +died in a day or two." + +This event occured after he left the ship, according to his own +narrative. The same story is told in a different way by an eye witness +of undoubted veracity. He says that the prisoners were so incensed +against Spicer that they determined to kill him. For this purpose some +of them held him, while another was about to cut his throat, when the +guards, hearing the uproar, rushed down the hatchway, and rescued him. + +Hawkins also says: "I one day observed a prisoner on the forecastle of +the ship, with his shirt in his hands, having stripped it from his body, +deliberately picking the vermin from the pleats and putting them in his +mouth. * * * I stepped very near the man and commenced a conversation +with him. He said he had been on board two years and a half, or eighteen +months. He had completely lost count of time, was a skeleton and nearly +naked. This was only one case from perhaps a hundred similar. This man +appeared in tolerable health as to body, his emaciation excepted. * * * +The discipline of the prisoners by the British was in many respects of +the most shocking and appalling character. The roll of the prisoners, as +I was informed, was called every three months, unless a large acquisiton +of prisoners should render it necessary more often. The next day +after our crew were put on board the roll was called, and the police +regulations of the ship were read. I heard this. One of the new +regulations was to the effect that every captive trying to get away +should suffer instant death, and should not even be taken on board +alive." + +It appears that David Laird commanded the Old Jersey from 1778 until +early in the year 1781. He was then relieved of the command, and this +office was given to a man named John Sporne, or Spohn, until the 9th of +April, 1783, when all the prisoners remaining in her were released, and +she was abandoned. The dread of contagion kept visitors aloof. She was +still moored in the mud of the Wallabout by chain cables, and gradually +sank lower and lower. There is a beam of her preserved as a curiosity at +the Naval Museum at Brooklyn. + +David Laird, the Scotchman who commanded her until the early part of +1781, returned to New York after the peace of 1783 as captain of a +merchant ship, and moored his vessel at or near Peck's Slip. A number of +persons who had been prisoners on board the Jersey, and had suffered +by his cruelty, assembled on the wharf to receive him, but he deemed +it prudent to remain on ship-board during the short time his vessel was +there. + +It is in the recollections of Ebenezer Fox that we have the only mention +ever made of a woman on board that dreadful place, the Old Jersey, and +although she may have been and probably was an abandoned character, yet +she seems to have been merciful, and unwilling to see the prisoners who +were attempting to escape, butchered before her eyes. It is indeed to be +hoped that no other woman ever set foot in that terrible place to suffer +with the prisoners, and yet there are a few women's names in the list of +these wretched creatures given in the appendix to this book. It is +most likely, however, that these were men, and that their feminine +appellations were nicknames. [Footnote: One is named Nancy and one +Bella, etc.] + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +TESTIMONY OF PRISONERS ON BOARD THE JERSEY + + +We must again quote from Ebenezer Fox, whose description of the +provisions dealt out to the prisoners on board the prison ships shall +now be given. + +"The prisoners received their mess rations at nine in the morning. * * +* All our food appeared to be damaged. The bread was mostly mouldy, +and filled with worms. It required considerable rapping upon the deck, +before these worms could be dislodged from their lurking places in a +biscuit. As for the pork, we were cheated out of it more than half the +time, and when it was obtained one would have judged from its motley +hues, exhibiting the consistence and appearance of variegated soap, that +it was the flesh of the porpoise or sea hog, and had been an inhabitant +of the ocean, rather than a sty. * * * The flavor was so unsavory that +it would have been rejected as unfit for the stuffing of even Bologna +sausages. The provisions were generally damaged, and from the imperfect +manner in which they were cooked were about as indigestible as grape +shot. The flour and oatmeal was often sour, and when the suet was mixed +with the flour it might be nosed half the length of the ship. The first +view of the beef would excite an idea of veneration for its antiquity, +* * * its color was a dark mahagony, and its solidity would have set the +keenest edge of a broad axe at defiance to cut across the grain, though +like oakum it could be pulled to pieces, one way, in strings, like rope +yarn. * * * It was so completely saturated with salt that after having +been boiled in water taken from the sea, it was found to be considerably +freshened by the process. * * * Such was our food, but the quality was +not all of which we had to complain. * * * The cooking was done in a +great copper vessel. * * * The Jersey, from her size, and lying near the +shore, was embedded in the mud, and I don't recollect seeing her afloat +the whole time I was a prisoner. All the filth that accumulated among +upwards of a thousand men was daily thrown overboard, and would remain +there until carried away by the tide. The impurity of the water may +be easily conceived, and in that water our meat was boiled. It will be +recollected, too, that the water was salt, which caused the inside of +the copper to be corroded to such a degree that it was lined with a coat +of verdigris. Meat thus cooked must, in some degree, be poisoned, and +the effects of it were manifest in the cadaverous countenances of the +emaciated beings who had remained on board for any length of time. + +"* * * We passed the night amid the accumulated horrors of sighs and +groans; of foul vapor; a nauseous and putrid atmosphere, in a stifling +and almost suffocating heat. * * * Little sleep could be enjoyed, for +the vermin were so horribly abundant that all the personal cleanliness +we could practice would not protect us from their attacks." + +The public papers of the day often contained accounts of the cruelties +practiced upon the prisoners on the ships. In the _Pennsylvania Packet_ +of Sept. 4th, 1781, there is an extract from a letter written by a +prisoner whose name is not given. + + +"EXTRACT FROM A LETTER DATED ON BOARD THE JERSEY (VULGARLY CALLED HELL) +PRISON SHIP + +"New York August 10th 1781 + +"There is nothing but death or entering into the British service before +me. Our ship's company is reduced by death and entering into the British +service to the small number of 19. * * * I am not able to give you even +the outlines of my exile; but this much I will inform you, that we bury +6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 in a day. We have 200 more sick and falling sick +every day; the sickness is the yellow fever, small pox, and in short +everything else that can be mentioned." + +"New London. Conn. March 3rd. 1782. Sunday last a flag ship returned +from New York which brought twenty Americans who had been a long time on +board a prison ship. About 1,000 of our countrymen remain in the prison +ships at New York, great part of whom have been in close confinement for +more than six months, and in the most deplorable condition: many of them +seeing no prospect of release are entering into the British service to +elude the contagion with which the ships are fraught." + + +EXTRACT OF A LETTER WRITTEN ON BOARD THE PRISON SHIP JERSEY, APRIL 26TH, +1782. + +"I am sorry to write you from this miserable place. I can assure you +that since I have been here we have had only twenty men exchanged, +although we are in number upwards of 700, exclusive of the sick in +the Hospital ships, who died like sheep; therefore my intention is, if +possible, to enter on board some merchant or transport vessel, as it is +impossible for so many men to keep alive in one vessel." + +"Providence. May 25th 1782. Sunday last a flag of truce returned here +from New York and brought a few prisoners. We learn that 1100 Americans +were on board the prison and hospital ships at New York, when the flag +sailed from thence, and that from six to seven were generally buried +every day." + +"Salem. Mass. Extract from a letter of an officer on board the +Jersey.--'The deplorable situation I am in cannot be expressed. The +captains, lieutenants, and sailing masters have gone to the Provost, +but they have only gotten out of the frying pan into the fire. I am +left here with about 700 miserable objects, eaten up by lice, and daily +taking fevers, which carry them off fast. Nov 9th 1782." + +By repeated acts of cruelty on the part of the British the Americans +were, at last, stung to attempt something like retaliation. In 1782 a +prison ship, given that name, was fitted up and stationed in the Thames +near New London, as we learn from the following extract: + +"New London, Conn. May 24th 1782. Last Saturday the Retaliation prison +ship was safely moored in the river Thames, about a mile from the ferry, +for the receipt of such British prisoners as may fall into our hands, +since which about 100 prisoners have been put on board." + +It is said that this ship was in use but a short time, and we have been +unable to learn anything further of her history. + +Thomas Philbrook, who was a prisoner on board the Jersey for several +months was one of the "working-party," whose duty it was to scrub the +decks, attend to the sick, and bring up the dead. He says: "As the +morning dawned there would be heard the loud, unfeeling, and horrid cry, +'Rebels! Bring up your dead!' + +"Staggering under the weight of some stark, still form, I would at +length gain the upper deck, when I would be met with the salutation: +'What! _you alive yet?_ Well, you are a tough one!'" + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +RECOLLECTIONS OF ANDREW SHERBURNE + + +Andrew Sherburne, a lad of seventeen, shipped on the Scorpion, Captain +R. Salter, a small vessel, with a crew of eighteen men. This vessel was +captured by the Amphion, about the middle of November, 1782. Sherburne +says that the sailors plundered them of everything they possessed, and +that thirteen of them were put on board the Amphion, and sent down to +the cable tiers between the two decks, where they found nearly a hundred +of their countrymen, who were prisoners of war. + +"We were very much crowded, and having nothing but the cables to lay on, +our beds were as hard and unpleasant as though they were made of cord +wood, and indeed we had not sufficient room for each to stretch himself +at the same time. + +"After about two weeks we arrived at New York, and were put on board +that wretched ship the Jersey. The New York prison ships had been the +terror of American tars for years. The Old Jersey had become notorious +in consequence of the unparallelled mortality on board her. * * * + +"I entered the Jersey towards the last of November, I had just entered +the eighteenth year of my age, and had now to commence a scene of +suffering almost without a parallel. * * * A large proportion of the +prisoners had been robbed of their clothing. * * * Early in the winter +the British took the Chesapeake frigate of about thirty guns, and 300 +hands. All were sent on board the Jersey, which so overcrowded her, +that she was very sickly. This crew died exceedingly fast, for a large +proportion were fresh hands, unused to the sea." + +Sherburne says that boats from the city brought provisions to sell to +such of the prisoners as were so fortunate as to be possessed of money, +and that most of them were able to make purchases from them. A piece of +sausage from seven to nine inches long sold for sixpence. + +In January, 1783, Sherburne became ill and was sent to the Frederick, +a hospital ship. In this two men shared every bunk, and the conditions +were wretchedly unsanitary. He was placed in a bunk with a man named +Wills from Massachusetts, a very gentle and patient sufferer, who soon +died. + +"I have seen seven men drawn out and piled together on the lower +hatchway, who had died in one night on board the Frederick. + +"There were ten or twelve nurses, and about a hundred sick. Some, if not +all of the nurses, were prisoners. * * * They would indulge in playing +cards and drinking, while their fellows were thirsting for water and +some dying. At night the hatches were shut down and locked, and the +nurses lived in the steerage, and there was not the least attention paid +to the sick except by the convalescent, who were so frequently called +upon that, in many cases, they overdid themselves, relapsed, and died." + +Sherburne suffered extremely from the cold. "I have often," he says +"toiled the greatest part of the night, in rubbing my feet and legs to +keep them from freezing. * * * In consequence of these chills I have +been obliged to wear a laced stocking upon my left leg for nearly thirty +years past. My bunk was directly against the ballast-port; and the port +not being caulked, when there came a snow-storm the snow would blow +through the seams in my bed, but in those cases there was one advantage +to me, when I could not otherwise procure water to quench my thirst. +The provision allowed the sick was a gill of wine, and twelve ounces of +bread per day. The wine was of an ordinary quality, and the bread made +of sour or musty flour, and sometimes poorly baked. There was a small +sheet iron stove between decks, but the fuel was green, and not plenty, +and there were some peevish and surly fellows generally about it. I +never got an opportunity to sit by it, but I could generally get the +favor of some one near it to lay a slice of bread upon it, to warm or +toast it a little, to put into my wine and water. We sometimes failed +in getting our wine for several days together; we had the promise of its +being made up to us, but this promise was seldom performed. * * * Water +was brought on board in casks by the working party, and when it was very +cold it would freeze in the casks, and it would be difficult to get it +out. * * * I was frequently under the necessity of pleading hard to +get my cup filled. I could not eat my bread, but gave it to those who +brought me water. I have given three days allowance to have a tin cup +of water brought me. * * * A company of the good citizens of New York +supplied all the sick with a pint of good Bohea tea, well sweetened with +molasses a day; and this was constant. I believe this tea saved my life, +and the lives of hundreds of others. * * * The physicians used to +visit the sick once in several days: their stay was short, nor did they +administer much medicine. Were I able to give a full description of our +wretched and filthy condition I should almost question whether it would +be credited. * * * It was God's good pleasure to raise me up once more +so that I could just make out to walk, and I was again returned to the +Jersey prison ship." + +Here he received sad news. One of his uncles was a prisoner on board the +Jersey, and had been very kind to him, giving him a share of his money +with which to purchase necessaries. Now he found his uncle about to +take his place in the hospital ship. A boy named Stephen Nichols also +informed him of the death in his absence of the gunner of their ship, +whose name was Daniel Davis. This poor man had his feet and legs frozen, +from which he died. + +"Nichols and myself were quite attached to each other. * * * We stalked +about the decks together, lamenting our forlorn condition. In a few days +there came orders to remove all the prisoners from the Jersey in +order to cleanse the ship. We were removed on board of transports, +and directly there came on a heavy storm. The ship on which I was was +exceedingly crowded, so that there was not room enough for each man to +lay down under deck, and the passing and repassing by day had made the +lower deck entirely wet. Our condition was distressing. After a few +days we were all put on board the Jersey again. A large number had +taken violent colds, myself among the rest. The hospital ships were soon +crowded, and even the Jersey herself shortly became about as much of a +hospital ship as the others." + +Sherburne was again sent to a hospital ship, where he was rejoiced to +find his uncle convalescing. A man who lay next him had been a nurse, +but had had his feet and legs frozen, the toes and bottom of his feet +fell off. + +Two brothers shared a bunk near him. Their names were John and Abraham +Falls. John was twenty-three, and Abraham only sixteen. Both were very +sick. One night Abraham was heard imploring John not to lie on him, and +the other invalids reproached him for his cruelty in thus treating his +young brother. But John was deaf to their reproaches, for he was dead. +Abraham was too ill to move from under him. Next day the dead brother +was removed from the living one, but it was too late to save him, and +the poor boy died that morning. + +Sherburne says that only five of his crew of thirteen survived, and that +in many instances a much larger proportion died. + +"At length came news of peace. It was exceedingly trying to our feelings +to see our ship mates daily leaving us, until our ship was almost +deserted. We were, however, convalescent, but we gained exceedingly +slowly. * * * I think there were but seven or eight left on board the +hospital ship when we left it, in a small schooner sent from R. I., +for the purpose of taking home some who belonged to that place, and the +commander of the hospital ship had the humanity to use his influence +with the master of the cartel to take us on board, and to our +unspeakable joy he consented." + +When at last he reached home he says: "My brother Sam took me into +another room to divest me of my filthy garments and to wash and dress +me. He having taken off my clothes and seen my bones projecting here and +there, was so astonished that his strength left him. He sat down on the +point of fainting, and could render me no further service. I was able to +wash myself and put on my clothes." + +After this he was obliged to spend twenty days in bed. Poor Mrs. Falls, +the mother of the two young men who had died on the hospital ship, +called on him and heard the fate of her sons. She was in an agony, and +almost fainted, and kept asking if it was not a mistake that _both_ were +dead. + + + +CHAPTER XXXI + +CAPTAIN ROSWELL PALMER + + +In the year 1865 a son of Captain Roswell Palmer, of Connecticut, wrote +a letter to Mr. Henry Drowne, in which he narrates the story of his +father's captivity, which we will condense in these pages. He says that +his father was born in Stonington, Conn., in August, 1764, and was about +seventeen at the time of his capture by the British, which must have +been in 1781. + +Palmer had several relations in the army, and was anxious to enlist, +but was rejected as too young. His uncle, however, received him as an +assistant in the Commissary Department, and when the brig Pilgrim, +of Stonington, was commissioned to make war on the public enemy, the +rejected volunteer was warmly welcomed on board by his kinsman, Captain +Humphrey Crary. + +The first night after putting to sea, the Pilgrim encountered a British +fleet just entering the Vineyard Sound. A chase and running fight +of several hours ensued, but at length the vessel was crippled and +compelled to surrender. The prize was taken into Holmes' Hole, and the +crew subsequently brought to New York. Mr. Henry Palmer thus describes +the Jersey, which was his father's destination. + +"The Jersey never left her anchorage at the Wallabout, whether from +decrepitude, or the intolerable burden of woes and wrongs accumulated +in her wretched hulk,--but sank slowly down at last into the subjacent +ooze, as if to hide her shame from human sight, and more than forty +years after my father pointed out to me at low tide huge remnants of her +unburied skeleton. + +"On board of this dread Bastile were crowded year after year, some 1,400 +prisoners, mostly Americans. The discipline was very strict, while the +smallest possible attention was paid by their warders to the sufferings +of the captives. Cleanliness was simply an impossibility, where +the quarters were so narrow, the occupants so numerous, and little +opportunity afforded for washing the person or the tatters that sought +to hide its nakedness. Fortunate was the wretch who possessed a clean +linen rag, for this, placed in his bosom, seemed to attract to it crowds +of his crawling tormentors, whose squatter sovereignty could be disposed +of by the wholesale at his pleasure. + +"The food of the prisoners consisted mainly of spoiled sea biscuit, +and of navy beef, which had become worthless from long voyaging in many +climes years before. These biscuits were so worm-eaten that a slight +pressure of the hand reduced them to dust, which rose up in little +clouds of insubstantial aliment, as if in mockery of the half famished +expectants. For variety a ration called 'Burgoo,' was prepared several +times a week, consisting of mouldy oatmeal and water, boiled in two +great Coppers, and served out in tubs, like swill to swine. + +"By degrees they grew callous to each other's miseries, and alert to +seize any advantage over their fellow sufferers. Many played cards day +and night, regardless of the scenes of woe and despair around them. * +* * The remains (of those who died) were huddled into blankets, and so +slightly interred on the neighboring slope that scores of them, bared by +the rains, were always visible to their less fortunate comrades left to +pine in hopeless captivity. * * * After having been imprisoned about a +year and a half my father, one night, during a paroxysm of fever, rushed +on board, and jumped overboard. + +"The shock restored him to consciousness, he was soon rescued, and the +next morning was taken by the Surgeon-General's orders to his quarters +in Cherry St., near Pearl, where he remained until the close of the war. +The kind doctor had taken a fancy to the handsome Yankee patient, whom +he treated with fatherly kindness; giving him books to read; and having +him present at his operations and dissections; and finally urged him +to seek his fortune in Europe, where he should receive a good surgical +education free of charge. + +"The temptation was very great, but the rememberance of a nearer home +and dearer friends, unseen for years, was greater, and to them the long +lost returned at last, as one from the dead." + +Captain Palmer commanded a merchant ship after the war, retired and +bought a farm near Stockbridge, Mass. He followed the sea over forty +years. In appearance he was very tall, erect, robust, and of rare +physical power and endurance. He had remarkably small hands and feet, a +high and fair forehead, his hair was very black, a tangle of luxuriant +curls, and his eyes were clear hazel. He died in his 79th year, in 1844, +leaving a large family of children. In his own memoranda he writes: +"Four or five hundred Frenchmen were transferred as prisoners to +the orlop deck of the Jersey. They were much better treated than we +Americans on the deck above them. All, however, suffered very much for +the want of water, crowding around two half hogsheads when they were +brought on board, and often fighting for the first drink. On one of +these occasions a Virginian near me was elbowed by a Spaniard and thrust +him back. The Spaniard drew a sheath knife, when the Virginian knocked +him headlong backwards, down two hatches, which had just been opened for +heaving up a hogshead of stale water from the hold, for the prisoners' +drink. This water had probably been there for years, and was as ropy as +molasses. + +"There was a deal of trouble between the American and the French and +Spanish prisoners. The latter slept in hammocks, we, on the _floor_ of +the deck next above them. One night our boys went down * * * and, at +a given signal, cut the hammock lashings of the French and Spanish +prisoners at the head, and let them all down by the run on the dirty +floor. In the midst of the row that followed this deed of darkness, the +Americans stole back to their quarters, and were all fast asleep when +the English guard came down. + +"No lights were permitted after ten o'clock. We used, however, to hide +our candles occasionally under our hats, when the order came to +'Douse the glim!' One night the officer of the guard discovered our +disobedience, and came storming down the hatchway with a file of +soldiers. Our lights were all extinguished in a moment, and we on the +alert for our tyrants, whom we seized with a will, and hustled to and +fro in the darkness, till their cries aroused the whole ship." + +An uncle of Roswell Palmer's named Eliakim Palmer, a man named Thomas +Hitchcock, and John Searles were prisoners on board the Scorpion, a +British 74, anchored off the Battery, New York. They were about to be +transferred to the Old Jersey, when Hitchcock went into the chains and +dropped his hat into the water. On his return he begged for a boat +to recover it, and being earnestly seconded by Lieutenant Palmer, the +officer of the deck finally consented, ordering a guard to accompany the +"damned rebels." They were a long time in getting the boat off. The hat, +in the mean time, floated away from the ship. They rowed very awkardly, +of course got jeered at uproariously for "Yankee land lubbers," and +were presently ordered to return. Being then nearly out of musket range, +Lieutenant Palmer suddenly seized and disarmed the astonished guard, +while his comrades were not slow in manifesting their latent adroitness +in the use of the oar, to the no less astonishment of their deriders. In +a moment the Bay was alive with excitement; many shots, big and little, +were fired at the audacious fugitives from all the fleet; boats put +off in hot pursuit; but the Stonington boys reached the Jersey shore in +safety, and escaped with their prisoner to Washington's headquarters, +where the tact and bravery they had displayed received the approval of +the great commander. + +Lieutenant Eliakim Palmer was again taken prisoner later in the war and +again escaped. This time he was on board the Jersey. He cut away three +iron bars let into an aperture on the side of the ship on the orlop +deck, formerly a part of her hold. He swam ashore with his shirt and +trousers tied to his head. Having lost his trousers he was obliged to +make his way down Long Island for nearly its whole length, in his shirt +only. He hid in ditches during the day, subsisting on berries, and +the bounty of cows, milked directly into his mouth. He crawled by the +sentries stationed at different parts of the island, and at length, +after many days, reached Oyster Pond Point, whence he was smuggled by +friends to his home in Stonington, Conn. + + + +CHAPTER XXXII + +THE NARRATIVE OF CAPTAIN ALEXANDER COFFIN + + +In 1807 Dr. Mitchell, of New York published a small volume entitled: +"The Destructive Operation of Foul Air, Tainted Provisions, Bad Water, +and Personal Filthiness, Upon Human Constitutions, Exemplified in the +Unparallelled Cruelty of the British to the American Captives at New +York During the Revolutionary War, on Board their Prison and Hospital +ships. By Captain Alexander Coffin, Junior, One of the Surviving +Sufferers. In a Communication to Dr. Mitchell, dated September 4th, +1807." + +Truly our ancestors were long-winded! A part of this narrative is as +follows: "I shall furnish you with an account of the treatment that I, +with other of my fellow citizens, received on board the Jersey and John +prison ships, those monuments of British barbarity and infamy. I shall +give you nothing but a plain simple statement of facts that cannot be +controverted. And I begin my narrative from the time of my leaving the +South Carolina frigate. + +"In June, 1782, I left the above-mentioned frigate in the Havana, on +board of which I had long served as a mid-ship-man, and made several +trading voyages. I sailed early in September, from Baltimore, for the +Havana, in a fleet of about forty sail, most of which were captured, and +we among the rest, by the British frigate, Ceres, Captain Hawkins, a man +in every sense of the word a perfect brute. + +"Though our commander, Captain Hughes, was a very gentlemanly man, he +was treated in the most shameful and abusive manner by said Hawkins, +and ordered below to mess with the petty officers. Our officers were put +into the cable tier, with the crew, and a guard placed at the hatchway +to prevent more than two going on deck at a time. The provisions were +of the very worst kind, and very short allowance even of them. They +frequently gave us pea-soup, that is pea-water, for the pease and the +soup, all but about a gallon or two, were taken for the ship's company, +and the coppers filled up with water, and brought down to us in a +strap-tub. And Sir, I might have defied any person on earth, possessing +the most acute olfactory powers and the most refined taste to decide, +either by one or the other or both of these senses, whether it was pease +and water, slush and water, or swill. + +"After living and being treated in this way, subject to every insult and +abuse for ten or twelve days, we fell in with the Champion, a British +twenty gun ship, which was bound to New York to refit, and were all sent +on board of her The Captain was a true seaman and a gentleman, and our +treatment was so different from what we had experienced on board the +Ceres, that it was like being removed from Purgatory to Paradise. His +name, I think, was Edwards. + +"We arrived about the beginning of October in New York and were +immediately sent on board the prison-ship in a small schooner, called, +ironically enough, the Relief, commanded by one Gardner, an Irishman. + +"This schooner Relief plied between the prison ship and New York, and +carried the water and provisions from that city to the ship. In fact the +said schooner might emphatically be called the Relief, for the +execrable water and provisions she carried relieved many of my brave but +unfortunate countrymen by death, from the misery and savage treatment +they daily endured. + +"Before I go on to relate the treatment we experienced on board the +Jersey, I will make one remark, and that is if you were to rake the +infernal regions, I doubt whether you could find such another set +of demons as the officers and men who had charge of the Old Jersey +Prison-ship, and, Sir, I shall not be surprised if you, possessing the +finer feelings which I believe to be interwoven in the composition of +men, and which are not totally torn from the _piece_, till by a long and +obstinate perseverance in the meanest, the basest, and cruellest of all +human acts, a man becomes lost to every sense of honor, of justice, of +humanity, and common honesty; I shall not be surprised, I say, if you, +possessing these finer feelings, should doubt whether men could be so +lost to their sacred obligations to their God; and the moral ties which +ought to bind them to their duty toward their fellow men, as those men +were, who had the charge, and also who had any agency in the affairs of +the Jersey prison-ship. + +"On my arrival on board the Old Jersey, I found there about 1,100 +prisoners; many of them had been there from three to six months, but few +lived over that time if they did not get away by some means or other. +They were generally in the most deplorable situation, mere walking +skeletons, without money, and scarcely clothes to cover their nakedness, +and overrun with lice from head to feet. + +"The provisions, Sir, that were served out to us, was not more than +four or five ounces of meat, and about as much bread, all condemned +provisions from the ships of war, which, no doubt, were supplied with +new in their stead, and the new, in all probability, charged by the +commissaries to the Jersey. They, however, know best about that; and +however secure they may now feel, they will have to render an account of +that business to a Judge who cannot be deceived. This fact, however, I +can safely aver, that both the times I was confined on board the prison +ships, there never were provisions served out to the prisoners that +would have been eatable by men that were not literally in a starving +situation. + +"The water that we were forced to use was carried from the city, and +I postively assert that I never after having followed the sea thirty +years, had on board of any ship, (and I have been three years on some +of my voyages,) water so bad as that we were obliged to use on board the +Old Jersey; when there was, as it were to tantalize us, as pure water, +not more than three cables length from us, at the Mill in the Wallabout, +as was perhaps ever drank. + +"There were hogs kept in pens on the Gun-deck for their own use; and I +have seen the prisoners watch an opportunity, and with a tin pot steal +the bran from the hogs' trough, and go into the Galley and when they +could get an opportunity, boil it over the fire, and eat it, as you, +Sir, would eat of good soup when hungry. This I have seen more than +once, and there are now living besides me, who can bear testimony to the +same fact. There are many other facts equally abominable that I could +mention, but the very thought of those things brings to my recollection +scenes the most distressing. + +"When I reflect how many hundreds of my brave and intrepid countrymen +I have seen, in all the bloom of health, brought on board of that ship, +and in a few days numbered with the dead, in consequence of the savage +treatment they there received, I can but adore my Creator that He +suffered me to escape; but I did not escape, Sir, without being brought +to the very verge of the grave. + +"This was the second time I was on board, which I shall mention more +particularly hereafter. Those of us who had money fared much better than +those who had none. I had made out to save, when taken, about twenty +dollars, and with that I could buy from the bumboats, that were +permitted to come alongside, bread, fruit, etc.; but, Sir, the +bumboatmen were of the same kidney as the officers of the Jersey and we +got nothing from them without paying through the nose for it, and I soon +found the bottom of my purse; after which I fared no better than the +rest. I was, however, fortunate in one respect; for after having been +there about six weeks, two of my countrymen, (I am a Nantucket man) +happened to come to New York to endeavor to recover a whaling sloop that +had been captured, with a whaling license from Admiral Digby; and they +found means to procure my release, passing me for a Quaker, to which I +confess I had no pretensions further than my mother being a member of +that respectable society. Thus, Sir, I returned to my friends, fit for +the newest fashion, after an absence of three years. + +"For my whole wardrobe I carried on my back, which consisted of a +jacket, shirt, and trousers, a pair of old shoes and a handkerchief, +which served me for a hat, and had more than two months, for I lost my +hat the day we were taken, from the maintop-gallant yard, furling the +top-gallant sail. + +"My clothing, I forgot to mention, was completed laced with locomotive +tinsel, and moved as by instinct, in all directions; but as my mother +was not fond of such company, she furnished me with a suit of my +father's, who was absent at sea, and condemned my laced suit for the +benefit of all concerned. + +"Being then in the prime of youth, about eighteen years of age, and +naturally of a roving disposition; I could not bear the idea of being +idle at home. I therefore proceeded to Providence, R. I., and shipped +on board the brig Betsy and Polly, Captain Robert Folger, bound for +Virginia and Amsterdam. We sailed from Newport early in February, 1783; +and were taken five days after, off the capes of Virginia, by the Fair +American privateer, of those parts, mounting sixteen six-pounders, +and having 85 men, commanded by one Burton, a refugee, most of whose +officers were of the same stamp. We were immediately handcuffed two and +two, and ordered into the hold in the cable-tier. Having been plundered +of our beds and bedding, the softest bed we had was the soft side of a +water cask, and the coils of a cable. + +"The Fair American, after having been handsomely dressed by an United +States vessel of half of her force, was obliged to put into New York, +then in possession of the British army, to refit, and we arrived within +the Hook about the beginning of March, and were put on board a pilot +boat, and brought up to this city. The boat hauled up alongside the +Crane-wharf, where we had our irons knocked off, the mark of which I +carry to this day; and were put on board the same schooner, Relief, +mentioned in a former part of this narrative, and sent up once more to +the prison-ship. + +"It was just three months from my leaving the Old Jersey to my being +again a prisoner on board of her, and on my return I found but very few +of the men I had left three months before. Some had made their escape; +some had been exchanged; but the greater part had taken up their abode +under the surface of the hill, which you can see from your windows, +where their bones are mouldering to dust, mingled with mother earth; +a lesson to Americans, written _in capitals, on British cruelty and +injustice_. + +"I found, on my return on board the Jersey, more prisoners than when I +left her; and she being so crowded, they were obliged to send about 200 +of us on board the John, a transport-ship of about 300 tons. + +"There we were treated worse, if possible, than on board the Jersey, and +our accommodations were infinitely worse, for the Jersey, being an old, +condemned 64 gun ship had two tiers of ports fore and aft, air-ports, +and large hatchways, which gave a pretty free circulation of air through +the ship; whereas the John, being a merchant-ship, and with small +hatchways, and the hatchways being laid down every night, and no man +being allowed to go on deck * * * the effluvia arising from these, +together with the already contaminated air, occasioned by the breath +of so many people so pent up together, was enough to destroy men of the +most healthy and robust constitutions. All the time I was on board this +ship, not a prisoner eat his allowance, bad as it was, cooked, more than +three or four times; but eat it raw as it came out of the barrel. * * +* In the middle of the ship, between decks, was raised a platform of +boards about two and a half feet high, for those prisoners to sleep on +who had no hammocks. On this they used frequently to sit and play at +cards to pass the time. One night in particular, several of us sat to +see them play until about ten o'clock, and then retired to our hammocks. +About one A. M, we were called and told that one Bird was dying; we +turned out and went to where he lay, and found him just expiring. Thus, +at 10 P. M, the young man was apparently as well as any of us, and at +one A. M. had paid the debt to nature. Many others went off in the same +way. It will perhaps be said that men die suddenly anywhere. True, +but do they die suddenly anywhere from the same cause? After all +these things it is, I think, impossible for the mind to form any other +conclusion than that there was a premeditated design to destroy as many +Americans as they could on board the prison-ships; the treatment of the +prisoners warrants the conclusion; but it is mean, base, and cowardly, +to endeavor to conquer an enemy by such infamous means, and truly +characteristic of base and cowardly wretches. The truly brave will +always treat their prisoners well. + +"There were two or three hospital-ships near the prison-ships; and so +soon as any of the prisoners complained of being sick, they were sent on +board of one of them; and I verily believe that not one out of a hundred +ever returned or recovered. I am sure I never knew but one to recover. +Almost, and in fact I believe I may say every morning, a large boat from +each of the hospital ships went loaded with dead bodies, which were all +tumbled together into a hole dug for the purpose, on the hill where the +national navy-yard now is. + +"A singular affair happened on board of one of the hospital-ships, and +no less true than singular. All the prisoners that died after the boat +with the load had gone ashore were sewed up in hammocks, and left on +deck till next morning. As usual, a great number had thus been disposed +of. In the morning, while employed in loading the boat, one of the +seamen perceived motion in one of the hammocks, just as they were about +launching it down the board placel for that purpose from the gunwale of +the ship into the boat, and exclaimed, 'Damn my eyes! That fellow isn't +dead!' and if I have been rightly informed, and I believe I have, there +was quite a dispute between the man and the others about it. They swore +he was dead enough, and should go into the boat; he swore he should not +be launched, as they termed it, and took his knife and ripped open the +hammock, and behold, the man was really alive. There had been a heavy +rain during the night; and as the vital functions had not totally +ceased, but were merely suspended in consequence of the main-spring +being out of order, this seasonable moistening must have given tone +and elasticity to the great spring, which must have communicated to the +lesser ones, and put the whole machinery again into motion. You know +better about this than I do, and can better judge of the cause of the +re-animation of the man. * * * He was a native of Rhode Island; his name +was Gavot. He went to Rhode Island in the same flag of truce as myself, +about a month afterwards. I felt extremely ill, but made out to +keep about until I got home. My parents then lived on the island of +Nantucket. I was then taken down, and lay in my bed six weeks in the +most deplorable situation; my body was swelled to a great degree, and +my legs were as big round as my body now is, and affected with the most +excruciating pains. What my disorder was I will not pretend to say; but +Dr. Tupper, quite an eminent physician, and a noted tory, who attended +me, declared to my mother that he knew of nothing that would operate +in the manner that my disorder did, but poison. For the truth of that +I refer to my father and brothers, and to Mr. Henry Coffin, father to +Captain Peter Coffin, of the Manchester Packet of this point. + +"Thus, Sir, in some haste, without much attention to order or diction, +I have given you part of the history of my life and sufferings, but I +endeavored to bear them as became an American. And I must mention before +I close, to the everlasting honor of those unfortunate Americans who +were on board the Jersey, that notwithstanding the savage treatment they +received, and death staring them in the face, every attempt which was +made by the British to persuade them to enter their ships of war or in +their army, was treated with the utmost contempt; and I saw only one +instance of defection while I was on board, and that person was hooted +at and abused by the prisoners till the boat was out of hearing. Their +patriotism in preferring such treatment, and even death in its most +frightful shapes, to the service of the British, and fighting against +their own country has seldom been equalled, certainly never excelled, +and if there be no monument raised with hands to commemorate the virtue +of those men, it is stamped in capitals on the heart of every American +acquainted with their merit and sufferings, and will there remain as +long as the blood flows from its fountains." + +We have already seen that many of the prisoners on board the Jersey +were impressed into the service of British men-of-war, and that others +voluntarily enlisted for garrison duty in the West Indies. It seems +probable, however, that, as Captain Coffin asserts, few enlisted in +the service to fight against their own countrymen, and those few were +probably actuated by the hope of deserting. It is certain that thousands +preferred death to such a method of escaping from prison, as is proved +by the multitudes of corpses interred in the sand of the Wallabout, all +of whom could, in this way, have saved their lives. Conditions changed +on board the Jersey, from time to time. Thus, the water supply that was +at one time brought by the schooner Relief from New York, was, at other +times, procured from a beautiful spring on Long Island, as we will see +in our next chapter. + +Some of the prisoners speak of the foul air on board the prison ship +caused by the fact that all her port holes were closed, and a few +openings cut in her sides, which were insufficient to ventilate her. +Coffin says there was a good passage of air through the vessel from +her port holes. It is probable that the Jersey became so notorious as a +death trap that at last, for very shame, some attempt was made to secure +more sanitary conditions. Thus, just before peace was established, she +was, for the first time, overhauled and cleaned, the wretched occupants +being sent away for the purpose. The port holes were very probably +opened, and this is the more likely as we read of some of the prisoners +freezing to death during the last year of the war. From that calamity, +at least, they were safe as long as they were deprived of outer air. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII + +A WONDERFUL DELIVERANCE + + +There are few records of religious feeling on board the "Jersey, +vulgarly called 'Hell.'" No clergyman was ever known to set foot on +board of her, although a city of churches was so near. The fear of +contagion may have kept ministers of the gospel away. Visitors came, as +we have seen, but not to soothe the sufferings of the prisoners, or +to comfort those who were dying. It is said that a young doctor, named +George Vandewater attended the sick, until he took a fatal disease and +died. He was a resident of Brooklyn, and seems to have been actuated +by motives of humanity, and therefore his name deserves a place in this +record. + +But although the rough seamen who left narratives of their experiences +in that fearful place have told us little or nothing about the inner +feelings of those poor sufferers, yet it must be presumed that many +a silent prayer went up to the Judge and Father of all men, from the +depths of that foul prison ship. There was one boy on board the Jersey, +one at least, and we hope that there were many more, who trusted in God +that He could deliver him, even "from the nethermost hell." + +A large proportion of the prisoners were young men in their teens, who +had been attracted by the mysterious fascination of the sea; many of +them had run away from good homes, and had left sorrowing parents and +friends to mourn their loss. The feelings of these young men, full of +eager hopes, and as yet unsoured by too rough handling in their wrestle +with the world, suddenly transferred to the deck of the Jersey, has +been well described by Fox and other captives, whose adventures we have +transcribed in these pages. + +We have now to tell the experience of a youth on the Jersey who lived to +be a minister, and for many years was in charge of a church at Berkeley. +This youth was sensitive, delicate, and far from strong. His faith in +human nature received a shock, and his disposition was warped at the +most receptive and formative period of his life, by the terrible scenes +of suffering on the one hand, and relentless cruelty on the other, that +he witnessed in that fatal place. He wrote, in his memoir many years +after: _"I have since found that the whole world is but one great +prison-house of guilty, sorrowful, and dying men, who live in pride, +envy, and malice, hateful, and hating one another."_ + +This is one of the most terrible indictments of the human race that was +ever written. Let us hope that it is not wholly true. + +In 1833 the Rev. Thomas Andros published his recollections under the +title, "The Old Jersey Captive." We will give an abstract of them. He +begins by saying: "I was but in my seventeenth year when the struggle +commenced. In the summer of 1781 the ship Hannah, a very rich prize, was +captured and brought into the port of New London. It infatuated great +numbers of our young men who flocked on board our private armed ships +in hopes of as great a prize. * * * I entered on board a new Brig called +the 'Fair American.' She carried sixteen guns. * * * We were captured +on the 27th of August, by the Solebay frigate, and safely stowed away in +the Old Jersey prison ship at New York, an old, unsightly, rotten hulk. + +"Her dark and filthy appearance perfectly corresponded with the death +and despair that reigned within. She was moored three quarters of a mile +to the eastward of Brooklyn ferry, near a tide-mill on the Long Island +shore. The nearest distance to land was about twenty rods. No other +British ship ever proved the means of the destruction of so many human +beings." + +Andros puts the number of men who perished on board the Jersey as +11,000, and continues: "After it was known that it was next to certain +death to confine a prisoner here, the inhumanity and wickedness of +doing it was about the same as if he had been taken into the city and +deliberately shot on some public square. * * * Never did any Howard +or angel of pity appear to inquire into or alleviate our woes. Once +or twice a bag of apples was hurled into the midst of hundreds of +prisoners, crowded together as thick as they could stand, and life and +limbs were endangered by the scramble. This was a cruel sport. When I +saw it about to commence I fled to the most distant part of the ship." + +At night, he says, the prisoners were driven down to darkness between +decks, secured by iron gratings and an armed soldiery. He thus speaks +of the tasks imposed upon the prisoners: "Around the well-room an armed +guard were forcing up the prisoners to the winches to clear the ship of +water, and prevent her sinking; and little could be heard but a roar of +mutual execrations, reproaches and insults. + + "Sights of woe, regions of sorrow, doleful shades; + Where peace and rest can never dwell + +"When I became an inmate of this abode of suffering, despair, and death, +there were about 400 on board, but in a short time they were increased +to 1,200. + +"All the most deadly diseases were pressed into the service of the +king of terrors, but his prime ministers were dysentery, small pox, and +yellow fever. The healthy and the diseased were mingled together in the +main ship." + +He says that the two hospital ships were soon overcrowded, and that two +hundred or more of the prisoners, who soon became sick in consequence +of the want of room, were lodged in the fore-part of the lower gun-deck, +where all the prisoners were confined at night. + +"Utter derangement was a common sympton of yellow fever, and to increase +the horror of darkness which enshrouded us, for we were allowed no +light, the voice of warning would be heard, 'Take care! There's a madman +stalking through the ship with a knife in his hand!'" + +Andros says that he sometimes found the man by whose side he had lain +all night a corpse in the morning. There were many sick with raging +fever, and their loud cries for water, which could only be obtained +on the upper deck, mingled with the groans of the dying, and the +execrations of the tormented sufferers. If they attempted to get water +from the upper deck, the sentry would push them back with his bayonet. +Andros, at one time, had a narrow escape with his life, from one of +these bayonet thrusts. + +"In the morning the hatches were thrown open and we were allowed to +ascend. The first object we saw was a boat loaded with dead bodies +conveying them to the Long Island shore, where they were very slightly +covered with sand. * * * Let our disease be what it would we were +abandoned to our fate. No English physician ever came near us." + +Thirteen of the crew to which Andros belonged were on the Jersey. In a +short time all but three or four were dead. The healthiest died first. +They were seized vith yellow fever, which was an epidemic on the ship, +and died in a few hours. Andros escaped contagion longer than any of +his companions, with one exception. He says that the prisoners were +furnished with buckets and brushes to cleanse the ship, and vinegar to +sprinkle the floors, but that most of them had fallen into a condition +of apathy and despair, and that they seldom exerted themselves to +improve their condition. + +"The encouragement to do so was small. The whole ship was equally +affected, and contained pestilence enough to desolate a world; disease +and death were wrought into her very timbers. At the time I left it is +to be supposed a more filthy, contagious, and deadly abode never existed +among a Christianized people. + +"The lower hold and the orlop deck were such a terror that no man would +venture down into them. * * * Our water was good could we have had +enough of it: the bread was superlatively bad. I do not recollect seeing +any which was not full of living vermin, but eat it, worms and all, we +must, or starve. * * * A secret, prejudicial to a prisoner, revealed +to the guard, was death. Captain Young of Boston concealed himself in a +large chest belonging to a sailor going to be exchanged, and was carried +on board the cartel, and we considered his escape as certain, but the +secret leaked out, and he was brought back and one Spicer of Providence +being suspected as the traitor the enraged prisoners were about to cut +his throat. The guard rushed down and rescued him. + +"I knew no one to be seduced into the British service. They tried to +force one of our crew into the navy, but he chose rather to die than +perform any duty, and he was again restored to the prison-ship." + +Andros declares that there was no trace of religion exhibited on board +the Jersey. He also says that the prisoners made a set of rules for +themselves by which they regulated their conduct towards each other. No +one was allowed to tyrannize over the weak, and morality was enforced by +rules, and any infraction of these regulations was severely punished. + +He speaks of scenes of dreadful suffering which he witnessed: + + "Which things, most worthy of pity, I myself saw, + And of them was a part." + +"The prison ship is a blot which a thousand ages cannot eradicate from +the name of Britian. * * * While on board almost every thought was +occupied to invent some plan of escape. The time now came when I must +be delivered from the ship or die. I was seized with yellow fever, and +should certainly take the small-pox with it, and who does not know that +I could not survive the operation of both of these diseases at once. * * +* I assisted in nursing those who had the pox most violently. + +"The arrival of a cartel and my being exchanged would but render my +death the more sure." + +Yet he endeavored to promote his exchange by stepping up and giving in +his name among the first, when a list of the prisoners was taken. Andros +was not strong, and as he himself says, disease often seemed to pass +over the weak and sickly, and to attack, with deadly result, the +prisoners who were the healthiest and most vigorous. + +"It was the policy of the English to return for sound and healthy men +sent from our prisons, such Americans as had but just the breath of life +in them, sure to die before they reached home. The guard would tell a +man while in health, 'You haven't been here long enough, you are too +well to be exchanged.' + +"There was one more method of getting from the ship," Andros continues, +"and that was at night to steal down through a gun-port which we had +managed to open unbeknown to the guard, and swim ashore." This, he +declared, was for him a forlorn hope. Already under the influence of +yellow fever, and barely able to walk, he was, even when well, unable +to swim ten rods. Discovery was almost certain, for the guards now kept +vigilant watch to prevent any one escaping in this manner, and they shot +all whom they detected in the act of escaping. Yet this poor young man +trusted in God. He writes: "God, who had something more for me to do, +undertook for me." Mr. Emery, the sailing master, was going ashore for +water. Andros stepped up to him and asked: "Mr. Emery, may I go on shore +with you after water?" + +No such favor had ever been granted a prisoner, and Andros scarcely knew +what prompted him to prefer such a request. To his immense surprise, the +sailing master, who must have had a heart after all, replied, "Yes, with +all my heart." He was evidently struck with compassion for the poor, +apparently dying, young man. + +Andros, to the astonishment of his companions, immediately descended +into the boat. Some of them asked: "What is that sick man going on shore +for?" + +The British sailors endeavored to dissuade him, thinking that he would +probably die on the excursion. + +"'So, to put them all to silence, I again ascended on board, for I had +neglected to take my great-coat. But I put it on, and waited for the +sailing-master. The boat was pushed off, I attempted to row, but an +English sailor said, very kindly, 'Give me the oar. You are too unwell.' +* * * I looked back to the black and unsightly old ship as to an object +of the greatest horror. * * * We ascended the creek and arrived at the +spring, and I proposed to the sailors to go in quest of apples." + +The sailing-master said to him, "This fresh air will be of service to +you." This emboldened him to ask leave to ascend a bank about +thirty feet high, and to call at a house near the spring to ask for +refreshment. "Go," said Mr. Emery, "but take care not to be out of the +way." He replied that his state of health was such that nothing was +to be feared from him on that account. He managed to get into a small +orchard that belonged to the farmhouse. There he saw a sentinel, who was +placed on guard over a pile of apples. He soon convinced himself +that this man was indifferent to his movements, and, watching his +opportunity, when the man's back was turned, he slipped beyond the +orchard, into a dense swamp, covered with a thick undergrowth of +saplings and bushes. Here there was a huge prostrate log twenty feet in +length, curtained with a dense tangle of green briar. + +"Lifting up this covering I crept in, close by the log, and rested +comfortably, defended from the northeast storm which soon commenced." + +He heard the boat's crew making inquiries for him but no one discovered +his hiding-place. One of them declared that he was safe enough, and +would never live to go a mile. In the middle of the night he left his +hiding place, and fell into a road which he pursued some distance. When +he heard approaching footsteps he would creep off the path, roll himself +up into a ball to look like a bush, and remain perfectly still until the +coast was clear. He now felt that a wonderful Providence was watching +over him. His forethought in returning for his overcoat was the means +of saving his life, as he would undoubtedly have perished from exposure +without it. Next night he hid in a high stack of hay, suffering greatly. +When the storm was over he left this hiding place, and entered a deep +hollow in the woods near by, where he felt secure from observation. Here +he took off his clothes and spread them in the sun to dry. + +Returning to the road he was proceeding on his way, when at a bend in +the road, he came upon two light dragoons, evidently looking for him. +What was he to do? His mind acted quickly, and, as they approached, he +leisurely got over a fence into a small corn field, near a cottage by +the way-side. Here he busied himself as if he were the owner of the +cottage, going about the field; deliberately picking up ears of corn; +righting up the cap sheaf of a stack of stalks, and examining each +one. He had lost his hat, and had a handkerchief around his head, which +helped to deceive the dragoons, who supposed that he had just come out +of the cottage. They eyed him sharply, but passed on. + +After this he dared not show himself, and wandered about, living on +apples and water. He would lie concealed all day, in barns or hollows of +the woods. At night he travelled as far as his weakened condition +would allow He often found unfermented cider at the presses, for it was +cider-making time. + +After several days of this wandering life he sought refuge in a barn, +where he was found by a cross old man, who refused to do anything for +him. He says that in the course of his wanderings he uniformly found +women kind and helpful. They gave him food and kept his secret. One +night, feeling utterly spent, he came to the poor dwelling of an old +man and his wife, on the east side of Long Island. These good people +assisted him by every means in their power, as if he were their own son. +They took off his clothes, giving him another suit until they had baked +all his garments in the oven to destroy the vermin which tormented him +day and night. They insisted upon his occupying a clean bed. That night +he slept sweetly, rid of the intolerable torture of being eaten up +alive. He managed to reach Sag Harbor, where he found two other escaped +prisoners. Soon he was smuggled to Connecticut in a whale-boat, and +restored to his mother. It was late in October when he reached home. +He was very ill and delirious for a long time, but finally recovered, +taught school for some time, and finally became a minister of the +gospel. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV + +THE NARRATIVE OF CAPTAIN DRING + + +By far the most complete account of life on board the Old Jersey is +contained in Captain Dring's Recollections. His nature was hopeful, and +his constitution strong and enduring. He attempted to make the best of +his situation, and succeeded in leading as nearly a tolerable life +on board the prison-ship as was possible. His book is too long for +insertion in these pages, but we will endeavor to give the reader an +abstract of it. + +This book was published in 1865, having been prepared for the press and +annotated by Mr. Albert G. Greene, who speaks of Captain Dring as "a +frank, outspoken, and honest seaman." His original manuscript was first +published in 1829. + +Dring describes the prison ships as leaky old hulks, condemned as unfit +for hospitals or store ships, but considered good enough for prisoners +doomed to speedy annihilation. He says: + +"There is little doubt that the superior officers of the Royal Navy +under whose exclusive jurisdiction were these ships, intended to insure, +as far as possible, the good health of those who were confined on board +of them; there is just as little doubt, however, that the inferior +officers, under whose control those prisoners were more immediately +placed, * * * too often frustrated the purposes of their superior +officers, and too often disgraced humanity, by their wilful disregard of +the policy of their Government, and of the orders of their superiors, by +the uncalled-for severity of their treatment of those who were placed in +their custody, and by their shameless malappropriation of the means +of support which were placed in their hands for the sustenance of the +prisoners." + +However that may be, the superior officers must have known that the +prison ships were unfit for human habitation; that they were fearfully +overcrowded; and that the mortality on board of them was unprecedented +in the annals of prison life. + +The introduction to Captain Drings's recollections declares, what is +well known, that General Washington possessed but limited authority; he +was the Commander-in-Chief of the army, but had nothing to do with the +American Navy, and still less with the crews of privateers, who made up +a very large portion of the men on board the Jersey. Yet he did all he +could, actuated, as he always was, by the purest motives of benevolence +and humanity. + +"The authority to exchange naval prisoners," to quote from this +introduction, "was not invested in Washington, but in the Financier, and +as the prisoners on the Jersey freely set forth in their petition, the +former was comparatively helpless in the premises, although he earnestly +desired to relieve them from their sufferings. + +"It will be seen from these circumstances that no blame could properly +attach to General Washington, or the Continental Congress, or the +Commissary of Prisoners; the blame belonged to those who were engaged +in privateering, all of whom had been accustomed to release, without +parole, the crews of the vessels which they captured, or enlist them on +other privateers; in both cases removing the very means by which alone +the release of their captive fellow seamen could be properly and safely +effected. + +"From the careful perusal of all the information we possess on this +interesting subject, the reader will arise with the conviction that, +by unwarrantable abuses of authority; and unprincipled disregard of the +purposes of the British Government in some of its agents, great numbers +of helpless American prisoners were wantonly plunged into the deepest +distress; exposed to the most severe sufferings, and carried to +unhonored graves. * * * Enough will remain uncontradicted by competent +testimony to brand with everlasting infamy all who were immediately +concerned in the business; and to bring a blush of shame on the cheek of +every one who feels the least interest in the memory of any one who, +no matter how remotely, was a party to so mean and yet so horrible +an outrage. * * * The authors and abettors of the outrages to which +reference has been made will stand convicted not only of the most +heartless criminality against the laws of humanity and the laws of God, +but of the most flagrant violation of the Laws of Nations, and the Law +of the Land." + +These extracts are all taken from the Introduction to Captain Dring's +Recollections, written by Mr. H. B. Dawson, in June, 1865. + +Captain Dring was born in Newport, R. I., on the third of August, 1758. +He died in August, 1825, in Providence, R. I., and was about 67 years of +age at the time of his death. He was many years in the merchant service, +and wrote his recollections in 1824. + +"I was first confined on the Good Hope, in the year 1779, then lying in +the North River opposite the city of New York, but after a confinement +of more than four months, I succeeded in making my escape to the Jersey +shore." + +Captain Dring is said to have been one of the party who escaped from +the Good Hope in October, 1779. The New Jersey papers thus described the +escape. + +"Chatham, N. J. Last Wednesday morning about one o'clock made their +escape from the Good Hope prison ship in the North River, nine Captains +and two privates. Among the number was Captain James Prince, who has +been confined four months, and having no prospect of being exchanged, +concerted a plan in conjunction with the other gentlemen to make their +escape, which they effected in the following manner: They confined the +Mate, disarmed the sentinels, and hoisted out the boat which was on +deck; they brought off nine stands of arms, one pair of pistols, and +a sufficient quantity of ammunition, being determined not to be taken +alive. They had scarce got clear of the ship before the alarm was given, +when they were fired on by three different ships, but fortunately no +person was hurt. Captain Prince speaks in the highest terms of Captain +Charles Nelson, who commanded the prison-ship, using the prisoners with +a great deal of humanity, particularly himself. + +"I was again captured in 1782," Dring continues, "and conveyed on board +the Jersey, where * * * I was a witness and partaker of the unspeakable +sufferings of that wretched class of American prisoners who were there +taught the utmost extreme of human misery. I am now far advanced in +years, and am the only survivor, with the exception of two, of a crew +of 65 men. I often pass the descendant of one of my old companions in +captivity, and the recollection comes fresh to my mind that his father +was my comrade and fellow sufferer in prison; that I saw him breathe his +last upon the deck of the Jersey, and assisted at his interment at the +Waleboght; * * * + +"In May, 1782, I sailed from Providence, R. I., as Master's-mate, on +board a privateer called the Chance, commanded by Captain Daniel Aborn, +mounting 12 six-pound cannon, and having a crew of 65 men." + +This vessel was captured in a few days by the Belisarius, of 26 guns, +commanded by Captain Graves. The prisoners were brought to New York and +the Belisarius dropped her anchor abreast of the city. A large gondola +soon came alongside, in which was seated David Sproat, the much-hated +British Commissary of Naval Prisoners. He was an American refugee, +universally detested for the insolence of his manners, and the cruelty +of his conduct. The prisoners were ordered into the boats, and told to +apply themselves to the oars, but declined to exert themselves in that +manner, whereupon he scowled at them and remarked, "I'll soon fix you, +my lads!" + +David Sproat found America too hot for him after the war and died at +Kirkcudbright, Scotland, in 1799. + +Dring says: "My station in the boat as we hauled alongside, was exactly +opposite one of the air-ports in the side of the ship. From this +aperture proceeded a strong current of foul vapor of a kind to which I +had been before accustomed while confined on board the Good Hope, the +peculiar disgusting smell of which I then recollected, after a lapse +of three years. This was, however, far more foul and loathsome than +anything which I had ever met with on board that ship, and it produced a +sensation of nausea far beyond my powers of description. + +"Here, while waiting for orders to ascend on board, we were addressed +by some of the prisoners from the air-ports * * * after some questions +whence we came, and respecting the manner of our capture, one of the +prisoners said that it was a lamentable thing to see so many young men +in the prime of health and vigor condemned to a living grave." He went +on to say that Death passed over such human skeletons as himself as +unworthy of his powers, but that he delighted in making the strong, the +youthful, and the vigorous, his prey. + +After the prisoners had been made to descend the hatchways, these were +then fastened down for the night. Dring says it was impossible for him +to find one of his companions in the darkness. + +"Surrounded by I knew not whom, except that they were beings as wretched +as myself; with dismal sounds meeting my ears from every direction; a +nauseous and putrid atmosphere filling my lungs at every breath; and a +stifling and suffocating heat which almost deprived me of sense, even +of life. Previous to leaving the boat I had put on several articles +of clothing, for the purpose of security, but I was soon compelled to +disencumber myself of these. * * * Thoughts of sleep did not enter into +my mind." + +He discovered a gleam of light from one of the port-holes and keeping +hold of his bag endeavored to make his way to it, but was greeted by +curses and imprecations from those who were lying on the deck, and whom +he disturbed. At length he arrived at the desired spot, but found it +occupied. In the morning he saw himself surrounded by a crowd of forms, +with the hues of death and famine upon their faces. At eight o'clock +they were permitted to ascend on deck, and he found some of his friends. + +"Pale and meagre, the throng came on deck, to view for a few moments the +morning sun, and then to descend again, to pass another day of misery +and wretchedness. I found myself surrounded by a motley crew of +wretches, with tattered garments and pallid visages. * * * Among them I +saw one ruddy and heathful countenance, and recognized the features of +one of my late companions on the Belisarius. But how different did +he appear from the group around him * * * men who, now shrunken and +decayed, had but a short time before been as strong, as healthful, and +as vigorous as himself. * * * During the night I had, in addition to my +other sufferings, been tormented with what I supposed to be vermin, and +on coming upon deck, I found that a black silk handkerchief, which I +wore around my neck, was completely spotted with them. Although this had +often been mentioned as one of the nuisances of the place, yet as I had +never before been in a situation to witness anything of the kind, the +sight made me shudder, as I knew at once that as long as I should remain +on board, these loathsome creatures would be my constant companions and +unceasing tormentors. + +"The next disgusting object which met my sight was a man suffering from +small-pox, and in a few minutes I found myself surrounded by many others +laboring under the same disease in every stage of its progress." + +Dring was obliged to inoculate himself, as that was thought to be +the safest way of taking the disease. He borrowed some virus from a +sufferer, and scarified the skin of his hand with a pin. He then bound +up his hand. Next morning he found that it had festered. He took the +disease lightly, and soon recovered, while a very large proportion of +those who contracted smallpox in the natural manner died of it. + +All the prisoners from the Belisarius were obliged to fast for +twenty-four hours. Dring had some ship biscuit with him, in his bag. +These he distributed to his companions. They then formed themselves into +messes of six each, and next morning drew their scanty pittance of food. + +We have said that Dring and the other officers on board solved the +problem of living with _comparative_ comfort on board the Jersey. As +they were officers, the gun-room was given up to their use, and they +were not so terribly crowded as the common sailors. Also the officers +had money to supply many of their wants, but all this will appear in the +course of the narrative. + +He says that, even on the second day of their confinement, they could +not obtain their allowance of food in time to cook it. No distinction of +rank was made by the jailors on the Jersey, but the prisoners themselves +agreed to allow the officers to occupy the extreme afterpart of the +ship, between decks, called the gun-room. Dring soon became an inmate +of this place, in company with the other officers who were already in +possession, and these tendered him all the little services in their +power. + +The different messes were all numbered. At nine o'clock the steward and +his assistants would take their places at the window in the bulk head in +the steward's room, and ring a bell. A man from each mess stood ready +to be in time to answer when his number was called. The rations were all +prepared ready for delivery. They were on two-thirds allowance. This is +the full allowance for a British seaman: + + Sunday--1 lb. biscuit, 1 lb. pork, and half a pint of peas. + Monday--1 lb. biscuit, 1 pint oatmeal, 2 oz. butter. + Tuesday-1 lb. biscuit, and 2 lbs. beef. + Wednesday--1-1/2 lbs. flour, and 2 ounces suet. + Thursday--Same as Sunday. + Friday--Same as Monday. + Saturday--Same as Tuesday. + +Two thirds of this allowance for each man would have been sufficient +to sustain life, had it been of moderately good quality. They never +received butter, but a rancid and ill-smelling substance called sweet +oil. "The smell of it, accustomed as we were to everything foul and +nauseous, was more than we could endure. We, however, always received +it, and gave it to the poor, half-starved Frenchmen who were on board, +who took it gratefully, and swallowed it with a little salt and their +wormy bread." + +Oil had been dealt out to the prisoners on the Good Hope, but there it +was hoarded carefully, for they were allowed lights until nine P.M., +so they used it in their lamps. But on the Jersey, Dring declares that +neither light nor fire was ever allowed. + +Often their provisions were not dealt out in time to be cooked that day, +and then they had to fast or eat them raw. The cooking was done in +the "Great Copper" under the forecastle. This was a boiler enclosed in +brick-work about eight feet square. It was large enough to contain +two or three hogsheads of water. It was square, and divided into two +portions. In one side peas and oatmeal were boiled in fresh water. On +the other side the meat was boiled in salt water, and as we have already +stated the food was poisoned by copperas. This was the cause, it is +believed, of many deaths, especially as the water was obtained from +alongside the ship, and was extremely unwholesome. + +The portion of each mess was designated by a tally fastened to it by a +string. Hundreds of tallies were to be seen hanging over the sides of +the brick-work by their strings, each eagerly watched by some member of +the mess, who waited to receive it. + +The meat was suffered to remain in the boiler a certain time, then +the cook's bell was rung, and the pittance of food must be immediately +removed, whether sufficiently cooked or not. The proportion of peas and +oatmeal belonging to each mess was measured out of the copper after it +was boiled. + +The cook alone seemed to have much flesh on his bones. He had been a +prisoner, but seeing no prospect of ever being liberated he had offered +his services, and his mates and scullions were also prisoners who had +followed his example. The cook was not ill-natured, and although +often cursed by the prisoners when out of hearing, he really displayed +fortitude and forbearance far beyond what most men would have been +capable of showing. "At times, when his patience was exhausted, he +did, indeed, make the hot water fly among us, but a reconciliation was +usually effected with little difficulty. + +"Many of the different messes had obtained leave from His Majesty the +Cook to prepare their own rations, separate from the general mess in the +great boiler. For this purpose a great many spikes and hooks had been +driven into the brick-work by which the boiler was enclosed, on which to +suspend their tin kettles. As soon as we were permitted to go on deck in +the morning, some one took the tin kettle belonging to the mess, with as +much water and as many splinters of wood as we had been able to procure +during the previous day, and carried them to the Galley; and there +having suspended his kettle on one of the hooks or spikes stood ready to +kindle his little fire as soon as the Cook or his mates would permit. +It required but little fire to boil our food in these kettles, for their +bottoms were made concave, and the fire was applied directly in the +centre, and let the remaining brands be ever so small they were all +carefully quenched; and having been conveyed below were kept for use on +a future occasion. + +"Much contention often arose through our endeavors to obtain places +around the brick-work, but these disputes were always promptly decided +by the Cook, from whose mandate there was no appeal. No sooner had one +prisoner completed the cooking for his mess, than another supplicant +stood ready to take his place; and they thus continued to throng the +galley, during the whole time that the fire was allowed to remain under +the Great Copper, unless it happened to be the pleasure of the Cook to +drive them away. *[...] Each man in the mess procured and saved as much +water as possible during the previous day; as no person was ever allowed +to take more than a pint at a time from the scuttle-cask in which it was +kept. Every individual was therefor obliged each day to save a little +for the common use of the mess on the next morning. By this arrangement +the mess to which I belonged had always a small quantity of fresh water +in store, which we carefully kept, with a few other necessaries, in a +chest which we used in common. + +"During the whole period of my confinement I never partook of any food +which had been prepared in the Great Copper. It is to this fact that I +have always attributed, under Divine Providence, the degree of health +which I preserved on board. I was thereby also, at times, enabled to +procure several necessary and comfortable things, such as tea, sugar, +etc. so that, wretchedly as I was situated, my condition was far +preferable to that of most of my fellow sufferers, which has ever been +to me a theme of sincere and lasting gratitude to Heaven. + +"But terrible indeed was the condition of most of my fellow captives. +Memory still brings before me those emaciated beings, moving from the +Galley with their wretched pittance of meat; each creeping to the spot +where his mess was assembled, to divide it with a group of haggard and +sickly creatures, their garments hanging in tatters round their meagre +limbs, and the hue of death upon their careworn faces. By these it was +consumed with the scanty remnants of bread, which was often mouldy and +filled with worms. And even from this vile fare they would rise up in +torments from the cravings of unsatisfied hunger and thirst. + +"No vegetables of any description were ever afforded us by our inhuman +keepers. Good Heaven! what a luxury to us would then have been even a +few potatoes!--if but the very leavings of swine. * * * + + "Oh my heart sinks, my pitying eyes o'erflow, + When memory paints the picture of their woe + Where my poor countrymen in bondage wait + The slow enfranchisement of lingering fate, + Greeting with groans the unwelcome night's return, + While rage and shame their gloomy bosoms burn, + And chiding, every hour, the slow-paced sun, + Endure their woes till all his race was run + No one to mark the sufferers with a tear + No friend to comfort, and no hope to cheer, + And like the dull, unpitied brutes repair + To stalls as wretched, and as coarse a fare; + Thank Heaven one day of misery was o'er, + And sink to sleep, and wish to wake no more." + + + +CHAPTER XXXV + +THE NARRATIVE OF CAPTAIN DRING (CONTINUED) + + +"The quarter-deck of the Jersey covered about one-fourth of the upper +deck, and the forecastle extended from the stern, about one-eighth +part of the length of the upper deck. Sentinels were stationed on the +gangways on each side of the upper deck, leading from the quarter-deck +to the forecastle. These gangways were about five feet wide; and here +the prisoners were allowed to pass and repass. The intermediate space +from the bulkhead of the quarter-deck to the forecastle was filled with +long spars and booms, and called the spar-deck. The temporary covering +afforded by the spar-deck was of the greatest benefit to the prisoners, +as it served to shield us from the rain and the scorching rays of the +sun. It was here, therefore, that our movables were placed when we were +engaged in cleaning the lower decks. The spar-deck was also the only +place where we were allowed to walk, and was crowded through the day by +the prisoners on deck. Owing to the great number of prisoners, and the +small space allowed us by the spar-deck, it was our custom to walk in +platoons, each facing the same way, and turning at the same time. The +Derrick for taking in wood, water, etc., stood on the starboard side +of the spar-deck. On the larboard side of the ship was placed the +accommodation ladder, leading from the gangway to the water. At the head +of the ladder a sentinel was also stationed. + +"The head of the accommodation ladder was near the door of the +barricade, which extended across the front of the quarter-deck, and +projected a few feet beyond the sides of the ship. The barricade was +about ten feet high, and was pierced with loop-holes for musketry in +order that the prisoners might be fired on from behind it, if occasion +should require. + +"The regular crew of the ship consisted of a Captain, two Mates, a +Steward, a Corporal, and about 12 sailors. The crew of the ship had no +communication whatever with the prisoners. No person was ever permitted +to pass through the barricade door, except when it was required that the +messes should be examined and regulated, in which case each man had +to pass through, and go between decks, and there remain until the +examination was completed. None of the guard or of the ship's crew ever +came among the prisoners while I was on board. I never saw one of her +officers or men except when there were passengers going in the boat, to +or from the stern-ladder. + +"On the two decks below, where we were confined at night, our chests, +boxes, and bags were arranged in two lines along the decks, about ten +feet distant from the sides of the ship; thus leaving as wide a space +unencumbered in the middle of each deck, fore and aft, as our crowded +situation would admit. Between these tiers of chests, etc., and the +sides of the ship, was the place where the different messes assembled; +and some of the messes were also separated from their neighbors by a +temporary partition of chests, etc. Some individuals of the different +messes usually slept on the chests, in order to preserve their contents +from being plundered in the night. + +"At night the spaces in the middle of the decks were much encumbered +with hammocks, but these were always removed in the morning. * * * +My usual place of abode being in the Gunroom, I was never under the +necessity of descending to the lower dungeon; and during my confinement +I had no disposition to visit it. It was inhabited by the most wretched +in appearance of all our miserable company. From the disgusting and +squalid appearance of the groups which I saw ascending the stairs which +led to it, it must have been more dismal, if possible, than that part +of the hulk where I resided. Its occupants appeared to be mostly +foreigners, who had seen and survived every variety of human suffering. +The faces of many of them were covered with dirt and filth; their long +hair and beards matted and foul; clothed in rags, and with scarcely a +sufficient supply of these to cover their disgusting bodies. Many among +them possessed no clothing except the remnant of those garments which +they wore when first brought on board; and were unable to procure even +any material for patching these together, when they had been worn to +tatters by constant use. * * * Some, and indeed many of them, had not +the means of procuring a razor, or an ounce of soap. + +"Their beards were occasionally reduced by each other with a pair of +shears or scissors. * * * Their skins were discoloured by continual +washing in salt water, added to the circumstance that it was impossible +for them to wash their linen in any other manner than by laying it on +the deck and stamping on it with their feet, after it had been immersed +in salt water, their bodies remaining naked during the process. + +"To men in this situation everything like ordinary cleanliness was +impossible. Much that was disgusting in their appearance undoubtedly +originated from neglect, which long confinement had rendered habitual, +until it created a confirmed indifference to personal appearance. + +"As soon as the gratings had been fastened over the hatchways for the +night, we usually went to our sleeping places. It was, of course, always +desirable to obtain a station as near as possible to the side of the +ship, and, if practicable, in the immediate vicinity of one of the +air-ports, as this not only afforded us a better air, but also rendered +us less liable to be trodden upon by those who were moving about the +decks during the night. + +"But silence was a stranger to our dark abode. There were continual +noises during the night. The groans of the sick and the dying; the +curses poured out by the weary and exhausted upon our inhuman keepers; +the restlessness caused by the suffocating heat, and the confined and +poisonous air, mingled with the wild and incoherent ravings of delirium, +were the sounds which every night were raised around us in every +direction. Such was our ordinary situation, but at times the +consequences of our crowded condition were still more terrible, and +proved fatal to many of our number in a single night. + +"But, strange as it may appear, notwithstanding all the * * * suffering +which was there endured I knew many who had been inmates of that abode +for two years, who were apparently perfectly well. They had, as they +expressed it, 'been through the furnace and become seasoned.' Most of +these, however, were foreigners, who appeared to have abandoned all hope +of ever being exchanged, and had become quite indifferent with regard to +the place of their abode. + +"But far different was the condition of that portion of our number who +were natives of the United States. These formed by far the most numerous +class of the prisoners. Most of these were young men, * * * who had been +captured soon after leaving their homes, and during their first voyage. +After they had been here immured the sudden change in their situation +was like a sentence of death. Many a one was crushed down beneath the +sickness of the heart, so well described by the poet:-- + + "'Night and day, + Brooding on what he had been, what he was, + 'Twas more than he could bear, his longing fits + Thickened upon him. _His desire for Home + Became a madness_' + +"These poor creatures had, in many instances, been plundered of their +wearing apparel by their captors, and here, the dismal and disgusting +objects by which they were surrounded, the vermin which infested them, +the vile and loathsome food, and what with _them_ was far from being the +lightest of their trials, their ceaseless longing after their _homes_, * +* * all combined, had a wonderful effect on them. Dejection and anguish +were soon visible on their countenances. They became dismayed and +terror-stricken; and many of them absolutely died that most awful of all +human deaths, the effects of a _broken heart_. + +"A custom had long been established that certain labor which it was +necessary should be performed daily, should be done by a company, +usually called the 'Working party.' This consisted of about twenty +able-bodied men chosen from among the prisoners, and was commanded, in +daily rotation, by those of our number who had formerly been officers +of vessels. The commander of the party for the day bore the title of +Boatswain. The members of the Working-party received, as a compensation +for their services, a full allowance of provisions, and half a pint of +rum each, with the privilege of going on deck early in the morning, to +breathe the pure air. + +"This privilege alone was a sufficient compensation for all the duty +which was required of them. + +"Their routine of service was to wash down that part of the upper deck +and gangways where the prisoners were permitted to walk; to spread the +awning, or to hoist on board the wood, water, and other supplies, from +the boats in which the same were brought alongside the ship. + +"When the prisoners ascended to the upper deck in the morning, if the +day was fair, each carried up his hammock and bedding, which were all +placed upon the spar-deck, or booms. The Working-party then took the +sick and disabled who remained below, and placed them in the bunks +prepared for them upon the centre-deck; they then, if any of the +prisoners had died during the night, carried up the dead bodies, and +laid them upon the booms; after which it was their duty to wash down the +main decks below; during which operation the prisoners remained on +the upper deck, except such as chose to go below and volunteer their +services in the performance of this duty. + +"Around the railing of the hatchway leading from the centre to the lower +decks, were placed a number of large tubs for the occasional use of +the prisoners during the night, and as general receptacles of filth. +Although these were indispensably necessary to us, yet they were highly +offensive. It was a part of the duty of the Working-party to carry these +on deck, at the time when the prisoners ascended in the morning, and to +return them between decks in the afternoon. + +"Our beds and clothing were kept on deck until nearly the hour when we +were to be ordered below for the night. During this interval * * * the +decks washed and cleared of all incumbrance, except the poor wretches +who lay in the bunks, it was quite refreshing after the suffocating heat +and foul vapors of the night to walk between decks. There was then some +circulation of air through the ship, and, for a few hours, our existence +was, in some degree, tolerable. + +"About two hours before sunset the order was usually issued for the +prisoners to carry their hammocks, etc., below. After this had been done +we were all either to retire between decks, or to remain above until +sunset according to our own pleasure. Everything which we could do +conducive to cleanliness having then been performed, if we ever felt +anything like enjoyment in this wretched abode, it was during this brief +interval, when we breathed the cool air of the approaching night, and +felt the luxury of our evening pipe. But short indeed was this interval +of repose. The Working-party was soon ordered to carry the tubs below, +and we prepared to descend to our gloomy and crowded dungeons. This was +no sooner done than the gratings were closed over the hatchways, +the sentinels stationed, and we left to sicken and pine beneath our +accumulated torments; with our guards above crying aloud, through the +long night, 'All's well!"' + +Captain Dring says that at that time the Jersey was used for seamen +alone. The average number on board was one thousand. It consisted of the +crews of vessels of all the nations with which the English were at war. +But the greater number had been captured on board American vessels. + +There were three hospital ships in the Wallabout; the Stromboli, the +Hunter, and the Scorpion. [Footnote: At one time as we have seen, the +Scorpion was a prison ship, from which Freneau was sent to the Hunter +hospital ship.] There was not room enough on board these ships for +all the sick, and a part of the upper deck of the Jersey was therefore +prepared for their accommodation. These were on the after part of the +upper deck, on the larboard side, where those who felt the symptoms of +approaching sickness could lie down, in order to be found by the nurses +as soon as possible. + +Few ever returned from the hospital ships to the Jersey. Dring knew but +three such instances during his imprisonment. He says that "the outward +appearance of these hospitals was disgusting in the highest degree. +The sight of them was terrible to us. Their appearance was even more +shocking than that of our own miserable hulk. + +"On board the Jersey among the prisoners were about half a dozen men +known by the appellation of nurses. I never learned by whom they were +appointed, or whether they had any regular appointment at all. But one +fact I knew well; they were all thieves. They were, however, sometimes +useful in assisting the sick to ascend from below to the gangway on the +upper deck, to be examined by the visiting Surgeon who attended from +the Hunter every day, when the weather was good. If a sick man was +pronounced by the Surgeon to be a proper subject for one of the hospital +ships, he was put into the boat waiting alongside; but not without the +loss or detention of his effects, if he had any, as these were at once +taken by the nurses, as their own property. * * * I had found Mr. Robert +Carver, our Gunner while on board the Chance, sick in one of the bunks +where those retired who wished to be removed. He was without a bed +or pillow, and had put on all the wearing apparel which he possessed, +wishing to preserve it, and being sensible of his situation. I found him +sitting upright in the bunk, with his great-coat on over the rest of +his garments, and his hat between his knees. The weather was excessively +hot, and, in the place where he lay, the heat was overpowering. I at +once saw that he was delirious, a sure presage that the end was near. I +took off his great-coat, and having folded and placed it under his head +for a pillow, I laid him upon it, and went immediately to prepare him +some tea. I was absent but a few minutes, and, on returning, met one of +the thievish Nurses with Carver's great-coat in his hand. On ordering +him to return it his reply was that it was a perquisite of the Nurses, +and the only one they had; that the man was dying, and the great-coat +could be of no further use to him. I however, took possession of the +coat, and on my liberation, returned it to the family of the owner. Mr +Carver soon after expired where he lay. We procured a blanket in which +to wrap his body, which was thus prepared for interment. Others of the +crew of the Chance had died before that time. Mr Carver was a man +of strong and robust constitution. Such men were subject to the most +violent attacks of the fever, and were also its most certain victims." + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI + +THE INTERMENT OF THE DEAD + + +Captain Dring continues his narrative by describing the manner in which +the dead were interred in the sand of the Wallabout. Every morning, he +says, the dead bodies were carried to the upper deck and there laid +upon the gratings. Any person who could procure, and chose to furnish, +a blanket, was allowed to sew it around the remains of his departed +companion. + +"The signal being made, a boat was soon seen approaching from the +Hunter, and if there were any dead on board the other ships, the boat +received them, on her way to the Jersey. + +"The corpse was laid upon a board, to which some ropes were attached +as straps; as it was often the case that bodies were sent on shore for +interment before they had become sufficiently stiff to be lowered into +the boat by a single strap. Thus prepared a tackle was attached to the +board, and the remains * * * were hoisted over the side of the ship into +the boat, without further ceremony. If several bodies were waiting for +interment, but one of them was lowered into the boat at a time, for the +sake of decency. The prisoners were always very anxious to be engaged in +the duty of interment, not so much from a feeling of humanity, or from +a wish to pay respect to the remains of the dead, for to these feelings +they had almost become strangers, as from the desire of once more +placing their feet on the land, if but for a few minutes. A sufficient +number of prisoners having received permission to assist in this duty, +they entered the boat accompanied by a guard of soldiers, and put off +from the ship. + +"I obtained leave to assist in the burial of the body of Mr. Carver, * * +* and after landing at a low wharf which had been built from the shore, +we first went to a small hut, which stood near the wharf, and was used +as a place of deposit for the handbarrows and shovels provided for these +occasions. Having placed the corpses on the barrows, and received +our hoes and shovels, we proceeded to the side of the bank near the +Waleboght. Here a vacant space having been selected, we were directed +to dig a trench in the sand, of a proper length for the reception of +the bodies. We continued our labor until the guards considered that a +sufficient space had been excavated. The corpses were then laid in the +trench without ceremony, and we threw the sand over them. The whole +appeared to produce no more effect upon our guards than if they were +burying the bodies of dead animals, instead of men. They scarcely +allowed us time to look about us; for no sooner had we heaped the earth +upon the trench, than we were ordered to march. But a single glance was +sufficient to show us parts of many bodies which were exposed to view, +although they had probably been placed there with the same mockery of +interment but a few days before. + +"Having thus performed, as well as we were permitted to do it, the last +duty to the dead, and the guards having stationed themselves on each +side of us, we began reluctantly to retrace our steps to the boat. We +had enjoyed the pleasure of breathing for a few minutes the air of our +native soil; and the thought of return to the crowded prison-ship was +terrible in the extreme. As we passed by the waterside we implored +our guards to allow us to bathe, or even to wash ourselves for a few +minutes, but this was refused us. + +"I was the only person of our party who wore a pair of shoes, and well +recollect that I took them off for the pleasure of feeling the earth, +or rather the sand, as we went along. * * * We went by a small patch +of turf, some pieces of which we tore up from the earth, and obtained +permission to carry them on board for our comrades to smell them. +Circumstances like these may appear trifling to the careless reader; but +let him be assured that they were far from being trifles to men situated +as we had been. The inflictions which we had endured; the duty which we +had just performed; the feeling that we must, in a few minutes, re-enter +the place of suffering, from which, in all probability, we should never +return alive; all tended to render everything connected with the firm +land beneath, and the sweet air above us, objects of deep and thrilling +interest. + +"Having arrived at the hut we there deposited our implements, and +walked to the landing-place, where we prevailed on our guards, who were +Hessians, to allow us the gratification of remaining nearly half an hour +before we returned to the boat. + +"Near us stood a house occupied by a miller, and we had been told that +a tide-mill which he attended was in the immediate vicinity, as a +landing-place for which the wharf where we stood had been erected. * * +* It was designated by the prisoners by the appellation of the 'Old +Dutchman's,' and its very walls were viewed by us with feelings of +veneration, as we had been told that the amiable daughter of its owner +had kept an accurate account of the number of bodies that had been +brought on shore for interment from the Jersey and hospital ships. This +could easily be done in the house, as its windows commanded a fair view +of the landing place. We were not, however, gratified by a sight of +herself, or of any other inmate of the house. + +"Sadly did we approach and re-enter our foul and disgusting place of +confinement. The pieces of turf which we carried on board were sought +for by our fellow prisoners, with the greatest avidity, every fragment +being passed by them from hand to hand, and its smell inhaled as if it +had been a fragrant rose. * * * The first of the crew of the Chance to +die was a lad named Palmer, about twelve years of age, and the youngest +of our crew. When on board the Chance he was a waiter to the officers, +and he continued in this duty after we were placed on board the Jersey. +He had, with many others of our crew, been inoculated for the small-pox, +immediately after our arrival on board. The usual symptoms appeared +at the proper time, and we supposed the appearance of his disorder +favorable, but these soon changed, and the yellow hue of his features +declared the approach of death. * * * The night he died was truly a +wretched one for me. I spent most of it in total darkness, holding him +during his convulsions. * * * I had done everything in my power for this +poor boy, during his sickness, and could render him but one more kind +office (after his death). I assisted to sew a blanket around his body, +which was, with others who had died, during the night, conveyed upon +deck in the morning, to be at the usual hour hurried to the bank at the +Walebocht. I regretted that I could not assist at his interment, as I +was then suffering with the small-pox myself, neither am I certain that +permission would have been granted me, if I had sought it. Our keepers +appeared to have no idea that the prisoners could feel any regard for +each other, but appeared to think us as cold-hearted as themselves. If +anything like sympathy was ever shown us by any of them it was done +by the Hessians. * * * The next deaths among our company were those of +Thomas Mitchell and his son-in-law, Thomas Sturmey. It is a singular +fact that both of these men died at the same time." + + +THE GUARDS ON BOARD THE JERSEY + +"In addition to the regular officers and seamen of the Jersey, there +were stationed on board about a dozen old invalid Marines, but our +actual guard was composed of soldiers from the different regiments +quartered on Long Island. The number usually on duty on board was +about thirty. Each week they were relieved by a fresh party. They were +English, Hessian, and Refugees. We always preferred the Hessians, +from whom we received better treatment than from the others. As to the +English, we did not complain, being aware that they merely obeyed their +orders, in regard to us; but the Refugees * * * were viewed by us with +scorn and hatred. I do not recollect, however, that a guard of these +miscreants was placed over us more than three times, during which their +presence occasioned much tumult and confusion; for the prisoners could +not endure the sight of these men, and occasionally assailed them with +abusive language, while they, in turn, treated us with all the severity +in their power. We dared not approach near them, for fear of their +bayonets, and of course could not pass along the gangways where they +were stationed; but were obliged to crawl along upon the booms, in order +to get fore and aft, or to go up and down the hatchways. They never +answered any of our remarks respecting them, but would merely point to +their uniforms, as much as to say, 'We are clothed by our Sovereign, +while you are naked.' They were as much gratified by the idea of leaving +us as we were at seeing them depart. + +"Many provoking gestures were made by the prisoners as they left the +ship, and our curses followed them as far as we could make ourselves +heard. + +"A regiment of Refugees, with a green uniform, were then quartered at +Brooklyn. We were invited to join this Royal band, and to partake of his +Majesty's pardon and bounty. But the prisoners, in the midst of their +unbounded sufferings, of their dreadful privations, and consuming +anguish, spurned the insulting offer. They preferred to linger and to +die rather than desert their country's cause. During the whole period +of my confinement I never knew a single instance of enlistment among the +prisoners of the Jersey. + +"The only duty, to my knowledge, ever performed by the old Marines was +to guard the water-butt, near which one of them was stationed with a +drawn cutlass. They were ordered to allow no prisoner to carry away more +than one pint at once, but we were allowed to drink at the butt as much +as we pleased, for which purpose two or three copper ladles were chained +to the cask. Having been long on board and regular in performance of +this duty, they had become familiar with the faces of the prisoners, and +could, in many instances, detect the frauds which we practiced upon them +in order to obtain more fresh water for our cooking than was allowed +us by the regulations of the ship. Over the water the sailors had no +control. The daily consumption of water on board was at least equal to +700 gallons. I know not whence it was brought, but presume it was from +Brooklyn. One large gondola, or boat, was kept in constant employment to +furnish the necessary supply. + +"So much of the water as was not required on deck for immediate use was +conducted into butts, placed in the lower hold of the hulk, through a +leather hose, passing through her side, near the bends. To this water we +had recourse, when we could procure no other. + +"When water in any degree fit for use was brought on board, it is +impossible to describe the struggle which ensued, in consequence of our +haste and exertions to procure a draught of it. The best which was +ever afforded us was very brackish, but that from the ship's hold was +nauseous in the highest degree. This must be evident when the fact is +stated that the butts for receiving it had never been cleaned since they +were put in the hold. The quantity of foul sediment which they contained +was therefore very great, and was disturbed and mixed with the water +as often as a new supply was poured into them, thereby rendering their +whole contents a substance of the most disgusting and poisonous nature. +I have not the least doubt that the use of this vile compound caused +the death of hundreds of the prisoners, when, to allay their tormenting +thirst, they were driven by desperation to drink this liquid poison, and +to abide the consequences." + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII + +DAME GRANT AND HER BOAT + + +"One indulgence was allowed us by our keepers, if indulgence it can be +called. They had given permission for a boat to come alongside the ship, +with a supply of a few necessary articles, to be sold to such of the +prisoners as possessed the means of paying for them. This trade was +carried on by a very corpulent old woman, known among us by the name of +Dame Grant. Her visits, which were made every other day, were of much +benefit to us, and, I presume, a source of profit to herself. She +brought us soft bread and fruit, with various other articles, such as +tea, sugar, etc., all of which she previously put up into small paper +parcels, from one ounce to a pound in weight, with the price affixed +to each, from which she would never deviate. The bulk of the old lady +completely filled the stern sheets of the boat, where she sat, with her +box of goods before her, from which she supplied us very expeditiously. +Her boat was rowed by two boys, who delivered to us the articles we had +purchased, the price of which we were required first to put into their +hands. + +"When our guard was not composed of Refugees, we were usually permitted +to descend to the foot of the Accommodation-ladder, in order to select +from the boat such articles as we wished. While standing there it was +distressing to see the faces of hundreds of half-famished wretches, +looking over the side of the ship into the boat, without the means of +purchasing the most trifling article before their sight, not even so +much as a morsel of wholesome bread. None of us possessed the means of +generosity, nor had any power to afford them relief. Whenever I bought +any articles from the boat I never enjoyed them; for it was impossible +to do so in the presence of so many needy wretches, eagerly gazing at my +purchase, and almost dying for want of it. + +"We frequently furnished Dame Grant with a memorandum of such articles +as we wished her to procure for us, such as pipes, tobacco, needles, +thread, and combs. These she always faithfully procured and brought to +us, never omitting the assurance that she afforded them exactly at cost. + +"Her arrival was always a subject of interest to us; but at length she +did not make her appearance for several days, and her appearance was +awaited in extreme anxiety. But, alas! we were no longer to enjoy this +little gratification. Her traffic was ended. She had taken the fever +from the hulk, and died * * * leaving a void which was never afterwards +filled up." + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII + +THE SUPPLIES FOR THE PRISONERS + + +"After the death of Dame Grant, we were under the necessity of puchasing +from the Sutler such small supplies as we needed. This man was one of +the Mates of the ship, and occupied one of the apartments under the +quarter-deck, through the bulkhead of which an opening had been cut, +from which he delivered his goods. He here kept for sale a variety of +articles, among which was usually a supply of ardent spirits, which +was not allowed to be brought alongside the ship, for sale. It could, +therefore, only be procured from the Sutler, whose price was two dollars +per gallon. Except in relation to this article, no regular price was +fixed for what he sold us. We were first obliged to hand him the money, +and he then gave us such a quantity as he pleased of the article which +we needed; there was on our part no bargain to be made, but to be +supplied even in this manner was, to those of us who had means of +payment, a great convenience. * * * + +"Our own people afforded us no relief. O my country! Why were we thus +neglected in this hour of our misery, why was not a little food and +raiment given to the dying martyrs of thy cause? + +"Although the supplies which some of us were enabled to procure from +the Sutler were highly conducive to our comfort, yet one most necessary +article neither himself nor any other person could furnish. This was +wood for our daily cooking, to procure a sufficient quantity of which +was to us a source of continual trouble and anxiety. The Cooks would +indeed steal small quantities, and sell them to us at the hazard +of certain punishment if detected; but it was not in their power to +embezzle a sufficient quantity to meet our daily necessities. As the +disgust at swallowing any food which had been cooked in the Great Copper +was universal, each person used every exertion to procure as much wood +as possible, for the private cooking of his own mess. + +"During my excursion to the shore to assist in the interment of Mr. +Carver, it was my good fortune to find a hogshead stave floating in the +water. This was truly a prize I conveyed the treasure on board, and in +the economical manner in which it was used, it furnished the mess to +which I belonged with a supply of fuel for a considerable time. + +"I was also truly fortunate on another occasion. I had, one day, +commanded the Working-party, which was then employed in taking on board +a sloop-load of wood for the sailors' use. This was carefully conveyed +below, under a guard, to prevent embezzlement. I nevertheless found +means, with the assistance of my associates, to convey a cleft of +it into the Gunroom, where it was immediately secreted. Our mess was +thereby supplied with a sufficient quantity for a long time, and its +members were considered by far the most wealthy persons in all this +republic of misery. We had enough for our own use, and were enabled, +occasionally, to supply our neighbors with a few splinters. + +"Our mode of preparing the wood was to cut it with a jack-knife into +pieces about four inches long. This labor occupied much of our time, and +was performed by the different members of our mess in rotation, which +employment was to us a source of no little pleasure. + +"After a sufficient quantity had been thus prepared for the next day's +use, it was deposited in the chest. The main stock was guarded by day +and night, with the most scrupulous and anxious care. We kept it at +night within our enclosure, and by day it was always watched by some +one of its proprietors. So highly did we value it that we went into +mathematical calculation to ascertain how long it would supply us, if a +given quantity was each day consumed." + + +OUR BY-LAWS + +"Soon after the Jersey was first used as a place of confinement a +code of by-laws had been established by the prisoners, for their own +regulation and government; to which a willing submission was paid, so +far as circumstances would permit. I much regret my inability to give +these rules verbatim, but I cannot at this distant period of time +recollect them with a sufficient degree of distinctness. They were +chiefly directed to the preservation of personal cleanliness, and the +prevention of immorality. For a refusal to comply with any of them, +the refractory person was subjected to a stated punishment. It is an +astonishing fact that any rules, thus made, should have so long existed +and been enforced among a multitude of men situated as we were, so +numerous and composed of that class of human beings who are not easily +controlled, and usually not the most ardent supporters of good order. +There were many foreigners among our number, over whom we had no +control, except so far as they chose, voluntarily, to submit to our +regulations, which they cheerfully did, in almost every instance, so far +as their condition would allow. Among our rules were the following. That +personal cleanliness should be preserved, as far as was practicable; +that profane language should be avoided; that drunkenness should not +be allowed; that theft should be severely punished, and that no smoking +should be permitted between decks, by day or night, on account of the +annoyance which it caused the sick. + +"A due observance of the Sabbath was also strongly enjoined; and it +was recommended to every individual to appear cleanly shaved on Sunday +morning, and to refrain from all recreation during the day. + +"This rule was particularly recommended to the attention of the +officers, and the remainder of the prisoners were desired to follow +their example. + +"Our By-laws were occasionally read to the assembled prisoners, and +always whenever any person was to be punished for their violation. Theft +or fraud upon the allowance of a fellow prisoner was always punished, +and the infliction was always approved by the whole company. On these +occasions the oldest officer among the prisoners presided as Judge. It +required much exertion for many of us to comply with the law prohibiting +smoking between decks. Being myself much addicted to the habit of +smoking, it would have been a great privilege to have enjoyed the +liberty of thus indulging it, particularly during the night, while +sitting by one of the air-ports; but as this was inadmissible, I of +course submitted to the prohibition. * * * We were not allowed means of +striking a fire, and were obliged to procure it from the Cook employed +for the ship's officers, through a small window in the bulkhead, near +the caboose. After one had thus procured fire the rest were also soon +supplied, and our pipes were all in full operation in the course of +a few minutes. The smoke which rose around us appeared to purify +the pestilent air by which we were surrounded; and I attribute the +preservation of my health, in a great degree, to the exercise of this +habit. Our greatest difficulty was to procure tobacco. This, to some of +the prisoners, was impossible, and it must have been an aggravation to +their sufferings to see us apparently puffing away our sorrows, while +they had no means of procuring the enjoyment of a similar gratification. + +"We dared not often apply at this Cook's caboose for fire, and the surly +wretch would not willingly repeat the supply. One morning I went to +the window of his den, and requested leave to light my pipe, and the +miscreant, without making any reply, threw a shovel full of burning +cinders in my face. I was almost blinded by the pain; and several days +elapsed before I fully regained my sight. My feelings on this occasion +may be imagined, but redress was impossible, as we were allowed no means +of even seeking it. I mention this occurrence to show to what a wretched +condition we were reduced." + + +THE ORATOR OF THE JERSEY + +"During the period of my confinement the Jersey was never visited by any +regular clergyman, nor was Divine service ever performed on board, and +among the whole multitude of prisoners there was but one individual +who ever attempted to deliver a set speech, or to exhort his fellow +sufferers. This individual was a young man named Cooper, whose station +in life was apparently that of a common sailor. He evidently possessed +talents of a very high order. His manners were pleasing, and he had +every appearance of having received an excellent education. He was a +Virginian; but I never learned the exact place of his nativity. He told +us that he had been a very unmanageable youth, and that he had left +his family, contrary to their wishes and advice; that he had been often +assured by them that the Old Jersey would bring him up at last, and the +Waleboght be his place of burial. 'The first of these predictions,' +said he, 'has been verified; and I care not how soon the second proves +equally true, for I am prepared for the event. Death, for me, has lost +its terrors, for with them I have been too long familiar.' + +"On several Sunday mornings Cooper harangued the prisoners in a very +forcible yet pleasing manner, which, together with his language, made +a lasting impression upon my memory. On one of these occasions, having +mounted upon a temporary elevation upon the Spar-deck, he, in an audible +voice, requested the attention of the prisoners, who having immediately +gathered around him in silence, he commenced his discourse. + +"He began by saying that he hoped no one would suppose he had taken that +station by way of derision or mockery of the holy day, for that such +was not his object; on the contrary he was pleased to find that the good +regulations established by the former prisoners, obliged us to refrain +even from recreation on the Sabbath; that his object, however, was not +to preach to us, nor to discourse upon any sacred subject; he wished to +read us our By-laws, a copy of which he held in his hand, the framers of +which were then, in all probability, sleeping in death, beneath the sand +of the shore before our eyes. That these laws had been framed in wisdom, +and were well fitted to preserve order and decorum in a community like +ours: that his present object was to impress upon our minds the absolute +necessity of a strict adherence to those wholesome regulations; that he +should briefly comment upon each article, which might be thus considered +as the particular text of that part of his discourse. + +"He proceeded to point out the extreme necessity of a full observance of +these Rules of Conduct, and portrayed the evil consequences which would +inevitably result to us if we neglected or suffered them to fall into +disuse. He enforced the necessity of our unremitting attention to +personal cleanliness, and to the duties of morality; he dwelt upon the +degradation and sin of drunkeness; described the meanness and atrocity +of theft; and the high degree of caution against temptation necessary +for men who were perhaps standing on the very brink of the grave; and +added that, in his opinion, even sailors might as well refrain from +profane language, while they were actually suffering in Purgatory. + +"He said that our present torments, in that abode of misery, were a +proper retribution for our former sins and transgressions; that Satan +had been permitted to send out his messengers and inferior demons in +every direction to collect us together, and that among the most active +of these infernal agents was David Sproat, Commissary of Prisoners. + +"He then made some just and suitable observations on the fortitude with +which we had sustained the weight of our accumulated miseries; of our +firmness in refusing to accept the bribes of our invaders, and desert +the banners of our country. During this part of his discourse the +sentinels on the gangways occasionally stopped and listened attentively. +We much feared that by some imprudent remark, he might expose himself to +their resentment, and cautioned him not to proceed too far. He replied +our keepers could do nothing more, unless they should put him to the +torture, and that he should proceed. + +"He touched on the fact that no clergyman had ever visited us; that +this was probably owing to the fear of contagion; but it was much to +be regretted that no one had ever come to afford a ray of hope, or to +administer the Word of Life in that terrific abode; that if any Minister +of the Gospel desired to do so, there could be no obstacles in the way, +for that even David Sproat himself, bad as he was, would not dare to +oppose it. + +"He closed with a merited tribute to the memory of our fellow-sufferers, +who had already passed away. 'The time,' said he, 'will come when +their bones will be collected, when their rites of sepulchre will be +performed, and a monument erected over the remains of those who +have here suffered, the victims of barbarity, and who have died in +vindication of the rights of man.' + +"The remarks of our Orator were well adapted to our situation, and +produced much effect on the prisoners, who at length began to accost him +as Elder or Parson Cooper. But this he would not allow; and told us, +if we would insist on giving him a title, we might call him Doctor, by +which name he was ever afterwards saluted, so long as he remained among +us. + +"He had been a prisoner for about the period of three months when +one day the Commissary of Prisoners came on board, accompanied by a +stranger, and inquired for Cooper, who having made his appearance, a +letter was put in his hand, which he perused, and immediately after left +the ship, without even going below for his clothing. While in the boat +he waived his hand, and bade us be of good cheer. We could only return a +mute farewell; and in a few minutes the boat had left the ship, and was +on its way to New York. + +"Thus we lost our Orator, for whom I had a very high regard, at the +time, and whose character and manners have, ever since, been to me a +subject of pleasing recollection. + +"Various were the conjectures which the sudden manner of his departure +caused on board. Some asserted that poor Cooper had drawn upon himself +the vengeance of old Sproat, and that he had been carried on shore to be +punished. No certain information was ever received respecting him, but I +have always thought that he was a member of some highly influential and +respectable family, and that his release had been effected through +the agency of his friends. This was often done by the influence of the +Royalists or Refugees of New York, who were sometimes the connections or +personal friends of those who applied for their assistance in procuring +the liberation of a son or a brother from captivity. Such kind offices +were thus frequently rendered to those who had chosen opposite sides in +the great revolutionary contest, and to whom, though directly opposed to +themselves in political proceedings, they were willing to render every +personal service in their power." + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX + +FOURTH OF JULY ON THE JERSEY + + +A few days before the fourth of July we had made such preparations as +our circumstances would admit for an observance of the anniversary of +American Independence. We had procured some supplies with which to make +ourselves merry on the occasion, and intended to spend the day in such +innocent pastimes as our situation would afford, not dreaming that our +proceeding would give umbrage to our keepers, as it was far from our +intention to trouble or insult them. We thought that, though prisoners, +we had a right, on that day at least, to sing and be merry. As soon as +we were permitted to go on deck in the morning thirteen little national +flags were displayed in a row on the boom. We were soon ordered by the +guards to take them away; and as we neglected to obey the command, they +triumphantly demolished, and trampled them under foot. Unfortunately for +us our guards at that time were Scotch, who, next to the Refugees, were +the objects of our greatest hatred; but their destruction of our flags +was merely viewed in silence, with the contempt which it merited. + +"During the time we remained on deck several patriotic songs were sung, +and choruses repeated; but not a word was intentionally spoken to give +offence to our guards. They were, nevertheless, evidently dissatisfied +with our proceedings, as will soon appear. Their moroseness was a +prelude to what was to follow. We were, in a short time, forbidden to +pass along the common gangway, and every attempt to do so was repelled +by the bayonet. Although thus incommoded our mirth still continued. +Songs were still sung, accompanied by occasional cheers. Things thus +proceeded until about four o'clock; when the guards were ordered +out, and we received orders to descend between decks, where we were +immediately driven, at the point of the bayonet. + +"After being thus sent below in the greatest confusion, at that early +and unusual hour, and having heard the gratings closed and fastened +above us, we supposed that the barbarous resentment of our guards was +fully satisfied; but we were mistaken, for they had further vengeance in +store, and merely waited for an opportunity to make us feel its weight. + +"The prisoners continued their singing between decks, and were, of +course, more noisy than usual, but forbore even under their existing +temptations, to utter any insulting or aggravating expressions. At +least, I heard nothing of the kind, unless our patriotic songs could be +thus constructed. In the course of the evening we were ordered to desist +from making any further noise. This order not being fully complied +with, at about nine o'clock the gratings were removed, and the guards +descended among us, with lanterns and drawn cutlasses in their hands. +The poor, helpless prisoners retreated from the hatchways, as far as +their crowded situation would permit, while their cowardly assailants +followed as far as they dared, cutting and wounding every one +within reach, and then ascended to the upper deck, exulting in the +gratification of their revenge. + +"Many of the prisoners were wounded, but from the total darkness, +neither their number, nor their situation could be ascertained; and, if +this had been possible, it was not in the power of their compatriots +to afford them the least relief. During the whole of that tragic night, +their groans and lamentations were dreadful in the extreme. Being in the +Gun-room I was at some distance from the immediate scene of this bloody +outrage, but the distance was by no means far enough to prevent my +hearing their continual cries from the extremity of pain, their +appeals for assistance, and their curses upon the heads of their brutal +assailants. + +"It had been the usual custom for each person to carry below, when he +descended at sunset, a pint of water, to quench his thirst during the +night. But, on this occasion, we had thus been driven to our dungeon +three hours before the setting of the sun, and without our usual supply +of water. + +"Of this night I cannot describe the horror. The day had been sultry, +and the heat was extreme throughout the ship. The unusual number of +hours during which we had been crowded together between decks; the +foul atmosphere and sickening heat; the additional excitement and +restlessness caused by the unwonted wanton attack which had been made; +above all, the want of water, not a drop of which could be obtained +during the whole night, to cool our parched lips; the imprecations of +those who were half distracted with their burning thirst; the shrieks +and wails of the wounded; the struggles and groans of the dying; +together formed a combination of horrors which no pen can describe. + +"In the agonies of their sufferings the prisoners invited, and even +challenged their inhuman guards to descend once more among them, but +this they were prudent enough not to attempt. + +"Their cries and supplications for water were terrible, and were of +themselves sufficient to render sleep impossible. Oppressed with the +heat, I found my way to the grating of the main hatchway, where on +former nights I had frequently passed some time, for the benefit of the +little current of air which circulated through the bars. I obtained a +place on the larboard side of the hatchway, where I stood facing the +East, and endeavored, as much as possible, to withdraw my attention +from the terrible sounds below me, by watching, through the grating, the +progress of the stars. I there spent hour after hour, in following with +my eyes the motion of a particular star, as it rose and ascended until +it passed over beyond my sight. + +"How I longed for the day to dawn! At length the morning light began +to appear, but still our torments were increasing every moment. As +the usual hour for us to ascend to the upper deck approached, the +Working-party were mustered near the hatchway, and we were all anxiously +waiting for the opportunity to cool our weary frames, to breathe for +awhile the pure air, and, above all, to procure water to quench our +intolerable thirst. The time arrived, but still the gratings were not +removed. Hour after hour passed on, and still we were not released. Our +minds were at length seized with horror, suspicious that our tyrants +had determined to make a finishing stroke of their cruelty, and rid +themselves of us altogether. + +"It was not until ten o'clock in the forenoon that the gratings were at +last removed. We hurried on deck and thronged to the water cask, which +was completely exhausted before our thirst was allayed. So great was +the struggle around the cask that the guards were again turned out to +disperse the crowd. + +"In a few hours, however, we received a new supply of water, but it +seemed impossible to allay our thirst, and the applications at the cask +were incessant until sunset. Our rations were delivered to us, but of +course long after the usual hour. During the whole day, however, no fire +was kindled for cooking in the galley. All the food which we consumed +that day we were obliged to swallow raw. Everything, indeed, had been +entirely deranged by the events of the past night, and several days +elapsed before order was restored. This was at last obtained by a +change of the guard, who, to our great joy, were relieved by a party +of Hessians. The average number who died during a period of 24 hours +on board the Jersey was about six, [Footnote: This was in 1782. The +mortality had been much greater in former years.] but on the morning of +the fifth of July eight or ten corpses were found below. Many had been +badly wounded, to whom, in the total darkness of the night, it was +impossible for their companions to render any assistance; and even +during the next day they received no attention, except that which was +afforded by their fellow prisoners, who had nothing to administer +to their companions, not even bandages for their wounds. I was not +personally acquainted with any of those who died or were wounded on that +night. No equal number had ever died in the same period of time since +my confinement. This unusual mortality was of course caused by the +increased sufferings of the night. Since that time I have often, while +standing on the deck of a good ship under my command, and viewing the +rising stars, thought upon the horrors of that night, when I stood +watching their progress through the gratings of the Old Jersey, and when +I now contrast my former wretchedness with my present situation, in the +full enjoyment of liberty, health, and every earthly comfort, I cannot +but muse upon the contrast, and bless the good and great Being from whom +my comforts have been derived. I do not now regret my capture nor my +sufferings, for the recollection of them has ever taught me how to +enjoy my after life with a greater degree of contentment than I should, +perhaps, have otherwise ever experienced." + + + +CHAPTER XL + +AN ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE + + +It had been for some time in contemplation among a few inmates of +the Gun-room to make a desperate attempt to escape, by cutting a hole +through the stern or counter of the ship. In order that their operations +might proceed with even the least probability of success, it was +absolutely necessary that but few of the prisoners should be admitted +to the secret. At the same time it was impossible for them to make any +progress in their labor unless they first confided their plan to all +the other occupants of the Gun-room, which was accordingly done. In this +part of the ship each mess was on terms of more or less intimacy with +those whose little sleeping enclosures were immediately adjacent to +their own, and the members of each mess frequently interchanged good +offices with those in their vicinity, and borrowed or lent such little +articles as they possessed, like the good housewives of a sociable +neighborhood. I never knew any contention in this apartment, during +the whole period of my confinement. Each individual in the Gun-room +therefore was willing to assist his comrades, as far as he had the power +to do so. When the proposed plan for escape was laid before us, although +it met the disapprobation of by far the greater number, still we were +all perfectly ready to assist those who thought it practicable. We, +however, described to them the difficulties and dangers which must +unavoidably attend their undertaking; the prospect of detection while +making the aperture in the immediate vicinity of such a multitude of +idle men, crowded together, a large proportion of whom were always kept +awake by their restlessness and sufferings during the night; the little +probability that they would be able to travel, undiscovered, on Long +Island, even should they succeed in reaching the shore in safety; and +above all, the almost absolute impossibility of obtaining food for their +subsistence, as an application for that to our keepers would certainly +lead to detection. But, notwithstanding all our arguments, a few of +them remained determined to make the attempt. Their only reply to our +reasoning was, that they must die if they remained, and that nothing +worse could befall them if they failed in their undertaking. + +"One of the most sanguine among the adventurers was a young man named +Lawrence, the mate of a ship from Philadelphia. He was a member of +the mess next to my own, and I had formed with him a very intimate +acquaintance. He frequently explained his plans to me; and dwelt much on +his hopes. But ardently as I desired to obtain my liberty, and great +as were the exertions I could have made, had I seen any probability +of gaining it, yet it was not my intention to join in this attempt. +I nevertheless agreed to assist in the labor of cutting through the +planks, and heartily wished, although I had no hope, that the enterprise +might prove successful. + +"The work was accordingly commenced, and the laborers concealed, by +placing a blanket between them and the prisoners without. The counter of +the ship was covered with hard oak plank, four inches thick; and through +this we undertook to cut an opening sufficiently large for a man to +descend; and to do this with no other tools than our jack knives and a +single gimlet. All the occupants of the Gun-room assisted in this labor +in rotation; some in confidence that the plan was practicable, and the +rest for amusement, or for the sake of being employed. Some one of our +number was constantly at work, and we thus continued, wearing a hole +through the hard planks, from seam to seam, until at length the solid +oak was worn away piecemeal, and nothing remained but a thin sheathing +on the outside which could be cut away at any time in a few minutes, +whenever a suitable opportunity should occur for making the bold attempt +to leave the ship. + +"It had been previously agreed that those who should descend through the +aperture should drop into the water, and there remain until all those +among the inmates of the Gun-room who chose to make the attempt could +join them; and that the whole band of adventurers should then swim +together to the shore, which was about a quarter of a mile from the +ship. + +"A proper time at length arrived. On a very dark and rainy night, the +exterior sheathing was cut away; and at midnight four of our number +having disencumbered themselves of their clothes and tied them across +their shoulders, were assisted through the opening, and dropped one +after another into the water. + +"Ill-fated men! Our guards had long been acquainted with the enterprise. +But instead of taking any measures to prevent it, they had permitted us +to go on with our labor, keeping a vigilant watch for the moment of +our projected escape, in order to gratify their bloodthirsty wishes. No +other motive than this could have prompted them to the course which they +pursued. A boat was in waiting under the ship's quarter, manned with +rowers and a party of the guards. They maintained a profound silence +after hearing the prisoners drop from the opening, until having +ascertained that no more would probably descend, they pursued the +swimmers, whose course they could easily follow by the sparkling of the +water,--an effect always produced by the agitation of the waves in a +stormy night. + +"We were all profoundly silent in the Gun-room, after the departure +of our companions, and in anxious suspense as to the issue of the +adventure. In a few minutes we were startled by the report of a +gun, which was instantly succeeded by a quick and scattering fire of +musketry. In the darkness of the night, we could not see the unfortunate +victims, but could distinctly hear their shrieks and cries for mercy. + +"The noise of the firing had alarmed the prisoners generally, and the +report of the attempted escape and its defeat ran like wildfire through +the gloomy and crowded dungeons of the hulk, and produced much commotion +among the whole body of prisoners. In a few moments, the gratings were +raised, and the guards descended, bearing a naked and bleeding man, +whom they placed in one of the bunks, and having left a piece of burning +candle by his side, they again ascended to the deck, and secured the +gratings. + +"Information of this circumstance soon reached the Gun-room; and myself, +with several others of our number, succeeded in making our way through +the crowd to the bunks. The wounded man was my friend, Lawrence. He was +severely injured in many places, and one of his arms had been nearly +severed from his body by the stroke of a cutlass. This, he said, was +done in wanton barbarity, while he was crying for mercy, with his hand +on the gunwale of the boat. He was too much exhausted to answer any +of our questions; and uttered nothing further, except a single inquiry +respecting the fate of Nelson, one of his fellow adventurers. This we +could not answer. Indeed, what became of the rest we never knew. They +were probably all murdered in the water. This was the first time that I +had ever seen a light between decks. The piece of candle had been left +by the side of the bunk, in order to produce an additional effect upon +the prisoners. Many had been suddenly awakened from their slumbers, and +had crowded round the bunk where the sufferer lay. The effect of the +partial light upon his bleeding and naked limbs, and upon the pale and +haggard countenances, and tattered garments of the wild and crowded +groups by whom he was surrounded, was horrid beyond description. We +could render the sufferer but little assistance, being only able to +furnish him with a few articles of apparel, and to bind a handkerchief +around his head. His body was completely covered, and his hair filled +with clotted blood; we had not the means of washing the gore from his +wounds during the night. We had seen many die, but to view this wretched +man expire in that situation, where he had been placed beyond the reach +of surgical aid, merely to strike us with terror, was dreadful. + +"The gratings were not removed at the usual hour in the morning, but we +were all kept below until ten o'clock. This mode of punishment had now +become habitual with our keepers, and we were all frequently detained +between decks until a late hour in the day, in revenge for the most +trifling occasion. This cruelty never failed to produce the torments +arising from heat and thirst, with all their attendant miseries. + +"The immediate purpose of our tyrants having been answered by leaving +Mr. Lawrence below in that situation they promised in the morning that +he should have the assistance of a surgeon, but that promise was not +fulfilled. The prisoners rendered him every attention in their power, +but in vain. Mortification soon commenced; he became delirious and died. + +"No inquiry was made by our keepers respecting his situation. They +evidently left him thus to suffer, in order that the sight of his +agonies might deter the rest of the prisoners from following his +example. + +"We received not the least reprimand for this transaction. The aperture +was again filled up with plank and made perfectly secure, and no similar +attempt to escape was made,--at least so long as I remained on board. + +"It was always in our power to knock down the guards and throw them +overboard, but this would have been of no avail. If we had done so, +and had effected our escape to Long Island, it would have been next +to impossible for us to have proceeded any further among the number of +troops there quartered. Of these there were several regiments, and among +them the regiment of Refugees before mentioned, who were vigilant in +the highest degree, and would have been delighted at the opportunity of +apprehending and returning us to our dungeons. + +"There were, however, several instances of individuals making their +escape. One in particular, I well recollect,--James Pitcher, one of +the crew of the Chance, was placed on the sick list and conveyed to +Blackwell's Island. He effected his escape from thence to Long Island; +from whence, after having used the greatest precaution, he contrived to +cross the Sound, and arrived safe at home. He is now one of the three +survivors of the crew of the Chance." + + + +CHAPTER XLI + +THE MEMORIAL TO GENERAL WASHINGTON + + "The body maddened by the spirit's pain; + The wild, wild working of the breast and brain; + The haggard eye, that, horror widened, sees + Death take the start of hunger and disease. + Here, such were seen and heard;--so close at hand, + A cable's length had reached them from the land; + Yet farther off than ocean ever bore;-- + Eternity between them and the shore!" + --W. Read. + +"Notwithstanding the destroying pestilence which was now raging to +a degree hitherto unknown on board, new companies of victims were +continually arriving; so that, although the mortality was very great, +our numbers were increasing daily. Thus situated, and seeing no prospect +of our liberty by exchange, we began to despair, and to believe that our +certain fate was rapidly approaching. + +"One expedient was at length proposed among us and adopted. We +petitioned General Clinton, who was then in command of the British +forces at New York, for leave to transmit a Memorial to General +Washington, describing our deplorable situation, and requesting his +interference in our behalf. We further desired that our Memorial might +be examined by the British General, and, if approved by him, that it +might be carried by one of our own number to General Washington. Our +petition was laid before the British commander and was granted by the +Commissary of Prisoners. We received permission to choose three from +our number, to whom was promised a pass-port, with leave to proceed +immediately on their embassy. + +"Our choice was accordingly made, and I had the satisfaction to find +that two of those elected were from among the former officers of the +Chance, Captain Aborn and our Surgeon, Mr. Joseph Bowen. + +"The Memorial was soon completed and signed in the name of all the +prisoners, by a Committee appointed for that purpose. It contained an +account of the extreme wretchedness of our condition, and stated that +although we were sensible that the subject was one over which General +Washington had no direct control, as it was not usual for soldiers to +be exchanged for seamen, and his authority not extending to the Marine +Department of the American service; yet still, although it might not be +in his power to effect an exchange, we hoped he would be able to devise +some means to lighten or relieve our sufferings. + +"Our messengers were further charged with a verbal commission to General +Washington, which, for obvious reasons, was not included in the written +Memorial. They were directed to state, in a manner more circumstantial +than we had dared to write, the peculiar horrors of our situation; to +discover the miserable food and putrid water on which we were doomed to +subsist; and finally to assure the General that in case he could effect +our release, we would agree to enter the American service as soldiers, +and remain during the war. Thus instructed our messengers departed. + +"We waited in alternate hope and fear, the event of their mission. Most +of our number, who were natives of the Eastern States, were strongly +impressed with the idea that some means would be devised for our relief, +after such a representation of our condition should be made. This class +of the prisoners, indeed, felt most interested in the success of the +application; for many of the sufferers appeared to give themselves but +little trouble respecting it, and some among the foreigners did not +commonly know that such an appeal had been made, or that it had even +been in contemplation. The long endurance of their privations had +rendered them almost indifferent to their fate, and they appeared +to look forward to death as the only probable termination of their +captivity. + +"In a few days our messengers returned to New York, with a letter from +General Washington, addressed to the Committee of Prisoners who had +signed the Memorial. The prisoners were all summoned to the Spar-deck +where this letter was read. Its purport was as follows:--That he had +perused our communication, and had received, with due consideration, +the account which our messengers had laid before him; that he viewed +our situation with a high degree of interest, and that although our +application, as we had stated, was made in relation to a subject over +which he had no direct control, yet that it was his intention to lay +our Memorial before Congress; and that, in the mean time, we might be +assured that no exertions on his part should be spared which could tend +to a mitigation of our sufferings. + +"He observed to our messengers, during their interview, that our long +detention in confinement was owing to a combination of circumstances, +against which it was very difficult, if not impossible, to provide. +That, in the first place, but little exertion was made on the part of +our countrymen to secure and detain their British prisoners for the sake +of exchange, many of the British seamen being captured by privateers, on +board which, he understood, it was a common practice for them to enter +as seamen; and that when this was not the case, they were usually set +at liberty as soon as the privateers arrived in port; as neither the +owners, nor the town or State where they were landed, would be at the +expense of their confinement and maintenance; and that the officers +of the General Government only took charge of those seamen who were +captured by the vessels in public service. All which circumstances +combined to render the number of prisoners, at all times, by far too +small for a regular and equal exchange. + +"General Washington also transmitted to our Committee copies of letters +which he had sent to General Clinton and to the Commissary of Prisoners, +which were also read to us. He therein expressed an ardent desire that +a general exchange of prisoners might be effected; and if this could not +be accomplished, he wished that something might be done to lessen the +weight of our sufferings, that, if it was absolutely necessary that we +should be confined on the water, he desired that we might at least be +removed to clean ships. He added if the Americans should be driven to +the necessity of placing the British prisoners in situations similar +to our own, similar effects must be the inevitable results; and that he +therefore hoped they would afford us better treatment from motives +of humanity. He concluded by saying, that as a correspondence on +the subject had thus begun between them, he ardently wished it might +eventually result in the liberation of the unfortunate men whose +situation had called for its commencement. + +"Our three messengers did not return on board as prisoners, but were all +to remain on parole at Flatbush, on Long Island. + +"We soon found an improvement in our fare. The bread which we received +was of a better quality, and we were furnished with butter, instead of +rancid oil. An awning was provided, and a wind-sail furnished to conduct +fresh air between the decks during the day. But of this we were always +deprived at night, when we most needed it, as the gratings must always +be fastened over the hatchway and I presume that our keepers were +fearful if it was allowed to run, we might use it as a means of escape. + +"We were, however, obliged to submit to all our privations, consoling +ourselves only with the faint hope that the favorable change in our +situation, which we had observed for the last few days, might lead to +something still more beneficial, although we saw little prospect +of escape from the raging pestilence, except through the immediate +interposition of divine Providence, or by a removal from the scene of +contagion." + +_Note_. From the _New Jersey Gazette_, July 24th, 1782. "New London. +July 21st. We are informed that Sir Guy Carleton has visited all the +prison ships at New York, minutely examined into the situation of the +prisoners, and expressed his intention of having them better provided +for. That they were to be landed on Blackwell's Island, in New York +harbour, in the daytime, during the hot season." + + + +CHAPTER XLII + +THE EXCHANGE + + +"Soon after Captain Aborn had been permitted to go to Long Island on +his parole, he sent a message on board the Jersey, informing us that his +parole had been extended so far as to allow him to return home, but that +he should visit us previous to his departure. He requested our First +Lieutenant, Mr. John Tillinghast, to provide a list of the names of +those captured in the Chance who had died, and also a list of the +survivors, noting where each survivor was then confined, whether on +board the Jersey, or one of the Hospital ships. + +"He also requested that those of our number who wished to write to their +friends at home, would have their letters ready for delivery to him, +whenever he should come on board. The occupants of the Gun-room, and +such of the other prisoners as could procure the necessary materials +were, therefore, soon busily engaged in writing as particular +descriptions of our situation as they thought it prudent to do, without +the risk of the destruction of the letters; as we were always obliged to +submit our writing for inspection previous to its being allowed to pass +from the ship. We, however, afterwards regretted that on this occasion +our descriptions were not more minute, as these letters were not +examined. + +"The next day Captain Aborn came on board, accompanied by several other +persons, who had also been liberated on parole; but they came no nearer +to the prisoners than the head of the gangway-ladder, and passed through +the door of the barricade to the Quarter-deck. This was perhaps a +necessary precaution against the contagion, as they were more liable to +be affected by it than if they had always remained on board; but we were +much disappointed at not having an opportunity to speak to them. Our +letters were delivered to Captain Aborn by our Lieutenant, through whom +he sent us assurances of his determination to do everything in his power +for our relief, and that if a sufficient number of British prisoners +could be procured, every survivor of his vessel's crew should be +exchanged; and if this could not be effected we might depend upon +receiving clothing and such other necessary articles as could be sent +for our use. + +"About this time some of the sick were sent on shore on Blackwell's +Island. This was considered a great indulgence. I endeavored to obtain +leave to join them by feigning sickness, but did not succeed. + +"The removal of the sick was a great relief to us, as the air was less +foul between decks, and we had more room for motion. Some of the bunks +were removed, and the sick were carried on shore as soon as their +condition was known. Still, however, the pestilence did not abate on +board, as the weather was extremely warm. In the daytime the heat was +excessive, but at night it was intolerable. + +"But we lived on hope, knowing that, in all probability, our friends at +home had ere then been apprised of our condition, and that some relief +might perhaps be soon afforded us. + +"Such was our situation when, one day, a short time before sunset, we +described a sloop approaching us, with a white flag at her mast-head, +and knew, by that signal, that she was a Cartel, and from the direction +in which she came supposed her to be from some of the Eastern States. +She did not approach near enough to satisfy our curiosity, until we were +ordered below for the night. + +"Long were the hours of the night to the survivors of our crew. Slight +as was the foundation on which our hopes had been raised, we had clung +to them as our last resource. No sooner were the gratings removed in the +morning than we were all upon deck, gazing at the Cartel. Her deck was +crowded with men, whom we supposed to be British prisoners. In a few +moments they began to enter the Commissary's boats, and proceeded to New +York. + +"In the afternoon a boat from the Cartel came alongside the hulk, having +on board the Commissary of Prisoners, and by his side sat our townsman, +Captain William Corey, who came on board with the joyful information +that the sloop was from Providence with English prisoners to be +exchanged for the crew of the Chance. The number which she had brought +was forty, being more than sufficient to redeem every survivor of our +crew then on board the Jersey. + +"I immediately began to prepare for my departure. Having placed the +few articles of clothing which I possessed in a bag (for, by one of +our By-laws, no prisoner, when liberated, could remove his chest) I +proceeded to dispose of my other property on board, and after having +made sundry small donations of less value, I concluded by giving my tin +kettle to one of my friends, and to another the remnant of my cleft of +firewood. + +"I then hurried to the upper deck, in order to be ready to answer to my +name, well knowing that I should hear no second call, and that no delay +would be allowed. + +"The Commissary and Captain Corey were standing together on the +Quarter-deck; and as the list of names was read, our Lieutenant, Mr. +Tillinghast, was directed to say whether the person called was one +of the crew of the Chance. As soon as this assurance was given, the +individual was ordered to pass down the Accommodation ladder into the +boat. Cheerfully was the word 'Here!' responded by each survivor as his +name was called. My own turn at length came, and the Commissary pointed +to the boat. I never moved with a lighter step, for that moment was the +happiest of my life. In the excess and overflowing of my joy, I even +forgot, for awhile, the detestable character of the Commissary himself, +and even, Heaven forgive me! bestowed a bow upon him as I passed. + +"We took our stations in the boat in silence. No congratulations were +heard among us. Our feelings were too deep for utterance. For my own +part, I could not refrain from bursting into tears of joy. + +"Still there were moments when it seemed impossible that we were in +reality without the limits of the Old Jersey. We dreaded the idea that +some unforeseen event might still detain us; and shuddered with the +apprehension that we might yet be returned to our dungeons. + +"When the Cartel arrived the surviving number of our crew on board +the Old Jersey was but thirty-five. This fact being well known to Mr. +Tillinghast, and finding that the Cartel had brought forty prisoners, he +allowed five of our comrades in the Gun-room to answer to the names of +the same number of our crew who had died; and having disguised them in +the garb of common seamen, they passed unsuspected. + +"It was nearly sunset when we had all arrived on board the Cartel. No +sooner had the exchange been completed than the Commissary left us, with +our prayers that we might never behold him more. I then cast my eyes +towards the hulk, as the horizontal rays of the sunset glanced on her +polluted sides, where, from the bend upwards, filth of every description +had been permitted to accumulate for years; and the feeling of disgust +which the sight occasioned was indescribable. The multitude on her +Spar-deck and Fore-castle were in motion, and in the act of descending +for the night; presenting the same appearance that met my sight when, +nearly five months before, I had, at the same hour, approached her as a +prisoner." + +It appears that many other seamen on board the Jersey and the Hospital +ships were exchanged as a good result of the Memorial addressed to +General Washington. An issue of the _Royal Gazette_ of New York, +published on the 17th of July, 1782, contains the following statement: + +"The following is a Statement of the Navy Prisoners who have, within the +last few days, been exchanged and brought to this city, viz: + +"From Boston, 102 British Seamen. "From Rhode Island, 40 British Seamen. +"From New London, Conn., 84 British Seamen. "From Baltimore, Md, 23 +British Seamen. "Total 249. + +"The exertions of those American Captains who published to the world in +this _Gazette_, dated July 3rd, the real state and condition of their +countrymen, prisoners here, and the true cause of their durance and +sufferings, we are informed was greatly conducive to the bringing this +exchange into a happy effect. We have only to lament that the endeavors +of those who went, for the same laudable purpose, to Philadelphia, have +not hitherto been so fortunate." + +This was published before the release of Captain Dring and the crew of +the Chance, and shows that they were not the only prisoners who were so +happy as to be exchanged that summer. It is possible that the crew +of the Chance is referred to in this extract from the _Pennsylvania +Packet_, Philadelphia, Thursday, August 15th, 1782: "Providence, July +27th. Sunday last a flag of truce returned here from New York, and +brought 39 prisoners." + + + +CHAPTER XLIII + +THE CARTEL--CAPTAIN DRING'S NARRATIVE (CONTINUED) + + +"On his arrival in Providence Captain Aborn had lost no time in making +the details of our sufferings publicly known; and a feeling of deep +commiseration was excited among our fellow citizens. Messrs. Clarke and +Nightingale, the former owners of the Chance, in conjunction with other +gentlemen, expressed their determination to spare no exertion or expense +necessary to procure our liberty. It was found that forty British +prisoners were at that time in Boston. These were immediately procured, +and marched to Providence, where a sloop owned and commanded by a +Captain Gladding of Bristol was chartered, to proceed with the prisoners +forthwith to New York, that they might be exchanged for an equal number +of our crew. Captain Corey was appointed as an Agent to effect the +exchange, and to receive us from the Jersey; and having taken on board +a supply of good provisions and water, he hastened to our relief. He +received much assistance in effecting his object from our townsman, +Mr. John Creed, at that time Deputy Commissary of Prisoners. I do not +recollect the exact day of our deliverance, but think it was early in +the month of October * * * We were obliged to pass near the shore of +Blackwell's Island, where were several of our crew, who had been sent on +shore among the sick. They had learned that the Cartel had arrived from +Providence for the purpose of redeeming the crew of the Chance, and +expected to be taken on board. Seeing us approaching they had, in order +to cause no delay, prepared for their departure, and stood together on +the shore, with their bundles in their hands; but, to their unutterable +disappointment and dismay, they saw us pass by. We knew them and +bitterly did we lament the necessity of leaving them behind. We +could only wave our hands as we passed; but they could not return the +salutation, and stood as if petrified with horror, like statues fixed +immovably to the earth, until we had vanished from their sight. + +"I have since seen and conversed with one of these unfortunate men, who +afterwards made his escape. He informed me that their removal from the +Jersey to the Island was productive of the most beneficial effects upon +their health, and that they had been exulting at the improvement of +their condition; but their terrible disappointment overwhelmed them with +despair. They then considered their fate inevitable, believing that in a +few days they must again be conveyed on board the hulk; there to undergo +all the agonies of a second death. * * * Several of our crew were sick +when we entered the Cartel, and the sudden change of air and diet caused +some new cases of fever. One of our number, thus seized by the fever, +was a young man named Bicknell of Barrington, R. I. He was unwell when +we left the Jersey, and his symptoms indicated the approaching fever; +and when we entered Narragansett Bay, he was apparently dying. Being +informed that we were in the Bay he begged to be taken on deck, or at +least to the hatchway, that he might look once more upon his native +land. He said that he was sensible of his condition; that the hand of +death was upon him; but that he was consoled by the thought that he +should be decently interred, and be suffered to rest among his friends +and kindred. I was astonished at the degree of resignation and composure +with which he spoke. He pointed to his father's house, as we approached +it, and said it contained all that was dear to him upon earth. He +requested to be put on shore. + +"Our Captain was intimately acquainted with the family of the sufferer; +and as the wind was light we dropped our anchor, and complied with his +request. He was placed in the boat, where I took a seat by his side; in +order to support him; and, with two boys at the oars, we left the +sloop. In a few minutes his strength began rapidly to fail. He laid his +fainting head upon my shoulder, and said he was going to the shore to +be buried with his ancestors; that this had long been his ardent desire, +and that God had heard his prayers. No sooner had we touched the shore +than one of the boys was sent to inform his family of the event. They +hastened to the boat to receive their long lost son and brother, but we +could only give them his yet warm and lifeless corpse." + + +OUR ARRIVAL HOME + +"After remaining a few moments with the friends of our deceased comrade +we returned to the sloop and proceeded up the river. It was about +eight o'clock in the evening when we reached Providence. There were no +quarantine regulations to detain us; but, as the yellow fever was raging +among us, we took the precaution to anchor in the middle of the stream. +It was a beautiful moonlit evening, and the intelligence of our arrival +having spread through the town, the nearest wharf was in a short time +crowded with people drawn together by curiosity, and a desire for +information relative to the fate of their friends and connections. + +"Continual inquiries were made from the anxious crowd on the land +respecting the condition of several different individuals on board. At +length the information was given that some of our number were below, +sick with the yellow fever. No sooner was this fact announced than +the wharf was totally deserted, and in a few moments not a human being +remained in sight. The Old Jersey fever as it was called, was well known +throughout the whole country. All were acquainted with its terrible +effects; and it was shunned as if its presence were certain destruction. + +"After the departure of the crowd, the sloop was brought alongside the +wharf, and every one who could walk immediately sprang on shore. So +great was the dread of the pestilence, and so squalid and emaciated were +the figures which we presented, that those among us whose families did +not reside in Providence found it almost impossible to gain admittance +into any dwelling. There being at that time no hospital in or near the +town, and no preparations having been made for the reception of the +sick, they were abandoned for that night. They were, however, supplied +in a few hours with many small articles necessary for their immediate +comfort, by the humane people in the vicinity of the wharf. The friends +of the sick who belonged in the vicinity of the town were immediately +informed of our arrival, and in the course of the following day these +were removed from the vessel. For the remainder of the sufferers ample +provision was made through the generous exertions of Messrs. Clarke and +Nightingale. + +"Solemn indeed are the reflections which crowd upon my mind as I review +the events which are here recorded. Forty-two years have passed away +since this remnant of our ill-fated crew were thus liberated from their +wasting captivity. In that time what changes have taken place! Of their +whole number but three are now alive. James Pitcher, Dr. Joseph Bowen, +and myself, are the sole survivors. Of the officers I alone remain." + + + +CHAPTER XLIV + +CORRESPONDENCE OF WASHINGTON AND OTHERS + + +General Washington cannot with justice be blamed for any part of the +sufferings inflicted upon the naval prisoners on board the prison ships. +Although he had nothing whatever to do with the American Navy, or the +crews of privateers captured by the British, yet he exerted himself +in every way open to him to endeavor to obtain their exchange, or, +at least, a mitigation of their sufferings, and this in spite of the +immense weight of cares and anxieties that devolved upon him in his +conduct of the war. Much of his correspondence on the subject of these +unfortunate prisoners has been given to the world. We deem it necessary, +in a work of this character, to reproduce some of it here, not only +because this correspondence is his most perfect vindication from the +charge of neglect that has been brought against him, but also because it +has much to do with the proper understanding of this chronicle. + +One of the first of the letters from which we shall quote was written by +Washington from his headquarters to Admiral Arbuthnot, then stationed at +New York, on the 25th of January 1781. + +Sir: + +Through a variety of channels, representations of too serious a nature +to be disregarded have come to us, that the American naval prisoners in +the harbor of New York are suffering all the extremity of distress, +from a too crowded and in all respects disagreeable and unwholesome +situation, on board the Prison-ships, and from the want of food and +other necessaries. The picture given us of their sufferings is truly +calamitous and deplorable. If just, it is the obvious interest of +both parties, omitting the plea of humanity, that the causes should be +without delay inquired into and removed; and if false, it is +equally desirable that effectual measures should be taken to obviate +misapprehensions. This can only be done by permitting an officer, of +confidence on both sides, to visit the prisoners in their respective +confinements, and to examine into their true condition. This will +either at once satisfy you that by some abuse of trust in the persons +immediately charged with the care of the prisoners, their treatment is +really such as has been described to us and requires a change; or it +will convince us that the clamors are ill-grounded. A disposition to +aggravate the miseries of captivity is too illiberal to be imputed to +any but those subordinate characters, who, in every service, are too +often remiss and unprincipled. This reflection assures me that you will +acquiesce in the mode proposed for ascertaining the truth and detecting +delinquency on one side, or falsehood on the other. The discussions and +asperities which have had too much place on the subject of prisoners are +so irksome in themselves, and have had so many ill consequences, that it +is infinitely to be wished that there may be no room given for reviving +them. The mode I have suggested appears to me calculated to bring +the present case to a fair, direct, and satisfactory issue. I am not +sensible of any inconvenience it can be attended with, and I therefore +hope for your concurrence. + +I should be glad, as soon as possible, to hear from you on the subject. + +I have the honor to be, etc., George Washington. + +To this letter, written in January, Admiral Arbuthnot did not reply +until the latter part of April. He then wrote: + +Royal Oak Office April 2lst. 1781. + +Sir: + +If I had not been very busy when I received your letter dated the 25 of +Jan. last, complaining of the treatment of the naval prisoners at +this place, I certainly should have answered it before this time; and, +notwithstanding that I then thought, as I now do, that my own testimony +would have been sufficient to put the truth past a doubt, I ordered +the strictest scrutiny to be made into the condition of all parties +concerned in the victualling and treatment of those unfortunate people. +Their several testimonies you must have seen, and I give you my +honor that the transaction was conducted with such strict care and +impartiality that you may rely on its validity. + +Permit me now, Sir, to request that you will take the proper steps to +cause Mr. Bradford, your Commissary, and the Jailor at Philadelphia, +to abate the inhumanity which they exercise indiscriminately upon all +people who are so unfortunate as to be carried into that place. + +I will not trouble you, Sir, with a catalogue of grievances, further +than to request that the unfortunate may feel as little of the +severities of war as the circumstances of the time will permit, that in +future they may not be fed in winter with salted clams, and that they +may be afforded a sufficiency of fuel. + +I am, Sir, your most obdt and hble srvt M. Arbuthnot. + +Probably the American prisoners would have been glad to eat salted +clams, rather than diseased pork, and, as has been shown, they were +sometimes frozen to death on board the prison ships, where no fire +except for cooking purposes seems ever to have been allowed. + +In August, 1781, a committee appointed by Congress to examine into the +condition of naval prisoners reported among other things as follows: +"The Committee consisting of Mr. Boudinot, Mr. Sharpe, Mr. Clymer, +appointed to take into consideration the state of the American prisoners +in the power of the enemy report: + +"That they have collected together and cursorily looked into various +evidences of the treatment our unhappy fellow-citizens, prisoners with +the enemy, have heretofore and do still meet with, and find the +subject of so important and serious a nature as to demand much greater +attention, and fuller consideration than the present distant situation +of those confined on board the Prison-ships at New York will now admit +of, wherefor they beg leave to make a partial representation, and desire +leave to sit again. * * *" + + +PART OF THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE + +"A very large number of marine prisoners and citizens of these +United States taken by the enemy, are now closely confined on board +Prison-ships in the harbor of New York. + +"That the said Prison-ships are so unequal in size to the number of +prisoners, as not to admit of a possibility of preserving life in this +warm season of the year, they being crowded together in such a manner +as to be in danger of suffocation, as well as exposed to every kind of +putrid, pestilential disorder: + +"That no circumstances of the enemy's particular situation can justify +this outrage on humanity, it being contrary to the usage and customs of +civilizations, thus deliberately to murder their captives in cold blood, +as the enemy will not assert that Prison-ships, equal to the number of +prisoners, cannot be obtained so as to afford room sufficient for the +necessary purposes of life: + +"That the enemy do daily improve these distresses to enlist and compel +many of our citizens to enter on board their ships of war, and thus to +fight against their fellow citizens, and dearest connections. + +"That the said Marine prisoners, until they can be exchanged should +be supplied with such necessaries of clothing and provisions as can be +obtained to mitigate their present sufferings. + +"That, therefor, the Commander-in-chief be and he is hereby instructed +to remonstrate to the proper officer within the enemy's lines, on the +said unjustifiable treatment of our Marine prisoners, and demand, in +the most express terms, to know the reasons of this unnecessary severity +towards them; and that the Commander-in-chief transmit such answer +as may be received thereon to Congress, that decided measures for +due retaliation may be adopted, if a redress of these evils be not +immediately given. + +"That the Commander-in-chief be and he is hereby also instructed to +direct to supply the said prisoners with such provisions and light +clothing for their present more comfortable subsistence as may be in his +power to obtain, and in such manner as he may judge most advantageous +for the United States." + +Accordingly Washington wrote to the officer then commanding at New York, +Commodore Affleck, as follows: + +Headquarters, August 21 1781 + +Sir: + +The almost daily complaints of the severities exercised towards the +American marine prisoners in New York have induced the Hon. the Congress +of the United States to direct me to remonstrate to the commanding +officer of his British Majesty's ships of war in the harbor upon the +subject; and to report to them his answer. The principal complaint now +is, the inadequacy of the room in the Prison-ships to the number of +prisoners, confined on board of them, which causes the death of many, +and is the occasion of most intolerable inconvenience and distresses to +those who survive. This line of conduct is the more aggravating, as +the want of a greater number of Prison-ships, or of sufficient room on +shore, can hardly be pleaded in excuse. + +As a bare denial of what has been asserted by so many individuals who +have unfortunately experienced the miseries I have mentioned, will +not be satisfactory, I have to propose that our Commissary-general of +prisoners, or any other officer, who shall be agreed upon, shall have +liberty to visit the ships, inspect the situation of the prisoners, and +make a report, from an exact survey of the situation in which they may +be found, whether, in his opinion, there has been any just cause of +complaint. + +I shall be glad to be favored with an answer as soon as convenient. + +I have the honor to be yr most obdt srvt George Washington + + +AFFLECK'S REPLY + +New York 30 August 1781 + +Sir: + +I intend not either to deny or to assert, for it will neither facilitate +business, nor alleviate distress. The subject of your letter seems to +turn on two points, namely the inconvenience and distresses which +the American prisoners suffer from the inadequacy of room in the +Prison-ships, which occasions the death of many of them, as you are +told; and that a Commissary-general of prisoners from you should have +liberty to visit the ships, inspect the situation of the prisoners, and +make a report from an actual survey. I take leave to assure you that +I feel for the distresses of mankind as much as any man; and since my +commission to the naval command of the department, one of my principal +endeavors has been to regulate the Prison and hospital ships. + +The Government having made no other provision for naval prisoners than +shipping, it is impossible that the greater inconvenience which people +confined on board ships experience beyond those confined on shore can be +avoided, and a sudden accumulation of people often aggravates the evil. + +But I assure you that every attention is shown that is possible, and +that the Prison-ships are under the very same Regulations here that have +been constantly observed towards the prisoners of all nations in Europe. +Tables of diet are publicly affixed; officers visit every week, redress +and report grievances, and the numbers are thinned as they can provide +shipping, and no attention has been wanting. + +The latter point cannot be admitted to its full extent; but if you think +fit to send an officer of character to the lines for that purpose, he +will be conducted to me, and he shall be accompanied by an officer, and +become a witness to the manner in which we treat the prisoners, and I +shall expect to have my officer visit the prisoners detained in your +jails and dungeons in like manner, as well as in the mines, where I am +informed many an unhappy victim languishes out his days. I must remark, +had Congress ever been inclined, they might have contributed to relieve +the distress of those whom we are under the necessity of holding as +prisoners, by sending in all in their possession towards the payment +of the large debt they owe us on that head, which might have been an +inducement towards liberating many now in captivity. I have the honor to +be, Sir, with due respect, etc, + +Edmund Affleck + +Much correspondence passed between the English and American Commissaries +of Prisoners, as well as between Washington and the commanding officer +at New York on the subject of the naval prisoners, but little good seems +to have been effected thereby until late in the war, when negotiations +for peace had almost progressed to a finish. We have seen that, in the +summer of 1782, the hard conditions on board the prison ships were +in some measure mitigated, and that the sick were sent to Blackwell's +Island, where they had a chance for life. We might go on presenting much +more of the correspondence on both sides, and detail all the squabbles +about the number of prisoners exchanged; their treatment while in +prison; and other subjects of dispute, but the conclusion of the whole +matter was eloquently written in the sands of the Wallabout, where +the corpses of thousands of victims to British cruelty lay for so many +years. We will therefore give only a few further extracts from the +correspondence and reports on the subject, as so much of it was tedious +and barren of any good result. + +In December of the year 1781 Washington, on whom the duty devolved of +writing so many of the letters, and receiving so many insulting replies, +wrote to the President of Congress as follows: + +"I have taken the liberty of enclosing the copies of two letters from +the Commissary-general of Prisoners setting forth the debt which is +due from us on account of naval prisoners; the number remaining in +captivity, their miserable situation, and the little probability there +is of procuring their release for the want of proper subjects in our +hands. + +"Before we proceed into an inquiry into the measures that ought to be +adopted to enable us to pay our debt, and to affect the exchange of +those who still remain in captivity, a matter which it may take some +time to determine, humanity and policy point out the necessity of +administering to the pressing wants of a number of the most valuable +subjects of the republic. + +"Had they been taken in the Continental service, I should have thought +myself authorized in conjunction with the Minister of War to apply a +remedy, but as the greater part of them were not thus taken, as appears +by Mr. Skinner's representation, I must await the decision of Congress +upon the subject. + +"Had a system, some time ago planned by Congress and recommended to the +several States, been adopted and carried fully into execution, I mean +that of obliging all Captains of private vessels to deliver over their +prisoners to the Continental Commissioners upon certain conditions, I am +persuaded that the numbers taken and brought into the many ports of the +United States would have amounted to a sufficiency to have exchanged +those taken from us; but instead of that, it is to be feared, that few +in proportion were secured, and that the few who are sent in, are so +partially applied, that it creates great disgust in those remaining. +The consequence of which is, that conceiving themselves neglected, and +seeing no prospect of relief, many of them entered into the enemy's +service, to the very great loss of our trading interest. Congress will, +therefore, I hope, see the necessity of renewing their former, or making +some similar recommendation to the States. + +"In addition to the motives above mentioned, for wishing that the +whole business of prisoners of war might be brought under one general +regulation, there is another of no small consideration, which is, that +it would probably put a stop to those mutual complaints of ill treatment +which are frequently urged on each part. For it is a fact that, for +above two years, we have had no occasion to complain of the treatment of +the Continental land prisoners in New York, neither have we been charged +with any improper conduct towards those in our hands. I consider the +sufferings of the seamen, for some time past, as arising in great +measure from the want of that general regulation which has been spoken +of, and without which there will constantly be a great number remaining +in the hands of the enemy. * * *" + +Again in February of the year 1782 Washington wrote to Congress from +Philadelphia as follows: + +Feb. 18, 1782. + +* * * "Mr. Sproat's proposition of the exchange of British soldiers for +American seamen, if acceded to, will immediately give the enemy a very +considerable re-enforcement, and will be a constant draft hereafter upon +the prisoners of war in our hands. It ought also to be considered that +few or none of the Continental naval prisoners in New York or elsewhere +belong to the Continental service. I, however, feel for the situation +of these unfortunate people, and wish to see them relieved by any mode, +which will not materially affect the public good. In some former letters +upon this subject I have mentioned a plan, by which I am certain +they might be liberated nearly as fast as they are captured. It is by +obliging the Captains of all armed vessels, both public and private, +to throw their prisoners into common stock, under the direction of the +Commissary-general of prisoners. By this means they would be taken care +of, and regularly applied to the exchange of those in the hands of the +enemy. Now the greater part are dissipated, and the few that remain are +applied partially. * * *" + +James Rivington edited a paper in New York during the Revolution, and, +in 1782, the American prisoners on board the Jersey addressed a letter +to him for publication, which is given below. + +"On Board the Prison-ship Jersey, June 11, 1782. + +"Sir: + +Enclosed are five letters, which if you will give a place in your +newspaper will greatly oblige a number of poor prisoners who seem to be +deserted by our own countrymen, who has it in their power, and will not +exchange us. In behalf of the whole we beg leave to subscribe ourselves, +Sir, yr much obliged srvts, + +"John Cooper "John Sheffield "William Chad "Richard Eccleston "John +Baas" + + +ENCLOSURES OF THE FOREGOING LETTER + +David Sproat, Commissary of Prisoners, to the prisoners on board the +Jersey, New York. + +"June 11 1782 + +"This will be handed you by Captain Daniel Aborn, and Dr, Joseph Bowen, +who, agreeable to your petition to his Excellency, Rear-Admiral Digby, +have been permitted to go out, and are now returned from General +Washington's Head-quarters, where they delivered your petition to him, +representing your disagreeable situation at this extreme hot season +of the year, and in your names solicited his Excellency to grant your +speedy relief, by exchanging you for a part of the British _soldiers_ in +his hands, the only possible means in his power to effect it. Mr. Aborn +and the Doctor waits on you with his answer, which I am sorry to say is +a flat denial. + +"Enclosed I send you copies of three letters which have passed between +Mr. Skinner and me, on the occasion, which will convince you that +everything has been done on the part of Admiral Digby, to bring about a +fair and general exchange of prisoners on both sides. I am + +"your most hble Srvt, "David Sproat "Comm. Gen. for Naval Prisoners." + + +ENCLOSURES SENT BY D. SPROAT + +David Sproat to Abraham Skinner, American Commissary of Prisoners. + +New York lst June 1782 + +"Sir: + +"When I last saw you at Elizabeth Town I mentioned the bad consequences +which, in all probability, would take place in the hot weather if an +exchange of prisoners was not agreed to by the commissioners on the part +of General Washington. His Excellency Rear-Admiral Digby has ordered me +to inform you, that the very great increase of prisoners and heat of +the weather now baffles all our care and attention to keep them healthy. +Five ships have been taken up for their reception, to prevent being +crowded, and a great number permitted to go on parole. + +"In Winter, and during the cold weather, they lived comfortably, being +fully supplied with warm cloathing, blankets, etc, purchased with the +money which I collected from the charitable people of this city; but now +the weather requires a fresh supply--something light and suitable +for the season--for which you will be pleased to make the necessary +provision, as it is impossible for them to be healthy in the rags they +now wear, without a single shift of cloathing to keep themselves clean. +Humanity, sympathy, my duty and orders obliges me to trouble you again +on this disagreeable subject, to request you will lose no time in laying +their situation before his Excellency General Washington, who, I hope, +will listen to the cries of a distressed people, and grant them, (as +well as the British prisoners in his hands) relief, by consenting to a +general and immediate exchange. + +"I am, sir, etc, "David Sproat." + +It is scarcely necessary to point out to the intelligent reader the +inconsistencies in this letter. The comfortable prisoners, abundantly +supplied with blankets and clothing in the winter by the charity of the +citizens of New York, were so inconsiderate as to go on starving +and freezing to death throughout that season. Not only so, but +their abundant supply of clothing was reduced to tattered rags in a +surprisingly short time, and they were unable to be healthy, "without a +single shift of clothing to keep themselves clean." + +We have already seen to what straits they were in reality reduced, in +spite of the private charity of the citizens of New York. We do not +doubt that the few blankets and other new clothing, if any such were +ever sent on board the Jersey, were the gifts of private charity, and +not the donation of the British Government. + +No one, we believe, can blame General Washington for his unwillingness +to add to the British forces arrayed against his country by exchanging +the captured troops in the hands of the Americans for the crews of +American privateers, who were not in the Continental service. As we have +already seen, the blame does not rest with that great commander, whose +compassion never blinded his judgment, but with the captains and owners +of American privateers themselves, and often with the towns of New +England, who were unwilling to burden themselves with prisoners taken on +the ocean. + +The next letter we will quote is the answer of Commissary Skinner to +David Sproat: + +"New York June 9th. 1782 + +"Sir: + +From the present situation of the American naval prisoners on board your +prison-ships, I am induced to propose to you the exchange of as many as +I can give you British naval prisoners for, leaving the balance +already due you to be paid when in our power. I could wish this to be +represented to his Excellency, Rear Admiral Digby, and that the proposal +could be acceded to, as it would relieve many of these distrest men and +be consistent with the humane purposes of our office. + +"I will admit that we are unable at present to give you seaman for +seaman, and thereby relieve the prison-ships of their dreadful burthen, +but it ought to be remembered there is a large balance of British +soldiers due to the United States, since February last, and that as we +have it in our power we may be disposed to place the British soldiers +who are now in our possession in as disagreeable a situation as those +men are on board the prison ships. + +"I am yr obdt hble srvt "Abraham Skinner" + +COMMISSARY SPROAT'S REPLY + +"New York June 9th 1782 + +"Sir: + +"I have received your letter of this date and laid it before his +Excellency Rear Admiral Digby, Commander in charge, etc, who has +directed me to give for answer that the balance of prisoners, owing to +the British having proceeded, from lenity and humanity, on the part of +himself and those who commanded before his arrival, is surprized you +have not been induced to offer to exchange them first; and until this is +done can't consent to your proposal of a partial exchange, leaving the +remainder as well as the British prisoners in your hands, to linger in +confinement. Conscious of the American prisoners under my direction, +being in every respect taken as good care of as their situation and ours +will admit. You must not believe that Admiral Digby will depart from the +justice of this measure because you have it in your power to make the +British prisoners with you more miserable than there is any necessity +for. I am, Sir, + +"yr hble servt "David Sproat." + +The prisoners on board the Jersey published in the _Royal Gazette_ the +following + + +ADDRESS TO THEIR COUNTRYMEN + +"Prison Ship Jersey, June 11th 1782 + +"Friends and Fellow Citizens of America: + +"You may bid a final adieu to all your friends and relatives who are +now on board the Jersey prison ships at New York, unless you rouse the +government to comply with the just and honorable proposals, which has +already been done on the part of Britons, but alas! it is with pain +we inform you, that our petition to his Excellency General Washington, +offering our services to the country during the present campaign, if he +would send soldiers in exchange for us, is frankly denied. + +"What is to be done? Are we to lie here and share the fate of our +unhappy brothers who are dying daily? No, unless you relieve us +immediately, we shall be under the necessity of leaving our country, in +preservation of our lives. + +"Signed in behalf of prisoners + +"John Cooper "John Sheffield "William Chad "Richard Eccleston "George +Wanton "John Baas. + +"To Mr James Rivington, Printer N. Y." + +This address was reproduced in Hugh Gaines's _New York Gazette_, June +17, 1782. + +Whether the John Cooper who signed his name to this address is the Mr. +Cooper mentioned by Dring as the orator of the Jersey we do not know, +but it is not improbable. Nine Coopers are included in the list, given +in the appendix to this volume, of prisoners on the Jersey, but no John +Cooper is among them. The list is exceedingly imperfect. Of the other +signers of the address only two, George Wanton and John Sheffield, can +be found within its pages. It is very certain that it is incomplete, and +it probably does not contain more than half the names of the prisoners +who suffered on board that dreadful place. David Sproat won the hatred +and contempt of all the American prisoners who had anything to do with +him. One of his most dastardly acts was the paper which he drew up in +June, 1782, and submitted to a number of American sea captains for their +signature, which he obtained from them by threats of taking away their +parole in case of their refusal, and sending them back to a captivity +worse than death. This paper, _which they signed without reading_ was to +the following effect: + + +LETTER PURPORTING TO BE FROM A COMMITTEE OF CAPTAINS, NAVAL PRISONERS +OF WAR TO J. RIVINGTON, WITH A REPRESENTATION OF A COMMITTEE ON THE +CONDITION OF THE PRISONERS ON BOARD THE JERSEY + +New York, June 22, 1782. + +Sir: + +We beg you will be pleased to give the inclosed Report and Resolve of a +number of Masters of American Vessels, a place in your next Newspaper, +for the information of the public. In order to undeceive numbers of our +countrymen without the British lines, who have not had an opportunity of +seeing the state and situation of the prisoners of New York as we have +done. We are, Sir, + +yr most obdt, hble srvts, + +Robert Harris, Captain of the sloop Industry John Chace Charles Collins, +Captain of the Sword-fish Philemon Haskell Jonathan Carnes + + +REPORT + +We whose names are hereunto subscribed, late Masters of American +vessels, which have been captured by the British cruisers and brought +into this port, having obtained the enlargement of our paroles from +Admiral Digby, to return to our respective homes, being anxious before +our departure to know the true state and situation of the prisoners +confined on board the prison ships and hospital ships for that purpose, +have requested and appointed six of our number, viz, R. Harris, J. +Chace, Ch. Collins, P. Haskell, J. Carnes and Christopher Smith, to +go on board the said prison ships for that purpose and the said six +officers aforesaid having gone on board five of the vessels, attended by +Mr. D. Sproat, Com. Gen. for Naval Prisoners, and Mr. George Rutherford, +Surgeon to the hospital ships, do report to us that they have found them +in as comfortable a situation as it is possible for prisoners to be on +board of ships at this season of the year, and much more so than they +had any idea of, and that anything said to the contrary is false and +without foundation. That they inspected their beef, pork, flour, bread, +oatmeal, pease, butter, liquors, and indeed every species of provisions +which is issued on board his British Majesty's ships of war, and +found them all good of their kind, which survey being made before the +prisoners, they acknowledged the same and declared they had no complaint +to make but the want of cloaths and a speedy exchange. We therefore from +this report and what we have all seen and known, _Do Declare_ that great +commendation is due to his Excellency Rear Admiral Digby, for his +humane disposition and indulgence to his prisoners, and also to those +he entrusts the care of them to; viz: To the Captain and officers of +his Majesty's prison-ship Jersey, for their attention in preserving good +order, having the ship kept clean and awnings spread over _the whole_ of +her, fore and aft: To Dr Rutherford, and the Gentlemen acting under him +* * *, for their constant care and attendance on the sick, whom we found +in wholesome, clean sheets, also covered with awnings, fore and aft, +every man furnished with a cradle, bed, and sheets, made of good Russia +linen, to lay in; the best of fresh provisions, vegetables, wine, rice, +barley, etc, which was served out to them. And we further do declare +in justice to Mr. Sproat, and the gentlemen acting under him in his +department, that they conscientiously do their duty with great humanity +and indulgence to the prisoners, and reputation to themselves; And we +unanimously do agree that nothing is wanting to preserve the lives and +health of those unfortunate prisoners but clean cloaths and a speedy +exchange, which testimony we freely give without restriction and +covenant each with the other to endeavor to effect their exchange as +soon as possible: + +For the remembrance of this our engagement we have furnished ourselves +with copies of this instrument of writing. Given under our hands in New +York the 22 of June, 1782. + +Signed: + +Robert Harris John Chace Charles Collins Philemon Haskell ]. Carnes +Christopher Smith James Gaston John Tanner Daniel Aborn Richard Mumford +Robert Clifton John McKeever Dr. J. Bowen. + +The publication of this infamously false circular roused much +indignation among patriotic Americans, and no one believed it a +trustworthy statement. The _Independent Chronicle_, in its issue for +August, 1782, had the following refutation: [Footnote: This letter is +said to have been written by Captain Manly, _five times_ a prisoner +during the Revolution.] + +"Mr Printer: + +"Happening to be at Mr. Bracket's tavern last Saturday, and hearing +two gentlemen conversing on the surprising alteration in regard to the +treatment our prisoners met with in New York, and as I have had the +misfortune to be more than once a prisoner in England, and in different +prison-ships in New York, and having suffered everything but death, I +cannot help giving all attention to anything I hear or read relative to +the treatment our brave countrymen met with on board the prison-ships +of New York. One of the gentlemen observed that the treatment of our +prisoners must certainly be much better, as so many of our commanders +had signed a paper that was wrote by Mr. David Sproat, the commissary of +naval prisoners in New York. The other gentleman answered and told him +he could satisfy him in regard to the matter, having seen and conversed +with several of the Captains that signed Mr. Sproat's paper, who told +him that, although they had put their names to the paper that Mr. Sproat +sent them on Long Island, where they were upon parole, yet it was upon +these conditions they did it: in order to have leave to go home to their +wives and families, and not be sent on board the prison-ships, as Mr. +Sproat had threatened to do if they refused to sign the paper that he +sent them. These captains further said, that they did not read the paper +nor hear it read. The gentleman then asked them how they could sign +their names to a paper they did not read; they said it was because +they might go home upon parole. He asked one of them why he did not +contradict it since it had appeared in the public papers, and was false: +he said he dare not at present, for fear of being recalled and sent on +board the prison-ship, and there end his days: but as soon as he was +exchanged he would do it. If this gentleman, through fear, dare not +contradict such a piece of falsehood, I dare, and if I was again +confined on board the prison-ship in New York, dare again take the boat +and make my escape, although at the risk of my life. + +"Some of the captains went on board the prison-ship with Mr. Sproat, a +few moments, but did not go off the deck. + +"In justice to myself and country I am obliged to publish the above. + +"Captain Rover." + +Besides this refutation of Sproat's shameful trick there were many +others. The _Pennsylvania Packet_ of Tuesday, Sept. 10, 1782, published +an affidavit of John Kitts, a former prisoner on board the Jersey. + +"The voluntary affidavit of John Kitts, of the city of Phila., late +mate of the sloop Industry, commanded by Robert Harris, taken before the +subscriber, chief justice of the commonwealth of Pa., the 16th day of +July, 1782.--This deponent saith, that in the month of November last +he was walking in Front St. with the said Harris and saw in his hand a +paper, which he told the deponent that he had received from a certain +Captain Kuhn, who had been lately from New York, where he had been +a prisoner, and that this deponent understood and believed it was a +permission or pass to go to New York with any vessel, as it was blank +and subscribed by Admiral Arbuthnot: that he does not know that the said +Robert Harris ever made any improper use of said paper." + + +AFFIDAVIT OF JOHN COCHRAN, DENYING THE TRUTH OF THE STATEMENTS CONTAINED +IN THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF CAPTAINS + +From the _Pennsylvania Packet_, Phila., Tuesday, Sept. 10, 1782. + +"The voluntary Affidavit of John Cochran, of the city of Phila., +late mate of the ship, Admiral Youtman, of Phila., taken before the +subscriber, the 16 day of July, 1782. + +"The said deponent saith, that he was taken prisoner on board the +aforesaid ship on the 12 of March last by the ship Garland, belonging to +the king of Great Britain, and carried into the city of New York, on +the 15 of the same month, when he was immediately put on board the +prison-ship Jersey, with the whole crew of the Admiral Youtman, and was +close confined there until the first day of this month, when he made his +escape; that the people on board the said prison-ship were very +sickly insomuch that he is firmly persuaded, out of near 1000 persons, +perfectly healthy when put on board the same ship, during the time of +his confinement on board, there are not more than but three or four +hundred now alive; that when he made his escape there were not three +hundred men well on board, but upward of 140 very sick, as he understood +and was informed by the physicians: that there were five or six men +buried daily under a bank on the shore, without coffins; that all the +larboard side of the said ship was made use of as a hospital for the +sick, and was so offensive that he was obliged constantly to hold +his nose as he passed from the gun-room up the hatchway; that he seen +maggots creeping out of a wound of one Sullivan's shoulder, who was the +mate of a vessel out of Virginia; and that his wound remained undressed +for several days together; that every man was put into the hold a little +after sundown every night, and the hatches put over him; and that the +tubs which were kept for the use of the sick * * * were placed under the +ladder from the hatchway to the hold, and so offensive day and night, +that they were almost intolerable, and increased the number of the +sick daily. The deponent further saith, that the bilge water was very +injurious in the hold, was muddy and dirty, and never was changed or +sweetened during the whole time he was there, nor, as he was informed +and believes to be true, for many years before; for fear, as it was +reported, the provisions might be injured thereby; that the sick in the +hospital part of the said ship Jersey, had no sheets of Russia, or any +other linen, nor beds nor bedding furnished them; and those who had +no beds of their own, of whom there were great numbers, were not even +allowed a hammock, but were obliged to lie on the planks; that he was on +board the said prison ship when Captain Robert Harris and others, with +David Sproat, the commissary of prisoners, came on board her, and that +none of them went or attempted to go below decks, in said ship, to +see the situation of the prisoners, nor did they ask a single question +respecting the matter, to this deponent's knowledge or belief; for +that he was present the whole time they were on board, and further the +deponent saith not. + +"John Cochran" + +"Theodore McKean C. J. + +It seems singular that Sproat should have resorted to such a +contemptible trick, which deceived few if any persons, for the +reputation of the Jersey was too notorious for such a refutation to +carry weight on either side. + +In the meantime the mortality on board continued, and, by a moderate +computation, two-thirds of her wretched occupants died and were buried +on the shore, their places being taken by fresh victims, from the many +privateers that were captured by the British almost daily. + + + +CHAPTER XLV + +GENERAL WASHINGTON AND REAR ADMIRAL DIGBY--COMMISSARIES SPROAT AND +SKINNER + + +Washington's best vindication against the charge of undue neglect of +American prisoners is found in the correspondence on the subject. +We will therefore give his letter to Rear Admiral Digby, after his +interview with the committee of three sent from the Jersey to complain +of their treatment by the British, and to endeavor to negotiate an +exchange. + + +GENERAL WASHINGTON TO REAR ADMIRAL DIGBY + +Head-Quarters, June 5 1782 + +Sir: + +By a parole, granted to two gentlemen, Messrs. Aborn and Bowen, I +perceive that your Excellency granted them permission to come to me +with a representation of the sufferings of the American prisoners at New +York. As I have no agency on Naval matters, this application to me is +made on mistaken grounds. But curiosity leading me to enquire into +the nature and cause of their sufferings, I am informed that the prime +complaint is that of their being crowded, especially at this season, in +great numbers on board of foul and infected prison ships, where disease +and death are almost inevitable. This circumstance I am persuaded needs +only to be mentioned to your Excellency to obtain that redress which is +in your power _only_ to afford, and which humanity so strongly prompts. + +If the fortune of war, Sir, has thrown a number of these miserable +people into your hands, I am certain your Excellency's feelings for +fellowmen must induce you to proportion the ships (if they _must_ be +confined on board ships), to their accommodation and comfort, and not, +by crowding them together in a few, bring on disorders which consign +them, by half a dozen a day, to the grave. + +The soldiers of his British Majesty, prisoners with us, were they (which +might be the case), to be equally crowded together in close and confined +prisons, at this season, would be exposed to equal loss and misery. I +have the honor to be, Sir + +Yr Excellency's most obt Hble srvt George Washington + + +REAR-ADMIRAL DIGBY'S ANSWER + +N. Y. June 8 1782 + +Sir: + +My feelings prompted me to grant Messrs. Aborn and Bowen permission to +wait on your Excellency to represent their miserable situation, and if +your Excellency's feelings on this occasion are like mine, you will +not hesitate one moment in relieving both the British and Americans +suffering under confinement. + +I have the Honor to be your Excellency's Very obdt Srvt + +R. Digby + + +FROM COMMISSARY SKINNER TO COMMISSARY SPROAT + +Camp Highlands, June 24th 1782 + +Sir: + +As I perceive by a New York paper of the 12 inst, the last letters which +passed between us on the subject of naval prisoners have been committed +to print, I must request the same to be done with this which is intended +to contain some animadversions on those publications. + +The principles and policy which appear to actuate your superiors in +their conduct towards the American seamen who unfortunately fall into +their power, are too apparent to admit of a doubt or misapprehension. +I am sorry to observe, Sir, that notwithstanding the affectation of +candour and fairness on your part, from the universal tenor of behaviour +on your side of the lines, it is obvious that the designs of the British +is, by misrepresenting the state of facts with regard to exchanges, to +excite jealousy in the minds of our unfortunate seamen, that they are +neglected by their countrymen, and by attempting to make them believe +that all the miseries they are now suffering in consequence of a +pestilential sickness arise from want of inclination in General +Washington to exchange them when he has it in his power to do it; in +hopes of being able by this insinuation and by the unrelenting +severity you make use of in confining them in the contaminated holds of +prison-ships, to compel them, in order to avoid the dreadful alternative +of almost inevitable death, to enter the service of the King of Great +Britain. + +To show that these observations are just and well grounded, I think +it necessary to inform you of some facts which have happened within +my immediate notice, and to put you in mind of others which you cannot +deny. I was myself present at the time when Captain Aborn and Dr. Bowen +* * * waited on his Excellency General Washington, and know perfectly +well the answer his Excellency gave to that application: he informed +them in the first place that he was not directly or indirectly invested +with any power of inference respecting the exchange of naval prisoners; +that this business was formerly under the direction of the Board +of Admiralty, that upon the annihilation of that Board Congress +had committed it to the Financier (who has in charge all our naval +prisoners) and he to the Secretary at war. That (the General) was +notwithstanding disposed to do everything in his power for their +assistance and relief: that as exchanging seamen for soldiers was +contrary to the original agreement for the exchange of prisoners,--which +specified that officers should be exchanged for officers, soldiers +for soldiers, citizens for citizens, and seamen for seamen; as it was +contrary to the custom and practice of other nations, and as it would +be, in his opinion, contrary to the soundest policy, by giving the +enemy a great and permanent strength for which we could receive no +compensation, or at best but a partial and temporary one, he did not +think it would be admissible: but as it appeared to him, from a variety +of well authenticated information, the present misery and mortality +which prevailed among the naval prisoners were almost entirely, if not +altogether produced by the _mode of their confinement_, being closely +crowded together in infected prison-ships, where the very air is +pregnant with disease, and the ships themselves (never having been +cleaned in the course of many years), a mere mass of putrefaction, he +would therefor, from motives of humanity, write to Rear-Admiral Digby, +in whose power it was to remedy this great evil, by confining them on +shore, or having a sufficient number of prison-ships provided for that +purpose, for, he observed, it was as preposterously cruel to confine 800 +men, at this sultry season, on board the Jersey prison-ship, as it would +be to shut up the whole army of Lord Cornwallis to perish in the New +Goal of Philadelphia, but if more commodious and healthy accommodations +were not afforded we had the means of retaliation in our hands, which he +should not hesitate, in that case, to make use of, by confining the land +prisoners with as much severity as our seamen were held.--The Gentlemen +of the Committee appeared to be sensible of the force of these reasons, +however repugnant they might be to the feelings and wishes of the men +who had destruction and death staring them in the face. + +His Excellency was further pleased to suffer me to go to New York to +examine into the grounds of the suffering of the prisoners, and to +devise, if possible, some way or another, for their liberation or +relief. With this permission I went into your lines: and in consequence +of the authority I had been previously invested with, from the Secretary +at War, I made the proposition contained in my letter of the ninth +instant. Although I could not claim this as a matter of right I +flattered myself it would have been granted from the principles of +humanity, as well as other motives. There had been a balance of 495 +land prisoners due to us ever since the month of February last, when a +settlement was made; besides which, to the best of my belief, 400 have +been sent in, (this is the true state of the fact, though it differs +widely from the account of 250 men, which is falsely stated in the +note annexed to my letter in the New York paper:) notwithstanding this +balance, I was then about sending into your lines a number of land +prisoners, as an equivalent for ours, who were then confined in the +Sugar House, without which (though the debt was acknowledged, I could +not make interest to have them liberated), this business has since been +actually negotiated, and we glory in having our conduct, such as will +bear the strictest scrutiny, and be found consonant to the dictates of +reason, liberality, and justice. But, Sir, since you would not agree to +the proposals I made, since I was refused being permitted to visit the +prison-ships: (for which I conclude no other reason can be produced than +your being ashamed or afraid of having those graves of our seamen seen +by one who dared to represent the horrors of them to his countrymen,) +Since the commissioners from your side, at their late meeting, would not +enter into an adjustment of the accounts for supplying your naval and +land prisoners, on which there are large sums due us; and since your +superiors will neither make provision for the support of your prisoners +in our hands, nor accommodation for the mere existence of ours, who are +now languishing in your prison-ships, it becomes my duty, Sir, to state +these pointed facts to you, that the imputations may recoil where they +are deserved, and to report to those, under whose authority I have the +honor to act, that such measures as they deem proper may be adopted. + +And now, Sir, I will conclude this long letter with observing that not +having a sufficient number of British seamen in our possession we are +not able to release urs by exchange:--this is our misfortune, but it is +not a crime, and ought not to operate as a mortal punishment against the +unfortunate--we ask no favour, we claim nothing but common justice and +humanity, while we assert to the whole world, as a notorious fact, +that the unprecedented inhumanity in the _mode_ of confining our naval +prisoners, to the amount of 800 in one old hulk, which has been made use +of as a prison-ship for more than three years, without ever having +been once purified, has been the real and sole cause of the deaths +of hundreds of brave Americans, who would not have perished in that +untimely and barbarous manner, had they, (when prisoners,) been suffered +to breathe a purer air, and to enjoy more liberal and convenient +accommodations agreeably to the practice of civilized nations when at +war, (and) the example which has always been set you by the Americans. +You may say, and I shall admit, that if they were placed on islands, +and more liberty given them, that some might desert; but is not this the +case with your prisoners in our hands? And could we not avoid this also, +if we were to adopt the same rigid and inhuman mode of confinement you +do? + +I beg, Sir, you will be pleased to consider this as addressed to you +officially, as the principal executive officer in the department of +naval prisoners, and not personally, and that you will attribute any +uncommon warmth of style that I may have been led into to my feeling and +animation on a subject with which I find myself so much interested, both +from the principles of humanity and the duties of office. I am, Sir, + +yr most obdt Srvt Abraham Skinner + +Letters full of recriminations continued to pass between the +commissaries on both sides. In Sproat's reply to the letter we have +just quoted, he enclosed a copy of the paper which he had induced the +thirteen sea captains and other officers to sign, obtained as we have +seen, in such a dastardly manner. + +In the meantime the naval prisoners continued to die in great numbers +on board the prison and hospital-ships. We have already described the +cleansing of the Jersey, on which occasion the prisoners were sent on +board of other vessels and exposed to cold and damp in addition to their +other sufferings. And while negotiations for peace were pending some +relaxation in severity appears to have taken place. + + + +CHAPTER XLVI + +SOME OF THE PRISONERS ON BOARD THE JERSEY + + +We have seen that the crew of the Chance was exchanged in the fall of +1782. A few of the men who composed this crew were ill at the time that +the exchange was affected, and had been sent to Blackwell's Island. +Among these unfortunate sufferers was the sailing-master of the Chance, +whose name was Sylvester Rhodes. + +This gentleman was born at Warwick, R. I., November 21, 1745. He married +Mary Aborn, youngest sister of Captain Daniel Aborn, and entered the +service of his country, in the early part of the war, sometimes on land, +and sometimes as a seaman. He was with Commodore Whipple on his first +cruise, and as prize-master carried into Boston the first prize captured +by that officer. He also served in a Rhode Island regiment. + +When the crew of the Jersey was exchanged and he was not among the +number, his brother-in-law, Captain Aborn, endeavored to obtain his +release, but, as he had been an officer in the army as well as on the +privateer, the British refused to release him as a seaman. His father, +however, through the influence of some prominent Tories with whom he +was connected, finally secured his parole, and Captain Aborn went to +New York to bring him home. But it was too late. He had become greatly +enfeebled by disease, and died on board the cartel, while on her passage +through the Sound, on the 3rd of November, 1782, leaving a widow and +five children. Mary Aborn Rhodes lived to be 98, dying in 1852, one of +the last survivors of the stirring times of the Revolution. + + +WILLIAM DROWNE + +One of the most adventurous of American seamen was William Drowne, who +was taken prisoner more than once. He was born in Providence, R. I., in +April 1755. After many adventures he sailed on the 18th of May, 1780, +in the General Washington, owned by Mr. John Brown of Providence. In a +Journal kept by Mr. Drowne on board of this ship, he writes: + +"The cruise is for two months and a half, though should New York fetch +us up again, the time may be protracted, but it is not in the bargain to +pay that potent city a visit _this bout_. It may easily be imagined what +a _sensible mortification_ it must be to dispense with the delicious +sweets of a Prison-ship. But though the Washington is deemed a prime +sailor, and is well armed, I will not be too sanguine in the prospect of +escape, as 'the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the +strong.' But, as I said before, it is not in the articles to go there +this time, especially as it is said the prisoners are very much crowded +there already, and it would be a piece of unfeeling inhumanity to be +adding to their unavoidable inconvenience by our presence. Nor could we, +in such a case, by any means expect that Madam Fortune would deign to +smile so propitiously as she did before, in the promotion of an exchange +so much sooner than our most sanguine expectations flattered us with, as +'tis said to be with no small difficulty that a parole can be obtained, +much more an exchange." + +This cruise resulted in the capture by the Washington of several +vessels, among them the Robust, Lord Sandwich, Barrington, and the +Spitfire, a British privateer. + +In May, 1781, Mr. Drowne sailed on board the Belisarius, commanded by +Captain James Munro, which vessel was captured on the 26th of July and +brought into the port of New York. Browne and the other officers were +sent to the Jersey, where close confinement and all the horrors of the +place soon impaired his vigorous constitution. Although he was, through +the influence of his friends, allowed to visit Newport on parole in +November, 1781, he was returned to the prison ship, and was not released +until some time in 1783. His brother, who was a physician, nursed him +faithfully, but he died on the 9th of August, 1786. Letters written on +board the Jersey have a melancholy interest to the student of history, +and this one, written by William Drowne to a Mrs. Johnston, of New York, +is taken from the appendix to the "Recollections of Captain Dring." + +Jersey Prison Ship Sep. 25 1781 + +Madam: + +Your letter to Captain Joshua Sawyer of the 23d Inst, came on board this +moment, which I being requested to answer, take the freedom to do, and +with sensible regret, as it announces the dissolution of the good man. +It was an event very unexpected. Tis true he had been for some days very +ill, but a turn in his favor cancel'd all further apprehension of his +being dangerous, and but yesterday he was able without assistance to go +upon deck; said he felt much better, and without any further Complaints, +at the usual time turned into his Hammock, and as was supposed went +to sleep. Judge of our Surprise and Astonishment this morning at being +informed of his being found a lifeless Corpse. + +Could anything nourishing or comfortable have been procured for him +during his illness, 'tis possible He might now have been a well man. But +Heaven thought proper to take him to itself, and we must not repine. + +A Coffin would have been procured in case it could be done seasonably, +but his situation render'd a speedy Interment unavoidable. Agreeably to +which 10 or 12 Gentlemen of his acquaintance presented a petition to +the Commanding Officer on board, requesting the favor that they might be +permitted, under the Inspection of a file of Soldiers, to pay the last +sad duties to a Gentleman of merit; which he humanely granted, and in +the Afternoon his remains were taken on shore, and committed to their +native dust in as decent a manner as our situation would admit. Myself, +in room of a better, officiated in the sacred office of a Chaplain and +read prayers over the Corpse previous to its final close in its gloomy +mansion. I have given you these particulars, Madam, as I was sensible it +must give you great satisfaction to hear he had some friends on board. +Your benevolent and good intentions to him shall, (if Heaven permits +my return) be safely delivered to his afflicted wife, to give her +the sensible Consolation that her late much esteemed and affectionate +Husband was not destitute of a Friend, who had wish'd to do him all the +good offices in his power, had not the hand of fate prevented. + +If you wish to know anything relative to myself--if you will give +Yourself the trouble to call on Mrs. James Selhrig, she will inform You, +or Jos. Aplin, Esqre. + +You will please to excuse the Liberty I have taken being an entire +stranger. I have no Views in it but those of giving, as I said before, +satisfaction to one who took a friendly part towards a Gentleman +decease'd, whom I very much esteemed. Your goodness will not look with a +critical eye over the numerous Imperfections of this Epistle. + +I am, Madam, with every sentiment of respect + +yr most Obdt Servt + +Wm. Drowne + +The next letter we will give was written by Dr. Solomon Drowne to his +sister Sally. This gentleman was making every effort to obtain his +brother's release from captivity. + +Providence, Oct. 17 1781 + +Dear Sally: + +We have not forgot you;--but if we think strongly on other objects the +memory of you returns, more grateful than the airs which fan the Summer, +or all the golden products of ye Autumn. The Cartel is still detained, +for what reason is not fully known. Perhaps they meditate an attack upon +some unguarded, unsuspecting quarter, and already in idea glut their +eyes, with the smoke of burning Towns and Villages, and are soothed by +the sounds of deep distress. Forbid it Guardian of America!--and rather +let the reason be their fear that we should know the state of their +shattered Navy and declining affairs--However, Bill is yet a Prisoner, +and still must feel, if not for himself, yet what a mind like his will +ever feel for others. In a letter I received from him about three weeks +since he mentioned that having a letter to Mr. George Deblois, he sent +it, accompanied with one he wrote requesting his influence towards +effecting his return the next Flag,--that Mr. Deblois being indisposed, +his cousin Captain William Deblois, taken by Monro last year, came on +board to see him, with a present from Mr. Deblois of some Tea, Sugar, +Wine, Rum, etc, and the offer of any other Civilities that lay in the +power of either:--This was beneficence and true Urbanity,--that he was +not destitute of Cash, that best friend in Adversity, except some other +best friends,--that as long as he had health, he should, he had like to +have said, be happy. In a word he bears up with his wonted fortitude and +good spirits, as we say, nor discovers the least repining at his fate. +But you and I who sleep on beds of down and inhale the untainted, +cherishing air, surrounded by most endeared connexions, know that his +cannot be the most delectable of situations: therefor with impatience we +look for his happy return to the Circle of his Friends. + +Yr aff Bro. + +Solomon Drowne + + +DR. S. DROWNE TO MRS. MARCY DROWNE + +Newport Nov. 14 1781 + +Respected Mother, + +I found Billy much better than I expected, the account we received of +his situation having been considerably exaggerated: However we ought to +be thankful we were not deceived by a too favorable account, and so left +him to the care of strangers, when he might most need the soothing aid +of close relatives. He is very weak yet, and as a second relapse might +endanger his reduced, tottering system, think it advisable not to set +off for home with him till the wind is favorable. He is impatient, for +the moment of its shifting, as he is anxious to see you all. + +The boat is just going, Adieu, yr aff son + +Solomon Drowne + +We have already quoted from the Recollections of Jeremiah Johnson who +lived on the banks of Wallabout Bay during the Revolution. He further +says: "The prisoners confined in the Jersey had secretly obtained a +crow-bar which was kept concealed in the berth of some confidential +officer among the prisoners. The bar was used to break off the _port_ +gratings. This was done, in windy nights, when good swimmers were ready +to leave the ship for the land. In this way a number escaped. + +"Captain Doughty, a friend of the writer, had charge of the bar when he +was a prisoner on board of the Jersey, and effected his escape by its +means. When he left the ship he gave the bar to a confidant to be used +for the relief of others. Very few who left the ship were retaken. They +knew where to find friends to conceal them, and to help them beyond +pursuit. + +"A singularly daring and successful escape was effected from the Jersey +about 4 o'clock one afternoon in the beginning of Dec. 1780. The best +boat of the ship had returned from New York between 3 & 4 o'clock, and +was left fast at the gangway, with the oars on board. The afternoon was +stormy, the wind blew from the north-east, and the tide ran flood. +A watchword was given, and a number of prisoners placed themselves +carelessly between the ship's waist and the sentinel. At this juncture +four Eastern Captains got on board the boat, which was cast off by their +friends. The boat passed close under the bows of the ship, and was a +considerable distance from her before the sentinel in the fo'castle gave +the alarm, and fired at her. The second boat was manned for a chase; she +pursued in vain; one man from her bow fired several shots at the boat, +and a few guns were fired at her from the Bushwick shore; but all to no +effect,--and the boat passed Hell-gate in the evening, and arrived safe +in Connecticut next morning. + +"A spring of the writer was a favorite watering-place for the British +shipping. The water-boat of the Jersey watered from this spring daily +when it could be done; four prisoners were generally brought on shore +to fill the casks, attended by a guard. The prisoners were frequently +permitted to come to the (Johnstons') house to get milk and food; and +often brought letters privately from the prisoners. From these the +sufferings on board were revealed. + +"Supplies of vegetables were frequently collected by Mr. Remsen (the +benevolent owner of the mill,) for the prisoners; and small sums of +money were sent on board by the writer's father to his friends by means +of these watering parties." + + +AN ESCAPE FROM THE JERSEY + +"I was one of 850 souls confined in the Jersey in the summer of 1781, +and witnessed several daring attempts to escape. They generally ended +tragically. They were always undertaken in the night, after wrenching or +filing the bar off the port-holes. Having been on board several weeks, +and goaded to death in various ways, four of us concluded to run the +hazard. We set to work and got the bars off, and waited impatiently for +a dark night. We lay in front of Mr. Remsen's door, inside of the +pier head and not more that 20 yards distant. There were several guard +sloops, one on our bow, and the other off our quarter a short distance +from us. The dark night came, the first two were lowered quietly into +the water; and the third made some rumbling. I was the fourth that +descended, but had not struck off from the vessel before the guards +were alarmed, and fired upon us. The alarm became general, and I was +immediately hauled on board (by the other prisoners). + +"They manned their boats, and with their lights and implements of death +were quick in pursuit of the unfortunates, cursing and swearing, and +bellowing and firing. It was awful to witness this deed of blood. It +lasted about an hour,--all on board trembling for our shipmates. These +desperadoes returned to their different vessels rejoicing that they had +killed three damned rebels. + +"About three years after this I saw a gentleman in John St., near +Nassau, who accosted me thus: 'Manley, how do you do?' I could not +recollect him. 'Is it possible you don't know me? Recollect the Old +Jersey?' And he opened his vest and bared his breast. I immediately said +to him--'You are James McClain.' 'I am,' said he. We both stepped into +Mariner's public house, at the corner, and he related his marvellous +escape to me. + +"'They pursued me:--I frequently dived to avoid them, and when I came up +they fired on me. I caught my breath, and immediately dived again, and +held my breath till I crawled along the mud. They no doubt thought they +killed me. I however, with much exertion, though weak and wounded, made +out to reach the shore, and got into a barn, not far from the ship, a +little north of Mr. Remsen's house. The farmer, the next morning, came +into his barn,--saw me lying on the floor, and ran out in a fright. I +begged him to come to me, and he did, I gave an account of myself, where +I was from, how I was pursued, with several others. He saw my wounds, +took pity on me; sent for his wife, and bound up my wounds, and kept +me in the barn until night-fall,--took me into his house, nursed me +secretly, and then furnished me with clothing, etc., and when I was +restored, he took me with him, into his market-boat to this city, and +went with me to the west part of the city, provided me with a passage +over to Bergen, and I landed somewhere in Communipaw. Some friends +helped me across Newark Bay, and then I worked my way, until I +reached Baltimore, to the great joy of all my friends." [Footnote: +"Recollections of Captain Manley".] + +Just what proportion of captives died on board of the Jersey it is now +impossible to determine. No doubt there were many escapes of which it +is impossible to obtain the particulars. The winter of 1779-80 was +excessively cold, and the Wallabout Bay was frozen over. One night +a number of prisoners took advantage of this to make their escape by +lowering themselves from a port hole on to the ice. It is recorded that +the cold was so excessive that one man was frozen to death, that the +British pursued the party and brought a few of them back, but that a +number succeeded in making their escape to New Jersey. Who these men +were we have been unable to discover. Tradition also states that while +Wallabout Bay was thus frozen over the Long Island market women skated +across it, with supplies of vegetables in large hampers attached to +their backs, and that some of them came near enough to throw some of +their supplies to the half-famished prisoners on board the Jersey. + +It would appear that these poor sufferers had warm friends in the +farmers who lived on the shores of the Wallabout. Of these Mr. A. +Remsen, who owned a mill at the mouth of a creek which empties into the +Bay, was one of the most benevolent, and it was his daughter who is said +to have kept a list of the number of bodies that were interred in the +sand in the neighborhood of the mill and house. In 1780 Mr Remsen hid an +escaped prisoner, Major H. Wyckoff, for several days in one of his upper +rooms, while at the same time the young lieutenant of the guard of the +Jersey was quartered in the house. Remsen also lent Captain Wyckoff as +much money as he needed, and finally, one dark night, safely conveyed +him in a sleigh to Cow Neck. From thence he crossed to Poughkeepsie. + +Although little mention is made by those prisoners who have left +accounts of their experiences while on board the Jersey, of any aid +received by them from the American government the following passage from +a Connecticut paper would seem to indicate that such aid was tendered +them at least for a time. It is possible that Congress sent some +provisions to the prison-ships for her imprisoned soldiers, or marines, +but made no provision for the crews of privateers. + +"New London. September 1st. 1779. D. Stanton testifies that he was taken +June 5th, and put in the Jersey prison ship. An allowance from Congress +was sent on board. About three or four weeks past we were removed on +board the Good Hope, where we found many sick. There is now a hospital +ship provided, to which they are removed and good attention paid." + +The next extract that we will quote probably refers to the escape of +prisoners on the ice referred to above. + +"New London. Conn. Feb. 16th. 1780. Fifteen prisoners arrived here who +three weeks ago escaped from the prison-ship in the East River. A number +of others escaped about the same time from the same ship, some of whom +being frost-bitten and unable to endure the cold, were taken up and +carried back, one frozen to death before he reached the shore." + +"_Rivington's Gazette_, Dec. 19th 1780. George Batterman, who had been +a prisoner on board the prison ship at New York, deposes that he had had +eight ounces of condemned bread per day; and eight ounces of meat. He +was afterwards put on board the Jersey, where were, as was supposed, +1,100 prisoners; recruiting officers came on board and finding that the +American officers persuaded the men not to enlist, removed them, as he +was told, to the Provost. The prisoners were tempted to enlist to free +themselves from confinement, hopeless of exchange. * * * The prisoners +had a pint of water per day:--the sick were not sent to the hospitals +until they were so weak and ill that they often expired before they got +out of the Jersey. The commanding officer said his orders were that if +the ship took fire we should all be turned below, and left to perish in +the flames. By accident the ship took fire in the steward's room, when +the Hessian guards were ordered to drive the prisoners below, and fire +among them if they resisted or got in the water." + +Talbot in his Memoirs stated that: "When the weather became cool and +dry in the fall and the nights frosty the number of deaths on board the +Jersey was _reduced_ to an average of ten per day! which was _small_ +compared with the mortality for three months before. The human bones +and skulls yet bleaching on the shore of Long Island, and exposed by the +falling down of the high bank, on which the prisoners were buried, is a +shocking sight." (Talbot, page 106.) + +In May, 1808, one William Burke of New York testified that "He was a +prisoner in the Jersey 14 months, has known many American prisoners put +to death by the bayonet. It was the custom for but one prisoner at a +time to go on deck. One night while many prisoners were assembled at the +grate, at the hatchway to obtain fresh air, and waiting their turn to +go on deck, a sentinel thrust his bayonet down among them, and 25 next +morning were found to be dead. This was the case several mornings, when +sometimes six, and sometimes eight or ten were found dead by wounds thus +received." + +A Connecticut paper, some time in May, 1781, stated that. "Eleven +hundred French and American prisoners died in New York last winter." + +A paper published in Philadelphia, on the 20th of February, 1782, says: +"Many of our unfortunate prisoners on board the prison ships in the East +River have perished during the late extreme weather, for want of fuel +and other necessaries." + +"New London. May 3rd. 1782. One thousand of our seamen remain in prison +ships in New York, a great part in close confinement for six months +past, and in a most deplorable condition. Five hundred have died during +the past five or six months, three hundred are sick; many seeing no +prospect of release are entering the British service to elude the +contagion with which the prison ships are fraught." + +Joel Barlow in his Columbiad says that Mr. Elias Boudinot told him that +in the Jersey 1,100 prisoners died in eighteen months, almost the whole +of them from the barbarous treatment of being stifled in a crowded hold +with infected air; and poisoned with unwholesome food, and Mr Barlow +adds that the cruelties exercised by the British armies on American +prisoners during the first years of the war were unexampled among +civilized nations. + + + + +CONCLUSION + + +Such of the prisoners as escaped after months of suffering with health +sufficient for future usefulness in the field often re-enlisted, burning +for revenge. + +Mr. Scharf, in his "History of Western Maryland," speaks of Colonel +William Kunkel, who had served in Prussia, and emigrated to America +about the year 1732. He first settled in Lancaster, Pa., but afterwards +moved to Western Maryland. He had six sons in the Revolution. One of +these sons entered the American army at the age of eighteen. Taken +prisoner he was sent on board the Jersey, where his sufferings were +terrible. On his return home after his exchange he vowed to his father +that he would return to the army and fight until the last redcoat was +driven out of the country. He did return, and from that time, says Mr +Scharf, his family never heard from him again. + +Mr. Crimmins in his "Irish-American Historical Miscellany," says: "An +especially affecting incident is told regarding one prisoner who died +on the Jersey. Two young men, brothers, belonging to a rifle corps were +made prisoners, and sent on board the ship. The elder took the fever, +and in a few days became delirious. One night as his end was fast +approaching, he became calm and sensible, and lamenting his hard fate, +and the absence of his mother, begged for a little water. His brother +with tears, entreated the guard to give him some, but in vain. The sick +youth was soon in his last struggles, when his brother offered the guard +a guinea for an inch of candle, only that he might see him die. Even +this was denied." + +The young rifleman died in the dark. + +"Now," said his brother, drying his tears, "if it please God that I ever +regain my liberty, I'll be a most bitter enemy!" + +He was exchanged, rejoined the army, and when the war ended he is said +to have had eight large and one hundred and twenty-seven small notches +on his rifle stock. The inference is that he made a notch every time he +killed or wounded a British soldier, a large notch for an officer, and a +small one for a private. + +Mr. Lecky, the English historian, thus speaks of American prisoners: +"The American prisoners who had been confined in New York after the +battle of Long Island were so emaciated and broken down by scandalous +neglect or ill usage that Washington refused to receive them in exchange +for an equal number of healthy British and Hessian troops. * * * It is +but justice to the Americans to add that their conduct during the war +appears to have been almost uniformly humane. No charges of neglect +of prisoners, like those which were brought, apparently with too good +reason, against the English, were substantiated against them. The +conduct of Washington was marked by a careful and steady humanity, and +Franklin, also, appears to have done much to mitigate the war." + +Our task is now concluded. We have concerned ourselves with the +prisoners themselves, not much with the history of the negotiations +carried on to effect exchange, but have left this part of the subject +to some abler hand. Only a very small part of the story has been told +in this volume, and there is much room for future investigations. It +is highly probable that if a systematic search is made many unpublished +accounts may be discovered, and a great deal of light shed upon the +horrors of the British prisons. If we have awakened interest in the sad +fate of so many of our brave countrymen, and aroused some readers to a +feeling of compassion for their misfortunes, and admiration for their +heroism, our task has not been in vain. + + + +APPENDIX A + + +LIST OF 8000 MEN WHO WERE PRISONERS ON BOARD THE OLD JERSEY + +PRINTED BY PERMISSION OF THE SOCIETY OF OLD BROOKLYNITES + +This list of names was copied from the papers of the British War +Department. There is nothing to indicate what became of any of these +prisoners, whether they died, escaped, or were exchanged. The list +seems to have been carelessly kept, and is full of obvious mistakes in +spelling the names. Yet it shall be given just as it is, except that +the names are arranged differently, for easier reference. This list +of prisoners is the only one that could be found in the British War +Department. What became of the lists of prisoners on the many other +prison ships, and prisons, used by the English in America, we do not +know. + + Garret Aarons + John Aarons (2) + Alexander Abbett + John Abbett + James Abben + John Abbott + Daniel Abbott + Abel Abel + George Abel + Jacob Aberry + Jabez Abett + Philip Abing + Thomas Abington + Christopher Abois + William Aboms + Daniel Abrams + Don Meegl (Miguel) Abusure + Gansio Acito + Abel Adams + Amos Adams + Benjamin Adams + David Adams + Isaac Adams + John Adams (4) + Lawrence Adams + Moses Adams + Nathaniel Adams + Pisco Adams + Richard Adams + Stephen Adams + Thomas Adams + Warren Adams + Amos Addams + Thomas Addett + Benjamin Addison + David Addon + John Adlott + Robert Admistad + Noah Administer + Wm Adamson (2) + John Adobon + James Adovie + Sebastian de Aedora + Jean Aenbie + Michael Aessinis + Frances Affille + Joseph Antonio Aguirra + Thomas Aguynoble + John Aires + Robert Aitken + Thomas Aiz + Manuel Ajote + Jacob Akins + Joseph Aker (2) + Richard Akerson + Charles Albert + Piere Albert + Robert Albion + Joachin Alconan + Joseph de Alcorta + Juan Ignacid Alcorta + Pedro Aldaronda + Humphrey Alden + Fred Aldkin + George Aldridge + Jacob Alehipike + Jean Aleslure + Archibald Alexander + John Alexander (2) + Lehle Alexander + William Alexander + Thomas Alger + Christopher Aliet + Joseph Aliev + George Alignott + Joseph Allah + Gideon Allan + Hugh Allan + Francis Allegree + Baeknel Allen + Bancke Allen + Benjamin Allen + Bucknell Allen + Ebeneser Allen + George Allen + Gideon Allen + Isaac Allen + John Allen (5) + Josiah Allen + Murgo Allen + Richard Allen (2) + Samuel Allen (7) + Squire Allen + Thomas Allen (3) + William Allen (4) + Jean Allin + Caleb Allis + Bradby Allison + Bradey Allison + James Allison + Frances Alment + Arrohan Almon + Aceth Almond + William Alpin + Jacob Alsfrugh + Jacob Alsough + Jacob Alstright + Jacob Alsworth + Thomas Alvarey + Miguel Alveras + Don Ambrose Alverd + Joseph Alvey + James Alwhite + George Alwood + James Alwood + Charles Amey + Anthony Amingo + Manuel Amizarma + Nathaniel Anabel + Austin Anaga + Jean Ancette + Charles Anderson + Joseph Anderson + Robert Anderson + William Anderson (3) + George Andre + Benjamin Andrews + Charles Andrews + Dollar Andrews + Ebeneser Andrews + Francis Andrews + Frederick Andrews + Jerediah Andrews + John Andrews (4) + Jonathan Andrews + Pascal Andrews + Philany Andrews + Thomas Andrews + William Andrews + Guillion Andrie + Pashal Andrie + Dominique Angola + Andre D. C. Annapolen + Joseph Anrandes + John Anson + William Anster + David Anthony + Davis Anthony + Samuel Anthony + Pierre Antien + Jacques Antiqua + Jean Anton + Francis Antonf + John Antonio + Daniel Appell + Daniel Apple + Thomas Appleby + Samuel Appleton + Joseph Aquirse + ---- Arbay + Abraham Archer + James Archer + John Archer + Stephen Archer + Thomas Arcos + Richard Ariel + Asencid Arismane + Ezekiel Arme + Jean Armised + James Armitage + Elijah Armsby + Christian Armstrong + William Armstrong + Samuel Arnibald + Amos Arnold + Ash Arnold + Samuel Arnold + Charles Arnolds + Samuel Arnolds + Thomas Arnold + Andres Arral + Manuel de Artol + Don Pedro Asevasuo + Hosea Asevalado + James Ash + Henry Ash + John Ashbey + John Ashburn + Peter Ashburn + John Ashby + Warren Ashby + John Ashley + Andrew Askill + Francis Aspuro + John Athan + George Atkins + John Atkins + Silas Atkins + John Atkinson + Robert Atkinson + William Atkinson + James Atlin + Duke Attera + Jean Pierre Atton + John Atwood + Henry Auchinlaup + Joseph Audit + Anthony Aiguillia + Igarz Baboo Augusion + Peter Augusta + Thomas Augustine + Laurie Aujit + George Austin + Job Avery + Benjamin Avmey + Francis Ayres + Don Pedro Azoala + + + B + + Franklin Babcock + William Babcock + James Babel + Jeremiah Babell + Jean Babier + Abel Baboard + Vascilla Babtreause + Francis Bachelier + Jonathan Bachelor + Antonio Backalong + Francis Backay + Benjamin Bacon + Esau Bacon + Judah Bacon + Stephen Badante + Laurence Badeno + William Badick + Jonathan Baddock + John Baggar + Barnett Bagges + Adam Bagley + Joseph Bahamony + John Bailey (2) + William Bailey + Moses Baird + Joseph Baisolus + William Baison + William Batho + Christopher Baker + Ebenezer Baker + John Baker (2) + Joseph Baker + Judah Baker + Lemuel Baker + Nathaniel Baker + Pamberton Baker + Pemberton Baker + Pembleton Baker + Thomas Baker (3) + David Baldwin + James Baldwin + John Baldwin + Nathaniel Baldwin + Ralph Baldwin + Thomas Ball + Benjamin Ballard + John Ballast + Joseph Balumatigua + Ralf Bamford + Jacob Bamper + Peter Banaby + James Bandel + Augustine Bandine + Pierre Bandine + John Banister (2) + Matthew Bank + James Banker + John Banks + Matthew Banks + Jean Rio Bapbsta + Jean Baptista + Gale Baptist + Jean Baptist + John Barber + Gilbert Barber + John Barden + William Barenoft + Walter Bargeman + Joseph Bargeron + Charles Bargo + Mabas Bark + Benjamin Barker + Edward Barker + Jacom Barker + John Barker + Peter Barker + Thomas Barker + Benjamin Barkly + Joseph Barkump + John Barley + James Barman + Ethiem Barnell + Charles Barnes + Henry Barnes + Wooding Barnes + John Barnett + Henry Barney + Mons Barney + Samuel Barney + William Barnhouse + James Barracks + Pierre Barratt + Abner Barre + Dennis Barrett + Enoch Barrett + Francis Barrett + Samuel Barrett + William Barrett + Robert Barrol + Bernard Barron + Enoch Barrott + Francis Barsidge + William Bartlet + Joseph Bartley + Charles Barthalemerd + Charles Bartholemew + Joseph Bartholomew + ---- Bartholomew + Benjamin Bartholoyd + Petrus Bartlemie + Michael Bartol + Thomas Barton + John Basker + William Bason + Donnor Bass + Juvery Bastin + Michael Bastin + Louis Baston + Asa Batcheler + Benjamin Bate + Benjamin Bates + Henry Bates + James Bates + William Batt + John Battersley + John Battesker + Adah Batterman + Adam Batterman + George Batterman (2) + Joseph Batterman + ---- Baumos + Thomas Bausto + Benjamin Bavedon + George Baxter + Malachi Baxter + Richard Bayan + Joseph Bayde + Thomas Bayess + John Bayley + Joseph Baynes + Jean Baxula + John Bazee + Daniel Beal + Samuel Beal + Joseph Beane + James Beankey + James Bearbank + Jesse Bearbank + Morgan Beard + Moses Beard + Daniel Beatty + Benjamin Beasel + Joseph Beaufort + Perri Beaumont + Andrew Beck + Thomas Beck + William Beckett + Jonathan Beckwith + Francis Bedell + Frederick Bedford + Joseph Bedford + Thomas Bedford + Benjamin Beebe + Elias Beebe + Joshua Beebe + Benjamin Beeford + James Beekman + Walter Beekwith + Lewis Begand + Joseph Begley + Joseph Belcher + John Belding + Pierre Belgard + Aaron Bell + Charles Bell + Robert Bell + Uriah Bell + Alexander Bellard + Joseph Belter + Julian Belugh + Jean Bengier + Joseph Benloyde + John Benn + George Bennett + John Bennett + Joseph Bennett + Peter Bennett + Pierre Bennett + Anthony Benson + Stizer Benson + David Benton + John Benton + Peter Bentler + Nathaniel Bentley (2) + Peter Bentley + William Bentley + Joshua M Berason + Joseoh Berean + Julian Berger + Lewis Bernall + Francis Bernardus + Francis Bercoute + Jean Juquacid Berra + Abner Berry + Alexander Berry + Benjamin Berry + Daniel Berry + Dennis Berry + Edward Berry + John Berry + Peter Berry (2) + Philip Berry + Simon Berry + William Berry (3) + Philip Berrycruise + William Berryman + Jean Bertine + Martin Bertrand + John Bertram + Andrew Besin + Jean Beshire + John Beszick + James Bett + Samuel Bevan + Jean Bevin + Benjamin Beverley + Robert Bibbistone + John Bice + Andrew Bick + John Bickety + Charles Bierd + David Bierd + Joshua Bievey + Benjamin Bigelow + Oliver Bigelow + Thomas Biggs + Jean Bilarie + Charles Bill (2) + Garden Bill + John Bill (2) + Pierre Bill + John Billard + James Biller + Samuel Billing + Benjamin Billings + Bradford Billings + Ezekiel Billings + Robert Billings + David Billows + Frarey Binnen + Cirretto Biola + Pierre Biran + Alexander Birch + Nathaniel Birch + Joseph Bird + Weldon Bird + Thomas Birket + Samuel Birmingham + Ezekiel Bishop + Israel Bishop + John Bishop (2) + John Bissell + Jack Bissick + Osee Bissole + Pierre Bitgayse + Peter Bitton + Daniel Black + James Black (3) + John Black + Joseph Black + Robert N Black + Samuel Black (2) + Timothy Black + William Black + John Blackburn + Alexander Blackhunt + William Blackpond + V C Blaine + John Blair + Charles Blake + Increase Blake + James Blake + Samuel Blake + Valentine Blake + David Blanch + Robert Blanch + Joseph Blancher + William Blanchet + John Blanney + Gideon Blambo + Jesse Blacque + Joseph Blateley + Lubal Blaynald + Asa Blayner + Edward Blevin + Benjamin Blimbey + William Blimbey + Joseph Blinde + William Bliss + Samuel Blissread + Juan Blodgett + Seth Blodgett + John Blond + Lewis Blone + Louis Blong + Peter Bloome (2) + Samuel Bloomfield + Jomes Blossom + James Blowen + John Bloxand + William Bluard + George Blumbarg + George Blunt (4) + William Blythe + Matthew Boar + John Bobier + John Bobgier + Joseph Bobham + Jonathan Bocross + Lewis Bodin + Peter Bodwayne + John Boelourne + Christopher Boen + Purdon Boen + Roper Bogat + James Boggart + Ralph Bogle + Nicholas Boiad + Pierre Boilon + William Boine + Jacques Bollier + William Bolt + William Bolts + Bartholomew Bonavist + Henry Bone + Anthony Bonea + Jeremiah Boneafoy + James Boney + Thomas Bong + Barnabus Bonus + James Bools + William Books + John Booth + Joseph Borda + Charles Borden + John Borman + James Borrall + Joseph Bortushes + Daniel Borus (2) + Joseph Bosey + Pierre Bosiere + Jacques Bosse + Ebenezer Boswell + Gustavus Boswell + Lewis Bothal + Charles Bottis + James Bottom + Walter Bottom + Augustin Boudery + Augustus Boudery + Anthony Bouea + Theophilus Boulding + Pierre Bounet + Lewis Bourge + John Boursbo + Lawrence Bourshe + Jean Boutilla + Lewis Bouton + Edward Boven + Elijah Bowden + Arden Bowen + Elijah Bowen + Ezekiel Bowen + Paldon Bowen + Thomas Bowen (3) + William Bowen + Willis Bowen + James Bowers + Thomas Bowers + Fulbur Bowes + James Bowles + Daniel Bowman + Benjamin Bowman + Elijah Bowman (2) + John Bowman + Michael Bowner + John Bowrie + P I Bowree + Jean Bowseas + John Boyau + Thomas Boyd + John Boyde + David Boyeau + Francis Boyer + Joseph Boyne + Thomas Bradbridge + Samuel Bradbury + William Braden + James Brader + Samuel Bradfield + William Bradford + Abijah Bradley + Alijah Bradley + Daniel Bradley + James Bradley + Abraham Bradley + John Brady + James Bradyon + Ebenezer Bragg (2) + William Bragley + Nathaniel Braily + Zacheus Brainard + Joseph Bramer + Zachary Bramer + William Bramber + James Branart + Aholibah Branch + William Brand + Ralf Brandford + Charles Branel + William Bransdale + David Branson + Peter Braswan + Peter Brays (2) + Burden Brayton + Peter Brayton + John Bredford + James Brehard + Elijah Bremward + Pierre Brene + George Brent + Pierre Bretton + John Brewer + Samuel Brewer + Joseph Brewett + James Brewster (2) + Seabury Brewster + John Brice + Thomas Bridges + Glond Briges + Cabot Briggs + Alexander Bright + Henry Brim + Peter Brinkley + Ephraim Brion + Louis Brire + Thomas Brisk + Simon Bristo + Jalaher C Briton + Peter Britton + Thomas Britton + Ephraim Broad (3) + Ossia Broadley + Joseph Broaker + Joshua Brocton + Philip Broderick + William Broderick (2) + Joseph Broge + William Brooker + Charles Brooks (2) + Henry Brooks + Paul Brooks + Samuel Brooks (2) + Thomas Brooks + Benjamin Brown + Christopher Brown + David Brown (2) + Francis Brown + Gustavus Brown (3) + Hugh Brown (2) + Jacob Brown + James Brown (3) + Jonathan Brown + John Brown (12) + Joseph Brown (3) + Michael Brown + Nathaniel Brown + Patrick Brown + Peter Brown + Samuel Brown (3) + William Brown (5) + W. Brown + William Boogs Brown + Willis Brown + Essick Brownhill + Wanton Brownhill + Charles Brownwell + Gardner Brownwell + Pierre Brows + James Bruding + Lewis Brun + Daniel Bruton + Edward Bryan + John Bryan + Matthew Bryan + Nathaniel Bryan + William Bryan + Benjamin Bryand + Ephraim Bryand + James Bryant + William Bryant + Nicholas Bryard + Francis Bryean + Richard Bryen + Berr Bryon + Thomas Bryon + Simon Buas + Thomas Buchan + Francis Buchanan + Elias Buck + Elisha Buck + John Buck + Joseph Bucklein + Philip Buckler + Cornelius Buckley + Daniel Buckley (2) + Francis Buckley + Jacob Buckley + John Buckley (3) + Daniel Bucklin (2) + Samuel Buckwith + David Buckworth + Benjamin Bud + Nicholas Budd + Jonathan Buddington + Oliver Buddington + Waller Buddington + William Budgid + John Budica + Joshua Buffins + Lawrence Buffoot + John Bugger + Silas Bugg + John Buldings + Jonathan Bulgedo + Benjamin Bullock + Thomas Bullock + Benjamin Bumbley + Lewis Bunce + Norman Bunce + Thomas Bunch + Antonio Bund + Obadiah Bunke + Jonathan Bunker + Timothy Bunker + William Bunker + Richard Bunson (2) + Murdock Buntine + Frederick Bunwell + Thomas Burch + Michael Burd + Jeremiah Burden + Joseph Burden + William Burden + Jason Burdis + Daniel Burdit + Bleck Burdock + Robert Burdock + Vincent Burdock + Henry Burgess + Theophilus Burgess + Barnard Burgh + Prosper Burgo + Jean Burham + James Burke + Thomas Burke + William Burke + Michael Burkman + William Burn + Frederick Burnett + James Burney + James Burnham + Daniel Burnhill + Archibald Burns + Edward Burns (2) + Henry Burns + John Burns + Thomas Burns + Stephen Burr + Pierre Burra + Francis Burrage + John Burrell + Lewis Burrell + Isaac Burrester + Jonathan Burries + Nathaniel Burris + John Burroughs + Edward Burrow + James Burton + John Burton + Jessee Byanslow + Bartholomew Byi + John Bylight + + + C + + Abel Cable + Louis Cadat + Louis Pierre Cadate + Michael Cadate + John Caddington + Nathan Caddock + Jean Cado + John Cahoon + Jonathan Cahoone + Thomas Caile + David Cain (2) + Thomas Cain + Samuel Caird + Joseph Caivins + Pierre Cajole + Thomas Calbourne + James Calder + Caplin Calfiere + Nathaniel Calhoun + Charles Call + Barnaby Callagham + Daniel Callaghan + William Callehan + James Callingham + Andrew Caiman + Francis Calon + Parpi Calve + Nicholas Calwell + Joseph Cambridge + Edward Cameron + Simon Came + Oseas Camp + Alexander Campbell + Frederick Campbell + James Campbell + Jesse Campbell + John Campbell (2) + Joseph Campbell + Philip Campbell (2) + Robert Campbell + Thomas Campbell (2) + James Canady + Joseph Canana + Satarus Candie + Jacob Canes + Richard Caney + Jacob Canmer + William Cannady + William Canner + Charles Cannon + Francis Cannon + John Cannon + Joseph Cannon + Samuel Cannon + Jean Canute + Francis Cape + Timothy Cape + Daniel Capnell + William Caransame + Robert Carbury + Juan Fernin Cardends + Joseph Carea + Isaac Carelton + Joseph Carender + Ezekiel Carew + Daniel Carey + John Carey (4) + Joshua Carey + Richard Carey + William Cargall + Joseph Cariviot + Edward Garland + Antonio Carles + William Carles + Jean Carlton + Thomas Carlton + John Carlisle + Justan Carlsrun + Benjamin Carman + Benjamin Carmell + William Carmenell + Edward Carmody + Anthony Carney + Hugh Carney + David Carns + Jean Carolin + Pierre Carowan + John Carpenter + Miles Carpenter + Richards Carpenter + Edward Carr + Isaac Carr + John Carr (2) + Philip Carr + William Carr + Robert Carrall + ---- Carret + Thomas Carrington + Jean Carrllo + James Carroll + John Carroll + Michael Carroll + Perance Carroll + William Carrollton + John Carrow + Peter Carroway + Avil Carson + Batterson Carson + Israel Carson + James Carson + Robert Carson (2) + Samuel Carson + William Carson + Levi Carter + Thomas Carter + William Carter (2) + John Carvell + Joseph Casan + Joseph Casanova + John Case + Thomas Case + Thomas Casewell + Edward Casey + John Casey + William Casey + Stephen Cash + Jacob Cashier + Jean Cashwell + Gosper Cassian + Samuel Casson + John Casp + Anthony Casper + Michael Cassey + John Castel + Joseph Castile + Thomas Castle (2) + John Caswell (3) + Baptist Cavalier + Francis Cavalier + George Cavalier + James Cavalier + Thomas Cavalier + Joseph Augustus Cavell + Gasnito Cavensa + Thomas Caveral + Pierre Cawan + John Cawrier + John Cawrse + Edward Cayman + Anthony Cayner + Oliver Cayaran + John Cerbantin + ---- Chabbott + Perrie Chalier + Samuel Chalkeley + Hurbin Challigne + John Challoner + William Challoner + Pierre Chalore + Benjamin Chamberlain + Bird Chamberlain + Charles Chamberland + Nancy Chambers + Dore Champion + Lines Champion + Thomas Champion + Clerk Champlin + Isaac Champlin + James Chapin + Joseph Chapley + Joseph Chaplin + Josiah Chaplin + Lodowick Chaplin + Daniel Chapman + James Chapman + Jeremiah Chapman + John Chapman (2) + Lion Chapman + Samuel Chapman + Charles Chappel + Frederick Chappell + John Chappell + John Charbein + Ichabod Chard + William Charfill + James Charles + John Charles + Jean Charoner + Aaron Chase + Augustus Chase (2) + Earl Chase (2) + George Chase (2) + Lonie Chase + Samuel Chase + Jean Chatfield + Jovis Chaurine + John Cheavelin + Christopher Chenaur + Louis Chenet + Andrew Cheesebrook + David Cheesebrook + James Cheesebrook + Pierre Cheesebrook + Samuel Cheesebrook + Britton Cheeseman + James Cheevers + Christopher Chenaur + Benjamin Chencey + Louis Chenet + John Cherry + William Cherry + John Chese + Hiram Chester + Benjamin Chevalier + John Chevalier + Jean Gea Chevalier + Julian Chevalier + Edward Cheveland + Lasar Chien + Silas Childs + Cadet Chiller + Thomas Chilling + Abel Chimney + David Chinks + Leshers Chipley + William Christan + Henry Christian + John Christian (2) + James Christie + Benjamin Chittington + Bartholomew Chivers + Benjamin Chopman + Matthew Chubb + David Chueehook + Benjamin Church (2) + Israel Church + Thomas Church + John Churchill + Pierre Clabe + Edward Clamron + Benjamin Clannan + Edward Clanwell + Supply Clap (2) + Supply Twing Clap + Edward Claring + Charles Clark + Church Clark + James Clark (2) + John Clark + Jubal Clark + William Clark (2) + Emanuel Clarke + Daniel Clarke + Jacob Clarke + James Clarke + Joshua Clarke + Lewis Clarke + Nicholas Clarke + Noel Clarke + Stephen Clarke + Theodore Clarke + Timothy Clarke + William Clarke (2) + Samuel Clarkson + Samuel Claypole + Edward Clayton + William Clayton + David Cleaveland + Michel Clemence + Clement Clements + Alexander Clerk + Gambaton Clerk + Isaac Clerk + Jacob Clerk + Jonathan Clerk + John Clerk (3) + Lardner Clerk + Nathaniel Clerk + Peleg Clerk + Thomas Clerk (3) + Tully Clerk + William Clerk + Thomas Clever + Jean Clineseau + David Clinton + Philip Clire + John Cloud + John Coarsin + Christian Cobb + Christopher Cobb + Francis Cobb + John Cobb + Jonathan Cobb + Nathaniel Cobb + Richard Cobb + Thomas Cobb + Christopher Cobbs + Raymond Cobbs + Timothy Cobley + Moses Cobnan + Eliphas Coburn + James Cochran + John Cochran (2) + Richard Cochran + John Cocker + John Cocklin + Equatius Code + Lewis Codean + Christopher Codman + James Codner + Abel Coffin + Edward Coffin + Elias Coffin + Elisha Coffin (2) + Obadiah Coffin (2) + Richard Coffin + Simon Coffin (2) + Zechariah Coffin + William Cogeshall + John Coggeshall + Robert Coghill + John Cohlen + David Coisten + Guilliam Cokill + James Colbert + Abial Cole + Benjamin Cole (2) + John Cole (2) + Joshua Cole + Rilhard Cole + Thomas Cole (2) + Waller Cole + David Coleman + James Coleman + Nicholas Coleman + Stephen Coleman + James Colford + Miles Colhoon + Lewis Colinett + Alexander Colley + Basquito Colley + Septor en Collie + Candal Collier + John Collings + Joseph Collingwood + Doan Collins + James Collins (2) + John Collins (3) + Joseph Collins + Powell Collins + William Collins + Daniel Collohan + Thomas Collough + Joseph Colloy + Elisha Colman + John Colney + Frederick Colson + James Colting + Julian Columb + Julian Colver + David Colvich + Nathaniel Colwell + Nathaniel Combick + Joseph Combs + Matthew Combs + Joseph Comby + Gilbert Comick + Patrick Condon + Stafford Condon + Philip Cong + Strantly Congdon + Muller Congle + John Connell + John Connelly + George Conner + James Conner + John Conner (2) + Robert Conner + Patrick Connelly + Samuel Connelly + John Connor + William Connor + George Conrad + Frederick Contaney + William Convass + John Conway + Thomas Conway + Robert Conwell + Amos Cook + Anthony Cook + Benjamin Cook + Eashak Cook + Esbric Cook + Ezekiel Cook (2) + Frederick Cook + George Cook + James Cook (3) + John Cook (4) + Joseph Cook + Richard Cook + Samuel Cooke + Stephen Cooke + Abraham Cooper + Ezekiel Cooper + Matthew Cooper (2) + Mot Cooper + Nathaniel Cooper (3) + Richard Cooper + Warren Cooper + William Cooper + Aaron Cooping + Joseph Copeland + Andrew Cord + Joseph Cornean + Peter Cornelius + John Cornell + Matthew Cornell + James Corner + Benjamin Corning + Robert Cornwell + William Cornwell + Bernard Corrigan + John Corrigan + John Corroll + Battson Corson + Pomeus Corson + Lewis Cortland + Robert Corwell + Joseph de Costa + Antonio Costo + Noel Cotis + Anghel Cotter + David Cotteral + David Cottrill + James Couch + John Couch + Thomas Coudon + John Coughin + Pierre Coulanson + Nathaniel Connan + Francis Connie + Perrie Coupra + Jean de Course + Leonard Courtney + Louis Couset + Joseph Cousins + Frances Cousnant + Jean Couster + John Coutt + Vizenteausean Covazensa + John Coventry + John Coverley + Peter Covet + Zechariah Coward + James Cowbran + James Cowen + John Cowins + Edward Cownovan + Enoch Cox + Jacob Cox + John Cox + Joseph Cox (2) + Portsmouth Cox + William Cox + Thurmal Coxen + Asesen Craft + Joseph Craft + Matthias Craft (2) + James Craig + Thomas Craig + Henry Crandall + Oliver Crane + Philip Crane + Samuel Crane + William Cranston + Abel Crape (2) + Thomas Craton (2) + Joshua Cratterbrook + Alias Crawford + Benjamin Crawford + John Crawford (4) + Richard Crawford + Samuel Crawford + William Crawford + Basil Crawley + Cornelius Crawley + Isaac Crayton (2) + James Crayton + Amos Creasey + Richard Creech + Thomas Creepman + William Cresean + William Cresley + Henry Cressouson + Michael Crider + John Crim + Others Cringea + William Crispin (2) + George Cristin + Benjamin Crocker + James Crocker + John Crocker + Joshua Crocker (2) + John Croix + Oliver Cromell + Oliver Cromwell (4) + Richmond Cromwell + Robert Cromwell + Hugh Crookt + John Croppen + Bunsby Crorker + Peter Crosbury + Daniel Crosby (3) + William Crosley + Joseph Cross + Thomas Crough + Christian Crowdy + Matthew Crow + Bissell Crowell + Seth Crowell + William Crowell + George Crown + Michael Crowyar + William Crozier + Janeise Cubalod + Benjamin Cuffey + Philip Cuish + Thomas Culbarth + Daniel Culbert + William Cullen (2) + David Cullett + Willis Culpper + Levi Culver + Samuel Culvin + Josea Comnano + Cornelius Cumstock + Isaac Cuningham + James Cunican + Barnabas Cunningham + Cornelius Cunningham + John Cunningham + Jacob Currel + Anthony Curry + Augustine Curry + Robert Curry + Daniel Curtis + Frederick Curtis + Joseph Curtis + Henry Curtis + Joseph Cushing + Robert Cushing + Eimnan Cushing + + + D + + Guilliam Dabuican + Jean Dabuican + John Daccarmell + Isaac Dade (2) + Jean Dadica + Silas Daggott + John Dagure + Benjamin Dail + James Daily (2) + Patrick Daily + Robert Daily + Samuel Daily (2) + William Daily + James Dalcahide + Jeremiah Dalley + Reuben Damon + Thomas Danby + Christopher Daniel + John Daniel (3) + Samuel Daniss + Benjamin Dannison + William Dannison + William Dannivan + Benjamin Darby + William Darby + W Darcey + Thomas Darley + Henry Darling (2) + Richard Darling + William Darling + Charles Darrough + Robert Dart + Samuel Daun + Basteen Davan + James Daveick + Lot Davenport + Christopher Davids + John Davidson + Samuel Davidson + Pierre Davie + Benjamin Davies (2) + Christopher Davies + Edward Davies + Eliga Davies + Elijah Davies + Felton Davies + John Davies (9) + Henry Davies + Lewis Davies + Richard Davies (2) + Samuel Davies (3) + Thomas Davies (3) + William Davies (3) + Benjamin Davies (2) + Charles Davis + Christopher Davis + Curtis Davis + Henry Davis + Isaac Davis + James Davis + John Davis (2) + Lewis Davis + Samuel Davis + Thomas Davis + William Davis + Thomas Dawn + Henry Dawne + Samuel Dawson + John Day + Joseph Day + Michael Day + Thomas Day (2) + William Day + Joseph Days + William Dayton + Demond Deaboney + Jonathan Deakons + Isaac Deal + John Deal + Elias Deale (2) + Daniel Dealing + Benjamin Deamond + Benjamin Dean + Levi Dean + Lewis Dean + Orlando Dean + Philip Dean + Archibald Deane + George Deane + Joseph Deane + Thomas Deane + Michael Debong + James Debland + Peter Deboy + Benorey Deck + Joseph de Costa + Jean de Course + Francis Dedd + ---- Defourgue + Jean Degle + Pierre Degoniere + Pierre Guiseppe Degue + William Degue + Louis Degune + Pratus Dehango + Jacob Dehart + Jasper Deinay + Domingo Delace + Zabulon Delano + Gare Delare + Gaspin Delary + Anthony Delas + Amos Delavan + Pierre Delavas + Joseph Delcosta + Francis Delgada + Henry Delone + Anthony Delore + James Demay + David Demeny + Israel Deming + Josiah Demmay + Element Demen + Jean Demolot + Richard Dempsey + Avery Denauf + Daniel Denica + Beebe Denison + Deverick Dennis + James Dennis + John Dennis (3) + Jonas Dennis + Joseph Dennis (2) + Moses Dennis + Paine Dennis + Lemuel Dennison + John Denoc + David Denroron + John Denronons + Lewis Depue + Manuel Deralia + John Derboise + Daniel Deroro + Daniel Derry + William Derry + Louis Deshea + John Desiter + Jacob Dessino + Jeane Devaratte + Isaac Devay + Gabriel Devay + James Devereux + Robert Devereux + James Deverick + John Devericks + Honor Devey + Joseph Deville + Frances Devise + Daniel Devoe + Thomas Devoy + Aaron Dexter + Benjamin Dexter + Simon Dexter + Elerouant Diabery + Jonah Diah + David Diber + Archibald Dick + Benjamin Dickenson + Benjamin Dickinson + Edward Dickinson + Ichabod Dickinson + John Dickinson + Edward Dickerson + Joseph Diers + Thomas Diggenson + Rone Digon + Joseph Dillons + John Dillow + Benjamin Dimon + Charles Dimon + James Dimon + Robert Dingee + Elisha Dingo + John Dingo + Pierre Disaablan + Mitchael Dissell + John Diver + Victoire Divie + Christian Dixon + Christopher Dixon + Daniel Dixon + James Dixon (2) + John Dixon + Nicholas Dixon + Robert Dixon (2) + William Dixon + Etamin Dluice + John Doan + Joseph Dobbs + John Dobiee + Henry Docherty + Hugh Docherty + William Dodd (2) + James Dodge + George Doget + Matthew Doggett + Samuel Doggett (2) + Timothy Doggle + John Doherty (2) + Thomas Doherty + Josiah Dohn + Samuel Dohn + Robert Doin + Frances Doisu + John Dolbear + Elisha Dolbuy + John Dole + Elisha Doleby + Nathaniel Dolloway + Pierre Dominica + Jean Domrean + Barton Donald + Anthony Donalds + Daniel Donaldson + Mc Donalm + Solomon Donan + John Dongan + Peter C Dongue + Anthony Dongues + Benjamin Donham + Devereux Donies + George Donkin + Francis Dora + John McDora Dora + Nathaniel Dorcey + Patrick Dorgan (3) + Timothy Dorgan + Joseph Dority + Paul Paulding Dorson + Joseph Doscemer + Jay Doudney + Francis Douglas + Robert Douglass + William Douglass + Iseno Douting + Thomas Douval + James Dowdey + William Dowden + Hezekiah Dowen (2) + John Dower + Henry Dowling + Francis Downenroux + Henry Dowling + John Downey + John Downing + Peter Downing + John Dowray + James Doxbury + Peter Doyle + Murray Drabb + Thomas Drake + Jean Draullard + James Drawberry + Samuel Drawere + James Drayton + William Dredge + Abadiah Drew + John Drew (2) + Thomas Drewry + John Driver + Simeon Drown + William Drown + Jean Dubison + Tames Dublands + Thomas Dubois + Henry Dubtoe + Michael Duchaee + Archibald Ducker + Jean Duckie + Martin Ducloy + Abner Dudley + Doulram Duffey + Ezekiel Duffey + Thomas Duffield + Michael Duffin + Thomas Duffy + Jacques Duforte + Franes Dugree + Chemuel Duke + John Duke + William Duke + Isaac Dukerson + Michael Duless + Terrence Dumraven + James Dunbar + George Duncan + John Duncan + James Duncan + William Duncan + Thomas Dung + John Dunhire + John Dunison + James Dunkin + Pierre Dunkwater + Thomas Dunlope + John Dunlope + Thomas Dunlope + Archibald Dunlopp + Allan Dunlot + John Dunmerhay + Arthur Dunn + Joseph Dunn + Peter Dunn + Sylvester Dunnam + John Dunning + Peter Dunning + Thomas Dunnon + Edene Dunreas + Allen Dunslope + William Dunton + Stephen Dunwell + Ehenne Dupee + Thomas Duphane + Francis Duplessis + France Dupue + Charles Duran + Henry Duran + Lewis Duran + Glase Durand + Jacques Durant + Sylvester Durham + Israel Durphey + Jonathan J Durvana + Robert Duscasson + Anthony Duskin + Andrew Duss + William Dussell + Raoul Dutchell + James Duverick + Timothy Dwier + William Dwine + John Dwyer + Timothy Dwyer (2) + William Dwyman + Alexander Dyer + Fitch Dyer + Hat Dyer + Hubert Dyer + Jonathan Dyer + Nathan Dyer + Patrick Dyer + Robert Dyer + Roger Dyer + Samuel Dyer + + + E + + David Each + Simon Eachforsh + David Eadoe + Benjamin Earle + Isaac Earle + Lewis Earle + Pardon Earle (2) + Michael Eason + Amos Easterbrook + Charles Easterbrook + John Eaves + Joseph Ebben + John Ebbinstone + Avico Ecbeveste + Joseph Echangueid + Francis Echauegud + Amorois Echave + Lorendo Echerauid + Francis Echesevria + Ignatius Echesevria + Manuel de Echeverale + Fermin Echeuarria + Joseph Nicola Echoa + Thoman Ecley -- Edbron + Thomas Eddison + William Ede + Butler Edelin + Jessie Edgar + John Edgar + Thomas Edgar + William Edgar (2) + James Edgarton + Philip Edgarton + Doum Edmondo + Henry Edmund + John Edmund + Alexander Edwards + Charles Edwards + Daniel Edwards + Edward Edwards + Henry Edwards + James Edwards + John Edwards + Michael Edwards + Rollo Edwards + Thomas Edwards + William Edwards (2) + James Eggleston + Samuel Eggleston + James Egrant + James Ekkleston + Jonathan Elbridge + Nathan Elder + Luther Elderkin + Daniel Elderton + Aldub Eldred + Daniel Eldridge (2) + Ezra Eldridge + James Eldridge + Thomas Eldridge + William Eldridge + William Eleves + Richard Elgin + John Eli + Benjamin Elias + Benjamin Elith + James Elkins + Nicholas Ellery + Cornelius Elliott + Daniel Elliott + John Elliott + Joseph Elliott + Nathaniel Elliott + Jonathan Ellis + John Ellison (2) + Theodore Ellsworth + Stephen Elns + Nathaniel Elridge + Isaac Elwell + John Elwell + Samuel Elwell (3) + James Emanuel (2) + George Emery + Jean Emilgon + John Engrum + John Eoon + Samuel Epworth + John Erexson + Ignaus Ergua + Martin Eronte + James Esk + Walford Eskridge + Antony Esward + Anthony Eticore + Joseph Eton + Francis Eugalind + Joseph Eugalind + Nicholas Euston + Alias Evans + Pierre Evans + Francis Eveane + Lewis Eveane + Lewis Even + Peni Evena + Pierre Evena + Even Evens + William Evens + Jeremiah Everett + Ebenezer Everall + Robert Everley + George Everson + John Everson + Benjamin Eves + David Evins + John Evins + Peter Ewen + Thomas Ewell + William Ewell + Peter Ewen + Thomas Ewen + James Ewing + Thomas Ewing + Juan Vicente Expassa + Christian Eyes + + + F + + Jean Paul Fabalue + John Faber + Ashan Fairfield + Benjamin Fairfield + John Fairfield (2) + William Faithful + Henry Falam + Ephraim Falkender + George Falker + Robert Fall + Thomas Fallen + Henry Falls + Francis Fanch + Jean Fanum + John Farland + William Farmer + John Faroe + Michael Farrean + William Farrow + Thomas Fary + Henry Fatem + Jacob Faulke + Robert Fauntroy + Joseph Feebe + Martin Feller + James Fellows + Nathaniel Fellows + John Felpig + Peter Felpig + Benjamin Felt + David Felter + Thomas Fennall + Cable Fennell + John Fenton + Cable Fenwell + Joseph Ferarld + Domigo Ferbon + David Fere + Matthew Fergoe + Pierre Fermang + Noah Fernal + Francis Fernanda + Thomas Fernandis + Matthew Fernay + Ephraim Fernon + Fountain Fernray + Ehemre Ferote + Joseph Ferre + Lewis Ferret + Toseph Ferria + Kennedy Ferril + Conway Ferris + Paul Ferris + William Fester + Elisha Fettian + Manuel Fevmandez + Frederick Fiarde + John Ficket + Charles Field + John Fielding + W Fielding + William Fielding + John Fife + Edwin Fifer + Nathaniel Figg + Benjamin Files + Jean Francis Fillear + Patrick Filler + Ward Filton + John Fimsey + Bartholomew Finagan + David Finch + John Fincher + George Finer + Dennis Finesy + Francis Finley + James Finley + Dennis Finn + John Finn + Jeremiah Finner + Jonathan Finney (3) + Seth Finney + Thomas Finney + Robert Firmie + Joseph Firth + Asel Fish + Daniel Fish + Ezekiel Fish + John Fish + Nathaniel Fish (2) + John Fisham + Abraham Fisher + Archibald Fisher + Isaac Fisher + Jonathan Fisher + Nathan Fisher + Robert Fisher (3) + Simon Fisher + William Fisher (2) + William Fisk + John Fist + Solomon Fist + Ebenezer Fitch + Jedeiah Fitch + Josiah Fitch + Peter Fitch + Theopilus Fitch + Timothy Fitch + Henry Fitchett + William Fithin + Cristopher Fitts + Patrick Faroh Fitz + Edward Fitzgerald + Patrick Fitzgerald + Thomas Fleet + John Fletcher + John Fling + William Fling + John Flinn + Berry Floyd + Michael Fluort + Thomas Fogg + Francis Follard + Jonathan Follett + Stephen Follows + John Folsom + John Folston + Joseph Fomster + Louis Fongue + Daniel Foot + Samuel Foot + Zakiel Foot + John Footman + Peter Forbes + Bartholomew Ford (3) + Daniel Ford + George Ford (2) + John Ford + Philip Ford + William Ford + Benjamin Fordham + Daniel Fore + Hugh Foresyth + Vancom Forque + Matthew Forgough + George Forket + Samuel Forquer + Nathaniel Forrest + Francis Forster + Timothy Forsythe + John Fort + Anthony Fortash + Emanuel Fortaud + Tohn Fortune + Thomas Fosdick + Andrew Foster + Asa Foster + Boston Foster + Conrad Foster + Edward Foster + Ephraim Poster + Henry Foster (2) + George Foster + Jacob Foster + Jebediah Foster + Josiah Foster (2) + John Foster (6) + Nathaniel Foster + Nicholas Foster + William Foster + Ephraim Fostman + John Fouber + Francis Foubert + William Foulyer + Edward Fousler + Pruden Fouvnary + Gideon Fowler + James Fowler (2) + John Fowler (2) + Joseph Fowler + Michael Fowler + John Butler Foy + William Foy + Jared Foyer + Ebenezer Fox + William Fox (3) + Jacob Frailey (2) + Fortain Frances + John Frances + Joseph Frances + Scobud Frances + John Francis + Thomas Francis (2) + William Francis + Manuel Francisco + Jean Franco + Jean Francois + Anthony Frankie + Pernell Franklin + Christopher Franks + Michael Franks + John Frasier + Thomas Frasier + Nathaniel Frask + John F Fravers + John Fravi + William Frey + Andrew Frazer + Thomas Frazier + Pierre Freasi + Iman Frebel + William Freebal + Charles Freeman + David Freeman + Henry Freeman + Humphrey Freeman + John Freeman + Thomas Freeman (2) + Zebediah Freeman + James French + Jonathan French + Michael French + Josias Frett + John Fretto + Juban Freway + Anthony Frick + Post Friend + Shadrach Friend + James Frieris + Ebenezer Frisby + Isaac Frisby + Josiah Frith + John Frost + Joseph Frost (2) + Peter Frume + James Fry (2) + Robert Fry + Abijah Fryske + Joseph Fubre + Joseph Fuganey + Joshua Fulger + Reuben Fulger + Stephen Fulger + Benjamin Fuller + James Fuller + Joseph Fuller + Thaddeus Fuller + Thomas Fuller (2) + George Fullum + James Fulton + Thomas Fulton + Abner Furguson + Samuel Furguson + John Furse + John Fury + Iman Futter + + + G + + Eudrid Gabria + Francis Gabriel + Franes Gabriel + Hernan Gage + Isaac Gage + Matthew Gage + Stephen Gage + Jonas Gale + Joseph Galina + Andrew Gallager + John Gallard + John Gallaspie + Richard Galley + William Gallway + Anthony Gallys + James Gamband + James Gamble + Joseph Gamble + Peter Gambo + Pierre Ganart + William Gandee + William Gandel + Francis Gandway + John Gandy + Hosea Garards + Antony Gardil + Silas Gardiner + William Gardiner + Alexander Gardner (3) + Dominic Gardner + James Gardner (3) + Joseph Gardner (5) + Larry Gardner + Robert Gardner + Samuel Gardner + Silas Gardner + Thomas Gardner + Uriah Gardner + William Gardner + Dominico Gardon + John Garey + Manolet Garico + James Garish + Paul Garish + John Garland (2) + Barney Garlena + Joseph Garley + ---- Garner + Silas Garner + John Garnet + Sylvester Garnett + Isaac Garret + Michael Garret + John Garretson + Antonio Garrett + Jacques Garrett + Richard Garrett + William Garrett + Louis C. Garrier + Jacob Garrison (2) + Joseph Garrison (3) + Joseph Garrit + Thomas Garriway + Jean Garrow + Roman Garsea + William Garty + Job Gascin + Daniel Gasett + Jacob Gasker + Simon Gason (2) + Manot Gasse + John Gassers + Francis Gater + Charles Gates + Peter Gaypey + John Gault + Paul Gaur + Thomas Gaurmon + Thomas Gawner + Solomon Gay + William Gay + Charles Gayford + John Gaylor + Robert Geddes + George George (2) + George Georgean + Hooper Gerard + Riviere de Ggoslin + George Gill + John Gibbens + Edward Gibbertson + John Gibbons + Charles Gibbs (3) + John Gibbs (2) + Andrew Gibson + Benjamin Gibson + George Gibson + James Gibson + William Gibson + Stephen Giddron + Archibald Gifford + George Gilbert + Timothy Gilbert + George Gilchrist + Robert Gilchrist + John Giles + Samuel Giles (2) + Thomas Giles + William Giles + John Gill + Philip Gill + William Gill + John Gilladen + Jean B. Gillen + Richard Gilleny + William Gillespie + John Gillis + John Gillison + David Gillispie + David Gillot + Toby Gilmay + John Gilmont + Nathaniel Gilson + Thomas Gimray + Peter Ginnis + Jean Ginnow + Baptist Giraud + Joseph Girca + William Gisburn + Francis Gissia + Jean Glaied + Charles Glates + Jean Glease + Jean Gleasie + Gabriel Glenn + Thomas Glerner + William Glesson + James Gloacque + William Glorman + Edward Gloss + Michael Glosses + Daniel Gloud + Jonathan Glover + William Glover + Thomas Goat + Ebenezer Goddard + Nicholas Goddard + Thomas Goddard + Joseph Godfrey + Nathaniel Godfrey + Samuel Godfrey + Simon Godfrey + Thomas Godfrey + William Godfrey (4) + Francis Godfry + Pierre Godt + Vincent Goertin + Patrick Goff + John Going + Ebenezer Gold + John Golston + William Golston + Robert Gomer + Pierre Goodall + George Goodby + Simon Goodfrey + Eli Goodfry + Lemuel Gooding + George Goodley + Francis Goodman + Eli Goodnow + Elizer Goodrich + Jesse Goodrich + Solomon Goodrich + James Goodwick + Charles Goodwin + Daniel Goodwin + George Goodwin + Gideon Goodwin + Ozeas Goodwin + Abel Goose + James Gootman + Abel Goove + ---- Goquie + Jonathan Goram (2) + John Gord + Andrew Gordan + Andrew Gordon + James Gordon (2) + Peter Gordon + Stephen Gordon + Jesse Gore + Jonathan Goreham + James Gorham + Jonathan Gorham + Shubert Gorham + Joseph Gormia + Christian Goson + William Goss + Jean Gotea + George Gothe + Charles Gotson + Francis Goudin + Lewis Gouire + Augustus Goute + Francis Goutiere + Joseph Goveir + Sylverter Govell + George Gowell (2) + Henry Gowyall + Jean Goyear + Matthew Grace + William Grafton + Alexander Graham + Robert Graham + Samuel Graham + David Graines + Robert Grame + L. A. Granada + William Granby + Adam Grandell + Alexander Grant + Thomas Grant + William Grant + Thomas Grassing + William Gratton + Ebenezer Graub + Dingley Gray + Franes Gray + Joseph Gray (2) + James Gray + Samuel Gray + Simeon Gray + Simon Gray + William Gray + Isaac Greeman + Allen Green + Elijah Green (2) + Elisha Green + Henry Green + John Green (9) + Joseph Green (2) + Robert Green + Rufus Green + William Green (3) + Green Greenbury + Enoch Greencafe + James Greene (3) + John Greene (4) + Samuel Greene + John Greenes + Richard Greenfield + Abner Greenleaf + John Greenoth + William Greenville + Barton Greenville + Malum Greenwell + Robert Greenwold + Jacob Greenwood + David Gregory + Stephen Gregory (2) + Ebenezer Grenach + William Grennis + Ebenezer Grenyard + Samuel Grey + Charles Grier + Isaac Grier + Mather Grier + William Grierson + Moses Griffen + Alexander Griffin + Daniel Griffin + Elias Griffin + James Griffin (2) + Jasper Griffin + Joseph Griffin + Moses Griffin (2) + Peter Griffin + Rosetta Griffin + James Griffith + William Griffith + James Grig + John Griggs + Thomas Grilley + Peter Grinn + Philip Griskin + Edward Grissell + Elijah Griswold + Jotun Griswold + John Grogan + Joseph Grogan + Josiah Grose + Peter Grosper + Benjamin Gross + Michael Gross + Simon P. Gross + Tonos Gross + Peleg Grotfield + John Grothon + Andrew Grottis + Joseph Grouan + Michael Grout + Stephen Grove + Thomas Grover (2) + John Gruba + Samuel Grudge + Peter Gruin + George Grymes + John Guae + Cyrus Guan + Elisha Guarde + John Guason + John Guay + Bense Guenar + Nathaniel Gugg + Pierre Guilber + John Guilley + Peter Guin + William Guinep + Joseph Guiness + Joseph Guinet + William Gulirant + Joseph Gullion + Souran Gult + Jean Gumeuse + Antonio Gundas + Julian Gunder + William Gunnup + Jean Gunteer + Pierre Gurad + Anthony Gurdell + Franes Gusboro + George Guster + Jean Joseph Guthand + Francis Guvare + William Gwinnup + + + H + + Samuel Hacker + John Hackett + Benjamin Haddock + Caraway Hagan + Anthony de la Hage + James Haggarty + John Haglus + Ebenezer Hail + David Halbort + William Haldron + Matthew Hales + Aaron Hall + Ebenezer Hall + Isaac Hall + James Hall + John Hall (3) + Joseph Hall + London Hall + Lyman Hall + Millen Hall + Moses Hall + Nathan Hall + Samuel Hall + Spence Hall + Thomas Hall (3) + William Hall + Willis Hall + Thomas Hallahan + James Hallaughan + Benjamin Hallett (2) + James Hallett (2) + Ephraim Halley + John Halley + Joseph Halley (2) + Samuel Halley + Richard Halley + Charles Hallwell + Henry Halman + William Halsey + Moses Halton + Jesse Halts + Byron Halway + Benjamin Halwell + James Ham + Levi Ham + Reuben Hambell + William Hamber + Empsen Hamilton + Henry Hamilton (2) + John Hamilton (2) + William Hamilton (2) + Flint Hammer + Charles Hammond + Elijah Hammond + Homer Hammond + James Hammond + Joseph Hammond + Thomas Hamsby + James Hanagan + Stephen Hanagan + Henry Hance + Abraham Hancock + Samuel Hancock + Elias Hand + Elijah Hand + Gideon Hand + Joseph Hand (2) + Thomas Hand + William Hand + Levi Handy + Thomas Handy (3) + John Hanegan + Josiah Hanes + Patrick Hanes + Samuel Hanes + John Haney + Gideon Hanfield + Peter Hankley + Every Hanks + John Hannings + Hugh Hanson + James Hanwagon + Jonathan Hanwood + John Hanwright + Neil Harbert + John Harbine + Daniel Harbley + Augustus Harborough + Peter Harcourt + Jean Hard + Lewis Harden + Richard Harden + William Harden + Turner Hardin + Frances Harding + Nathaniel Harding (2) + George Hardy + James Hardy + Joseph Hardy (2) + Thomas Harens + John Harfun + Joel Hargeshonor + Jacob Hargous + Abraham Hargus + Thomas Harkasy + John Harket + Solomon Harkey + Thomas Harkins + Charles Harlin + Selden Harley + Solomon Harley + Byron Harlow + John Harman + Richard Harman + John Harmon + Joseph Harner + William Harragall + John Harragall + Lewis Harrett + Bartholomew Harrington + Daniel Harrington + Charles Harris + Edward Harris + Francis Harris + George Harris + Hugh Harris + James Harris (2) + John Harris (2) + Joseph Harris + Nathaniel Harris (2) + Robert Harris + William Harris + Charles Harrison + Elijah Harrison + Gilbert Harrison + John Harrison + William Harron + Charles Harroon + Cornelius Hart + Jacob de Hart + John Hart + Samuel Hartley + Jacob Hartman + James Hartshorne + Thomas Hartus + John Harwood + John Harvey + Peter Haselton + Michael Hashley + Philip Hashton + John Hasker + Jacob Hassa + John Hassett + John Hassey + Benjamin Hatam + Charles Hatbor + Edward Hatch + Jason Hatch + Nailor Hatch + Prince Hatch + Reuben Hatch + William Hatch + Edward Hatchway + Burton Hathaway + Jacob Hathaway + Russell Hathaway + Woolsey Hathaway + Andrew Hatt + Shadrach Hatway + Michael Haupe + Jacob Hauser + William Hawke + Jacob Hawker + John Hawker + John Hawkin + Christopher Hawkins + Jabez Hawkins + John Hawkins (2) + Thomas Hawkins + Jacob Hawstick + John Hawston + George Haybud + Benjamin Hayden + Nicholas Hayman + David Hayne + Joseph Haynes + Peter Haynes (2) + Thomas Haynes + William Haynes + David Hays + Patrick Hays + Thomas Hays + William Hays + William Haysford + Benjamin Hazard + John Hazard + Samuel Heageork + Gilbert Heart + Samuel Heart + Joseph Hearth + Charles Heath + Joseph Heath + Seren Heath + Seson Heath + Jack Hebell + Heraclus Hedges + George Heft + Edmund Helbow + Matthias Hellman + Lacy Helman + Thomas Helman + Odera Hemana + Daniel Hemdy + Jared Hemingway + Alexander Henderson + Ephraim Henderson + Joseph Henderson + Michael Henderson + Robert Henderson + William Henderson + Archibald Hendray + Robert Hengry + Leeman Henley + Butler Henry + James Henry + John Henry (3) + Joseph Henry + Michael Henry (2) + William Henry (2) + John Hensby + Patrick Hensey (2) + Enos Henumway + Dennis Henyard + Samson Herart + Thomas Herbert + Philip Herewux + Ephraim Herrick + John Herrick (2) + William Herrick + Michael Herring + William Herring + Robert Herrow + Robert Herson + Robert Hertson + Augustin Hertros + Stephen Heskils + John Hetherington + John Hewengs + Lewis Hewit + William Heysham + Diah Hibbett + John Hibell + Michael Hick + Daniel Hickey + Baptist Hicks + Benjamin Hicks + John Hicks + Isaac Higgano + George Higgins + Ichabod Higgins + Samuel Higgins + Stoutly Higgins + William Higgins (3) + Henry Highlander + John Highlenede + John Hill (2) + James Hill + Joshua Hill (2) + Thomas Hill (2) + Edward Hilley + James Hilliard + Joseph Hilliard + Nicholas Hillory + Hale Hilton + Nathaniel Hilton + Benjamin Himsley + Peter Hinch + James Hines + William Hinley + Aaron Hinman + William Hinman + Nathaniel Hinnran + Jonathan Hint + John Hirich + Christian Hiris + Samuel Hiron + John Hisburn + Nathaniel Hise + Samuel Hiskman + John Hislop + Philip Hiss + Loren Hitch + Robert Hitch + Joseph Hitchband + Edward Hitchcock + Robert Hitcher + John Hitching + Arthur Hives + Willis Hoag + Edwin Hoane + Henry Hobbs + William Hobbs + Jacob Hobby + Nathaniel Hobby + Joseph Hockless + Hugh Hodge + Hercules Hodges (2) + Benjamin Hodgkinson + Samuel Hodgson + Conrad Hoffman + Cornelius Hoffman + Roger Hogan + Stephen Hogan + Stephen Hoggan + Alexander Hogsart + Jacob Hogworthy + Ephraim Hoist + Humphrey Hoites + Lemuel Hokey + William Hold + William Holden + Thomas Holdridge + John Holland + Michael Holland + William Holland (2) + Nicholas Hollen + William Holliday + Michael Holloway + Myburn Holloway + Grandless Holly + Henry Holman + Isaac Holmes + James Holmes + Joseph Holmes + Nathaniel Holmes + Thomas Holmes (3) + George Holmstead + Charles Hole + Samuel Holt + James Home + Jacob Homer + William Homer + William Honeyman + Simon Hong + Warren Honlap + Daniel Hood (2) + Nicholas Hoogland (2) + George Hook + John Hook (2) + George Hooker + Ezekiel Hooper + John Hooper (3) + Michael Hooper (3) + Sweet Hooper + Caleb Hopkins + Christopher Hopkins + John Hopkins + Michael Hopkins + Stephen Hopkins + William Hopkins + Edward Hopper + John Hopper + Richard Hopping + Levi Hoppins + Joseph Horn (2) + Jacob Horne + John Horne + Ralph Horne + Samuel Horne + Augusta Horns + Michael Horoe + Charles Horsine + Ephraim Hort + Jean Hosea + John Hosey + Jean Hoskins + James Hottahon + Ebenezer Hough + Enos House + Seren House + Noah Hovard + Joseph Hovey + John Howe + Absalom Howard + Ebenezer Howard + John Howard + Richard Howard + Thomas Howard + William Howard (3) + James Howburn + Edward Howe + John Howe + Thomas Howe + Ebenezer Howell + Jesse Howell + Jonathan Howell + John Howell + Luke Howell + Michael Howell + Thomas Howell + Waller Howell + William Howell + Daniel Howland + Joseph Howman + Benjamin Hoyde + Dolphin Hubbard + Jacob Hubbard + James Hubbard + Joel Hubbard + Moses Hubbard + William Hubbard + Abel Hubbell + William Huddle + John Hudman + Fawrons Hudson + John Hudson + Phineas Hudson + John Huet + Conrad Huffman + Stephen Huggand + John Huggins + Abraham Hughes + Felix Hughes + Greenberry Hughes + Greenord Hughes + Jesse Hughes + John Hughes + Peter Hughes + Thomas Hughes + Pierre Hujuon + Richard Humphrey + Clement Humphries + W W Humphries + Ephraim Hunn + Cephas Hunt + John Hunt (2) + Robert Hunt + Alexander Hunter + Ezekiel Hunter + George Hunter + Robert Hunter + Turtle Hunter + Rechariah Hunter + Elisha Huntington + Joseph Harand + Benjamin Hurd + Joseph Hurd + Simon Hurd + Asa Hurlbut + George Husband + John Husband + Negro Huson + Charles Huss + Isaac Huss + Jesse Hussey + James Huston + Zechariah Hutchins + Esau Hutchinson + John Hutchison + Abraham Smith Hyde + Vincent Hyer + + + I + + Joseph Ignacis + Ivede Sousis Illiumbe + Benjamin Indecot + Isaac Indegon + John Ingersall + Henry Ingersoll (2) + John Ingraham + Joseph Ingraham + Joshua Ingraham + Philip Ignissita + Joseph Irasetto + David Ireland + James Ireland + Joseph Ireland + Michael Irvin + George Irwin + Michael Irwin + Isaac Isaacs + George Ismay + Gospar Israel + James Ivans + John Ivington + Francis D Izoguirre + + + J + + Michael Jacen + Black Jack + John Jack (2) + John Jacks (2) + Frederick Jacks (2) + George Jacks (2) + Henry Jacks + John Jacks + John Jackson + James Jackson + Josiah Jackson + Nathaniel Jackson + Peter Jackson + Robert Jackson + Jean Jacobs + Bella Jacobs + Joseph Jacobs + Wilson Jacobs + Andrew Jacobus + Guitman Jacques + Guitner Jacques + Lewis Jacques + Peter Jadan + John Jaikes + Benjamin James + John James (2) + Ryan James + William James + Daniel Jamison + Josiah Janes + Jean Jardin + Francis Jarnan + Edward Jarvis + Petuna Jarvis + Negro Jask + John Jassey + Francis Jatiel + Clement Jean + Joseph Jean + William Jean + Benjamin Jeanesary + Roswell Jeffers + Samuel Jeffers + James Jeffrey + John Jeffries + Joseph Jeffries + Philip Jeffries + George Jemrey + Pierre Jengoux + David Jenkin + Enoch Jenkins + George Jenkins + Solomon Jenkins + George Jenney + John Jenney + Langdon Jenney + Langhorn Jenney + Nathaniel Jennings + Thomas Jennings + William Jennings + John Jenny + Langhorn Jenny + Frances Jerun + Abel Jesbank + Oliver Jethsam + Germain Jeune + Silas Jiles + Nathan Jinks + Moses Jinney + Verd Joamra + Manuel Joaquire + Robert Job + ---- Joe + Thomas Joel + Elias Johnson (2) + Francis Johnson + George Johnson + James Johnson (3) + John Johnson (3) + Joseph Johnson + Major Johnson + Samuel Johnson + Stephen Johnson + William Johnson (8) + Ebenezer Johnston + Edward Johnston + George Johnston + John Johnston (2) + Joseph Johnston + Major Johnston + Michael Johnston + Miller Johnston + Paul Johnston + Peter Johnston + Robert Johnston (3) + Samuel Johnston + Simon Johnston + Stephen Johnston + William Johnston (8) + William B. Johnston + James Johnstone + John Joie + Thomas Joil + Adam Jolt + ---- Joan + Benjamin Jonas + Abraham Jones + Alexander Jones + Benjamin Jones (3) + Beal Jones + Clayton Jones + Darl Jones + Edward Jones (2) + James Jones + Jib Jones + John Jones (7) + Thomas Jones (2) + Richard Jones (2) + Samuel Jones (3) + William Jones (10) + Jean Jordan + John Jordan + Philip Jordan + Nicholas Jordon (2) + Anthony Joseph + Antonio Joseph + Emanuel Joseph + Thomas Joseph + William Joslitt + Antonio Jouest + Thomas Joulet + Jean Jourdana + Mousa Jousegh + Jean Jowe + Thomas Jowe + Curtis Joy + Josiah Joy + Peter Joy (2) + Samuel Joy + Samuel Joyce + Conrad Joycelin + Randon Jucba + Manuel Joseph Jucerria + Peter Julian + Henry Junas + Henry Junus (2) + Jacques Jurdant + George Juster + Samuel Justice + Simeon Justive + George Justus + Philip Justus + + + K + + Mark Kadoody + Jonn Kam + Lewis Kale + Barney Kane + Edward Kane + John Kane + Patrick Kane + Thomas Kane + Sprague Kean + Thomas Kean + Nathaniel Keard + William Keary + Tuson Keath + Daniel Keaton + Samuel Kelbey + Samuel Kelby + John Keller + Abner Kelley + John Kelley (5) + Michael Kelley (2) + Oliver Kelley + Patrick Kelley + Samuel Kelley + William Kelley + Roy Kellrey + Abner Kelly (2) + Hugh Kelly + James Kelly + John Kelly + Roger Kelly + Seth Kelly + Timothy Kelly + Nehemiah Kelivan + Olgas Kilter + William Kemplin + Simon Kenim + Charles Kenneday + James Kenneday + Jonathan Kenneday + Nathaniel Kenneday + Robert Kenneday (2) + Thomas Kenneday + William Kenneday (2) + David Kennedy + James Kennedy + John Kenney (2) + William Kensey + Elisha Kenyon + Joson Ker + John Kerril + William Kersey (2) + Edward Ketcham + Samuel Ketcham + William Keyborn + Anthony Keys + John Keys + Michael Keys + Jean Kiblano + James Kickson + George Kidd + John Kidd + James Kidney + Manuel Kidtona + Thomas Kilbourne + John Kilby + Lewis Kildare + John Kilfundy + Samuel Killen + William Killenhouse + Samuel Killer + Charles Killis + Gustavus Killman + Daniel Kilray + John Kilts + Nathaniel Kimberell + Charles King + Gilbert King + Jonathan King + John King (4) + Joseph King (4) + Michael King + Richard King + William King + Nathaniel Kingsbury + William Kingsley + Samuel Kinney + Josiah Kinsland + Benjamin Kinsman + Charles Kirby + John Kirk + William Kirk + Jacob Kisler + Edward Kitchen + John Kitler + Ebenezer Knapp + James Knapp + Benjamin Knight (2) + Job Knight + Reuben Knight + Thomas Knight (2) + James Knowles (2) + Nathaniel Knowles + James Knowls + Edward Knowlton + William Knowlton + Jeremiah Knox (2) + John Knox + Ezekiel Kuthoopen + Louis Kyer + + + L + + Basil Laban + Pierre Labon + Francois Labone + Deman Labordas + Fortne Laborde + Frederick Laborde + Anton Laca + Michael La Casawyne + John Lack + Christopher Lacon + Oliver Lacope + Guilham La Coque + Anthony Lafart + Dennis Lafferty + Pierre La Fille + Anthony Lagarvet + Jeff Laggolf + Samuel Laighton + Thomas Laigue + Peter Lain + Christopher Laird (3) + John Laird (2) + Simon Lake + Thomas Lake + Nathan Lakeman + Thomas Laley + Samson Lalley + John Lalour + David Lamb + William Lamb + Pierre Lambert + Richard Lambert (2) + Cayelland Lambra + Thomas Lambuda + Evena Lame + Thomas Lame + Jean Lameari + Michael Lameova + Alexander Lamere (2) + Roque Lamie + Henry Land + Stephen Landart + George Landon + Peter Landon + William Lane + John Langdon + Jonathan Langer + Darius Langford + William Langford + John Langler + Obadiah Langley + Thomas Langley (2) + James Langlord + Joseph Langola + Andrew Langolle + Thomas Langstaff + Franes Langum + Francois Lan Hubere + Samuel Lanman + Nicholas Lanmand + William Lanvath + David Lapham + Bundirk Laplaine + Joseph La Plan + James Lapthorn + Pierre Laquise + Francis Larada + Matthew La Raison + Charles Larbys + Thomas Larkin + James Larkins + Gillian Laroache + Bundirk Larplairne + Pierre Larquan + Benjamin Larrick + Lewis Larsolan + Guillemot Lascope + Julian Lascope + Joseph Laselieve + John Lasheity + William Lasken + Jachery Lasoca + David Lassan + Michael Lassly + Pierre Lastio + David Latham + Edward Latham + James Latham + Thomas Latham + Elisha Lathrop + John Lathrop + Hezekiah Lathrop + Solomon Lathrop + James Latover + Lorenzo Lattam + Peter Lattimer + Thomas Lattimer + William Lattimer + William Lattimore + Frederick Lasker + William Lathmore + Samuel Laura + John Laureny + Homer Laury + Michael Lased + Daniel Lavet + Pierre Lavigne + Michael Lavona + Ezekiel Law (2) + John Law + Richard Law + Thomas Law + Michael Lawbridge + Thomas Lawrance + Antonio Lawrence + Isaac Lawrence + James Lawrence + John Lawrence (2) + Joseph Lawrence + Michael Lawrence + Robert Lawrence + Samuel Lawrence (3) + Thomas Lawrence + William Lawrence (2) + John Lawrie + Andrew Lawson + Joseph Lawson + Joseph Lawton + Edward Lay + Lenolen Layfield + William Layne + John Layons + Colsie Layton + Jessie Layton + Anthonv Layzar + Ezekiel Leach + Thomas Leach (3) + William Leach + William Leachs + John Leafeat + Cornelius Leary + John Leasear + John Leatherby + Louis Leblanc + Philip Le Caq + William Le Cose + Baptist Le Cour + Benjamin Lecraft + Joseph Lecree + Aaron Lee + Adam Lee + David Lee + Henry Lee + James Lee + John Lee + Josiah Lee + Peter Lee + Richard Lee (3) + Stephen Lee + Thomas Lee (3) + James Leech + John Leech (2) + George Leechman + Jack Leeme + Joseph Leera + Jean Lefant + ---- Le Fargue + Michael Lefen + Samuel Le Fever + Nathaniel Le Fevere + Alexander Le Fongue + Jean Le Ford + Hezekiah Legrange + Thomas Legrange + Joseph Legro + Samuel Legro + George Lehman + Gerge Lehman + George Leish + Jacob Lelande + Jeremiah Leman + John Lemee + Rothe Lemee + Abraham Lemon + Peter Lernonas + Pierre Lemons + John Lemont + Powell Lemosk + John Lemot + James Lenard + Joseph Lenard + John Lenham + Tuft Lenock + Joseph Lenoze + John Leonard + Simon Leonard + Louis Le Pach + Joshua Le Poore + Pierre Le Port + Francis Lepord + Pierre Lepord + Pierre Lerandier + Jean Le Rean + Joseph Peccanti Lescimia + John Lessington + John Lessell + Christian Lester + Henry Lester + Lion Lesteren + Ezekiel Letts (2) + James Leuard + Anthony Levanden + Thomas Leverett + John Leversey + Joseph Levett + Nathaniel Levi + Bineva Levzie + Jean Baptiste Leynac + Nicholas L'Herox + Pierre Liar + John Lidman + George Lichmond + Charles Liekerada + Charles Liekeradan + Louis Light + John Lightwell + Homer Ligond + Joseph Lilihorn + Jonathan Lillabridge + Joseph Lillehorn + Thomas Lilliabridge + Armistead Lillie + John Lilling + John Limberick + Christopher Limbourne (2) + Lewis Lincoln + Samuel Lindsay + James Lindsey + Matthew Lindsley + William Lindsley + Lamb Lines + Charles Linn + Lewis Linot + Richard Linthorn + Nicholas Linva + Samuel Linzey + William Linzey + Jesse Lipp + Henry Lisby + Francis Little + George Little + John Little (3) + Philip Little + Thomas Little + Thomas Littlejohn + William Littleton + Thomas Livet + Licomi Lizarn + James Lloyd + Simon Lloyd + William Lloyd + Lones Lochare + John Logan + Patrick Logard + Eve Logoff + Samuel Lombard + John London + Richard London + Adam Lone + Christian Long + Enoch Long + Jeremiah Long + William Long + Martin Longue + Emanuel Loper + Joseph Lopez + Daniel Loran + John Lorand + Nathaniel Lord + William Loreman + Francis Loring + John Lort + Thomas Lorton + Jean Lossett + William Lott + David Louis + John Love (2) + Stephen Love + Thomas Love + John Loveberry + William Loverin + James Lovett + Thomas Lovett (2) + James Low + William Low + John Lowe + Abner Lowell (2) + Israel Lowell + Jonathan Lowell + John Lowering + Jacob Lowerre + Robert Lowerre (2) + Robert Lowerry + John Lowery + Philip Lowett + John Lowring + Pierre Lozalie + Jacques Lubard + James Lucas + Lucian Lucas + Jean Lucie + William Lucker + William Luckey (2) + W. Ludds + Samuel Luder + David Ludwith + Peter Lumbard + Francois Lumbrick + Joseph Lunt (3) + Skipper Lunt + Philip Lute + Nehemiah Luther + Reuben Luther + Benjamin Luyster + Augustin Luzard + Alexander Lyelar + Charles Lyle + Witsby Linbick + Jean Lynton + Peter Lyon + Samuel Lyon + Archibald Lyons + Daniel Lyons + Ephraim Lyons + Ezekiel Lyons + Jonathan Lyons + Samuel Lyons + + + M + + Jean Franco Mabugera + John Macay + Nicholas McCant + John Mace + Anthony Macguire + Pierre Marker + William Macgneol + Romulus Mackroy + John Madding (2) + Peter Madding + Peter Maggot + John Maginon + Stringe Mahlan + Peter Mahrin + Jean Maikser + William Main + Joseph Mainwright + Simon Majo + Pierre Malaque + John Maleon + Lewis Malcom + Maurice Malcom + John Male + William Malen + Francis Maler + Matthew Malkellan + Enoch Mall + Daniel Malleby + Thomas Malleby + Frederick Malleneux + John Mallet + Daniel Mallory + John Malone + Paul Malory + Thomas Makend + Nathaniel Mamford + ---- Mamney + Peter Manaford + Josiah Manars + John Manchester + Silas Manchester + Thaddeus Manchester + Edward Mand + Edward Manda + Jonathan Mandevineur + Sylvester Manein + Pierre Maneit + Etien Manett + George Manett + George Mangoose + John Manhee + William Manilla + Anthony Mankan + Jacob Manlore + William Manlove + John Manly + James Mann + John Manor + Isaac Mans + Benjamin Mansfield + Hemas Mansfield + William Mansfield + Joseph Mantsea + Jonathan Maples + Jean Mapson + Auree Marand + ---- Marbinnea + Mary Marblyn + Etom Marcais + James Marcey + Jean Margabta + Jean Marguie + Timothy Mariarty + John Mariner (2) + Hercules Mariner (2) + Elias Markham + Thomas Marle + James Marley + Jean Marlgan + Francis Marmilla + David Marney + James Marriott + Zachary Marrall + William Marran + James Marriott + Alexander Marse + Jarnes Marsh + Benjamin Marshall + James Marshall + John Marshall + Joseph Marshall + Samuel Marshall + Thomas Marshall + Timothy Marson + Thomas Marston + Adam Martellus + Antonio Marti + Ananias Martin + Damon Martin + Daniel Martin + Daniel F. Martin + Emanuel Martin + Embey Martin + Francis Martin + George Martin + Gilow Martin + Jacob Martin + James Martin + Jesse Martin + John Martin (4) + Joseph Martin (3) + Lewis Martin + Martin Martin + Michael Martin + Peter Martin + Philip Martin + Samuel Martin (2) + Simon Martin + Thomas Martin (2) + William Martin (3) + Jose Martine (2) + Thomas Martine + Pierre Martinett + Philip Marting + Martin Martins + Oliver Marton + John Marton + Baptist Marvellon + Anthony Marwin + Andrew Masar + Thomas Mash + Matthew Maskillon + Thomas Masley + Jean Maso + Augustus Mason + Francis Mason + Gerard B. Mason + Halbert Mason + James Mason + Louis Mason + Charles Massaa + James Massey + James Maston + Pierre Mathamice + James Mathes + Jeffrey Mathews + John Mathews + Joseph Mathews (2) + Josiah Mathews + Richard Mathews (2) + Robert Mathews + Thomas Mathews + William Mathews (2) + Thomas Mathewson + Robert Mathias + Joseph Matre + James Matson + William Matterga + George Matthews + Joseph Matthews + Josiah Matthews + Richard Matthias + Thomas Maun + James Maurice + John Mawdole + Patrick Maxfield + Daniel Maxwell + David Maxwell + George Maxwell + James Maxwell (6) + John Maxwell (3) + William Maxwell (5) + George May + John Maye (3) + John Maygehan + Pierre Maywer (3) + Parick McAllister + Charles McArthur + John McArthur + Peter McCalpan + Nathaniel McCampsey + William McCanery + Edward McCann + Daniel McCape (2) + Andrew McCarty + Cornelius McCarty + William McCarty + John M. McCash + Francis McClain + James McClanagan + Daniel McClary + Henry McCleaf + Patrick McClemens + John McClesh + Patrick McCloskey + Murphy McCloud + Peter McCloud + James McClure + William McClure + Johnston McCollister + James McComb + Paul McCome + James McConnell + Hugh McCormac + James McCormick + William McCowan + Donald McCoy + George McCoy + Peter McCoy + Samuel McCoy + John McCrady + Gilbert McCray + John McCray + Roderick McCrea + Patrick McCuila + Francis McCullam + William McCullock + Daniel McCullough + William McCullough + Patrick McCullum + Caleb McCully + Archibald McCunn + James McDaniel (3) + John McDaniel + John McDavid + William McDermott + Alexander McDonald + Donald McDonald + John McDonald + Petre McDonald + William McDonald (2) + Patrick McDonough (2) + William McDougall + Ebenezer McEntire + John McEvan + John McFaggins + James McFall + Bradford McFarlan + Daniel McFarland + William McFarland (2) + Bradford McFarling + Bushford McFarling + John McFamon + William McGandy + John McGee (2) + Andrew McGelpin (3) + James McGeer + John McGey (3) + Arthur McGill + James McGill + Henry McGinness + James McGinniss + John McGoggin + Robert McGonnegray + James McGowan + John McGoy + Barnaby McHenry + Duncan Mclntire + Patrick McKay + Matthew McKellum + Barnaby McKenry + John McKensie + Thomas McKeon + Patrick McKey + James McKinney (2) + John McKinsey + George McKinsle + William McKinsley + Benjamin McLachlan + Edward McLain + Lewis McLain + Philip McLaughlin + Daniel McLayne + James McMichael + Philip McMonough + Francis McName + John McNauch + Archibald McNeal + John McNeal + James McNeil + William McNeil + John McNish + Molcolm McPherman + William McQueen + Charles McQuillian + Samuel McWaters + Samuel Mecury + John Medaff + John Mede + Joshua Medisabel + Joseph Meack + John Meak + Usell Meechen + Abraham Meek + Joseph Meek + Timothy Meek + John Mego + Springale Meins + William Melch + Joseph Mellins + Harvey Mellville + William Melone + Adam Meltward + George Melvin + Lewis Meneal + John Menelick + Jean Baptist Menlich + William Mellwood + John Mercaten + James Mercer + Robert Mercer (2) + Jean Merchant (2) + John Merchant + Peter Merchant + William Merchant + John Merchaud + Sylvester Mercy + Bistin Mereff + Jean Meritwell + Francis Merlin + John Merlin + Augustus Merrick + John Merrick + Joseph Merrick + Samuel Merrick + Nimrod Merrill + John Merritt + John Merry + John Mersean + Clifton Merser + John Mersey + Abner Mersick + William Messdone + Thomas Messell + George Messingburg + George Messmong + Thomas Metsard + Job Meyrick + Roger Mickey + Thomas Migill + James Migley + Jean Milcher + John Miles (2) + Segur Miles + Thomas Miles + Timothy Miles + George Mildred + James Millbown + Robert Millburn + John Millen + Christopher Miller + David Miller + Ebenezer Miller + Elijah Miller (2) + George Miller + Jacob Miller + John Miller (3) + John James Miller + Jonathan Miller + Michael Miller + Peter Miller + Samuel Miller (2) + William Miller (2) + Maurice Millet + Thomas Millet + Francis Mills + John Mills (2) + William Mills + Dirk Miners + John Mink + Renard Mink + Lawrence Minnharm + Arnold Minow + Kiele Mires + Koel Mires + Anthony Mitchell + Benjamin Mitchell + James Mitchell + Jean Mitchell + John Mitchell (2) + Joseph Mitchell + David P. Mite + Elijah Mix + Joseph Mix + Paul Mix + James Moet + William Moffat + David Moffet + Emanuel Moguera + Peter Moizan + Joseph Molisan + Alexander Molla + Mark Mollian + Ethkin Mollinas + Bartholomew Molling + Daniel Mollond + James Molloy + John Molny + Gilman Molose + Enoch Molton + George Molton + Isaac Money + Perry Mongender + William Monrass + James Monro + Abraham Monroe + John Monroe + Thomas Monroe + David Montague + Norman Montague + William Montague + Lewis Montaire + Matthew Morgan + Francis Montesdague + George Montgomery (2) + James Montgomery (3) + John Montgomery (2) + James Moody + Silas Moody + Hugh Mooney + Abraham Moore (2) + Adam Moore + Frederick Moore + Henry Moore + Israel Moore + James Moore + John Moore (2) + Joseph Moore + Nathaniel Moore + Patrick Moore + Ralph Moore + Richard Moore + Samuel Moore + Stephen Moore + Thomas Moore (6) + Wardman Moore + William Moore (6) + Charles Moosey + John Mooton + Acri Morana + John Morant + Adam Morare + John Baptist Moraw + W. Morce + Gilmot Morea + Toby Morean + Joseph Morehand + Abel Morehouse (2) + Grosseo Moreo + Jonathan Morey + Lewis Morey + Louis Morey + Abel Morgan + Henry Morgan + John Morgan (3) + Joseph Morgan + Matthew Morgan + John Moride + Edward Moritz + William Morein + James Morley + John Morrell + Osborne Morrell + Robert Morrell (3) + Francis Morrice + Andrew Morris (2) + Daniel Morris + David Morris + Easins Morris + Edward Morris + Foster Morris + Gouverneur Morris + John Morris (3) + Matthew Morris + Philip Morris + Robert Morris + W Morris + William Morris + Hugh Morrisin + James Morrison + Murdock Morrison + Norman Morrison + Samuel Morrison + Richard Morse + Sheren Morselander + William Morselander + Benjamin Mortimer + Robert Mortimer (2) + Abner Morton (2) + George Morton + James Morton + Philip Morton (2) + Robert Morton + Samuel Morton + Philip Mortong + Simon Morzin + Negro Moses + Daniel Mosiah + Sharon Moslander + William Moslander + John Moss (2) + Alexander Motley + William Motley + Elkinar Mothe + Enoch Motion + Benjamin Motte + Francis Moucan + Jean Moucan + George Moulton + John Moulton + Richard Mount + John Muanbet + Hezekiah Muck + Jacob Muckleroy + Philip Muckleroy (2) + Jacob Mullen + Eleme Mullent + Jean Muller + Leonard Muller + Robert Muller + Abraham Mullet + Jonathan Mullin + Leonard Mullin + Jonathan Mullin + Robert Mullin + William Mullin + Edward Mulloy (2) + Francis Mulloy + Richard Mumford + Timothy Mumford + Michael Mungen + John Mungon + John Munro + Henry Munrow + Royal Munrow + Thomas Munthbowk + Hosea Munul + James Murdock (2) + John Murdock + Peter Murlow + Daniel Murphy (2) + John Murphy + Nicholas Murphy + Patrick Murphy + Thomas Murphy (2) + Bryan Murray + Charles Murray + Daniel Murray (2) + John Murray (4) + Silas Murray + Thomas Murray + William Murray + Antonio Murria (2) + David Murrow + John Murrow + Samuel Murrow + Adam Murtilus + Richard Murus + Antonio Musqui + Ebenezer Mutter + Jean Myatt + Adam Myers (2) + George Myles + Henry Myres + + + N + + Ebenezer Nabb + Dippen Nack + Archibald Nailer + Thomas Nandiva + Hosea Nandus + Richard Nash + Jean Natalt + Benjamin Nathan + Joseph Nathan + John Nathey (2) + Nathaniel Naval + Simon Navane + Francis Navas + Pierre Navey + David Neal (2) + George Neal + William Nealson + Ebenezer Neating + Gideon Necar + Joseph Negbel + Michael Negg + John Negis + James Neglee + Frank Negroe + James Negroe + James Negus + Thomas Negus + Abraham Neilson + Alexander Neilson + James Neilson + Joseph Neilson + Alexander Nelson + Andrew Nelson + John Nelson (2) + Joseph Nelson + Thomas Nelson (2) + William Nelson + Thomas Nesbitt + Bartholomew Nestora + Francis Neville + Jean Neville + Michael Neville + Ebenezer Newall + Sucreason Newall + William Neward + Elisha Newbury + Andrew Newcomb + John Newcomb + Andrew Newell + Amos Newell + Joseph Newell + Nathaniel Newell + Robert Newell + Nicholas Newgal + Joseph Newhall + Joseph Newille + Francis Newman + Moses Newman + Nathaniel Newman + Samuel Newman + Thomas Newman (4) + Adam Newton (2) + John Newton + William Newton + Adam Newtown + William Newtown + John Niester + James Nigley + Richard Nich + Thomas Nicher + Martin Nichets + Richard Nicholas + Allen Nichols + George Nichols + James Nichols + John Nichols + Richard Nichols + Alexander Nicholson + George Nicholson + Samuel Nicholson + Thomas Nicholson + George Nicks + Gideon Nigh + William Nightingale + James Nigley + Frank Niles + Robert Nixon + Jean Noblat + Arnox Noble + James Noble + John Mary Noblet + John Nocker + William Noel + William Nore + John Norfleet + Proper Norgand + John Norie + James Norman + John Norman + Joseph Norman + Peter Norman + Joseph Normay + Henry Norris + Anfield North + Daniel Northron + Harris Northrup + William Northrup + Elijah Norton + Jacob Norton + John Norton (3) + Nicholas Norton + Peter Norton + William Norton + Jacques Norva (2) + William Nourse + Nathaniel Nowell + Joseph Noyes + William Nurse + Pierre Nutern + David Nutter (2) + Joseph Nutter + John Nuttin (2) + Ebenezer Nutting + Robert Nyles + + + O + + Charles Oakford + Solomon Oakley + John Oakman + Israel Oat + Joseph Oates + John Obey (2) + Cornelius O'Brien + Edward O'Brien + John O'Brien + William O'Bryan + Daniel Obourne + Samuel Oderon + Samuel Odiron + Pierre Ogee + John Ogillon + Richard Ogner + Patrick O'Hara + Robert O'Hara + Patrick O'Harra + Daniel Olbro + George Oldham + John Oldsmith + Raymond O'Larra + Devoe Olaya + Zebulon Olaya + Don R. Antonio Olive + Anthony Oliver + James Oliver (5) + Zebulon Oliver + Ebenezer Onsware + Allan Ord + John Ord + John Orgall + Sebastian Orman + Edward Ormunde + William Orr + John Orrock + Emanuel Orseat + Patrick Orsley + John Osborn + Joseph Osbourne + John Oseglass + Stephen Osena + John Osgood + Gabriel Oshire + Jean Oshire + Louis Oshire + John Osman + Henry Oswald + Gregorian Othes + Andre Otine (2) + Samuel Otis + Benjamin Otter + John Oubler + Charles Ousanon + Samuel Ousey + William Ousey + Jay Outon + John Outton + Jonathan Ovans + Samuel Ovell + Vincent Overatt + Samuel Overgorm + Lewis Owal + John Owen + Anthony Owens + Archibald Owens + Barnick Owens + James Owens + John Owens + Samuel Owens + + + P + + Jean Packet + Abel Paddock + Joseph Paddock + Silas Paddock + Daniel Paddock + Journey Padouan + B. Pain + Jacob Painter + Henry Painter + John Palicut + Daniel Palmer + Elisha Palmer + Gay Palmer + George Palmer + James Palmer + John Palmer + Jonas Palmer + Joshua Palmer + Lemuel Palmer + Matthew Palmer + Moses Palmer + Philip Palmer + William Palmer (4) + Peter Palot + Moses Palot + Nicholas Pamphillion + Emea Panier + Anthony Panks + Joseph Parde + Christopher Pardindes + Jacob Pardley + John Parish + George Park + John Parkard + Thomas Parkard + George L. Parke + Joseph Parkens + Amos Parker + Ebenezer Parker + Edward Parker + George Parker (2) + John Parker (4) + Luther Parker (2) + Peter Parker + Samuel Parker (2) + Thaddeus Parker + Timothy Parker + George Parks + Richard Parks + Thomas Parkson + Joseph Parlot + Thomas Parnell + Jean Parol + Sebastian Parong + Dominick Parpot + Gabriel Parrie + Francis Parshall + James Parsons (3) + Jeremiah Parsons + John Parsons + Joseph Parsons + Samuel Parsons + Stephen Parsons + William Parsons (2) + James Partridge + Roman Pascan + Edmund Paschal + Leroy Pasehall + Richard Pass + William Pass + Israel Patch + Joseph Patrick + David Patridge + Edward Patterson + Hance Patterson + John Patterson (2) + Peter Patterson + W. Patterson + William Patterson + William Paul + Pierre Payatt + James Payne + Josiah Payne + Oliver Payne + Thomas Payne (3) + William Payne (2) + William Payton + John Peacock + Benjamin Peade + Benjamin Peal + Samuel Pealer + William Peals + John Pear + Amos Pearce + Benjamin Pearce + John Pearce + Jonathan Pearce + Edward Pearsol + John Pearson + George Peasood + Elisha Pease + Estrant Pease + Guliel Pechin + Andrew Peck (2) + Benjamin Peck + James Peck + Joseph Peck (2) + Simon Peck + William Peck + Benjamin Pecke + Gardner Peckham + John Peckworth + Zachary Peddlefoot + Solomon Pedgore + Edward Pedlock + Alexander Pees + John Pees + Silas Pegget + Jean Pegit + John Pelit + Pierre Pelit + Samuel Pell + Sebastian Pelle + Jacques Peloneuse + ---- Pelrice + Gothard Pelrice + John Pelvert + Amos Pemberton (2) + Thomas Pemberton + William Pemberton + John Pendleton + Sylvester Pendleton (2) + ---- Penfield + Peter Penoy + James Penwell + John Baptist Peomond + Alfred Peose + Michael Pepper + Thomas Perall + James Peril + Charles Perinell + Peter Perieu + Charles Perkinell + Charles Perkmell + Jabez Perkins + Jonathan Perkins + Joseph Perkins + William Perkins + Antonio Permanouf + Peter Perons + Peter Perora + Pierre Perout + John Perry + Joseph Perry + Raymond Perry + Richard Perry + William Perry (7) + Manuel Person + Jabez Pervis + Jean Peshire + John Peterkin (2) + Francis Peters + John Peters (2) + Aaron Peterson + Hance Peterson + Joseph Peterson (2) + James Petre + William Pett + Daniel Pettis + Ephraim Pettis + Nathan Pettis + Isaac Pettit + Joseph Antonio Pezes + Thomas Philbrook + John Philip (2) + Joseph Philip + Lewis Philip + Pierre Philip + John Philips + Lewin Philips + Nathan Philips + Thomas Philips + Edward Phillips + John Phillips (2) + Samuel Phillips + James Phimmer + Joseph Phipise + Nathaniel Phippin + Thomas Phippin + Jean Picher + Juan Picko + Pierre Pickolet + Richard Pierce (2) + Stephen Pierce + Jeremiah Pierel + Jean Pierre + Jesse Pierre + Jucah Pierre + Joseph Pierson + Amos Pike + John Pike + George Pill + Joseph Pillion + Truston Pilsbury + John Pimelton + Simeon Pimelton + James Pine (2) + Charles Pinkel + Jonathan Pinkman + Robert Pinkman + Augustus Pion + Henry Pipon + Jean Pisung + Elias Pitchcock + Sele Pitkins + John Pitman + Jonathan Pitman (2) + Thomas Pitt + John Pittman + W. Pitts + Nathaniel Plachores + Elton Planet + Etena Planett + John Platte + William Plemate + Francis Plenty + John Ploughman + Thomas Plunkett + James Plumer + John Plumstead + Thomas Plunkett + Motthew Poble + Henry Pogan + Daniel Poges + Salvador Pogsin + Michael Poinchet + Gilman Poirant + William Poke + John Poland + John Pollard + Peter Pollard + Jonathas Pollin + Elham Poloski + Samuel Polse + William Polse + Charles Pond + Pennell Pond + Peter Pond + Culman Poni + Fancis Ponsard + Hosea Pontar + Joseph Pontesty + Robert Pool + David Poole + Hosea Poole + John Poole + Richard Poole + Robert Poole + Morris Poor + Thomas Poor + Henry Poore + Morris Poore + William Poore + Alexander Pope + John Pope + Etienne Porlacu + Nathaniel Porson + Anthony Port + Charles Porter (3) + David Porter (3) + Edward Porter + Frederick Porter + Howard Porter + John Porter (2) + Thomas Porter + William Porter + Frank Portois + Seren Poseter + Jeremiah Post + Jean Postian + Edward Posture + Thomas Posture + Thomas Poteer + Abijah Potter + Charles Potter + Ephraim Potter + Rufus Potter + Mark Pouchett + Jean Poullain + Mark B Poullam + William Powder + John Powell + Thomas Powell + William Powder + Patrick Power + Richard Powers + Stephen Powers + Nicholas Prande (2) + Benjamin Prate + James Prate + Ebenezer Pratt + Ezra Pratt (2) + Andre Preno + Nathaniel Prentiss + Robert Prentiss + Stanton Prentiss + Andrew Presson + Isaac Presson + Benjamin Prettyman + John Pribble (2) + Edward Price (2) + Joseph Price + Nathaniel Price + Reason Price (2) + Richard Price + Samuel Price + William Price + John Prichard + Jonathan Pride + William Priel + Henry Primm + Edward Primus + Charles Prince + Negro Prince + Nicholas Priston + James Proby + James Proctor + Joseph Proctor + Samuel Proctor + Claud Provost + Paul Provost + John Proud (2) + Joseph Proud + Joseph Prought + Lewis de Pue + James Pullet + Pierre Punce + Peter Purlett + William Purnell + Edward Pursell + Abraham Putnam + Creece Putnam + + + Q + + James Quality (3) + Joseph Quality + Josiah Quality + Samuel Quamer + Thomas Quand + Louis Quelgrise + Duncan Quigg (2) + James Quinch + Samuel Quinn + Charles Quiot + Samuel Quomer + + + R + + Thomas Race + Antonio Rackalong + Patrick Rafferty + Daniel Raiden + Michael Raingul + Richard Rainham + Thomas Rainiot + George Rambert + Peter Ramlies + Joseph Ramsdale + Abner Ramsden + Jean C. Ran + Benjamin Randall + Charles Randall + Edward Randall + Jesse Randall + Joseph Randall + Nathaniel Randall (2) + Thomas Randall + William Randall (2) + Dolly Randel + Paul Randell + Joseph Randell (2) + Joses Randell + George Randell + Paul Randell + George Randels + Nathaniel Randol + Jean Baptiste Rano + Benjamin Ranshaw + James Rant + Norman Rathbun + Roger Rathbun + Peter Rathburn + Samuel Rathburn + Rogers Rathburne + Peter Rattan + Arthur Rawson + Francis Rawson + James Rawson + Alexander Ray + John Ray + Nathaniel Ray + Nathaniel Raye + George Raymond + James Raymond + William Raymond + William Raymons + Jean Raynor + Benjamin Read + Oliver Reade + Jeremiah Reardon + Lewis Recour + John Red + James Redfield + Edward Redick + Benjamin Redman + Andre Read + Barnard Reed + Christian Reed + Curtis Reed + Eliphaz Reed + George Reed + Jeremiah Reed + Job Reed + John Reed (2) + Jonathan Reed + Joseph Reed + Levi Reed + Thomas Reed (2) + William Reed (2) + John Reef + Nicholas Reen + Thomas Reeves + Jacques Refitter + Julian Regan + Hugh Reid + Jacob Reiton + Jean Remong + Jean Nosta Renan + Louis Renand + John Renean + Pierre Renear + Thomas Renee + Thomas Rennick + Frederick Reno + Jean Renovil + Michael Renow + Jean Reo + Barton Repent + Jean Requal + Jesse Rester + Louis Rewof + Thomas Reynelds + Elisha Reynolds + Nathaniel Reynolds + Richard Reynolds (2) + Thomas Reynolds + Thomas Reyzick + Sylvester Rhodes + Thomas de Ribas + George Ribble + Benjamin Rice + Edward Rice + James Rice + John Rice (2) + Nathaniel Rice + Noah Rice + William Rice + Elisha Rich + Freeman Rich + John Rich + Matthew Rich + Nathan Rich + Benjamin Richard + Diah Richards + Gilbert Richards + James Richards + John Richards + Oliver Richards + Pierre Richards + William Richards + David Richardson + John Richardson + Pierre Richardson + William Richardson + Cussing Richman + Ebenezer Richman + Benjamin Richmond + Seth Richmond + Clement Ricker + John Rickett + Nathaniel Rickman + Lewis Ridden + Isaac Riddler + Lewis Rider + John Riders + John Ridge + John Ridgway + Isaac Ridler + Amos Ridley + Thomas Ridley + David Rieve + Israel Rieves + Jacob Right + James Rigmorse + Joseph Rigo + Henry Riker + R. Riker + James Riley + Philip Riley + Philip Rilly + Pierre Ringurd + John Rion + Daniel Riordan + Paul Ripley + Ramble Ripley + Thomas Ripley + Ebenezer Ritch + John River + Joseph River + Paul Rivers + Thomas Rivers + John Rivington + Joseph Roach + Lawrence Roach + William Roas + Thomas Robb + James Robehaird + Arthur Robert + John Robert + Julian Robert + Aaron Roberts (2) + Edward Roberts + Epaphras Roberts + James Roberts (2) + Joseph Roberts + Moses Roberts (2) + William Roberts (4) + Charles Robertson (2) + Elisha Robertson + Esau Robertson + George Robertson + James Robertson (3) + Jeremiah Robertson + John Robertson (6) + Joseph Robertson + Samuel Robertson + Thomas Robertson + Daniel Robins + Enoch Robins + James Robins + William Robins + Anthony Robinson + Ebenezer Robinson + Enoch Robinson + James Robinson (2) + Jehu Robinson + John Robinson (3) + Joseph Robinson + Mark Robinson + Nathaniel Robinson + Thomas Robinson + William Robinson + John Rockway + Daniel Rockwell + Jabez Rockwell + Elisha Rockwood + Anthony Roderick + Jean Raptist Rodent + James Rodgers + Michael Rodieu + Francis Rodrigo + Franco Rogeas + Robert Roger + Dudson Rogers + Ebenezer Rogers + Emanuel Rogers + George Rogers (3) + John Rogers (5) + Nicholas Rogers + Paul Rogers + Thomas Rogers + William Rogers + John Rogert + Joseph Roget + Jean Rogue + John Francis Rogue + John Roke + John Rollin + Paul Rollins + Toby Rollins + Francis Roman + Petre Romary + Diego Romeria + Benjamin Romulus + Lewis Ronder + Jack Rone + Paul Ropeley + Bartram Ropper + Gideon Rose (2) + John Rose (2) + Philip Rose + Prosper Rose + Jean Rosea + Augustus Roseau + Guilliam Roseau + Jean Baptist Rosua + William Rose + Andrew Ross + Archibald Ross + Daniel Ross (3) + David Ross + James Ross + Malone Ross + Thomas Ross + William Ross (3) + Bostion Roteslar + John Roth + Samuel Rothburn + Benjamin Rothers + Jean Baptist Rouge + Jean James Rouge + Charles Roulong + Hampton Round + John Round + Nathan Round + Samuel Round + Andrew Rouse + Claud Rouse + Daniel Roush + Hampton Rowe + John Rowe + William Rowe + George Rowen + George Rowing + Patrick Rowland + John Rowley + Shter Rowley + John Frederick Rowlin + William Rowsery + James Rowson + Augustus Royen + John Royster + Richard Royster + Blost Rozea + Lawrence Rozis + Peter Ruban + Ebenezer Rube + Thomas Rubin + Eden Ruddock + Ezekiel Rude + John Ruffeway + Lewis Ruffie + Henry Rumsower + Joseph Runyan + Nathaniel Ruper + John Rupper + Daniel Ruse + Daniel Rush + Edward Russell + Jacob Russell + Pierre Russell + Samuel Russell + Valentine Russell + William Russell + John Rust + William Rust (2) + John Ruth (2) + Pompey Rutley + Pierre Ryer + Jacob Ryan + Frank Ryan + Michael Ryan + Peter Ryan + Thomas Ryan + Renee Ryon + + + S + + Francisco Sablong + John Sachel + Jonathan Sachell + George Sadden + George Saddler + John Sadens + Abraham Sage + Edward Sailly + John Saint + Elena Saldat + Gilbert Salinstall + Luther Salisbury + Michael Sallibie + John Salmon + John Salter + Thomas Salter + Edward Same + Pierre Samleigh + Jacob Sammian + Stephen Sampson (2) + Charles Sand + Henry Sanders + Manuel Sandovah + Ewing Sands + Stephen Sands + Daniel Sanford + Anthony Santis + Thomas Sarbett + Louis Sarde + Peter Sarfe + Juan Sassett + David Sasson + Jonathan Satchell + William Saterly + Johns Sathele + Joseph Satton + Edward Sauce + Augustus Saunders + Daniel Saunders + John Saunders + Allen Savage + Belias Savage + Nathaniel Savage(2) + Joseph Savot + Benjamin Sawyer + Daniel Sawyer + Ephraim Sawyer(3) + James Sawyer + Jeremiah Sawyer + John Sawyer + Peter Sawyer + Thomas Sawyer + William Sawyer + Cuffy Savers + Joseph Sayers + Henry Scees + Peter Schafer + Melchior Scheldorope + Peter Schwoob + Julian Scope + Christopher Scott + George Scott + James Scott + John Scott (4) + Robert Scott + Thomas Scott + William Scott + Daniel Scovell + David Scudder + Nutchell Scull + Lamb Seabury + Samuel Seabury + Adam Seager + George Seager + Thomas Sealey (2) + Robert Seares + George Seaton + Antonio Sebasta + Benjamin Secraft + Thomas Seeley + Jean Baptist Sego + Elias Seldon + Edward Sellers + Anthony Selwind + William Semell + John Senior + Adam Sentelume + Abraham Sentilier + Leonard Sepolo + Emanuel Seerus + Anthony Serals + James Seramo + John Serant + Francis Seratte + Francis Sergeant + Thomas Sergeant + Joel Serles + Sebastian Serrea + William Service + Jonathan Setchell + Otis Sevethith + Francis Seyeant + Solomon Shad + Matthew Shappo + Elisha Share + John Sharke + Philip Sharp + Peter Sharpe + Philip Sharper + John Sharpley + Joseph Sharpley + Joseph Shatille + Joseph Shatillier + Archibald Shaver + Jacob Shaver + Abner Shaw + Daniel Shaw + James Shaw + Jeremiah Shaw + Joseph Shaw + Samuel Shaw + Thomas Shaw (3) + William Shaw + Patrick Shea + Jean Shean + Brittle Sheans + Gideon Shearman + Henry Shearman + Stephen Shearman + Philip Shebzain + John Sheffield + William Sheilds + Nicholas Sheilow + Jeremiah Shell + Benjamin Shelton + James Shepherd + John Shepherd (4) + Robert Shepherd (3) + Thomas Sherburn + William Sherburne + Gilbert Sherer + James Sheridan + John Sheridan + John Sherman + Samuel Sherman (3) + Andrew Sherns + Andrew Sherre + George Shetline + John Shewin + Jacob Shibley + George Shiffen + Louis de Shille + Jack Shilling + Jacob Shindle + Frederick Shiner (2) + John Shirkley + Joseph Shoakley (2) + Edward Shoemaker + James Shoemaker + Samuel Shokley + John Short (2) + Joseph Short + Thomas Short + Enoch Shout + Christopher Shoving + Jacob Shroak + James Shuckley + Thomas Shuman + Francis Shun + Enoch Shulte + John Shute + Richard Sickes + Francis Silver + James Simes + Chapman Simmons + David Simmons + Hilldoves Simmons + John Simmons + Joshua Simms + James Simon + William Simon + Francis Simonds + Boswell Simons + Champion Simons + Elijah Simons + Francis Simons + Joseph Simons + Nathaniel Simons + Nero Simons + Samuel Simons + William Simpkins + Benjamin Simpson + Charles Simpson + Thomas Simpson + John Sindee + John Singer + John Sitchell + John Skay + John Skelton + Samuel Skinner (2) + Richard Skinner + Peter Skull (2) + David Slac + Benjamin Slade + Thomas Slager + John Slane + Jean Louis Slarick + Measer Slater + Matthew Slaughter + John Slee + Thomas Slewman + Samuel Slide + Joseph Slight + Josiah Slikes + Christopher Sloakum + Edward Sloan + Timothy Sloan + Andrew Sloeman + Thomas Slough + Ebenezer Slow + Isaac Slowell + William Slown + Henry Sluddard + Samuel Slyde + Richard Slykes + William Smack + Joseph Small + Robert Smallpiece + John Smallwood (2) + Peter Smart + John Smight + William Smiley + Abraham Smith + Alexander Smith + Allan Smith + Andrew Smith (2) + Anthony Smith + Archibald Smith + Basil Smith + Benjamin Smith (2) + Burrell Smith + Buskin Smith + Charles Smith + Clement Smith + Clemont Smith + Daniel Smith (3) + David Smith + Easoph Smith + Edward Smith + Eleazar Smith + Enoch Smith + Epaphras Smith + Ezekiel Smith + George Smith + Gideon Smith + Haymond Smith + Henry Smith + Hugh Smith + Jack Smith + James Smith (7) + Jasper Smith + John Smith (12) + Jonathan Smith (5} + Joshua Smith + Joseph Smith (3) + Laban Smith + Martin Smith + Richard Smith (3) + Rockwell Smith + Roger Smith (2) + Samuel Smith (6) + Stephen Smith + Sullivan Smith + Thomas Smith (8) + Walter Smith + William Smith (4) + Zebediah Smith + Thomas Smithson + Peter Smothers + Samuel Snare + John Snellin + John Sneyders + Peter Snider + William Snider + Ebenezer Snow + Seth Snow + Sylvanus Snow + Abraham Soft + Raymond Sogue + Assia Sole + Nathan Solley + Ebenezer Solomon + Thomas Solomon + James Sooper + Christian Soudower + Moses Soul + Nathaniel Southam + William Southard + Henry Space + Enoch Spalding + Joshua Spaner + Charles Sparefoot + James Sparrows + John Speake + Martin Speakl + James Spear + Eliphaz Speck + Elchie Spellman + William Spellman + James Spencer + Joseph Spencer + Nicholas Spencer + Thomas Spencer + Solomon Spenser + Henry Spice + John Spicer (2) + Lancaster Spicewood + John Spier (2) + Richard Spigeman + John Spinks + Caleb Spooner + David Spooner + Shubab Spooner + William Spooner + Jonathan Sprague + Simon Sprague + Philip Spratt + Charles Spring + Richard Springer + John Spriggs + Joshua Spriggs + Thomas Spriggs + William Springer + Alexander Sproat + Thomas Sproat + Gideon Spry + Long Sprywood + Nathaniel Spur + Joshua Squibb + David Squire + John St. Clair + Francisco St. Domingo + John St. Thomas + John Staagers + Thomas Stacy + Thomas Stacey + Christian Stafford + Conrad Stagger + Edward Stagger + Samuel Stalkweather + John Standard + Lemuel Standard + Butler Stanford + Richard Stanford + Robert Stanford + John Stanhope + William Stannard + Daniel Stanton + Nathaniel Stanton (2) + William Stanton + Joseph Stanley + Peter Stanley + Starkweather Stanley + W Stanley + William Stanley + Abijah Stapler + Timothy Star + Samuel Starke + Benjamin Starks + Woodbury Starkweather + John Stearns + William Stearny + Daniel Stedham + Thomas Steele + James Steelman + John Steer + Stephen Sleevman + John Stephen + Benjamin Stephens + John Stephens (2) + Henry Stephens + William Stephens (3) + David Stephenson + John Stephenson + John Sterns + William Sterry + David Stevens + James Stevens + Joseph Stevens + Levert Stevens + William Stevens + Robert Stevenson + Charles Steward + Joseph Steward + Lewis Steward + Samuel Steward + Daniel Stewart + Edward Stewart (2) + Elijah Stewart + Hugh Stewart + Jabez Stewart (2) + John Stewart + Samuel Stewart + Stephen Stewart + Thomas Stewart + William Stewart + John Stiger + John Stikes + Daniel Stiles + Israel Stiles + John Stiles + Joshua Stiles + Josiah Stiles + Ashley Stillman + Theodore Stillman + Enoch Stillwell + John Stillwell + Jacob Stober + Hugh Stocker + William Stocker + Simeon Stockwell + Israel Stoddard + Noah Stoddard + Thomas Stoddard + Edward Stoddart + Israel Stoddart + Nathaniel Stoey + Abney Stone + Amos Stone + Donald Stone + Elijah Stone + Richard Stone + Thomas Stone (5) + William Stone + Boston Stoneford + Job Stones + John Stones + Matthew Stoney + Jonathan Stott + Seren Stott + John Stoughton + Daniel Stout + George Stout + William Stout + Andrew Stowers + Blair Stove + Joseph Strand + James Strange + Joshua Bla Stratia + James Stridges + John Stringe + John Stringer + Joseph Stroad + Samuel Stroller + Joseph Stroud + Benjamin Stubbe + John Sturtivant + Smith Stutson + James Suabilty + Benjamin Subbs + Jacquer Suffaraire + Manuel Sugasta + Miles Suldan + Parks Sullevan + Dennis Sullivan + Patrick Sullivan + Thomas Sullivan + George Summers + Rufus Sumner + Amos Sunderland + Edward Sunderland (3) + Francis Suneneau + John Suneneaux + Andre Surado + Godfrey Suret + Jack C. Surf + Francis Surronto + Hugh Surtes + John Surtevant + John Sussett + Franco Deo Suttegraz + Louis John Sutterwis + George Sutton + John Sutton + Thomas Sutton + Jacob Snyder + Roman Suyker + Simon Swaine + Zacharias Swaine + Thomas Swapple + Absolom Swate + James Swayne + Isaac Swean + Peter Swean (2) + Enoch Sweat + John Sweeney (2) + Benjamin Sweet + Godfrey Sweet (2) + Nathaniel Sweeting + Joshua Swellings + Daniel Swery + Martin Swift + William Swire + + + T + + Anthony Tabee + John Taber (2) + Thomas Taber + Samuel Table + John Tabor + Pelack Tabor + Ebenezer Tabowl + Ebenezer Talbot + Silas Talbott + Ebenezer Talbott + Wilham Talbut + James Talketon + Archibald Talley + John Tankason + Caspar Tanner + John Tanner + William Tant + Thomas Tantis + Samuel Tapley + Isaac Tappin + Antonio Tarbour + Townsend Tarena + Edward Target + John Tarrant + Lewis Tarret + Domingo Taugin + Edward Tayender + Samuel Taybor + Alexander Taylor + Andrew Taylor (2) + Gabriel Taylor + Hezekiah Taylor + Isaac Taylor + Jacob Taylor (3) + John Taylor (8) + Captain John Taylor + Joseph Taylor (3) + Major Taylor + Noadiah Taylor + Peter Taylor + Robert Taylor (3) + Tobias Taylor + William Taylor (3) + George Teather + Thomas Tebard + John Teller + Jean Temare + John Templing + Philip Temver + Gilbert Tennant + Thomas Tenny + Henry Teppett + Governe Terrene + Joshua Ternewe + Thomas Terrett + William Terrett + John Terry + Samuel Terry + William Terry + Joshua Teruewe + Zerlan Tesbard + Jean Tessier + Freeborn Thandick + Lewis Thaxter + Seren Thaxter + John Thelston + Robert Therey + Simon Thimagun + Thurdick Thintle + ---- Thomas + Abner Thomas + Andrew Thomas + Cornelius Thomas + Ebenezer Thomas (2) + Edward Thomas + Green Thomas + Herod Thomas + Jacques Thomas (2) + James Thomas (2) + Jean Supli Thomas + Jesse Thomas (2) + John Thomas (8) + Joseph Thomas + Thomas Thomas + Urias Thomas + William Thomas + Abraham Thompson + Andrew Thompson (3) + Bartholomew Thompson + Benjamin Thompson (2) + Charles Thompson + Eli Thompson + George Thompson + Harvey Thompson + Isaac Thompson + Israel Thompson + John Thompson (8) + Joseph Thompson (2) + Lawrence Thompson + Patrick Thompson + Robert Thompson (3) + Seth Thompson (2) + William Thompson (6) + John Thorian + William Thorner + James Thornhill + Christian Thornton + Christopher Thornton + Jesse Thornton + Samuel Thornton + Thomas Thornton + William Thorpe + Gideon Threwit + Sedon Thurley + Benjamin Thurston + Samuel Thurston + Samuel Tibbards + Richard Tibbet + George Tibbs + Henry Ticket + Harvey Tiffman + Andrew Tillen + Jacob Tillen + Peter Tillender + Thomas Tillinghast + David Tilmouse + John Tilson + Nicholas Tilson + Grale Timcent + George Timford + Jeremiah Timrer + Alexander Tindell + James Tinker + William Tinley + Joseph Tinleys + Anthony Tioffe + Samuel Tippen + Jean Tirve + Stephen Tissina + Michael Titcomb + Moses Titcomb + James Tobin + Thomas Tobin (2) + John Todd + William Todd + Thomas Tolley + Francis Tollings + Henry Tollmot + Thomas Tomay + James Tomkins + Charles Tomped + Benjamin Tompkins + William Tompkins + Thomas Thompson + Henry Too + Andrew Toombs + Rufus Toppin + Christopher Torpin + Francis Torrent + Michael Tosa + Daniel Totton + Pierre Touleau + Robert Toulger + Sylvanus Toulger + Dominic Tour + Jean Tournie + Francis Tovell + Joseph Towbridge + John Towin + Samuel Townhend + James Townley + Samuel Towns + Elwell Townsend + Jacob Townsend + Jeremiah Townsend + William Townsend + Jille Towrand + James Towser + Thomas Toy + Benjamin Tracy + Jesse Tracy + Nathaniel Tracy + Jacob Trailey + William Traine + Thomas Trampe + Nathaniel Trask (2) + Richard Traveno + Christopher Traverse + Solomon Treat + James Treby + James Tredwell + William Treen + Andrew Trefair + Thomas Trenchard + William Trendley + Thomas W Trescott + Andre Treasemas + Edward Trevett + Job Trevo + John Trevor + Thomas Trip + Richard Tripp + Thomas Tripp + Jacob Tripps + John Tritton + Ebenezer Trivet + Jabez Trop + John Trot + John Troth + William Trout + John Trow + Benjamin Trowbridge + David Trowbridge + Stephen Trowbridge + Thomas Trowbridge + Joseph Truck + Peter Truck + William Trunks + Joseph Trust + Robert Trustin + George Trusty + Edward Tryan + Moses Tryon + Saphn Tubbs + Thomas Tubby + John Tucke + Francis Tucker + John Tucker (4) + Joseph Tucker (2) + Nathan Tucker + Nathaniel Tucker + Paul Tucker + Robert Tucker (2) + Seth Tucker + Solomon Tucker + George Tuden + Charles Tully + Casper Tumner + Charles Tunkard + Charles Turad + Elias Turk + Joseph Turk + Caleb Turner + Caspar Turner + Francis Turner + George Turner + James Turner + John Turner (3) + Philip Turner + Thomas Turner (4) + William Turner (2) + Lisby Turpin (2) + Peter Turrine + John Tutten + Daniel Twigg + Charles Twine + Joseph Twogood + Daily Twoomey + Thomas Tyerill + Jean Tyrant + John Tyse + + + U + + Urson Ullaby + Thomas Umthank + Benjamin Uncers + Joseph Union + Obadiah Upton + John Usher + Andre Utinett + Abirnelech Uuncer + + + V + + Peter Vaidel + Pierre Valem + Joseph Valentine + George Vallance + David Vallet + John Valpen + Nathan Vamp + William Vance + Thomas Vandegrist + Francis Vandegrist + Patrick Vandon + John Vandross + Eleazar Van Dyke + John Van Dyke + Nathaniel Van Horn + William Van Horn + Christain Vann + Jean Van Orse + James Vanoster + Barnabus Varley + Patrick Vasse + Richard Vaugh + Aaron Vaughan + Andrew Vaughan + Christian Vaughan + David Veale + Elisha Veale + Toser Vegier + Bruno Velis + David Velow + William Venable + Moses Ventis + Samuel Ventis + Joseph Verdela + Julian Verna + Peter Vesseco + Justin Vestine + Pierre Vettelet + John Vial + Jean Viauf + William Vibert + Anare Vic + John Vickery + Roger Victory + David Viegra + Daniel Viero + William Vierse + Jean Vigo + John Vilvee + Lange Vin + Peter Vinane + Francis Vincent + William Vinnal + Robert Virnon + Jean Vissenbouf + Andrew Vitena + Joseph Vitewell + Juan Albert Vixeaire + John Voe + John Vonkett + William Von Won + Nicholas Vookly + John Vorus + Henry Voss + George Vossery + + + W + + Christian Wadde + Benjamin Wade + Thomas Wade (2) + Christopher Wadler + Richard Wagstaff + Joseph Wainwright + Jacob Wainscott + Matthew Wainscott + Charles Waistcoott + Ezekiel Waistcoat + Jabez Waistcoat + Jacob Waistcoat + John Waistcoat + Joseph Waiterly + Joseph Wakefield + Joseph Walcot + Asa Walden + George Walding + John Waldrick + Ephraim Wales + Samuel Wales + Baldwin Walker + Daniel Walker + Ezekiel Walker + George Walker + Hezekiah Walker + John Walker + Joseph Walker + Michael Walker (4) + Nathaniel Walker (4) + Richard Walker + Samuel Walker (2) + Thomas Walker (2) + William Walker (3) + James Wall + Bartholomew Wallace + John Wallace + Joseph Wallace + Thomas Wallace (2) + Ebenezer Wallar + Joseph Wallen + Caleb Waller + George Wallesly + Anthony Wallis + Benjamin Wallis + Ezekiel Wallis + George Wallis + Hugh Wallis + James Wallis + John Wallis + Jonathan Wallis + John Wallore + Edward Walls + William Wallsey + William Walmer + Robert Walpole + John Walsey + Patrick Walsh + George Walter + John Walter + Joseph Walter + Jonathan Walters + Roger Walters + Henry Walton + John Walton + Jonathan Walton + John Wandall + Ezekiel Wannell + Powers Wansley + Michael Wanstead + George Wanton + Benjamin Ward + Charles Ward + Christenton Ward + David Ward + Joseph Ward + Simon Ward + Thomas Ward + William Ward + John Warde + Benjamin Wardell + John Wardell + James Wardling + Elijah Wareman + William Warf + Unit Warky + Joseph Warley + Joseph Warmesley + William Taylor Warn + Christopher Warne + Andrew Warner + Amos Warner + Berry Warner + John Warner + Obadiah Warner + Samuel Warner (2) + Thomas Warner + Robert Warnock + Christopher Warrell + Benjamin Warren + Jonathan Warren + Obadiah Warren + Richard Warringham + William Warrington + Thomas Warsell + Lloyd Warton + Joseph Wartridge + Townsend Washington + Asher Waterman (2) + Azariah Waterman + Calvin Waterman + John Waterman + Samuel Waterman + Thomas Waterman + William Waterman (3) + Henry Waters + John Waters + Thomas Waters + John Watkins + Thomas Watkins (4) + Edward Watson + Joseph Watson + Henry Watson (2) + John Watson (5) + Nathaniel Watson + Robert Watson + Thomas Watson (5) + William Watson + John Watt + William Wattle + Henry Wattles + Joseph Watts + Samuel Watts + Thomas Watts + Andrew Waymore + James Wear + Jacob Weatherall + Joseph Weatherox + Thomas Weaver + Jacob Webb + James Webb + John Webb (3) + Jonathan Webb + Michael Webb + Nathaniel Webb + Oliver Webb + Thomas Webb (2) + William Webb (2) + Joseph Webber + William Webber (2) + George Webby + Francis Webster + William Wedden + John Wedger + David Wedon + William Weekman + Francis Weeks (2) + James Weeks + Seth Weeks + Thomas Weeks + John Welanck + Ezekiel Welch + George Welch + Isaac Welch + James Welch (5) + Matthew Welch + Moses Welch + Philip Welch + Joseph Wenthoff + Nellum Welk + John Wellis + John Wellman + Matthew Wellman + Timothy Wellman + Cornelius Wells + Ezra Wells + Gideon Wells + Joseph Wells + Peter Wells + Richard Wells + William Wells + Joseph Welpley + David Welsh + John Welsh + Patrick Wen + Isaac Wendell + Robert Wentworth + Joseph Wessel + William Wessel + John Wessells + Benjamin West + Edward West + Jabez West (3) + Richard West (2) + Samuel Wester + Henry Weston + Simon Weston + William Weston + Philip Westward + Jesse Wetherby + Thomas Whade + John Wharfe + Lloyd Wharton + Michael Whater + Jesse Wheaton + Joseph Wheaton + Henry Wheeler + Michael Wheeler + Morrison Wheeler + William Wheeler (2) + Michael Whelan + Michael Whellan + James Whellan + Jesse Whelton + John Whelton + Horatio Whethase + John Whila + Benjamin Whipple (2) + Samuel Whipple + Stephen Whipple + Christopher Whippley + Benjamin White (2) + Ephraim White + Ichabod White + James White + John White (7) + Lemuel White + Joseph White + Lemuel White + Richard White + Robert White + Sampson White (2) + Samuel White (2) + Thomas White (2) + Timothy White + Watson White + William White (3) + Jacob Whitehead + Enoch Whitehouse + Harmon Whiteman + Luther Whitemore + William Whitepair + Card Way Whithousen + George Whiting (2) + James Whiting + William Whiting + John Whitlock + Joseph Whitlock + William Whitlock + Samuel Whitmolk + George Whitney + Isaac Whitney + James Whitney + John Whitney + Peter Whitney + Joseph Whittaker + Jacob Whittemore + Felix Wibert + Conrad Wickery + Joseph Wickman + Samuel Wickward + Leron Widgon + John Wier (2) + John Wigglesworth + Irwin Wigley + Michael Wiglott + Stephen Wigman + John Wigmore + Edward Wilcox (2) + Isaac Wilcox + Obadiah Wilcox + Pardon Wilcox + Robert Wilderidger + Charles Wilkins + Amos Wilkinson + William Wilkinson + George Willard + John Willard + Julian Willard + John Willeman + Benjamin Willeroon + James Willet + Conway Willhouse + Amos Williams + Barley Williams + Benjamin Williams + Cato Williams + Charles Williams + Dodd Williams + Edward Williams + Ephraim Williams + Ethkin Williams + George Williams (3) + Henry Williams (2) + Isaac Williams (2) + James Williams (4) + Jeffrey Williams + John Williams (9) + Jonathan Williams (2) + Moses Williams + Nathaniel Williams + Nicholas Williams + Peter Williams + Richard Williams + Samuel Williams (2) + William Williams (2) + William Williamson + John Foster Willian + John Williman + Day Willin + Abel Willis + Frederick Willis + John Willis (2) + Jesse Willis + Abraham Williston + Joseph Willman + Abraham Willor + Guy Willoson + Benjamin Willshe + Benjamin Willson + Francis Willson + James Willson (2) + John Willson + Martin Willson + Thomas Willson + Timothy Willson + W. Willson + William Willson + Samuel Wilmarth + Luke Wilmot + Benjamin Wilson (2) + Edward Wilson + George Wilson + John Wilson + Lawrence Wilson + Nathaniel Wilson + Patrick Wilson + William Wilson + George Wiltis + Vinrest Wimondesola + Guilliam Wind + Edward Windgate + Joseph Windsor + Stephen Wing + Jacob Wingman + Samuel Winn + Jacob Winnemore + Seth Winslow + Charles Winter + George Winter + Joseph Winters + David Wire + John Wise + Thomas Witham + John Witherley + Solomon Witherton + William Withpane + William Witless + Robert Wittington + W. Wittle + John Woesin + Henry Woist + Henry Wolf + John Wolf + Simon de Wolf + Stephen de Wolf + Champion Wood + Charles Wood (3) + Daniel Wood (4) + Edward Wood (2) + George Wood + Jabez Wood + John Wood + Jonathan Wood + Joseph Wood (2) + Justus Wood + Matthew Wood + Samuel Wood (2) + William Wood + Herbert Woodbury (3) + Jacob Woodbury + Luke Woodbury + Nathaniel Woodbury + Robert Woodbury + William Woodbury + Thomas Woodfall + David Woodhull + Henry Woodly + Nathaniel Woodman + James Woodson + Joseph Woodward + Gideon Woodwell + Abel Woodworth + Edward Woody + John Woody + Michael Woolock + Michael Woomstead + James Woop + William Wooten + James Worthy + John Wright + Robert Wright + Benjamin Wyatt + John Wyatt (2) + Gordon Wyax + Reuben Wyckoff + William Wyer + Henry Wylie + + + X + + John Xmens + + + Y + + Joseph Yalkington + Joseph Yanger + Joseph Yard + Thomas Yates + Francis Yduchare + Adam Yeager + Jacob Yeason + Jacob Yeaston + Pender Yedrab + George Yoannet + Edward Yorke + Peter Yose + Alexander Young + Archibald Young + Charles Young + George Young + Ichabod Young + Jacob Young + John Young (2) + Marquis Young (2) + Seth Young + William Young + Charles Youngans + Louis Younger + + + Z + + Jean Peter Zamiel + Pierre Zuran + + + +APPENDIX B + +THE PRISON SHIP MARTYRS OF THE REVOLUTION, AND AN UNPUBLISHED DIARY OF +ONE OF THEM, WILLIAM SLADE, NEW CANAAN, CONN., LATER OF CORNWALL, VT. + +The following extremely interesting article on the prisoners and prison +ships of the Revolution was written by Dr. Longworthy of the United +States Department of agriculture for a patriotic society. Through his +courtesy I am allowed to publish it here. I am sorry I did not receive +it in time to embody it in the first part of this book. + +D D + +Doubtless all of us are more or less familiar with the prison ship +chapter of Revolutionary history, as this is one of the greatest, if +not the greatest, tragedies of the struggle for independence. At the +beginning of the hostilities the British had in New York Harbor a number +of transports on which cattle and stores had been brought over in 1776. +These vessels lay in Gravesend Bay and later were taken up the East +River and anchored in Wallabout Bay, and to their number were added from +time to time vessels in such condition that they were of no use except +as prisons for American troops The names of many of these infamous ships +have been preserved, the Whitby, the Good Hope, the Hunter, Prince of +Wales, and others, and worst of all, the Jersey. + +It was proposed to confine captured American seamen in these ships, but +they also served as prisons for thousands of patriot soldiers taken +in the land engagements in and about New York. The men were crowded in +these small vessels under conditions which pass belief. They suffered +untold misery and died by hundreds from lack of food, from exposure, +smallpox and other dreadful diseases, and from the cruelty of their +captors. The average death rate on the Jersey alone was ten per night. A +conservative estimate places the total number of victims at 11,500. The +dead were carried ashore and thrown into shallow graves or trenches of +sand and these conditions of horror continued from the beginning of the +war until after peace was declared. Few prisoners escaped and not many +were exchanged, for their conditions were such that commanding officers +hesitated to exchange healthy British prisoners in fine condition for +the wasted, worn-out, human wrecks from the prison ships. A very large +proportion of the total number of these prisoners perished. Of the +survivors, many never fully recovered from their sufferings. + +In 1808, it was said of the prison ship martyrs: "Dreadful, beyond +description, was the condition of these unfortunate prisoners of war. +Their sufferings and their sorrows were great, and unbounded was their +fortitude. Under every privation and every anguish of life, they firmly +encountered the terrors of death, rather than desert the cause of their +country. * * * + +"There was no morsel of wholesome food, nor one drop of pure water. In +these black abodes of wretchedness and woe, the grief worn prisoner lay, +without a bed to rest his weary limbs, without a pillow to support his +aching head--the tattered garment torn from his meager frame, and vermin +preying on his flesh--his food was carrion, and his drink foul as the +bilge water--there was no balm for his wounds, no cordial to revive his +fainting spirits, no friend to comfort his heart, nor the soft hand of +affection to close his dying eyes--heaped amongst the dead, while yet +the spark of life lingered in his frame, and hurried to the grave before +the cold arms of death had embraced him. * * * + +"'But,' you will ask, 'was there no relief for these victims of misery?' +No--there was no relief--their astonishing sufferings were concealed +from the view of the world--and it was only from the few witnesses of +the scene who afterwards lived to tell the cruelties they had endured, +that our country became acquainted with their deplorable condition. The +grim sentinels, faithful to their charge as the fiends of the nether +world, barred the doors against the hand of charity, and godlike +benevolence never entered there--compassion had fled from these mansions +of despair, and pity wept over other woes." + +Numerous accounts of survivors of the prison ships have been preserved +and some of them have been published. So great was popular sympathy +for them that immediately after the close of the Revolutionary War an +attempt was made to gather the testimony of the survivors and to provide +a fitting memorial for those who had perished. So far as I have been +able to learn most of the diaries and journals and other testimony +of the prison ship victims relates to the later years of the war and +particularly to the Jersey, the largest, most conspicuous, and most +horrible of all the prison ships. + +I have been so fortunate as to have access to a journal or diary kept +by William Slade, of New Canaan, Conn, a young New Englander, who early +responded to the call of his country and was captured by the British in +1776, shortly after his enlistment, and confined on one of the prison +ships, the Grovner (or Grovesner). From internal evidence it would +appear that this was the first or one of the first vessels used for the +purpose and that Slade and the other prisoners with him were the first +of the American soldiers thus confined. At any rate, throughout his +diary he makes no mention of other bands of prisoners in the same +condition The few small pages of this little diary, which was always +kept in the possession of his family until it was deposited in the +Sheldon Museum, of Middlebury, Vt, contain a plain record of every-day +life throughout a period of great suffering. They do not discuss +questions of State and policy, but they do seem to me to bring clearly +before the mind's eye conditions as they existed, and perhaps more +clearly than elaborate treatises to give a picture of the sufferings of +soldiers and sailors who preferred to endure all privations, hardships, +and death itself rather than to renounce their allegiance to their +country and enlist under the British flag. + +The first entry in the Slade diary was made November 16, 1776, and the +last January 28, 1777, so it covers about ten weeks. + +The entries were as follows: + +Fort Washington the 16th day November A.D. 1776. This day I, William +Slade was taken with 2,800 more. We was allowed honours of War. We then +marched to Harlem under guard, where we were turned into a barn. We +got little rest that night being verry much crowded, as some trouble +[illegible]. * * * + +Sunday 17th. Such a Sabbath I never saw. We spent it in sorrow and +hunger, having no mercy showd. + +Munday 18th. We were called out while it was still dark, but was soon +marchd to New York, four deep, verry much frownd upon by all we saw. We +was called Yankey Rebbels a going to the gallows. We got to York at +9 o'clock, were paraded, counted off and marched to the North Church, +where we were confind under guard. + +Tuesday 19th. Still confind without provisions till almost night, when +we got a little mouldy bisd [biscuit] about four per man. These four +days we spent in hunger and sorrow being derided by everry one and calld +Rebs. + +Wednesday, 20th. We was reinforsd by 300 more. We had 500 before. This +causd a continual noise and verry big huddle. Jest at night drawd 6 oz +of pork per man. This we eat alone and raw. + +Thursday, 21st. We passd the day in sorrow haveing nothing to eat or +drink but pump water. + +Friday, 22nd. We drawd 3/4 lb of pork, 3/4 lb of bisd, one gil of peas, +a little rice and some kittels to cook in. Wet and cold. + +Saturday, 23rd. We had camps stews plenty, it being all we had. We had +now spent one week under confinement. Sad condition. + +Munday, 25th. We drawd 1/2 lb of pork a man, 3/4 of bisd, a little peas +and rice, and butter now plenty but not of the right kind. + +Tuesday, 26th. We spent in cooking for wood was scarce and the church +was verry well broke when done, but verry little to eat. + +Wednesday, 27th. Was spent in hunger. We are now dirty as hogs, lying +any and every whare. Joys gone, sorrows increase. + +Thursday, 28th. Drawd 2 lbs of bread per man, 3/4 lb of pork. A little +butter, rice and peas. This we cooked and eat with sorrow and sadness. + +Friday, 29th. We bussd [busied] ourselves with trifels haveing but +little to do, time spent in vain. + +Saturday, 30th. We drawd 1 lb of bread, 1/2 lb of pork, a little butter, +rice and peas. This we eat with sorrow, discouragd. + +Sunday, 1st of Decembere 1776. About 300 men was took out and carried on +board the shipping. Sunday spent in vain. + +Munday, 2nd. Early in the morning we was calld out and stood in the +cold, about one hour and then marchd to the North River and went on +board The Grovnor transport ship. Their was now 500 men on board, this +made much confusion. We had to go to bed without supper. This night was +verry long, hunger prevaild much. Sorrow more. + +Tuesday, 3rd. The whole was made in six men messes. Our mess drawd 4 +lb of bisd, 4 oz of butter. Short allow. We now begin to feel like +prisoners. + +Wednesday, 4th. We drawd 4 lb of bisd. After noon drawd 2 quarts of peas +and broth without salt, verry weak. + +Thursday, 5th. We drawd 4 lb of bisd at noon, a little meat at night. +Some pea broth, about one mouthful per man. We now feel like prisoners. + +Friday, 6th. of Decr. 1776. We drawd 1/2 of bisd, 4 oz of butter at noon +and 2 quarts of provinder. Called burgo, poor stuff indeed. + +Saturday, 7th. We drawd 4 lb of bisd at noon, a piece of meat and rice. +This day drawd 2 bisd per man for back allowance (viz) for last Saturday +at the church. This day the ships crew weighd anchor and fell down the +river below Govnors Island and saild up the East River to Turcle Bay +[Turtle Bay is at the foot of 23rd street], and cast anchor for winter +months. + +Sunday, 8th. This day we were almost discouraged, but considered that +would not do. Cast off such thoughts. We drawd our bread and eat with +sadness. At noon drawd meat and peas. We spent the day reading and in +meditation, hopeing for good news. + +Munday, 9th. We drawd bisd and butter at noon, burgo [a kind of porrige] +the poorest trade ever man eat. Not so good as provinder or swill. + +Tuesday, 10th. We drawd bisd at noon, a little meat and rice. Good news. +We hear we are to be exchangd soon. Corpl. Hawl verry bad with small +pox. + +Wednesday, 11th. We drawd bisd. Last night Corpl Hawl died and this +morning is buryd. At noon drawd peas, I mean broth. Still in hopes. + +Thursday, 12th. We drawd bisd. This morning is the first time we see +snow. At noon drawd a little meat and pea broth. Verry thin. We almost +despair of being exchangd. + +Friday, 13th of Decr. 1776. We drawd bisd and butter. A little water +broth. We now see nothing but the mercy of God to intercede for us. +Sorrowful times, all faces look pale, discouraged, discouraged. + +Saturday, 14th. We drawd bisd, times look dark. Deaths prevail among us, +also hunger and naked. We almost conclude (that we will have) to stay +all winter At noon drawd meat and rice. Cold increases. At night suffer +with cold and hunger. Nights verry long and tiresome, weakness prevails. + +Sunday, 15th. Drawd bisd, paleness attends all faces, the melancholyst +day I ever saw. At noon drawd meat and peas. Sunday gone and comfort. As +sorrowfull times as I ever saw. + +Munday, 16th of Decr. 1776. Drawd bisd and butter at noon. *Burgo poor. +Sorrow increases. The tender mercys of men are cruelty. + +Tuesday, 17th. Drawd bisd. At noon meat and rice No fire. Suffer with +cold and hunger. We are treated worse than cattle and hogs. + +Wednesday, 18th. Drawd bisd and butter. At noon peas. I went and got a +bole of peas for 4. Cole increases Hunger prevails. Sorrow comes on. + +Thursday, 19th., Drawd bisd the ship halld in for winter quarters. At +noon drawd meat and peas. People grow sick verry fast. Prisoners verry +much frownd upon by all + +Friday, 20th. of Decr. 1776. Drawd bisd and butter this morn. Snow and +cold. 2 persons dead on deck. Last night verry long and tiresom. At noon +drawd burgo Prisoners hang their heads and look pale. No comfort. All +sorrow. + +Saturday, 31st. Drawd bisd. Last night one of our regt got on shore but +got catched. Troubles come on comfort gone. At noon drawd meat and rice. +Verry cold Soldiers and sailors verry cross. Such melancholy times I +never saw. + +Sunday, 22nd. Last night nothing but grones all night of sick and dying. +Men amazeing to behold. Such hardness, sickness prevails fast. Deaths +multiply. Drawd bisd. At noon meat and peas. Weather cold. Sunday gone +and no comfort. Had nothing but sorrow and sadness. All faces sad. + +Munday, 23rd. Drawd bisd and butter. This morning Sergt Kieth, Job March +and several others broke out with the small pox. About 20 gone from here +today that listed in the king's service. Times look verry dark. But +we are in hopes of an exchange. One dies almost every day. Cold but +pleasant. Burgo for dinner. People gone bad with the pox. + +Tuesday, 24th. Last night verry long and tiresom. Bisd. At noon rice and +cornmeal. About 30 sick. (They) Were carried to town. Cold but pleasant. +No news. All faces gro pale and sad. + +Wednesday, 25th. Lastnight was a sorrowful night. Nothing but grones +and cries all night. Drawd bisd and butter. At noon peas. Capt Benedict, +Leiut Clark and Ensn Smith come on board and brought money for the +prisoners. Sad times. + +Thursday, 26th. Last night was spent in dying grones and cries. I now +gro poorly. Terrible storm as ever I saw. High wind. Drawd bisd. At noon +meat and peas. Verry cold and stormey. + +Friday, 27th. Three men of our battalion died last night. The most +malencholyest night I ever saw. Small pox increases fast. This day I was +blooded. Drawd bisd and butter. Stomach all gone. At noon, burgo. Basset +is verry sick. Not like to live I think. + +Saturday 28th. Drawd bisd. This morning about 10 cl Josiah Basset died. +Ensn Smith come here about noon with orders to take me a shore. We got +to shore about sunset. I now feel glad. Coffee and bread and cheese. + +Sunday, 29th. Cof. and bread and cheese. This day washed my blanket and +bkd my cloathes. The small pox now begins to come out. + +Munday, 30th. Nothing but bread to eat and coffee to drink. This day got +a glass of wine and drinkd. Got some gingerbread and appels to eat. + +Tuesday, 31st. Nothing good for breakt. At noon verry good. I grow +something poorly all day. No fire and tis cold. Pox comes out verry full +for the time. The folks being gone I went into another house and got the +man of the same to go and call my brother. When he came he said I wanted +looking after. The man concluded to let me stay at his house. + +Wednesday 1st of Jany 1777. Pox come out almost full. About this time +Job March and Daniel Smith died with the small pox. + +Thursday, 2nd. Ensn Smith lookd about and got something to ly on and +in. A good deal poorly, but I endeavourd to keep up a good heart, +considering that I should have it (the small pox) light for it was verry +thin and almost full. + +Friday 3d. This morning the pox looks black in my face. This day Robert +Arnold and Joshua Hurd died with the small pox. This day Ensn Smith +got liberty to go home next morning, but omitted going till Sunday on +account of the prisoners going home. + +Saturday, 4th. Felt more poor than common. This day the prisoners come +on shore so many as was able to travel which was not near all. + +Sunday, 5th. This morning Ensn Smith and about 150 prisoners were set +out for home. The prisoners lookd verry thin and poor. + +Monday 6th. Pox turnd a good deal but I was very poorly, eat but litte. +Drink much. Something vapery. Coughd all night. + +Tuesday 7th. Nothing reml [remarkable] to write. No stomach to eat at +all. Got some bacon. + +Wednesday, 8th. Feel better. This day I went out of doors twice. Nothing +remarkl to write. + +Thursday, 9th. Tryd to git some salts to take but could not. Begin to +eat a little better. + +Friday, 10th. Took a portion of salts. Eat water porrage. Gain in +strength fast. + +Saturday, 11th. Walk out. Went and see our Connecticut officers. Travld +round. Felt a good deal better. + +Sunday, 12th. Went and bought a pint of milk for bread. Verry good +dinner. Gain strength fast. Verry fine weather Went and see the +small-pox men and Samll. + +Munday, 13th. Feel better. Went and see the officer. Talk about going +home. + +Tuesday, 14th. Went to Fulton market and spent seven coppers for cakes. +Eat them up. Washd my blanket. + +Wednesday 15. Cleand up all my cloathes. Left Mr. Fenixes and went to +the widow Schuylers. Board myself. + +Thursday, 16th. Went to Commesary Loring. Have incouragement of going +home. Signd the parole. + +Friday, 17th. In expectation of going out a Sunday. Verry cold. Buy milk +and make milk porrage. Verry good liveing. Had my dinner give. + +Saturday, 18t. Verry cold. Went to see Katy and got my dinner. Went to +Mr. Loring. Some encouragement of going hom a Munday, to have an answer +tomorrow morning. Bought suppawn (some corn?) meal and Yankey. + +Sunday, 19th. Went to Mr. Lorings. He sd we should go out in 2 or +3 days. The reason of not going out now is they are a fighting at +Kingsbridge. Went to Phenixes and got my dinner. Almost discouraged +about going home. To have answer tomorrow. + +Munday, 20th. Nothing remarkable. Mr. Loring sd we should have an answer +tomorrow. An old story. + +Tuesday, 21st. Still follow going to Mr. Lorings. No success. He keeps a +saying come tomorrow. Nothing remarkable. + +Wednesday, 22. Mr. Loring says we should have a guard tomorrow, but it +fell through. The word is we shall go out in 2 or 3 days. + +Thursday, 23d. Nothing remarkl. Almost conclude to stay all winter. + +Friday, 24th. Encouragement. Mr. Loring say that we shall go tomorrow. +We must parade at his quaters tomorrow by 8 oclok. + +Saturday, 25th. We paraded at Mr. Lorings by 8 or 9 oclk. Marchd off +about 10 oclk. Marchd about 6 miles and the officers got a waggon and +4 or 5 of us rid about 4 miles, then travl'd about 1-1/2, then the offr +got a waggon and broght us to the lines. We were blindfolded when we +come by Fort Independency. Come about 4/5 of a mile whare we stay all +night. Lay on the floor in our cloathes but little rest. + +Sunday, 26th. We marchd by sun rise. March but 8 miles whare we got +supper and lodging on free cost. This day gave 18 pence for breekft, 19 +pence for dinner. + +Munday, 27th. Marchd 2 miles. Got breekft cost 19 pence. Travld 2 or 3 +miles and a waggon overtook us a going to Stamford. We now got chance +to ride. Our dinner cost 11 count lawful. About 3 oclok met with Capt +Hinmans company. See Judea folks and heard from home. This day come 13 +miles to Horse neck. Supper cost 16. Lodging free. + +Tuesday, 28th. Breekft cost 11. Rode to Stamford. Dinner 16. Travld 3 +miles, supr and lodg free. + +Here the diary ends when Slade was within a few miles of his home at New +Canaan, Conn., which he reached next day. + + * * * * * + +Perhaps a few words of his future life are not without interest. He was +one of the early settlers who went from Connecticut to Vermont and made +a home in what was then a frontier settlement. He lived and died at +Cornwall, Vt., and was successful and respected in the community. +From 1801 to 1810 he was sheriff of Addison County. Of his sons, one, +William, was especially conspicuous among the men of his generation for +his abilities and attainments. After graduation from Middlebury College +in 1810, he studied law, was admitted to the bar, and filled many +offices in his town and county. After some business reverses he secured +a position in the State Department in Washington in 1821. He was on the +wrong side politically in General Jackson's campaign for the presidency, +being like most Vermonters a supporter of John Quincy Adams. Some time +after Jackson's inauguration, Slade was removed from his position in +the State Department and this so incensed his friends in Vermont that +as soon as a vacancy arose he was elected as Representative to Congress, +where he remained from 1831 to 1843. On his return from Washington he +was elected Governor of Vermont in 1844, and in his later years was +corresponding secretary and general agent of the Board of National +and Popular Education, for which he did most valuable work. He was a +distinguished speaker and an author of note, his Vermont State Papers +being still a standard reference work. + +To revert to the prison ship martyrs, their suffering was so great and +their bravery so conspicuous that immediately after the War a popular +attempt was made in 1792 and 1798 to provide a proper resting place +for the bones of the victims, which were scattered in the sands about +Wallabout Bay. This effort did not progress very rapidly and it was +not until the matter was taken up by the Tammany Society that anything +definite was really accomplished. Owing to the efforts of this +organization a vault covered by a small building was erected in 1808 +and the bones were collected and placed in the vault in thirteen large +coffins, one for each of the thirteen colonies, the interment being +accompanied by imposing ceremonies. In time the vault was neglected, and +it was preserved only by the efforts of a survivor, Benjamin Romaine, +who bought the plot of ground on which the monument stood, when it was +sold for taxes, and preserved it. He died at an advanced age and was, by +his own request, buried in the vault with these Revolutionary heroes. + +Early in the last century an attempt was made to interest Congress in +a project to erect a suitable monument for the prison ship martyrs +but without success. The project has, however, never been abandoned +by patriotic and public spirited citizens and the Prison Ship Martyrs' +Society of the present time is a lineal descendant in spirit and purpose +of the Tammany Club effort, which first honored these Revolutionary +heroes. The efforts of the Prison Ship Martyrs' Association have proved +successful and a beautiful monument, designed by Stanford White, will +soon mark the resting place of these prison ship martyrs. + + + +APPENDIX C + +BIBLIOGRAPHY + + +The writer of this volume has been very much assisted in her task by Mr. +Frank Moore's Diary of the Revolution, a collection of extracts from the +periodicals of the day. This valuable compilation has saved much time +and trouble. Other books that have been useful are the following. + +Adventures of Christopher Hawkins. + +Adventures of Ebenezer Fox. Published in Boston, by Charles Fox, in +1848. + +History of Brooklyn by Stiles. + +Bolton's Private Soldier of the Revolution. + +Bigelow's Life of B. Franklin, vol II, pages 403 to 411. + +Account of Interment of Remains of American Prisoners. Reprint, by Rev. +Henry R. Stiles. + +Elias Boudinot's Journal and Historical Recollections. + +Watson's Annals. + +Thomas Dring's Recollections of the Jersey Prison Ship, re-edited by H. +B. Dawson, 1865. + +Thomas Andros's Old Jersey Captive, Boston, 1833. + +Lossing's Field Book of the Revolution. + +Memoirs of Ethan Allen, written by himself. + +Journal of Dr. Elias Cornelius. + +Dunlap's New York. + +Narrative of Nathaniel Fanning. + +Narrative of Jabez Fitch. + +Valentine's Manual of New York. + +The Old Martyrs' Prison. A pamphlet. + +Jones's New York. + +Poems of Philip Freneau. + +Prison Ship Martyrs, by Rev. Henry R. Stiles. + +A Relic of the Revolution, by Rev. R. Livesey, Published by G. C. Rand, +Boston, 1854. + +Memoirs of Alexander Graydon. + +Memoir of Eli Bickford. + +Martyrs of the Revolution, by George Taylor, 1820. + +Memoirs of Andrew Sherburne. + +Mrs. Ellet's Domestic History of the Revolution, pages 106-116. + +Irving's Life of Washington, vol. III, p. 19. + +Experiences of Levi Handford. C. I. Bushnell, New York, 1863. + +Onderdonk's Suffolk and King's Counties, New York. + +Philbrook's Narrative in Rhode Island Historical Society's Proceedings, +1874 and 1875. + +Harper's Monthly, vol. XXXVII. + +Historical Magazine, vol. VI, p. 147. + +Mrs. Lamb's New York. + +Jeremiah Johnson's Recollections of Brooklyn and New York. + +Life of Silas Talbot, by Tuckerman. + +Ramsey's History of the Revolution, vol. II, p. 9. + +Narrative of John Blatchford, edited by Charles I, Bushnell, 1865. + +Irish-American Hist. Miscellany, published by the author, 1906, by Mr. +John D. 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