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A journal, of a young man of Massachusetts, late a surgeon on board an American privateer, who was captured at sea by the British in May, eighteen hundred and thirteen and was confined first, at Melville Island, Halifax, then at Chatham, in England, and last at Dartmoor prison : $b Interspersed with observations, anecdotes and remarks, tending to illustrate the moral and political characters of three nations. To which is added, a correct engraving of Dartmoor prison, representing the massacre of — John Shaqi

History

A journal, of a young man of Massachusetts, late a surgeon on board an American privateer, who was captured at sea by the British in May, eighteen hundred and thirteen and was confined first, at Melville Island, Halifax, then at Chatham, in England, and last at Dartmoor prison : $b Interspersed with observations, anecdotes and remarks, tending to illustrate the moral and political characters of three nations. To which is added, a correct engraving of Dartmoor prison, representing the massacre of

Waterhouse, Benjamin

Dartmoor Prison; United States -- History -- War of 1812 -- Prisoners and prisons

and an hundred and fifty acres of land to bury you in; and if you are
not satisfied with all this, you may die and be d--d." Having finished
this eloquent harrangue, orator Miller descended from his rostrum, and
strutted out of the prison yard, accompanied with hisses from some of
the prisoners.

On a re-examination, however, of the "king's beef," some pieces were
found too much tainted for a dog to eat, and the prisoners threw it
over the pickets. After this the supply of wholesome meat was such as
it ought to be; full good enough for Mr. Miller himself to eat; and
some of the very best pieces good enough for Mr. Grant, the turnkey.

In all this business of provision for prisoners of war, one thing
ought to be taken into consideration, which may be offered as an
extenuation of crime alledged against the British agents for
prisoners; and that is, that the American soldier and sailor live
infinitely better in America, than the same class of people do in
Great Britain and Ireland. Generally speaking, an American eats three
times the quantity of animal food that fall to the share of the same
class of people in England, Holland, Germany, Denmark, or Sweden. He
sleeps more comfortably, and lives in greater plenty of fish, flesh,
vegetables, cider, and spirituous liquors. Add to this, his freedom is
in a manner unbounded. He speaks his mind to any man. If he thinks he
is wronged, he seeks redress with confidence; if he is insulted, he
resents it; and if you should venture to strike him, he never will
rest quiet under the dishonour; yet you seldom or ever hear of
quarrels ending in murder. The dagger and pistol are weapons in a
manner unknown. The fist, _a la mode_ de John Bull, is commonly the
ultimatum of a Yankee's revenge.

We often hear the British, if they are unsuccessful, lamenting the war
between England and America; they call it an unhappy strife between
brethren; and they attribute this "unnatural war," to a French
influence; and their friends in New England, who are denominated
_tories_, use the same language. They say that all the odium of the
war ought to fall on our administration and their wicked seducers, the
French; and yet you will find that both in England, and at Halifax,
the French meet with better treatment than their dear brothers, the
Americans.

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