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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 ofWaterhouse, Benjamin

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

Anthony St. John Baker, Esq. his Britannic majesty's charge
    d'affairs.


From all which it appears that nothing further can now be done
relative to this shocking transaction. The government and the people
of America have similar feelings. His Royal Highness the Prince Regent
of England offers to give money by way of compensating the widows and
families of the slain, as was offered in the affair of the Chesapeake;
but the PRESIDENT very properly refused the price of blood. There is
now no constituted earthly tribunal before which this deed can be
tried and punished, it is therefore left, like some other atrocities
from the same quarter, with the feelings of Christian people. They
have already tried it, and brought in their verdict.--But, "_vengeance
is mine, and I will repay saith the Lord_;"--and to HIM we leave it.

The night following the shocking massacre was spent in deep
disquietude. As we knew not what had actually occasioned this, in some
degree, deliberate slaughter, so we were filled with anxiety as to its
final termination.--The horrors of Paris, under Robespiere, rose to
view, and deprived us of sleep; or if wearied nature got a moment's
relief, many waked up screaming with the impression, that they were
under the hands of a murderer dressed in red.

The gates of our prison were closed up in the morning, and each one
seemed describing to his neighbor what he had seen and heard; and
every one execrating the villain who had occasioned the massacre. In
the course of the day, a British colonel, whom we had never before
seen, appeared at the inner gate, attended by the detestable
Shortland, who was pale and haggard like ordinary murderers. The
colonel asked us, generally, _What was the cause of this unhappy state
of things?_ We related some particulars as well as we could; but all
united in accusing captain Thomas Shortland of deliberate murder. On
Shortland's denying some of the accusations, the colonel turned round
to him, and said, in a very serious tone, "_Sir, you have no right to
speak at this time._" Upon which I thought the valiant captain would
have fainted. He, doubtless, thought of a halter. The colonel went to
the other yards, and received, as we were informed, statements not
materially differing from what he first heard. The colonel's manner
left an agreeable impression on our minds. He appeared to be seriously
grieved, and desirous to find out the truth.

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