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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

Although I, with some thousands of my countrymen, were inclosed in a
large prison during the greater part of the war, it fared with us as
with those people who seldom go out of their houses, who hear more
news than those who are abroad in the world. It was, however, pretty
much all of one sort; for we seldom saw any other American newspapers,
than those of the fault finding, or opposition party. These were
generally filled with abuse of the PRESIDENT, and of the government
generally, and with praises of the English, which, in our situation,
produced a strong sensation; as our support, our protection, our
pride, our _honor_, were identified in the person of the President,
and his administration. The efforts of the federal party in
Massachusetts to embarrass and tie the hands of our government, and
disgrace its brave officers, created in us _all_, a hatred of the very
name of _federalism_. _I record the fact, and appeal to all the
prisoners who have now returned home, to confirm my assertion_; and I
declare I have erased not a little on this head, out of courtesy to a
large and sanguine party; who have erred, and strayed from the right
way, by not knowing the true character of the English.

I feel no animosity, or disrespect to any gentleman of the federal, or
fault finding party; but they must excuse me for remarking, that their
conduct, and their sentiments, as they appeared in messages,
proclamations, speeches and resolves; and their combinations for
_withholding loans of money from government_, with their denunciations
of a war, waged professedly, and as we knew, really, for "_Sailors'
Rights_," made an impression on our minds so decidedly against the
federalists, that the very term _federalism_, was with us _all_,
without one single exception, a term of deep reproach. Let him who
doubts it, ask any prisoner who made a part of the six thousand
confined in England during the two years of our late bitter war with
the English, and he will be satisfied that I have "_nothing
extenuated, or set down aught in malice_."

I hope and pray for UNION among ourselves; and that all party names
and distinctions may be lost in that of AMERICANS.

    "Henceforth, let _Whig_ and _Tory_ cease,
    And turn all party rage to peace;
    Rouse, and revive your ancient glory,
    UNITE, and _drive the world before you_!"




FOOTNOTES:

[A] _Bivouacked_ is laying, sleeping, eating, and drinking on the
ground with their arms, without tents, or any covering, and is only
voluntarily resorted to, when the greatest danger is apprehended.

[B] By what I have just seen in the newspapers, I have reason for
believing that Nova Scotia is like to be blessed with this gentleman
for a governor.

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