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
Written representations of the neglect of this (nominal) agent for us
prisoners, were made to the government of the United States, which we
sent by different conveyances; but whether they ever reached the
person of the Secretary of State, we never knew. Several individuals
among the prisoners wrote to Mr. Beasly for information on subjects in
which their comfort and happiness were concerned, but received no
answer. Once, indeed, a letter was received from his clerk, in an
imperious style, announcing that no notice would be taken of any
letters from individuals; (which was probably correct) but those only
that were written by the committee collectively. The committee
accordingly wrote; but their letter was treated with the same silent
neglect. This desertion of his countrymen, in their utmost need,
excited an universal expression of disgust, if not resentment. Cut off
from their own country, surrounded only by enemies, swindled by their
neighbors, winter coming on, and no clothing proper for the
approaching season, and the American agent for themselves and other
prisoners, within three or four hours journey, and yet abandoned by
him to the tender mercies of our declared enemies, it is no wonder
that our prisoners detested, at length, the name of Beasly. We made
every possible allowance for this gentleman; we said to each other, he
may have no funds; he may have the will, but not the power to help us;
his commission, and his directions may not extend so high as our
expectations; still we could make no excuse for his not visiting us,
and enquiring, and seeing for himself our real situation. He might
have answered our letters; and encouraged us not to despair, but to
hope for relief; he might have visited us as often as did the English
Commodore, which was once in four weeks; but he should not have
insulted our feelings, the only time he did visit us, and humble and
mortify us in the view of the Frenchmen, who saw, and remarked that
our agent considered us no more than so many hogs. The Emperor
_Napoleon_ has visited some of his hospitals in cog. has viewed the
situation of the sick and wounded; examined their food, and eaten of
their bread; and once threw a cup of wine in the face of a steward,
because he thought it not good enough for the soldier; but--some of
our agents are men of more consequence, in their own eyes, than
Napoleon!
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