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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

One word more, before I quit this national trait. The English naval
muse, which I presume must be a Mermaid, half woman and half fish,
has, by her simple and half the time, nonsensical songs, done more
for the British flag than all her _gunnery_, or naval discipline and
tactics. This inspiration of the _tenth_ muse, with libations of
_grog_, have actually made the English believe they were invincible on
the ocean, and, what is still more extraordinary, the French and
Spaniards were made to believe it also. This belief constituted a
_magical circle_, that secured their ships from destruction, until two
American youths, _Isaac Hull_, from Connecticut, and _Oliver H.
Perry_, from Rhode Island, broke this spell by the thunder of their
cannon, and annihilated the delusion. Is not this business of
_national songs_ a subject of some importance? _Love_ and
_Patriotism_, daring amplification, with here and there a dash of the
supernatural, are all that is requisite in forming this national band
of naval music. We all know that "_Yankee Doodle_," is the favorite
national tune of America, although it commenced with the British
officers and Tories, in derision, in the year 1775. When that
animating tune is struck up in our Theatres, it electrifies the pit
and the upper galleries. When our soldiers are marching to that tune,
they "tread the air." "With that tune," said general M----, the same
gallant officer, who took nine pieces of cannon from the British,
planted on an eminence, at the battle of Bridgewater--"_with that tune
these fellows would follow me into hell, and pull the devil by the
nose_." For want of native compositions, we had sung British songs
until we had imbibed their spirit, and the feelings and sentiments
imbibed in our youth, are apt to stick to us through life. It is high
time we had new songs put in our mouths.

Unless we attend to the effects of these early impressions, it is
almost incredible, the number of false notions that we imbibe, and
carry to our graves. A considerable party in the United States have
sung Nelson's victories, until those victories seemed to be their own.
Even on the day of the celebration of the Peace, the following Ode was
sung in the hall of the _University of Cambridge_--a captain and a
lieutenant of the navy being among the invited guests. It was written
by the son of the keeper of the States Prison, in Massachusetts.


    _ODE, &c._

    COLUMBIA and BRITANNIA
    Have ceased from Warfare wild;
    No more in battle's rage they meet,
    The parent and the _child_.
    Each gallant nation now lament
    The heroes who have died.
      _But the brave, on the wave,
      Shall yet in friendship ride,
      To bear BRITANNIA'S ancient name,
      And swell COLUMBIA'S pride._

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