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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

As the appropriate hospital-ship is now crowded with sick, we are
obliged to retain a number in the Crown Prince. The _sick bay_ of this
ship is now arranged like to an hospital ship; and the hospital
allowance served out; and the chief surgeon visits us every week. Our
committee, composed of the oldest and most respectable men amongst us,
do every thing in their power to keep the ship and the prisoners
clean. Men are appointed to inspect the prisoners' clothes and
bedding; and even to punish those who refused, or were too indolent to
wash themselves and their clothing; for there were some who were more
like hogs than men; such is the effects of situations and
circumstances. Our most influential men set the example of
cleanliness; and endeavoured to instill into the minds of others the
great importance of being free from all kinds of filth.

It is now the first day of April, 1814, and the small pox and typhus
fever still prevail in the different ships, especially on board the
ship called the Bahama. One hundred and sixty-one Americans were put
on board her in the month of January. She had been used as a prison
for Danish sailors, many of whom were sick of typhus fever. These
Americans came, like the rest of us, from Halifax; being weary,
fatigued, and half-starved, their dejected spirits and debilitated
bodies, then aptly disposed to imbibe the contagion. Accordingly soon
after they went on board, they were attacked with it. All the Danes
are sent out of her; and her upper deck is converted into an hospital;
and the surgeon has declared the ship to be infectious; and no one
communicates with her but such as supply the ship and attend the sick.

While "_sick and imprisoned_," Mr. Beasly "_visited us not_"; but sent
his clerk, a Mr. Williams, to supply the most needy with clothes; and
instead of applying to the committee, who could have informed him
correctly who most needed them, he adopted the mode most liable to
lead to deception and injustice. This Mr. B. seems, from the
beginning, to have considered his countrymen as a set of cheating,
lying, swindling rascals; and a mutual contempt has existed between
them. We wish all our officers and agents would bear in mind this
fact, that complacency begets complacency; and contempt begets
contempt.

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