American Prisoners of the RevolutionDandridge, Danske
History
American Prisoners of the Revolution
Dandridge, Danske
United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Prisoners and prisons
“In addition to the regular officers and seamen of the Jersey, there
were stationed on board about a dozen old invalid Marines, but our
actual guard was composed of soldiers from the different regiments
quartered on Long Island. The number usually on duty on board was
about thirty. Each week they were relieved by a fresh party. They were
English, Hessian, and Refugees. We always preferred the Hessians,
from whom we received better treatment than from the others. As to the
English, we did not complain, being aware that they merely obeyed their
orders, in regard to us; but the Refugees * * * were viewed by us with
scorn and hatred. I do not recollect, however, that a guard of these
miscreants was placed over us more than three times, during which their
presence occasioned much tumult and confusion; for the prisoners could
not endure the sight of these men, and occasionally assailed them with
abusive language, while they, in turn, treated us with all the severity
in their power. We dared not approach near them, for fear of their
bayonets, and of course could not pass along the gangways where they
were stationed; but were obliged to crawl along upon the booms, in order
to get fore and aft, or to go up and down the hatchways. They never
answered any of our remarks respecting them, but would merely point to
their uniforms, as much as to say, ‘We are clothed by our Sovereign,
while you are naked.’ They were as much gratified by the idea of leaving
us as we were at seeing them depart.
“Many provoking gestures were made by the prisoners as they left the
ship, and our curses followed them as far as we could make ourselves
heard.
“A regiment of Refugees, with a green uniform, were then quartered at
Brooklyn. We were invited to join this Royal band, and to partake of his
Majesty’s pardon and bounty. But the prisoners, in the midst of their
unbounded sufferings, of their dreadful privations, and consuming
anguish, spurned the insulting offer. They preferred to linger and to
die rather than desert their country’s cause. During the whole period
of my confinement I never knew a single instance of enlistment among the
prisoners of the Jersey.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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