American Prisoners of the RevolutionDandridge, Danske
History
American Prisoners of the Revolution
Dandridge, Danske
United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Prisoners and prisons
We will now give the account written by a Tory gentleman, who lived in
New York during a part of the Revolution, of Loring, the Commissary of
Prisons, appointed by General Howe in 1776. Judge Thomas Jones was a
noted loyalist of the day. Finding it inconvenient to remain in this
country after the war, he removed to England, where he died in 1792,
having first completed his “History of New York during the Revolution.”
He gives a much larger number of prisoners in that city in the year
1776 than do any of the other authorities. We will, however, give his
statements just as they were written.
“Upon the close of the campaign in 1776 there were not less than 10,000
prisoners (Sailors included) within the British lines in New York. A
Commissary of Prisoners was therefore appointed, and one Joshua Loring,
a Bostonian, was commissioned to the office with a guinea a day, and
rations of all kinds for himself and family. In this appointment there
was reciprocity. Loring had a handsome wife. The General, Sir William
Howe, was fond of her. Joshua made no objections. He fingered the cash:
the General enjoyed Madam. Everybody supposing the next campaign (should
the rebels ever risk another) would put a final period to the rebellion.
Loring was determined to make the most of his commission and by
appropriating to his own use nearly two thirds of the rations allowed
the prisoners, he actually starved to death about three hundred of the
poor wretches before an exchange took place, and which was not until
February, 1777, and hundreds that were alive at the time were so
emaciated and enfeebled for the want of provisions, that numbers died on
the road on their way home, and many lived but a few days after reaching
their habitations. The war continuing, the Commissaryship of Prisoners
grew so lucrative that in 1778 the Admiral thought proper to appoint one
for naval prisoners. Upon the French War a Commissary was appointed for
France. When Spain joined France another was appointed for Spain. When
Great Britain made war upon Holland a Commissary was appointed for
Dutch prisoners. Each had his guinea a day, and rations for himself and
family. Besides, the prisoners were half starved, as the Commissaries
filched their provisions, and disposed of them for their own use. It
is a known fact, also, that whenever an exchange was to take place the
preference was given to those who had, or could procure, the most money
to present to the Commissaries who conducted the exchange, by which
means large sums of money were unjustly extorted and demanded from the
prisoners at every exchange, to the scandal and disgrace of Britons.
We had five Commissaries of Prisoners, when one could have done all the
business. Each Commissary had a Deputy, a Clerk, a Messenger in full
pay, with rations of every kind.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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