The Depot for Prisoners of War at Norman Cross, Huntingdonshire. 1796 to 1816Walker, Thomas (Thomas James)
History
The Depot for Prisoners of War at Norman Cross, Huntingdonshire. 1796 to 1816
Walker, Thomas (Thomas James)
France -- History -- 1789-1815; Norman Cross depot; Prisoners of war
From the Dutch register we gather that it was the Dutch prisoners who
filled the prison to overflowing a few months after it was opened. The
great naval battle already alluded to as imminent when the prison was
building, took place on 11th October 1797, off Camperdown, when Admiral
Duncan, after a severe engagement, defeated the Dutch fleet under Admiral
de Winter, capturing the _Cerberus_, 68 guns; _Jupiter_, 74; _Harleem_,
68; _Wassenaar_, 61; _Gelgkheld_, 68; _Vryheid_, 74; _Delft_, 56;
_Alkmaar_, 56; and _Munnikemdam_, 44. The Dutch fought gallantly, and
the ships they surrendered were well battered.
The loss of life was appalling, and the number of Dutch prisoners brought
in by the English Admiral was 4,954, the majority of these being
ultimately sent to Norman Cross, where they began to arrive in November
1797. The first entry of prisoners taken in this great battle is a list
of 261 from Admiral Ijirke’s ship _Admiral de Vries_.
Subsequent arrivals were crews of privateers and merchant ships,
fishermen, and soldiers. Entries in later years show that among the
prisoners sent to Norman Cross were many other civilians besides the
fishermen; these were not retained in the prison, but were allowed out on
parole or were released. Many fishing vessels were captured, the crew
averaging six; these sailors were sent to Norman Cross, and after a few
days’ confinement were “released” by the Board’s order. The soldiers
were entered in a separate register. The first batch were taken from the
_Furie_, captured by the _Sirius_ on the 14th October 1798, they were
received at Norman Cross on the 20th November of the same year, and are
described in the appropriate column as bombardiers, cannoniers,
passengers, etc. To ascertain what was the ultimate destination of the
prisoners, Mr. Rhodes has made an analysis of the information given in
the registers for the individual members of the crew of selected ships.
As to the first ship to which he applied this method, he found that of
the crew, the quartermaster was exchanged, 7th April 1798, one of the
coopers was allowed to join the British Herring Fishery, the majority of
the officers were allowed on parole at Peterborough, several seamen
joined the British Navy, one was discharged on the condition he elected
to serve under the Prince of Orange, one enlisted in the York Hussars,
and at various dates many enlisted in the 60th Regiment of Foot. Of the
soldiers, the officers were allowed on parole at Peterborough, some
privates joined the Royal Marines at Chatham, nine joined the 60th Foot,
and in 1800 the remainder, with the sailors, were sent to Holland under
the Alkmaar Cartel. {52} An analysis of the columns giving the disposal
of the next ship’s company shows that nine were on parole at
Peterborough, two were sent to serve under the Prince of Orange, two
joined the British Herring Fishery, seven the British Navy, two the
Merchant Service, four the Dutch Artillery, three died, ninety-three
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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