David Sproat and naval prisoners in the war of the revolution

Front matter

vV kPr.

and

Naval Prisoners in the War of the Revolution

Appendix

LETTER FROM MR. SPROAT TO CAPT. GRIFFIN.

(From the Washington Papers.)

New York 30th Deer 1780 — Sir,

You have too long been a witness of the distress and misery attending on imprisonment — You will therefore use your endeavours to get as many released as possible — Altho. you are greatly indebted — a number of our people are withheld from us, at Hartford in Connecticut — at East town in Pensylvania and at Philadelphia, which for the good of the whole had better be sent in. I mention this to you because I believe you to be a man of humanity and am Sir, Your mo. huml Servt.

David Sproat,

Commissary Genl. N. P.

Capt. Griffin.

LETTERS, REPORTS, ETC.

(From the New York Gazette and the Weekly Mercury, February 12, 1781.)

I

letter from mr. sproat to mr. gaine.

Mr. Gaine,

As I apprehend the following affidavit of George Batterman and the report of Congress derogatory to the honour of the Commander in Chief of his Majesty's fleet in America as well as the reputation of my office I desire you will give both a place in your paper and also insert the copy of my letter to Mr. Skinner on the occasion.

II. BATTERMAN's DECLARATION

The deposition of George Batterman passenger

on board the brig Providence, from Turks Island

bound to Rhode Island of lawful age, testifies

and declares "that he was captured the 15th day of September last by the Intrepid a 64 gun ship belonging to the British King, commanded by James Anthony Pic Mewloy, who with his own hands took every stitch of cloaths, the prisoners brought on board and hove them overboard on purpose to distress them, as they were of no service to him; and on the 28th of said month put us on board of the prison ship at New York where we were served about eight ounces of condemned bread per day and about eight ounces of meat per week; from thence transported on board the Jersey, sl 64 gun ship, where there were supposed to be iioo Americans on board, and we were told that we were now in a King's ship and that if we ran away we should be brought to the gangway and flogged, according to their articles of war; where we were supplied with the same quantity of bread and meat though neither of them fit to eat; and after we were on board a few days there came on board recruiting officers and finding that our officers persuaded our people not to enlist or enter into their service, they came on board and told all the officers to give in their names to be exchanged ; the day following there came on board several boats and took them ashore; we were informed they were sent to the provost, then telling the people that they never would be exchanged, they enticed them to enlist; after they found that this scheme would not take they took another method, made another draught of officers and sent them on board of the Yarmouth, a 64 gun ship, and they informed us that they were sent to England, also that all officers of commissioned vessels should be sent to England. The tenth day of December they made another draught to send in the fleet and they called their names over before we came away. On the 5th day of December we were served one pint of water when there were 75 puncheons in the hold. They have taken this method of starving us for the want of water to kill us or to make us enter into the service. They never allow a man that is sick to go to the hospital ship till they are so weak and low that they often expire before they get out of the ship. They never allow the sick to be mustered only when there is a wet or damp air. The commanding officer told us, that his orders were, that if the ship took fire, we should all be turned below and perish in the flames which we experienced one day; by accident the ship took fire in the steward's room; the commanding officer ordered the Hessian guards to turn us below and if we offered to resist that they should fire among us and if any of us should get into the water they should fire on us and kill us if possible.

George Batterman.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Boston, December 19th, 1780.

The above named George Batterman came before me and being duly cautioned to declare the truth made solemn oath to the foregoing deposition by him subscribed.

S. HOLTON,

Justice of the Peace through the Commonwealth.

True copy, attest John Avery, Sec.

III. Resolve Of Congress

In Congress, January 5th, 1781.

The Committee to whom were referred the letter of Abraham Skinner Commissary General of Prisoners and other papers relative to the treatment of prisoners in the hands of the enemy delivered in a Report as follows: —

"That notwithstanding every effort of Congress to obtain for our people, prisoners in the hands of the enemy, that treatment which humanity alone should have dictated, the British commanders unmindful of the tenderness exercised towards their men prisoners in our hands and regardless of the practice of civilized nations have persisted in treating our people prisoners to them with every species of insult, outrage and cruelty. Officers and men are indiscriminately thrown into the holds of prison ships and into loathesome dungeons and there deprived of fuel and the common necessaries of life by which means many of the citizens of these States have been compelled to enter into their service to avoid those distresses which a conduct so contrary to the law of nations have brought upon them. Our seamen taken upon the American Coast have been sent to Great Britain and other parts beyond Seas, to prevent their being exchanged or to force them to take arms against their Country.

That in the opinion of the Committee an exercise of the law of retaliation has become necessary as a justice due to those citizens of America whom the fortune of war has thrown into the power of the enemy"; whereupon

Resolved, That copies of the letter of Mr. A. Skinner and the other papers referred, be transmitted to the Commander in chief and that he be directed to enquire into the manner in which our people who are prisoners are treated by the enemy and that he give immediate orders to the commanding officers at the different posts to take particular care that the British prisoners receive the same allowance and treatment in every respect as our people who are prisoners receive from the enemy.

Resolved, That it be recommended to the respective executives to take effectual measures for carrying into execution the Act of Congress of 13th Jan'y, 1780, respecting prisoners taken by the citizens, troops or ships of particular States.

That the Board of Admiralty, issue orders not to exchange any British sea officer or seaman until the enemy shall have returned to some of their garrisons in America such seamen as they have taken upon the American coast and sent to Great Britain or other parts beyond sea; and that the Board of Admiralty give orders for continuing the treatment of prisoners as herein directed until they receive orders to the contrary from Congress or the Commander in Chief.

Published by order of Congress.

Charles Thompson Sec'y.

IV

LETTER FROM MR. SPROAT TO MR. SKINNER.^

Abraham Skinner, Esqr., American

Commissary General of Prisoners. Sir:

In a news-paper printed in Philadelphia by Mess. Hall & Sellers under the date of the 17th instant and No. 2,640 I observe inserted a

1 This letter was also published in the Royal Gazette, February 7, 1781. — J. L. B.

declaration said to be on oath from George Batterman before Justice S. Holton, Commonwealth of Massachusetts and also a resolve of Congress " not to exchange any British sea officer or seamen until the enemy have returned to some of their garrisons in America such seamen as they have taken upon the American coasts and sent to Great Britain" which is preceded by the report of a committee of their own body full of declamation against the British Commander.

As these allegations reflect dishonor on the British Commander and department over which I am supposed to have the management I shall first take the liberty to prove that they are not founded on matters of fact but merely calculated to deceive the world into a belief of the necessity of using our people who fall into their hands ill and inflame the minds of those already wounded by such impressions — and then state what has been the custom and usage to the naval prisoners both here and with you; from which the people at a distance (for whom their publication seems to be prepared) will be enabled to draw just conclusions.

Mr. Batterman says that Captain Mewloy, with his own hands took every stitch of cloaths the prisoners had and hove them overboard on purpose to distress them.

That they were thrown out of a King's ship I can easily believe ; for no dirty rags are suffered to remain there to breed disorders amongst the ships company — Mr. Batterman went on board the Jersey prison ship the 28th September and was discharged for exchange the loth day- December during which time viz. the 5th of December he says they were served only one pint of water that is each man; and then concludes "they have taken this method of starving us for the want of water to kill us."

This may go down in New-England but never can be believed in Old England or any other country. — That very many of them are sick and die is true ; but I will not allow that their disorders proceed from any other cause than dirt, nastiness and want of clothing — he also says that they were abridged of the King's allowance and the provisions bad. — that they "were served about eight ounces of condemned bread per day and a6(9w^ eight ounces of meat per week," may I not suppose that with respect to meat the printer has made a mistake in putting the word week in place of day — and (without prejudice to the gentleman on oath) that he may also be mistaken with respect to the quantity which I am led to believe from the guardedness of his expression. I appeal to Mr. Batterman and every other prisoner whether or not I have not always redressed their grievances to the utmost of my power? — upon the first complaint being made to me with respect to provisions I went on board the prison ship and wrote down in a large hand on a folio sheet of paper the quantity of each species of provisions allowed by the King to prisoners of war and pasted it on a board provided for that purpose and caused it to be hung up in the most public place of the vessel in order that every prisoner might see it and requested of their own officers that they would take in rotation the trouble to see that they got the full quantity of good sound wholesome provisions; and that when a cask happened to prove damaged or otherwise bad, it should not be served to them but headed up again, surveyed and condemned according to the custom of the navy.

The committee of Congress boldly asserts that the British Commander "unmindful of the tenderness exercised towards their men, prisoners in our hands and regardless of the practice of civilized nations has persisted in treating our people, prisoners to them with every species of insult, outrage and cruelty" that "officers and men are indiscriminately thrown into the holds of prison ships and into loathsome dungeons and there deprived of fuel and the common necessaries of life."

On my appointment to this office, the 13th of October 1779, I examined into the state and condition of prisoners and prison ships and reported the same to Admiral Arbuthnot who ordered me to make every necessary regulation in order to accommodate the prisoners as well as circumstances would admit. Accordingly carpenters were sent from the King's Yard and a bulk head run across the prison ship Good Hope; the officers were berthed abaft this partition and the men before it and two excellent large stoves purchased with every appurtenance thereunto belonging and erected, one in the apartment of the officers and the other in the apartment of the men.

Was not the hospital ship equipped in the same manner and every sick or wounded person furnished with a cradle, bedding and surgeons appointed to take care of them?

In this comfortable situation did the prisoners remain until the 5th of March 1780 when they wilfully, maliciously and wickedly burnt the best prison ship in the world. The perpetrators of this horrid crime were not hanged but ordered to the provost.

The prison ship at this time lay in the Wallabough near to a number of transport ships; the people belonging to them were so alert in snatching the prisoners from the flames, that but two out of some hundreds were missing. That is what I suppose the Congress alludes to when they say that they "were indiscriminately thrown into the holds of prison ships": — They were indeed without distinction put on board the nearest ship called the Woodlands where they remained for a short time until the ships Strombolo and Scorpion were got ready for their reception. But the officers were always admitted to parole on Long Island in that pleasant village Jamaica until the loth of July last when many of them had broke their parole and otherways behaved so ill, that it was refused them.

This alteration had not taken place above two months when the prisoners were all moved on board the ship Jersey where there is a variety of apartments for officers and plenty of room between decks for the men.

I have now related to you what has been the state and condition of the naval prisoners here; and now shall proceed to ask what has been the state and condition of those with you — Did not the officers belonging to what are called the continental frigates in 1779 go on board the prison ship at Boston and press all the boys into their service? And when the poor little fellows cried at the insult and some of their captains complained at the usage, Mr. Williams late commander of the privateer sloop Witch in particular and some others were carried on shore thrown into jail and shackled with heavy irons ? — Yet Mr. Batterman complains of the injustice of a recruiting serjeant going on board the prison ship here to enlist volunteers.

Have not many of the King's subjects who resided in this country prior to the declaration of independence that took shelter in New York to avoid oppression and afterwards went to sea for a living been taken and carried prisoners to Philadelphia and thrown into a dungeon and there "treated with every species of insult, outrage and cruelties" sufficient to disgrace any nation beyond the mountains? Have you not in that plentiful province Pennsylvania fed the poor prisoners who were confined in gaol last summer on dried clams fourteen or fifteen only to a ration and in the fall of the year when meat was plenty, on bread and water only? and all this under the nose of the very people who say that " an exercise of the law of retaliation has become necessary." — Have not I for humanity's sake told you that I would, for the present, let the balance stand and send you man for man for as many as you should send within the British lines in order to free as many as possible from the hardships of the then approaching winter? Did you insert this in your letter or any of the papers laid before Congress ? Have you informed them of the great numbers due to us? Surely they have not made this resolve on purpose to cancel the debt ? However if they will but stick to it, it will hurry on their misery and distress faster than they are aware of and in a short time put the honour of every man to the test who is out on parole.

I sincerely sympathize with the poor prisoners on both sides in distress and am, Sir, Your most obedient

And most humble Servant

David Sproat.

Commissary General for Naval

Prisoners in North America.

New York, 29th January 1781.

V

LETTER FROM CAPT. DAWSON TO MR. GAINE.

Iris off New York, Feb. 5th, 1781. Mr. Gaine:

During the present contest between Great Britain and the rebellious, in her North American Colonies, it has been the invariable practice of their leaders to misrepresent all facts, as might best serve their attrocious purposes, and prejudice or blind the minds of their fellow subjects, less violent, and more honest, or more candid than themselves.

Of this nature is the affidavit, lately published in a Boston News-Paper, respecting the treatment of the Naval prisoners in our possession — it has the same object — but it cannot be successful; because, an extensive and impartial Enquiry has taken place and the necessary measures been adopted on our part, to avert its baneful and pernicious effects.

It is therefore become necessary, for the attainment of this valuable and important purpose, to publish to the world the enclosed papers; and I desire you will accordingly insert them in your paper.

I am Sir, Your most obedient, humble Servant,

G. Dawson.

VI. Letter From General Washington To Admiral Arbuthnot

New Windsor, Jan. 25th, 1781. (Received at New York, Feb. ist, 1781.)

Sir:

Through a variety of channels, representations of too serious a nature to be disregarded have come to us, that the American Naval prisoners in the harbour of New York, are suffering all the extremities of distress — from a too crowded, and in all respects, disagreeable and unwholesome situation on board the prison ships; and from the want of food and other necessaries. The picture given us of their sufferings is truly calamitous and deplorable; if just it is the obvious interest of both parties (to omit the plea of humanity) that the causes should, without delay, be enquired into and removed; if false, it is equally desireable that effectual measures should be taken to obviate misapprehension. This can only be done by permitting an officer of confidence on both sides, to visit the prisoners in their respective confinements, and examine into their true conditions : This will either at once satisfy you, that by some abuse of trust in the persons immediately charged with the care of the prisoners, their treatment is really such as has been described to us and requires a change, or it will convince us that the clamours are ill grounded.

A disposition to agravate the miseries of captivity is too illiberal to be imputed to any but those subordinate characters who in every service are too often remiss or unprincipled. This reflection assures me that you will acquiesce in the mode proposed for ascertaining the truth; for detecting delinquency on one side, or falsehood on the other.

The discussions and asperities which have had too much place on the subject of prisoners are so irksome in themselves and have had so many ill consequences, that it is infinitely to be wished there may be no room given to receive them. The mode I have suggested, appears to me calculated to bring the present matter to a fair, direct, and satisfactory issue. I am sensible of no inconveniences it can be attended with, and I therefore hope for your concurrence. I shall be glad, as soon as possible to hear from you on the subject.

I am Sir,

Your most obedient

And Humble Servant,

George Washington.

Admiral Arbuthnot or the officer commanding the British fleet at New York.