Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-10-11
BAD TREATMENT OF AMERICAN PR
SONERS BY TIE BRITISH
WAsHINGrnN. May 9th 1915

SIR, "A'"i NCroN' May S4'h' 1915.
have received your favor of the 22d Instant
and hasten to reply TO the questions therein respeot
ing the case oil captain Jeduthun Upton late COM
mander OF the privatcer brig Hunter, of Salem
captain Upton was taken in the month"; I believe OF
N.V'emoer last oil the Western Islands, by the Rii-
tsh irlgate Phoebe, captain billiard In chase can
t"n Upton, rs rs usual in such cases. threw his guns
overheard to ease his vessel hopes by that means
10 'aeiiitate his escape from the enemy but this
nor avai'ng he was, as above stated, taken and car
reu into Plymouth, IN England, where, on his ar
rival he was Immediately, with his iirst-lieutcnant
NJ wayne, put into Mill Prison and refused his
parole on the plea that he had not board when
captured, fourteen mounted carriage guns above he
calbre OF four Founders. After having been thus
closely conhcd for three four months in a fillhy
Jan, they were in the month of March taken out and
sent on board the prison ship at Chatham, where,
wnen 4 lett Et S!and IN April last, they still we're
IN worse stuat,o If bossi5L, than in Mill p ison
the allowance, sir, to American prisoners in Eng-
land, You are acquainted with it is, therefore not
necessary Tor me to mention ii here IL is but JUS
tee to state, that the captain of the Phube petition
ed the transport board and used every exerlon
an his power to obtain the paroles OF caplan UPTON
ana Mr.. Wyane, but all would not do they were
deaf to his petition, lost rs they to every SEN
unent OF honor, and every principle of humanity.
Except captain Upton and his frst-licutenaut all
the rest of his officers and we're sent on board
the prison-ship their first arrival at Plymouth
among them was the doctor of the Hunter, MIR.
WHO nome III The car e! Robinson Tot
ter. What have stated respecting the treatment
OF captain Upton aud Mr.. Wayne, know To be facts
as had the honor of spending twenty hou in Mill
Prison with them, and heard those facts reiated.by
themselves.
Very respectfully, &c.
-, ALEXA DER CoFFIN, TT.
j. Mason, Esq. comm ssury
general OF prisoners.
Naey Yard Chariestogv1l, Jane Sd, 1918.
SIR,
have the honor to enclose you a deposition
respecting inhuman treatment, which AIR. Nichols,
late commander OF the private armed ship Decatur
belonging 10 Newhuryport, has received from the
British government at Barbados. have been ere
dibly informed that captain Nichols is very res
peetable and correct man, therefore fir presurnp
fon, that he has not committed himself il such
manner as ought TO deprive him Of the established
rights Of a prisoner OF war. Any measure which
the government of our country may see proper TO
adopt in consequence of this communication, l shall
readily attend TO.
wM. CAMBRIDGE.
Hon. VIM JoNFs,
secretaryof the Navy. City of Washington.
1, James Foot, OF Newburyport, in the county of
Essex, and commonwealth of Massachusetts, ma j.
ner, testify and depose, that was a prize master
on board the private armed brigantine Decatur OF
Newburyport, IN her last crliZe, William Nichols
commander; That on the 18th day OF January, now
last past, the said bTigantine WAS cautursd y his
Britannia majesty fligate Surprize commanded by
captain Cochran, and carried into Il rbadoes. Az
ter our arrival at Barbados, captain Nichols, with
the other officers Oft Decatur were parule,l. A.
bout two months after arrival his Brit annie ma
Jesty srigate Nesta arrived in Barbadoes aud ihro
the influence OF the commander of the Vesta, cap
tain Nichols, without any known or pretended cause
was arrested and held in close confinement without
liberty to speak to any of his officers or any other
American The place where captain Nichols WAS
confined was about four fectin width and seven feet
IN length, on board prison ship, where he remain
ed for thirty four days, nearly can recollect
and WAS then taken on hoard his maiesty's shin
Tribune and carried to England. What the cause
OF the unwsrrantable and uniusuiabc conduct of The
enemy towards captain Nichols was am unable to
state; there were several reports in circulation /;
one was, that he was to be carried to England and
held prisoner until the release of certain men in
France, from whom captain Nichols recaptured his
vessel, which lad been taken by the British before
the commencement of the present war between the
two countries another report was, that he was 10
be held until the clio of the war on account of II $
having been active against the enemy since the com
meneement OF hostilties, and having been fortunate
in a former cruizc.
JAMES FOOT.
Commonwealth Of .UasSachusefts Esse1 e.