The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-09-21

my.
BAD TREATMENT or AMERICAN
PRISONERS 81 THE BRITISH.
HoSh,nCton, hiaU 24.k, 1913.
| SIR, have received your f4vDur OF the
I22d instant, and hasten 70 reply co the ques.
lions therein, respecting the case of captain
Jsduthan L'ptoD, late commander Of the pri
lvateer brig Hunter, &c Salem. Captain UD
ton was taken in the month, believe of
| November last, OF the western islands, by
the British irigate phoebe, captain Hiiiard
I'm chase, captain Upton, as is usual
- "''r. cases. threw his guns overheard to
ease i's Nsssak - fopGs t,y that means to
.Sciittate his escare from the enemy but
this not awaiting, he was, as abov.. stated.
taken and Carried into Ply,uoutli, in Enc
land. where, on his arrival, he was irnrredi
ateiy, with his first lieutenant, MIR. WAYNE.
put into Mill Prison ard refused his parole
on the plea that he had not oa board, when
captured. fourteen mounted carriage gun,
above the Caibre of four posnGers. ACs,r
having been thus closely confined FOR three
or tour months in filthy jail, they we've IN
tue month OF March taken cut and sent ON
board tie prison ship at Catha,n, where, when
| lett England in April iast, they still w re
IN worse situation, Vhossibie, than in Mil
iprison. The allowance, sir to q neriCar
prisoners ia England, you are Acquainted
with il is, therefore, lot necessary for M
10 mention II here. Iii but Justice 70 state.
thai the captain of the Phoebe petiticued the
! transport board and used every excrt:on in
his power 10 obtain the paroles of cap ain
Upton and Mr.. WAYNE, but ell would no,
do; they were deaf to his petition, lost as
they are to every sentiment OK honor. and
every principle of humanity.
Except Captain Uptot ami his first Lien.
tenant, all the rest OF his officers and crew
were sent on board the p,ison ship on their
first arrival at Plymouth amongst them
was the doctor of the Iiu,ter, Mr.. Garter.
who came home in the Ca,tel Robinson Pot
ter. What l have stated respecting the
treatment of Captain UDton & Mr.. Wayne
| know to be facts, as had the honor Of
spending "a hours in Mill prison with them.
and heard those facts related by themselves
Very respectfully, &c,
ALEXANDER COFFIN, Jr.
]. MASON, Esq.
CommiSsary General of Prisoners.
Navy Yard, Charcstozvn,
lime Sd, 1913.
DIR II have the honor 10 enclose vcu a
deposition respecting inhuman treatment
winch MT. Nichols. late commander of the
lprvate armed ship Decatur. belorvinq- to
NewuiTypoy.. has =, ceiv~d from. the Brush
government at Balbadoes. | have been
credibiy Informed that Capt. Nichols is 4 We
ry respe ctable and correct man, therefore q
falr presumption, that he has not cor ed
himself IN such manner as ooght tn de
PTve him otthe established rights Of a pri
s9ner OF war. Any measure Which the go
Vernmfnt OF our country may see proper to
adop IN consequence of this communication,
shalt readily attend to.
have the honor sir, 10 be, &c.
I WIN. BA!NBRIDGE.
Hon. VIM. JONES, Secretary
OF the Navy, City of Washington.
/, James Foot, of Newbu,yport in the
t county OF Essex and co;nnYonwea tn Of Nas
achusetts, mariner, testify and depoec. that
vas prize-n aster on bcard the private
armed brGantne Decatur, of Newburyror.
in her last cruize, William Nichols com
manCer: That on the 18Th day of January.
n iaSt past the SAID brgantine was cap
tured by MS Britannia Maicst,'s friqate Snr
prize, commanded by CAPTAIN Coc6ran n
Carried into Barbados. After our arrjya'
in Barbadoes, Capt. Nichols, with the cther
ohicers OF the Decatur were Daroled. Aboi.
two months atter our arrival, ms Britaunic
Hajesiy'S tngate Vcsta arrived I'm Barba
does, and through the Influence E the com
, mander OF the Nesta, Capt. Nichols. without
any knnwn or pretended cause, was arrest
ed and heid m close Confinement, without
liberty TO speak to an of his officers or any
otuC' --lHSi 'I4h' ne place where CaDtaiu
Z Nichols was confined was about f,,r feet
, in width and abont seven feet in lenril. OF,
, board prison ship, where he rema;xcd for
thTty-tour days. as neaciy as I can reco lsct.
and was then taken on board his Mi sty's
} ship Tribune and carried Co Epelapd. what
The cause OF the unwaTrania5ie and uninsti
FABLE conduct # the enemy towards { ..
. chols was. am unable to state in re
81 were several reports IL circulation ore
was, that he was to be- csrried 70 ENGLAND
and held a.Prjsoner unpi the release fcer
tam men IN France, from whom CAPTAIN Nj
chols recap.orci re yesg,,, which had been
taken by the British before the Commence,
ment OF the present war between the two
Countries another report was, that he
was 90 be held until the rirsc of the war an
account OF his bayin~ been active AGAINST
the enemy since ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of bosti
= h'ies, and having been fof .gnate ia a former
, crujze.
JAMES FOOT.
common7gea'H 9fNassqclusefls,
. Es8eZ, IS.
On this thirty-Grst dav Of Nav. in the
: year Of GU Lord 1913, personally appeared
= James Fot, he subscriber TO the forecoinq
deposition nd made solemn oath that tn,
same is true.