Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-10-11


failed, and for retaliation our government
was forced to the last resort, an appeal to
arms, we felt the business of our cause and
hoped for the blessing of heaven for success.
10 serve our country and to NIKE up the
losses we had sustained, we, under commits
sions from the President of the u States
entered on board of private armed vessels,
and have unfortunately been captured by he
British. We could state, that i'm many i'm
stances alter we had struck our colors. we
were fired upon by cannon and muskets,
broadsides and volleys. and some of our men
killed, and after our Captors had came on
board some OF us have been struck with cut
lasses, ithout the least provocation for
such inhumanty Our American protect
ons have been forced from us and destroy
ed. and some native American citizens have
been taken out of our privateers and put on
board British ships and there obliged to
serve. Most of us have been robbed of eve
ry thing, even necessary clothing. When
we were going from the ships to prison the
sihcers would not permit us to take our
Clothing and baggage with US, but pledged
themselves that they should be sent to pri-
son but disTegarding their honor, we have
lost all. Some of us have been marched
thirty, and some sixty and some one hundred
and sixty miles over a miserable country,
forced along beyond our >trength, half star
we'd and some i'll irons. Our allowance, each
man per day, one and an half pounds of
bread, half pound poor bee, well proper.
toned with bone, one gill of peas, one third
ounce of salt. We are without wearing APP
parel and without money. or any meuns of
procuring them. A cold winter i'm this
wretched country fast approaches, and in
our destitute situation we must endure eve
ny thing, and many of us must perish. There
are now OF us IN prison upwards of twelve
hundred. Every art has been practiced by
the English officers to excite disaffection i'm
our men to the American government, and
tn induce them to enter into the English ser
vice Necessity NAV oblige some to desert
us and enter into British servitude, but we
trust that speedy relief from our government
VIII save them from that wretched alterna.
tive OF pcrishing with want or joining our
nemies For ourselves and the rest of the
prs ners we must say, we have no fortune
to devote to the service of our country but
we have hearts which yet feel warmly the
general impdse, and which we pledge, If on
portunIty ever again presents, to devote in
the intel est and service of our country. We
are now sufferers, but will cheerfully suffer
every hardship of war rather than sue for
diShonorable peace.
we respectfully request an exchange or
same provision for relief We feel tn full
lest confidence in our government, and that
we need only to apprize them of our situa-
tion to insure their assistance and protection
Yours &c.
Joseph Starr, Boston,
Frederick johnson, New York,
Robert M'Kearney, New York,
Richard 2hea New~Jersey,
George rBatterman, Boston,
John Hazelton, Boston,
William Dyer, Boston,
James Trask, Boston,
Solomon Norton, Boston,
Alex. B. Latham, New-London,
Darius Denison, New-York,
Eastwick Pray, Portsmouth,
William Temold, Portsmouth,
Fobes Dala, Portland,
Chs. Thompson, jun New York.
Hon. James Monroe. Secretary of state.