The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-01-08
By Thomas Richie.
DOMESTIC.
TRUTH vs BARCLAY.
From The National advocate.

marx, that it should nave been mHCn sooner
presented for publication, had he not hoped
and believed that ADLER pens woald have
undertaken the task He has waited in
vain, and can only apologize for having fer
a moment neglected to corroborate the affi-
davit of Mr.. Walter, the British Commas
sary Generals assertion to ire contrary
notwithstanding.
At Quebec, the prisoners are confined in
prison ships, unless Buildings have very
lately been erected for their accommodations
the soldiers captured with HILL were ob
liged to remain on board the transports,
from the moment of their arrival al Que
bee until they sailed for Halifax. When
captain Chauncey lost the John and Grow
Ter, their crews were sent to Quebec. and
continued alons with others on board one uf
rhe prison ships. Shortly after their arri
val eight ut themsheloDging 10 Chauncey 5
squadron. two soldiers bsloAging 10 captain
Cumrnings company, ID h CUted States
Infantry. together with FIVE otuiers. making
in all fifteen, were taken at separate times
by guard of soldiers from the prison ships
and distributed On board d ffercnt merchant
veSsefs, TRANSPORTS and men Of SOtr, guar
ters'oSsigned them, md no doubt will be
compelled to fight against their country.
The writer OF this cannot rccoiect the
names of the seamen thus impressed :; the
names of eight were obtained, * handed to
young man by the name of y nith. who gave
the informations .he had beer captured in
one of the sChodhers on Lake Ontario. The
impresSment ct the two soldiers, mentioned
above, was communicated by captain Cum
mings in pers n.
In regard TO provisions, the writer has not
a doubt of the fact as stnurgling under the
Swedish flag cannot extend TO the port of
QuebeC,i it being contrary 70 the h,ltish regu-
tuf 10
Dor, they must therefore dspenl; upon Hall
fax for supplies. Freigh, age. Insurance, &c
&c. will enhance the value Of the provisions
AT least fifty per cent.--thc army must first
b. supplied, next the inhabitants ;Sthe orr
giual price is soon nearly d -ubled--his ma
jesty's contractors cannot exceed a certain
sum without loss to themselves, the prison.
ers must therefore suffer, that the contrac-
sors may grow rich.
Melville Island is two and half miles
from Halifax, not quarter Of mile in Cir
cumference. lies very low, and Is kird of
black muddy soil, generally esteemed I'M
heal ny from its beng surrounded by hills,
which prevent free circulation OF air Not
quite one half of the island is allotted for the
use of prisoners a picguet fence separate
them from the rest of the world a building
Two stories in height and perhaps one hun.
cired and fifty or sixty feet in length, and
about fifty in breadth served them TO lodge
and eat in. Upwards OF a thousand prison
ers are crowded in this den every nirht ;
the heat and stencil, arising from such a va
xiety of vapors is, to those who first enter
the prison. intolerable. Disease is the natu-
raj consequence, & numbers die daily, (thc
average nuhpber in October was three per
day.) A prison ship is moored alonpsi de
the island and contain from TO three hon
dred prisoners, their misery is equally great
With the others.
A variety of engagements Will not permi,
q minute detail of wanton barbarity exerci
SGD towards the prisoners A few instances
are selected, for the trrth OF which the wri
ter vouches, not that Trey GENE under his
own observation, but as RELAXED bythose who
suffered, & attested by hundreds of the pri.
soners.
BY regulation OF the British aren't The
prisoners selected a Committee from their
own body To inspect the beef and bread is
sued by the British Government Gar the rate
o. SIX cations FIR nine persons --by the same
regulation 1t gas ordered, that if the com
mittee soappo;nted should reiect, or contle 81
any beef or bread, it should he returned
TO the contractors one instance the beef.
was putrid, OF course rejected by tie pri
soners, or rather the cOmmittee--ti,ey were
informed thatuo other would be issued, they
mast eat that or none the latter was pre-
ferred & the beef Vas thrown into the river
The agent rs sent f1f. piece Of beet pre-
sented to him 31be declared it was good
pledged his honor he would eat Il, and bro
nonnced il good and wholesome food. Some
Of the prisoners OBJ erved, ifthey were corn
PEELED to eat sUch 7uhoie$ome fo0d. death
mus be the inevitable consequence. The
agent, bursting with rage, exclaimed -
q" foR may an die and be Did, khe Kfne
IIs one hp1Cfef and .jftly acrsS a. gro0nd
10 bHyg you in 20
g young boy an apprentice TO a rner.
c7fnt whose vessel had been taken, was cal
led out Of prison aud epcrv igdrcenent held
on to nveisle him into The BRITISH SERVE.
Finding promises CT no avail, they had re
course to threats. The boy remained o5sti
nate--thcy proceeded to put their threats iii
execution, and attempted 70 lead MIN away.
when lieut.. Black, Of the Yorktown. priva-
teer, who, with hundreds of prisoners, wiz
messed the proceeding, exclaimed. 81 Joe
(the Buys name) DOn'l IN unless they car
~ you byfo,ee for this nc was immmedi.
ately forced in the dungeon, where ne re
manned for ten days on two. thirds prisoner.
allowance. The above was related to the
writer by lieut.. Black, and attestcd to by
near fifty Of tue prisoners to whom he
spoke on the subject.
g. A Certain captain Of vessel was ia
Ken prisoner he was congeyed to Melville