Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1815-07-18
WASHINGTON CITY, july a
DOCUMENTS, CONCLUDED.
HYnloath. 26th .anrl. /

/ have now the honor to transmit 70 ',''
the report prepared by Mr.. Lar. a
and myself on behalf Of Our rosno,
tive governments, in relati,l to tba NV y,
Fortunate transactions at Dartmoor ~:
son OF war, on the eth o. the nras ~s
month. Considering it of much imn. r4'
ance that the report, whatever il m;ob,
oe, shculd go forth under our Joint s;~'
datures, l have forborne to press soGa
of the points which it involves, as far ~
otherwise might have done, 4 it tIprp.
fore may not be improper in this letter
to enter into some little explanation #
such parts of the report, Although +
does appear that part of the pris0peg
we're on that evening in such state and
lntler such circumstances, as TO have
justified, in the view which the command.
err Of the depot could not but take Of i.
the intervention Of the military force. and
even Ill a strict sense, the first use offRe /
arms, yet | cannot but express it as nv
settled opinion, that by conduct a litGs
more tempori2ing, this dreadful alterps.
tive OF firing upon unarmrd prisoners
might have been avoided. Yet as Iii, q.
pinlon has teen the result of subsequent
examination, and after having acquired
a knowledge Of the comparatively harm.
iesS state OF the prisoners, it nay be but
lair to consider, whether in such no.
ment OF confusion and alarm, as that az.
pears to have been, the officer cOmnapJ.
ing could have fairly estimated his dan.
ger, Or have measured cut with precision
the extent and nature of the force neces.
sary oguard against it.
But when tie firing became genera,
as it afterwards appears to have done,
and caught with electric rapidity froia
the square to the platforms, there is a.
Plea nor shadow of excuse for it. excEs'
IN the personal ey, speration of the a.
iiery, nor for the more deliberate, d
therefore, more unustifable; firing v q
COX place into three of the prisons, !
!, 8, and 4, but more particularly 5
70. s, alter the prisoners had retired \ 4
o them, and there was no longer al
,retence OF apprehensions as to their
ape. Upon this ground, as you, 81
sill perceive by the report, Mir. LarpepN
nd myself had no difference of opinion,
nd am fully persuaded that NJ own
egret was not greater than his at per-
ewing how hopeless would be the attempt
o trace to any Individuals OF tie military
hese outrageous proceedings.
As to whether TIE order to fire came
rom CAPTAIN Shorthand, yet confess
myself unable to form any satisfactory
opinion, thou, h perhaps tie bias q my
mind is, that he did give oh an orGeF'
out his anxiety and eAertiOns to stop i
lfter it had continued for some little
ime, are fully proved, and his general
conduct previous to this occurrence, as
ar as We could with pi'opgiety enter INC
uch details, appears to have been cha
acterised with great fairness, and e'eA
Kindness, in the relation ia winch he
,tooa towards the prisoners.
On the subject Of any complaints a.
,ainst their own government existing a.
nong the prisoners, it was invariably
nsWered to several distinct questions
ut by me on that head, that none what
,oeNer existed or had been expressed %
hem, although they confessed themselves
o entertain some amnesty against MI'
!, easiey, to whoa they attributed theIf
detention 10 this country; with what]as'
ice, you, 4sir, viii b better able 70
Judge. Ihey made no complaint Sf''I
:oever as to ,neir provisions aad genera
node cf living and treatment in the ~
son.
l lave transmitted to Mr.. Beasle!y :
list OF the killed and wounded on uu,
Melancholy occasion, with request SUE. we.
ne YOU Il forward it to the United ''a',t
Tor the information Of their lI1sDU' -
aome, and l am pleased tola'e II ~ E Gr
power to say, that the wounded az
lie most part doing well. r..rey
have also enclosed to Nr. A L.fIa
he notes taken by me OF the e''t, td
sdduced before US, with re9Ge' - Al.
,e would lave them fairly coF,eo' taf.Is
80 copy Of the depositio1s 'aE :. suGmit
he coroner, and desired hlm u '"
hem to yeu When in ORDER .,.
l cannot conclude, sir, vltn ''t;afty
pressing my high sense OF the ~ u. :, a. : en-.
nd manly fairness with "ffh n ', Isrt Of
JURY has been conducted on the ts o
sir, Larpent, nor "ishoa'