The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1815-06-14


Plymouth, the Editors Of he Mercantile Ad-
vertiser have received the following intelii-
gence -
On BOARD The Maria Cdristiana, Dunk, }
Jitne Sd, 1915.
To The Editors Of tie Mercantile .stfvertt-
4" GENTLEMEN,
With a request that you will publish il
in your next paper. enclose you an accou
OF the distressing affair at Dartnoor Prison
on the 9th of April.
When we Quilted that prison on the 18th
hpril, We left there $500 American prisoners
and 81 othcers and one woman ON parole, all
IN daily expectation of cartels from London,
being informed by Mr.. Beasley on the 18th
that he had taken up 4 sufficient number of
shipping TO transport the whole Of them home
as soon as ttey Could be got ready that two
ships had sailed from the Thames & that
eight others dropped down to Gravesend TO
receive them from Drrtmoor.
am, Gentlemen, with respect, &c.
JOHN MEJGGS."
The agent of Dartmoor Prison, J. G.. Short
land, on the Attn April. absentetl himself from
tne depot ior nearly two DAYS contrary TO the
Instructions Of the Transport Board. During
his absence, the contractor attempted to en-
force ON each prisoner one pound of refuse
sea-bread, instead of the usual allowance of
bread. However they waited until about
Z. M on that LAY, when $50 or 200 of the
prisoners forced their way into NJ Arket-
square. The deputyag mt immediately com
pied, and ordered the usual allowance TO be
sc we'd, and we thought the affair ended : but
on the OH, about the same hour, some. nm
thllking boys for want of better employment
were picking the wall of the inner prison
yard; when, TO the astonishm ent of nearly
the whole OF the prisoners, the above agent
ohortiand, had by orders, alarmed the garri-
son. he prisoners then collected with aston
ishment, not knowing what was the matter.
1t such unexpected alarm and while thou
sands stood gazing, anderquiring the reason
OF so sudden change, the above Shorthand
had them drawn up to commence fire on
the prisoners. Unluckily. the market square
gates were forced, not with an intention TO
oppose the military, or Shortand's designs.
On seeing that he commenced fire or those
that stood nearest to them, how ever, the pri-
soners made the best of their way to their pri-
sons,without making the least resistance, to es-
c'pe the continual & thanking FIRE that was then
kept up from the troops on the surrounding
walls and square of the prisons
There were one killed and several wounded
when within the prison doors
The result is as follows: men killed, 80
ue"bCiousiy "oultuSu, o Oh WnOIn mad their
limbs amputated; and 20 slightly wound
ed.
On the 9th coroner's inquest was held on
the bodies OF the deceased, and on the 9th
they gave in their verdict justiiabIe hsmi-
eide.
The following list was carefully collected
and revised by FL. Kenny and myself from a.
mongst the prisoners and the acquaintance of
those who fell on that day and have made
It ny duty, since my imprisonment, to collect
the names OF the deaths, and of those that en-
tered the British service during the late war,
with all the places of abode, and the vessels
they originally belonged to- OF the former
have the date of their deaths they are at
your service for the perusal of the public.
| am gentlemen, with respect, your most
obedientservant,
JOHN MEIGGS.