The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1815-04-05
BRITISH BARBARITY.


TO tie EGitors Of the Bctton Patriot g Chronicle.
GkNrLEMEN-By inserting The enclosed
statement OF facts in your respective papers,
you will confer favor on, Yours, &c.
". II. CHURCHILL, 1t. Col.
We. the undersigned, officers OF The New
York Militia, wishing our Countrymen 10 be-
come acquainted with the particulars Of our
tcatmen, while prisoners to the British, cer-
MY and say, thai we we're captured at the
sor,le from For, E'ie on the l7ih Sept. Our
number, including prvates, amounted to a.
bou, one hundrsd and eighty. Aiter our cap.
lure we were marched TO Fort George, and
were three days on the road ;-duIing which
lime our ration. were served out raw, and
we had no means of cooking them. Upon
our arrival at for, George. we were forced,
officers and me n,into miserable qua d-house,
having 90 ha,Dmocks, nor bedding OF any de-
scripuon, infested with virmin, and where
the mud was over shoes. Here we were
kept four days and nights. Here again our
rations were served out raw, and but D,isera-
bic means of cooking them. We were then
marched from Fort George TO Burlington
Heights, and were three days on the road.
During the TWO first days, no provisions zvere
Served our 10 our soldiers, although the wag-
gons containing ,heir ra,ions were at our side,
and although they were compelled 10 stand
silent spectators while their guard were feast
ing themselves The officer OF this guard,
WHO deserves To be we'll remembered, was,
Captain James Boy. During these two days,
our troops h, d nothing 10 subsisi upop,except
what the humanity Of the friUafe soldiers OF
the enc my, occasionally allowed from their
own raions !! On the evening OF the second
doy, the raiions now become putrid, and ex-
haling most intoe rable stencil, were served
out ; bui our soldiers, unable TO cat the m,in-
stan,iy threw them away. The British, find
ing he ra,,ons SO bad hat It was impossible
10 use them, threw away the remainder, and
continued the march to Burlington Heights,
without dealing out any thing to our troops
except ra,ions Of d'y bread. On our arrival
at Burlington Heights, we met with Major
Smelt, who commanded at that post, and who
treated us With great humanity and Poieness.
Under the promise that if we gave our pa.
role, we, the officers, should be taken from
For, George TO Burlington Heights in light
Wagons, We accordingly complied. SO tar
from adhcring to this agreement, offered too
by themselves, we were placed, on loot, IN
The line OF march, in rear OF the whole, and
surrounded bya strong guard. From Bur
ling;on Heights to Little York, our guard
was augmented by the addi,ion Of very con-
siderable numper of Indians. % our march
we were subJec,ed to in'u conlumely and
threats, and frequently driven over our boots
In mud. Through excessive fatigue and want
OF nou'i' hmept, many of our soldiers whose
strength was almost entirely exheusted ID would
sink upon the ground. They 7vere inhumanty
hricked mn with hr 6ayonet, and co'nheHed 10
KEN pace sv,th he res. To the abose par
,ICulars, wc, the undersigned hereby ceruly.
w. l.. CHURCHILL, 1t. Col.
L. " NlLoON, Mejor,
O. WILCOX, O.. Master,
HENRY CROUCH, Captain,
MAJ HI. CASE, Csp,sin,
JAMES CASE, Lieutenant,
JESSE CHURCH, Lieutenant,
JOSEPH CLARK, Lieu enant,
JAMES CHAMBERS, Ensign.
NJ \.