The native American., 1838-05-26
SYMPATHY FOR A CAPTIVE AMERICAN.

close the conflict What is country TO any man whose
wrongs are unresented unrevenged 1t true there are
some wretched beings who would not be worth the price
ofa bullet in his person; but we must not lose sight
i of the principle. The insult must necessarily refer to
the nation whose citizen he is; and action must be
governed by national considerations for the reason that
no individual be held up the standard by which TO
decide the degree of worth, merit and importance of the
case and thus by invdious comparison to determine
the sufiicency Of cause of war. We would despise
our country if it would not avese u.s. and we would des
pise ourselves we would not personally be actuaed by
the same principle. For we only measure expec-
talon of protection from low countrymen by the
determination cherish Of protecting them.
/ From the Massillon (Olio) Gazette.
1 RETUBN OF THE CAPTIVE.
/ Truth is stronger than Fycfion-Our cti-
zens, yesterday morning, were introduced to the
acquaintance of John Wood, man whose tale of
sorrow could not fail of interesting the heart A
meager sketch can only at present be given. The
ample history of his misfortunes may hereafter be
Ipresented to the world.
In the war of 1912, John Wood, now SO years
lold, was young and industrious farmer in Brack-
en- County, KY. He was the husband Of young
and interesting woman, and the father of two in
fant children. He was living in happiness on a
farm, which he had earned by his industry, when
| the gallant Capt. Butler, who afterwards fell at
the capture OF the British batteries at Fort Meigs,
raised his flag, and solicited the hardy Kentucki-
ans of Bracken County, to enrol themselves
among the defenders of their country. John
Wood was one of the number. He suffered all
the privations to which the chivalric army of the
northwest was exposed, during the disastrous
campaign which resulted in the defeat of Win
chester at the river Raisin. By good fortune, he
ESCAPED the tomahawk Of the savage allies Of
Great Britain, and was sent prisoner Of war to
Quebec. He was next with other American
prisoners, despatched in transport to Plymouth
in England From Plymouth, accompanied by a
crowd Of fellow prisoners, he was about to be
transferred to Dartmoor-that well remembered
scene Of British cruelty-when he found an op-
portunity to elude his guards and make his es-
cape. He wandered through the country, steal
ing through by-ways, until he found himself al
Bristol. Hunger compelled him to enter a gro
lcery, the headquarters of a British press-gang
4 Here he was pressed, and despite his protesta
tions that he was citizen of the United States
and fugitive prisoner of war, facts which nigh
have been easily proved by reference to the mill
tary authorities at Plymouth, he was hurried or
board his Majesty's frigate Sea Horse, then the
flag ship Of the celebrated Sir p. Parker, and
compelled to bear arms against his own country
men. a
On board the Sea Horse were several other
Americans, who, like Wood, had fallen victims to
the British system ofimpressment. They deter
mined on desertion, and, when lying in the Port
Of st. Johns, they succeeded in securing boat,
during an extremely dark night, and attempted to
reach the eastern coast Of the State of Maine.
They were instantly pursued, and were under the
necessity of deserving their boat on the shore OF
New Brunswick, and seek safety in the woods.
After wandering about for two days, exhausted
with cold and hunger and fatigue, they were ap-
pretended by party of British soldiers, and
again transferred to the Sea Horse. The punish
ment that followed this act Of desertion was in
ficted with all that ingenious refinement for
which the British Navy is celebrated.
| The Sea Horse, attached to the squadron un-
der Admiral Cockburn, was shortly afterwards or
dered into the Chesapeake, and took an active
part in the robbing, burning, and numbering Of
defenceless inhabitants Of the coast. Mr.. Wood,
and the impressed Americans, were never permit
| ted to leave their vessel. He was on board the
night when Sir Peter Parker met his fate shore.
A few days subsequent to this event, he, in COM
lpany with seven other impressed Americans, at
tempted to escape, in broad day light, by boldly
humping into boat alongside, and pulling rapidly
for the shore One Of the number was shot by a
sentinel on duty. The others reached the beach,
but were apprehended Immediately on landing, by
party of marauders belonging to the Sea Horse.
| By order Of Admiral Cockburn, they were sent
in irons to Nova Scotia, where, after undergoing
the formality Of mock-trial, they were sentenced
| to be shot The sentence, however, was COM
muted to service for life in his Britannia Majes-
|ty's army in the East Indies. They were ac-
cordingly shipped to England, and thence with a
regiment of newly levied recruits, despatched to
4 Calcutta. For 81 years Mr.. Wood served a
private soldier in the East India service; and, l8
months since, when broken down in spirit and in
lconsttution, he was permitted to leave the army
and sail for England. Destitute and heart-bro-
ken, he reached London, stated his case to the
United States Consul and by him was furnished
with the means Of reaching New York. He left
New York in January, and wended his weary
pilgrimage towards the home of his childhood
It is now 26 years since he left his wife and
children in Kentucky, and not one syllable has he
heard, relative to their situation, since the moment
Of their separation. The citizens here forced .
few dollars upon him-for poor and decrepd as
he is, he still possesses all the pride of Kentuck-
an-and sent him on his way in the stage tc
Wellsville, from which town he intends to embark