Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1838-05-25

northwest was exposed, during the disas.
rous campaign which resulted in the de
feat Of WINCHESTER at the river Ralsn.
| By good fortune he escaped the tomahawk
of the savage allies of Great Britain, and
was sent a prisoner of war to Quebec.
lie was next, with other American pris
oners, despatched IN a transport to Ply
mouth, Eng. accompanied by q crowd Of
fellow prisoners, he was about TO be trans.
errcd to Darlmoor, when he found au op.
por'unity to clude his guards and make
his escape. lie wandered through the
country, s'eang through bvways, until he
! found himself at Bristol. Hunger compel
| ed him to enter grocery, the head quar-
tors Of press gang. Here he was press
| ed, and despite his protcstations that he
was citizen Of the United States, and
fugitive prisoner Of war, facts which might
have been easily proven by reference to
the military authorities at Plymou'h he was
hurried on board His Majesty's frigatc Sea
Horse, then the flag ship Of The celebrated
Sir Peter Parker, and compelled TO bear
arms against his own counrymen.
On board the Sea Horse were several
other Americans, who like Wood, had fall
len victims to the British system Of impress.
ment. They determined on doserlion;
and when lying in the port Of St. Johns,
they succeeded in securing q boat, in an
extremely dark night, and attempted to
reach the eastern coast Of the state Of
Maine. They were instantly pursued, and
were obliged to desert their boat on the
shore Of New Brunswick, ana aaek safety
in the woods. A9Cr wandering about for
two days, exhausted with cold, and hunger
and fatigue, they were apprehendcd by q
party of British soldiers and again trans
) fcrrcd to the Sea Horse. The punishment
that followed ,hi. act Of deserton, was in
flIcted with all that ingenious refinement o
} cruelty for which the British navy is sc
celebrated.
The Sea Horse. attached to the squa'
, dron under Admiral Cockburn, was shortly
afterwards ordered into the Chesapeake
and took an active part in the robblng
burning and numbering of the dcfcnceles
inhabitants Of the coast. Mr.. Wood ant
the impressed Americans were never per
; United to leave their vessel. He was oil
. board on the night when Sir Peter Parkc
y met his fate on shore. A few days subse
! quent TO this event, he, in company wit,
seven other impressed Americans, attempt
d ed an escape in broad day light, by bold
A; Jumping into boat alongside, and pulIin!
; rapidly for the shore. One Of the numbc
y was shot by the sentinel on duty. TIN
others reached the beach, but were oppre
hended, Immediately on landing, by part
t Of marauders belonging to the Sea Horse
b BY order OF Admiral Cockburn, the
@ were sent in irons to Nova Scotia, where
after undergoing a trial, they were sen
= fenced to be shot. The sentence, how
: ever. was commu'ed to service for life. i
It his Britannia Mnesty's army, in the Eas
; Indies. They were accordingly shppe
: to Eng land, and thence with regiment O
y newly levied recruits, despatched to Cal
e cutn. For 81 years, Mr.. Wood served a
n n private soldier in the East India service
!. and 10 months since, when broken dow
l. in spirit and in constitution, he was pei
n mitted 70 sail for England. Destitute an
e heart broken he reached London, state
!. his case to the United States consul, and b
j, reaching New York. He left New Yor
le in January. and wendell his weary pilgrim
lc age toward The home of his childhood.
he 1t is now lwen'y-siX years since he lie
ST his wife and children in kentucky; an
N not one syllable has he heard, relative
~ their situation, since the moment of the
III separation. IOe ClllZenS mere IOrCcN
IL few dollars upon him, for, poor, and dc
Is crepid as he is, he still possesses all til
~ pride Of n kentuckian, and sent him on h
It, way in the stage to Well>vllle, from whc
:, town he intends to embari on board
ID steamboat for Augusta, in Kentucky.
s Fancy cannot help asking is no
S that home to which the war broken wal
ID deror is returning '-Wl the wife of h
,h youth be ready, IN the fidelity of her ear
We love, to hail the return of her lost HUSBAND
IS, Or will her duty and affections have bee
he given to anoher' Or will she be repo
in ing beneath the cods Of the valley Ar
nd his children! If living, they must ha'
es long since entered upon The busy scenes
ed life. VIII they take the weary pilgrim
us their homes and TO their bosoms' A tho
ry sand overpowering emotions must ru
IN upon the old mans heart, as his wca
~ foo,step approaches the spot that once W
home Fancy cannot fill the picture.
Nav He who "tempers the wind to /
shorn lamb" support the aged wandcrer
that eventful moment, which Is soon
re witness, either the ecs,acy Of his happlnc'
In or the utter desoatlon Of his hope.