Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1838-05-17
From the Massillon (Ohio) Gazette.
RETURN OF THE CAPTIVE.

Our citizens yesterday morning were IN
troduced to the acquaintance of John
Wood, a man whose tale of sorrow could
not fail of interesting the heart, however
callous, or however prone 10 incredibly.
A meagre sketch can only be given now.
The ample history of his misfortunes may
hereafter be presented to the woodland if,
given by master hand will command the
interest, and enlist the sympathy of the
public, when the mawksh productions of
fiction, which now cumber our bookstores
and insult our taste, shall have become des-
pissed and forgotten.
In the war of 1912, John Wood, now
fifty years of age, was young industrious
farmer in Bracken county, Kentucky.
He was the husband Of young and
interesting woman and the father Of Two
infant children. He was living in happi-
ness Oh a farm which he had earned by his
industry, when the gallant Capt Butler
(who afterward fell at the capture Of the
British batteries at Fort Meigs) raised his
flag, and solicited the hardy Kentuckians
of Bracken county to enroll themselves
among the defenders of their county,
JohnW Wood was one of the number. He
suffered all the priyations to which the army
of the west was exposed, during the disas-
trous campaign. which resulted in the de-
feat of Winchester at the River Raisin.
BY good fortune he escaped the toma-
hawk of the savage allies of Great Britain,
and was sent prisoner of war to Quebec.
He was next, with other American pris-
oners, despatched in a transport to Ply
mouth, in England. From Plymouth, ac-
colnpanied by crowd Of fellow prison.
ers, he was about to be transferred to
Dartmoor, when he found an opportunity
to elude his guards and make his escape.
He wandered through the country, stealing
through bywavs, until he found himself at
Bristol. Hunger compelled him to enter a
grocery, the head quarters of press gang
Here he was pressed, and despite of his
protestations that he was "a citizen of the
United States, and fugitive prisoner of
war, facts which mig be easily proven by
reference to the military authorities at
Plymouth, he was hurried on board His
Majesty's frigate Sea Horse, then the flag
ship of the celebrated Sir Peter Parker,
and compelled to bear arms against his
own countrymen.
On board the Sea Horse were several
other EAmercans, who like Wood, had
fallen victims to the British system Of i'm
pressmeEt. They determined on desertion !;
and when lying in the port of St Johns,
they succeeded in securing boat, in an
extremely dark night, and attempted to
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 and seek safe
ty in the woods. After wandering about
for two days, exhausted with cold and.hun-
ger and fatigue, they were apprehended by
party Of British soldiers and again trans
ferred to the Sea Horse. The punish
ment that followed this act Of desertion, was
inflicted with alithat ingenious refinement
of cruelty for which the British navy is SO
celebrated.
The Sea Horse, attached to the squadron
under Admiral Cockburn, was shortly af-
terward ordered into the Chesapeake, and
and took an active part in the robbing bur-
ming, and numbering Of the detenceless in
habitants of the coast. Mr. Wood and the
impressed Americans were never permitted
to leave their vessel. He was on board on
the night when Sir Peter Parker met his
fate on shore. A few days subsequent to
this event, he, in company with seven 9th
er impressed Americans, attempted an es-
cape in broad day light, by boldly jumping
into boat along side, and pulling rapidly
for the shore. One Of the number was