Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1838-05-19

M - ~ = - II "A ~ r " ~ %
From the Massinos O. Casssss.
THE cAPTIvE's RETURN.
Our citizens, yesterday morning, were Intro |
dueod % the ecquainsauco Of John Wood, . man |
shs heart, however eallols, q however prone to
iscsedality. A msagrs sketch can only b given
nov. The ampje history Of his misfostunes may |
hsessftsr b presented to the world-and il given
with . master hand, will command the interest,
and enlist the sympathy Of tho American public,
when the mawkish productions Of fiction, which
sew cumhsr our bookstores and insult our taste,
ehall have become despiscd and forgotten.
In the was II 1912 John Wood, now fifty years
I'd, was . young and industrious farmer in Brick
% County, Kentucky. He was the husband Of
syooaE and Interesting woman and tn: father Of
on . farm, which he had earned by his industry,
when the gallant captain Butler, who afterwards
ll at the capture Of the British batteries, at Fort
Meigs, raised his flag, and solicited the hardy
Keniuckisns Of Brackcu County. to enrol Them
selves among the dcfendcrs Of their country.
John Wood was one Of the number.
He suffered all the priva,ioas to- which the
ehivslric army Of the northwest was exposed,
during tho disastrous campaign which resulted in
the defeat Of Winchester at the River Kaisn
BY good (ostuno,q "a escaped the tonahawk Of the
savage allies Of Great Britain. and sent.
othss American prisoners. despatched u trans
pert 70 Plynouth, in England. From Plymouth,
accompanied by q crowd Of fellow prisoners, he
Was about to be Transferred to DArtmoor-sha!
well remembered scene Of British creulty and
British cowardice.-whe0 he found an opportunity
to eiude his guards and make his escape. He
wandered through the country, stealing through
byways, until hc found himself ut Bristol. Hun
ger compelled him to enter . grocery, the head
quarters Of the British press gang. Herc he was
pressed, and despite his proestatU,ns that he was
. citizen o! the United States, and fugitive pri-
soner cf war, facts which might have been easily
proven by reference to the military authorities
Plymouth, he was hurried ON hoard Of his Ma es-
Sy's fsiRate Sea Horse, then the flag ship oil the
celebrated Sir Peter Parker, and compelled TO bear
arms against his countrymcn.
On board tbs Sea Horse were several other
Amer,cans, who, like Wood, had fallen victims to
tho British system Of impressmcnt. They de-
tefmincd dcsertioD, and, when lying in the
Port Of st. Johns. they succeeded in securing n
boat, during an extremely dark night, and attemp-
Maine. They were instantly pu,suod, and were
obliged to desert their boat, the shore Of New
Brunswick, and seek safety in the woods. After
wandering about for two days, exhausted with
GOLD, and hunger, and fatigue, they were apprc-
hcnded BY party Of British soldiers and again
transferred to the Sea Horse. The punishment
that followed this act Of desertion INFECT
With oil that ingenious refinement Of cruelty for
which the British navy is celebrated.
The Sea Horse, attached to the Squadron un-
der Admiral Cockburn, was shortly afterwards
ordered into the Chesapeake, and took nctive
part in tho rubbing, burning, and numbering Of
the detenceless inlabtanis Of tho coast. Mr..
Wood aad tho impressed Americans never
permitted to leave their vessel. Ho 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 other impressed A.
rn0PlCAnS. at18mOted nj in broad ia 1uhN
by boldly jumping into q boat along side, and pull
ling rapidly Cor the shore. Ono Of the number
was shot by the sentinel ON duty. Tho others
reached tho beach, but wore apPrckcnded, immc-
diately ON landing, by party Of naaraudcrs be-
losging to the Sea Horse.
BY order Of Admira! Cockburn, they were sent
in iro0s TO Nova Scotia. where, after undergoing
the formality Of mock trial, they were sentenced
to be shot. Tho sentence was committed to
rice for life in His Britsnic majesty's army in
the East Indies. They were accordingly shipped
IA England, and thence, with regiment Of newly
levied recruits, despatched to Calcutta. For TWEEN
ty-ono years, Mr.. Wood served a private SOL
der in the East India service, e. eighteen months
since when broken down in spirit and in const-
tuition, he was permitted to leave tho army and
sail for England. Destitute and heart-bsoken, he
reached London, stated his the United
States Consul, and by him furnished with the
means Of reaching New York. He left N. York
in January, and wendell his weary pilgrimage
towards tho home Of his childhood.
II is now twenty-six years since he left his
vito and children il Kentucky, and not syl-
liable has no heard, relative to their situation,
since the moment Of their separation. The citi-
Gems hers forced few dollars upon him, for, poor
and decripid as he IS, he still possesses all the
pride Of . Ksntuckian, and sent him his way
In the stage to Wellsvillc, from which town he
intends to embark . steamboat for Augusta, in
Kentucky.
Fancy cannot help asking-what now is tina,
home to which the war-broken wandcrer is re.
turningf Will tho wife Of his youth be ready, in
the fidelity Of her early love, to hail the restora-
sion Of her long lost husband? Or will her duty
and affections have been given to another! Or,
will she be reposing beneath the closs of the val
ley7 And his chidren!-If living, they must have
long since entered upon the busy scenes OF life.
Will they take tho weary pilgrim to their homes
and 10 their bosomsf A Thousand overpowerine
emotions must rush upon the old mans heart, as
hs weary footstsP approaches the spot that was
oaco his hU:ne! Fancy cannot Gil tho picture
May He wko "tcmPsrs the wind to the shoru
lamb" support the aged w.nderer, in that event
snnRnone vwhirh ia IN wienrss o;shc. ~