Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1847-08-26
GEN. JoHNsON,s STATEMENT.

lSUU.
GEN. JOHNSON'S STATEMENT.
lin the month of October l776, a large
transpor, ship, named The Whitby, was an
chored in the channel of the Wallab0ut a
little north of Remsen's Mills, for prison
ship. Many prisoners were confined on
board of this ship. wherein they died. 1t
was then said the prisoners died from want
and bad provisions
The Whitby was removed in April l777,
when the remaining prisoners were trans
ferreG to two prison ships which were then
anchored in the Nallabont, in the channel,
on the easterly side of Remsen'S Mills, near
ditch called Dehevuice's creek they were
very sickly vessels. One of those ships was
burnt on Sunday afternoon in October
l777. 1t was then said that many prison.
erS were burnt in this ship. In the month
of February l77S, the other ship was burnt
The prisoners fom her were transferred to
a feet of vessels which were then wintcring
in the Wallabout.
In April l778, the old Jersey was moored
in the Wallabout in the channel near REM
sons Mills two hospital ships, the Hope
aud the Falmouth, were also moOred in the
channel some distance east of the Old Jer>
sey, and about 100 feet apart. The three
latter ships remained in the WallaEout on
the 25th of November 1888.
The dead bodies of the prisoners were
buried on the shore of Rem A. Remsen. and
on his farm, except 80 or 40 which were
Wallabout the Williamsburg side on the
&c So 81. 81 T..
of Abraham Boerum.
The sick prisoners had no medical att
tendance before the old Jersey and the hos
pltal ships were moored in the Wallabout
Eleven thousand five bundled men died
in those dreary prisonships. 1t is true tina,
the dead were no more-but the silent pray
ers Of the despised. suffering, expiring pris
eners at the throne of heaven. were more et-
fectual than British gun. powder. in TIE
revolutionary war
1t has been denied that the American
prisoners were fed on bad provisions and on
short allowance: but wheL the prisoners
in Mill Prison, near London, prayed lor
more bread. it was not given them BY The
parliament. If they persisted of hunger at
London, who will doaht that Dar'd p;out
the British commissary fol prisoners ANEW
York, received and distributed Short allow
ance and bad food ?" '.. ...
| have remarked that II 500 men died
prisoners in The British prison Sh ps at the
Wallabout. 1t is probable that five or six
and. prisons in New York. Many also died
al Halifax and Other naval stations in
America and in England. The whole
number is not known on earth.
The prisoners who were buried al the
Walla bout were Sewed in their blankets ;
those who died in the prisons of New York
we've cast into the dead carts al the prison.
doors, as they died, and were often stripped
before they were buried in the pits prepared
for the purpose.
Our government, our republican gourrn>
meat which was consecrated by the blood
of the thousands, has verified the historical
ingratitude of republics.' No monument
has beeu erected in the State of New York
IN memory OF noble deeds performed in the
State.
Ia the United States Navy Yard in
Brooklyn, where the thousands OF marines
suffered and persisted, no memorial is erect
ed to let posterity know that their bones
were bleached on that shore. A shame>
full disgrace to our country! -s sHHr
s-s ..'5a. JEREMlAH J JHNSON.
August 4, lS47. a..s3
The following extract from President
Stiles Election Sermon, delivered at HART
ford, May 9th, 1888, seems to put clincher
upon Gen. Johnson's sketch
oh that my head were. waters, and my
eyes fountain Of tears, that might weep
the thousands Of our brethren that have per
ished in prison ships--in enc of which, the
Jersey, then lying at New York, persisted
aboUe EIeven Thousand the three las. years |!
while others have been barbarously exiled
70 the East Indies Tor life." g8s
General Johnson also stated to the writer
that 1t devolved upon i'm, az Mayor Of
Brooklyn. to welcome President Van Buren,
on his visit to that city some years since.
10 his address to the President. he referred
to the fact that he stood upon consecratei
ground, where thousands per. shed as mar
tyrs to the cause Of Liberty; that no mon
ument had been reared by Government, over
their bones and trusted that Mr. Van Blu
rem would advert to the subject in his mex,
message. In reply, the President promised
that he would bring the subject before the
attention of Congress hut he never fulfilled
his promise. Martin Van Bnren, said he,
has not the heart of an American. t3n
ssu@ Etr JG M bls&v "A. ID.