Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1850-08-20

The long detention of the prisoners mus
be attributed in part to Congress, who
were unwilling 10 release healthy British
soldiers for emaciated Americans, who
were mostly privateersmen, and not en-
gagged in the Continental service, as this
would give the enemy permanent strength
without an equivalent. Often, too, the
balance was against the Americans, who
had no prisoners 10 give in exchange
for although our privateerS captured vas
numbers of British vessels, yet their crews
were often suffered to 60 at large or en-
list in American vessels.
The Jersey was originally sixty gun
ship, but becoming unfit for sea service,
she was dismanted in l776, and lay as a
store ship at New York. In 1880, when
the Good Hope was burned, she was re-
moved 10 the Walebocht, and used as a
prison ship till the close of war, when
she was suffered to 90 to decay-worms
soon destroyed her bottom, and she after
wards sunk. Her ribs lay exposed at
low water, for more than twenty years,
and are now covered by the United States
Navy Yard.
The crew of this vessel consisted of a
captain, two mates, steward, cook, and
a dozen sailors. There was also guard
of twelve old invalid marines, and about
thirty soldiers. Near her lay the hospital
ships. the Scorpion, the StrombolO, and
the Hunter.
When prisoner was first brought on
the deck of the Jersey, his name and rank
were registered, he was searched for
money and weapons. but allowed TO re-
tain his clothes and bedding. He was
then ordered down into the hold where
he found perhaps thousand human be-
ings, mostly covered with rags and filth,
their faces pale with disease and emacla-
ted with hunger and anxiety. He Joined
a "mess" of six persons, who every
morning al the ringing of the stewards
bell, received their allowance of biscuit,
pease, and beef or pork, which was cook
ed in large copper boiler. Oatmeal,
-four, butter, and suet, were occasionally
added. but no vegetables. The food was
usually deficient in quantity and quality
the biscuit mouIdy and crawling with
worms, the pease damaged, the butter
rancid, the meal and -four often sour, the
pork and beef unsavory, and yet the high
est prices were charged TO the King by
his rapacious commissaries, who eXchang-
ed good for bad provisions, and by cur
falling the ralionS, and other embezzIe
ments, amassed large fortunes, at the eX-
pense of the life and health of helpless
prisoners. Those who cOntrived to con-
ceal little money were enabled to pro-
cure, at eAorblant prices, such small ar
tices as were sold by an old woman who
daily approached the ship in her little
boat, laden with bread, sugar, tobacco,
needles, combs, and the like.
Every morning the prisoners brought
up their bedding to be aired, washed the
floors, and spent the day on deck. At
sunset the cry was, down, rebels, down,
when the matches were fastened, and the
prisoners lay down in rows to sleep, if
sleep they could, amid the mingled hor,
ror of sighs and dying groans, Of Putrid
air and sitting heat
When prisoner died, his companions
sewed the body up in blanket, (if he
had one, lowered it into boat, and were
allowed to 90 on shore, under guard
Here they made a slight excavation in
the bank, or on the shore, in which the
corpse was hastily buried, Many Of
these bodies were afterwards uncovered, {,
by the action of wind or wave, and the
bones lav for years whitening in the sun.
In 1908 nearly twenty hogsheads were
collected, and deposited in one common
sepulchre.
The prisoners were at first allowed the
free use Of the deck till successful at
tempt at escape, after which they were
mostly kept below, few being allowed
to come up at time for fresh air, exer-
else, etc. Although under the watch Of a
guard, who constantly paced the deck,
vet escapes were not unfrequent. One
evening, in l777, boat happened TO be
fastened to the vessels side three or four
prisoners quietly let themselves down
into the boat, cast her off, and let her
drift astern of the ship. They were lucky
enough TO get clear unperceived, and to
reach the Jersey shore in safety. Their
fight was soon discovered, but it being
dark, the pursuit and random shots were
unavailing.
At midnight, in 1879, nine sea cap
,ains and two privates, made their escape
from the Good Hope, in the North river.
They confined the mate, disarmed the
sentinels, and hoisIed out the boat, which
was on deck. They had scarce got clear
before the alarm was given, when they
were fred on by three ships, but none
were hurt.
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