The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1852-07-03
(Gen. Scott and the Irish Prisoners

|Gen. Scott and the Irish Prisoners.
Among the prisoners taken by the +
British at Queenstown with Scott, were
about sixty paturaGzed citizens, large
portion Of whom were Irishmen. The |
british authorities claimed the right, and
depressed the determination, to hangs
them as. traitors. These men were at ,
Quebec on board vessel with Scott and
the rest Of the prisoners, all bound to j
Boston to be exchanged. The British
|oificers came Oh board and began to Sc
leet the Irishmen, whom they intended
ito send home to grace the gallows.
|The officers had no sure means of detect |
Ing the Irish but by their brogue. orr
their confessions. Scott, who was below, /
hearing what was going on, Immediately
rushed on deck, and told his afflicted
men to hold their peace. Then, turning
ito the British officers, he boldly denounc-,
led their proceedings, and threatened al
like retaliation upon British prisoners if!
they dared to execute single man
|among his comrades.
The officers haughtly reminded him
that he was himself prisoner; and orr
|dered him into the cabin. He was not
Ia man to be inundated, and refused to;
go. and again. called upon his Irish
soldiers to answer no more questions.
A high quarrel ensued; but the result
was that no more of the prisoners could
be identified as lrishmen, for they would
not open their lips. The officers, how
ever, had selected twenty.three before
Scott made his appearance. These We're
separated from their fellow prisoners and
put on board trlgate, and dispatched
to England to be hung. But they didI
not 60 until Scott had solemnly warnsd}
the the British authorities that he would
surely avenge the death of every man
| they dared to lay violent hands upon,
| by terrible retribution upon the first
English prisoners that should fall into
| his hands after he should be liberated.
Scott was soon exchanged. Howl
faithfully he kept his word we shall see.
He proceeded at once to Washington
and obtained the passage, by Congress,
of law to retaliate upon British prison
ers any such outrage as was threatened
at Quebec. He again fought and con-
| uered. He had prisoners in plenty. He !
forthwith selected twenty.three Of grnu-
line English descent (for he declared he
would not offset Irish by IRISH, y and held
them as hostages for the doomed twenty
three lrishmen taken home to be exc
fcuted. He then communicated to the
British authorities what he had done,
and informed them if they dared to exc
cute their threat on the twenty-threey
Irishmen, the twenty.three Englishmen
should pay the penalty by sharing the }
same fate. The consequence was, that
THE lives OF the lrishmen were spared,
land at the close of the war they were
embarked from England, and shortly
latter arrived in New York.
Singularly enough, it so happenedf
THAT on the very day of the landing OF
these old comrades Of General Scott on
THE wharf, their commander and friend,
then still suffering from his wounds,
passed along the quay on foot. He was
instantly recognized by the now liberated
prisoners, and knowing all he had ac-
|complished in their behalf, they rushed
upon hun with cheers, expressing fer
|vor of affection, gratitude and delight,
that it is impossible 10 describe.
Theirjoy was unbounded as the recog-
milton became mutual. He was seized =
and shaken till the mingled pain of his !
wounds, and the emotions produced by
such heartfelt exhibition, caused even,
the tear of staiwart manhood to course
down his cheek. 1t was with
difficulty he escaped from the grasp of
these warm-hcarted Hibernians, who
regarded him as their fast
friend and benefactor, who had saved
boz = Al