New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-23
ONE OF THE SUGAR-HOUSE PRISON
Frs.

ONE OF THE SUGAR-HOCSE PRISON-
Frs.
We learn from The Ithaca Chronicle, that ADH.THA
BLopGET died at Dryden, y. Y, on the lsst ann
versary Of the birth of Washington az the extreme
age OF 90 years. two months, and seven days. lie
was born at Brimfeld, Mas, Dec. l5 i75s, being
TIE Youngest Of seventeen children by the same
father PsrtakDg largely Of the zeal and patriotism
Of the times be left the psternal roof and enlisted as
q common soldier in the Colonial army early in l775
and consequently before be was seventeen years old.
He continued in active service until Nay II, III,
when, having been dispatched with small patty for
the recovery Of mules that had been pnr.olned
bv hand OF British and Tories he became separated
from biz companions, and wa surprised taken prs
onsr and conveyed 10 New. York. then occupied oy
the Brt,sb. His quarters in New York lay IN tue old
Sugar House aid often has the tear stolen down tue
fnrroyec cheek Of the veteran, as Id later years ne
ba. recourted the hardship- aod prige,i,ns there
ueted out 10 him and his ello prisoners by Brtis,
severity. So scanty were the ratlons OF iopi ao"ei
him. that he was often compelled from utter s'4,'T
top 10 seek pouishment from the beef bones ead re-
fuse vegetables thrown out from the a1Jscent apart
1neuts of the Britfh soldiers. Ii IS well known NAV
u 9 greatest cruelties perpefrated on anercti
nrsor ers of war at Newi YORK at the peroi referred
10 R.cour,e was hsd TO that treatment IN orier 10
force submission 10 the royal authority I" polcy d
N, wise "a IL was uoIustiisbe; for Il tended only 70
uesme the Indignation of the already ex;ite1 COON
ISL, ard 10 reLder still more inyetera'e the ennty
th.v bore the Brtsh name. Nevertheless 'hs ppncy
VS. persisted H. and hundreds died victmi OF starva
ton. until Sir Henry Clinton was a. length oroush,
N extend a more humane treatment, by threatened
retaliation on the part OF the Aner;an CON nsnder
of equal severity upon British prisoners OF war.
Ynurp a. be was the subject OF this notice bore
viii fotiiude this treatment OF bis insolent ,sters
brt in the meantime no relief was likely TO come
from an exchange of prisoners be kept ssharp LOOK
out for an opportunity 10 make his escape GA hl' owa
responsibility Such en- opportunity at last presented
i,s.lf On the morning OF the 27th of October be,
vita another prisoner was allowed brief period 10.
exercise IN email nciosure belonging t0 their lnms
ciate quarters. The morning air ~7s cold aud frosty
and the gusr1 stationed rear stood sugSish an1 l1at'
tentiye. As the two persons walked 70 AMI tro,
Blodeet suggested The idea TO his cOmrade OF making
their escape by climbing a high wlndiDg post Which
stood in the PICKET fierce surrounding the Enclosure;
but the latter declined making the attempt - the
chances Of success, he thought were too small com
psred with the periis OF the undertaking BlOdset,
however did not count on falling He therefore IN
formed his lees courageous fellow prisoner that h3
wac resolved on making the trial provided thit MS
co npaI ion in case he unwilling 70 J)ln nj n,
would shift coats with HIM as Ills oFn, sltnonsa
riserably worn, yet indicated on close exa n1a-
ton bis fellowship VITA the rebel army, aud
nj. BIT expose him to rtcap.Ere, while MS COM
,snon was in q sailors garb Inls was read
liz asst nted TO- and the shit 1as made sceo-diogy
wbereupon the daring young soldler, ssLlog upon
the one Mt a. the guard had stepped rom his sston,
lie spraug up the winding post and in an instant
threw himself the pickets TO the outside OF ina
inclosure. Alighting, fortunately unooserved, ne
instantly assumed careless, unconcerned ar, ana
seeking the nearest street mingled in with the popu-
lace and red-coats, passing through what ls nov
Broadway, in the direction toward Kings Bridge,
where he had hopes Of being able to cross the rver,
at that early hour, without detection. AZ he ap-
preached however, tie siSht OF distant sentlnels
warned him not 10 hazard the experiment, and &C
cordpgly, changing his purpose, he sought tho osnS
OF the stream higher up and took shelter uoder
ciump of bushes until nighifal AS soon "a darkness
lent her sable covering lie crept from his conceal
rnen and, casting of his shoes swan the river % the
opposite bank. He not yet out OF danger. There
wac still section to pass through inhabited almost
wholly by Tories. To avoid recspture from these
worse than Biish foes, the utmost caution vas ueces
ssry. He therefore Stunned the public roads, and,
trave ling through the WOODS and fields and swimming
whatever streams he encountered, he pnrsded Tue
direction toward the nearest post occupied by tue
Americans with the utmost alacrlty hIs s'ren1th
could command, in hopes 10 be beyond the
point of danger before daybreak. la this way he
travelled on with uDabated speed until tue latter part
Of Abe night when faint from the want OF fooo weary,
foot-worn, ard shiverng in bis vet garments ne es-
pied light proceeding from yelling near at hand,
and uncertain whether he or was not out oil DAD
ger he esoved to challenge its hospi'aties snd run
the rick of betrayal. he accordingly knocked ~ Tue
Nd
m etes of the house to whom he Disclosed his condl
ton with the request that they would give HIN so'ne
thing to eat furnish him place % rest. They
set before him such food they had bat frankly tod
him that LIE could not safey remain for rest under
their roof es their husbands belonged 10 the other
side, and were only gone out for the night, and we're
hourly expected 10 return. With this timely caution
be dispatched hasty meal, while the women busted
theuselves In sewing some old rage about bis feet
10 protect them from further Injury from the frozen
ground and then kindly thaoking his benefactresses
be pursued his Eight for the remainder of the night
and portion Of the next day, until a. length 10 re-
gained the friendly army
This narrative OF bis imprisonment and escape ia
drawn directly and circumstantally from the account
given by the old soldier himself and those who knew
him will not doubt its entire truthfulness.
Mr.. Blodget continued to remain in active service
in the army until the close Of the war when he was
hoIorably discharged, aud returning TO Bfimield,
was married in 1855, the wife of which marriage still
survives bim-the two having lived together seventy
years In June 1901, he removed with his family to
Homer, Cortland County N. Y, and thence again in
March, 1906 he removed into Groton, then part OF
Locke, where he has spent the greater share of bis
life in the quiet pursuits OF agriculture, and 10 the
endowment OF that freedsm which his wn arms
trbuted TO give 10 his country. HIS whole life bzs
been a ehinrC example, a. a colder, a man, and q
Christian. For lumber of years prior TO his death
he became disqualified for any kind of labor or bust
ness through the iDirmites Of old age As he ap-
preached more nearly the closing scene, his powers
Of memory failed him TO such extent, thst the
more recent events of his life became entirely OBJ
liberated. Yet 10 the last to bis very dying hour he
retained vivid recollection Of his Revolutionary
services, and Of the minute history of that period
which gave birth to our nation.
An INCIDENT IN IHE CARS During 8 trip from