New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-29
TIE PRISON-SHIP MARTYRS.
MOVEMENT TO TREIR MEMORY.
n,sronY OF THE SACRIFICE OF TxARLf LEW"
REVOLUTIONARY PRISONERS.

,. .r,oc, NJ n monument In honor OF the Rcvoiu-
nouar, martyrs who perished miserably IN 20 p.'s
ortso, ships moorca in wallabout Bay while inc !" a.
independence was fought to It's close has been
y, pro.lv and netI,ions are circulation askiog Ion
70 for the purpose OF us ereo
fiop The matter has been taken up py the mc'oi
he Society Of Old Brooklynes. VINO ieei 'na' "o'o
.honld he su,tabe memorial in honor OF these aeaa
pstriots whose bones repose in vault IN '"c "
Fort Greene, spot which o'e'
they persisted. =. cr.v.-
when the British and Hessian forces landed az crave
.rs raw in l776 aud marched to Brookvn there were
several transport ships left at Gravesend un'
Ton and his troops been compelled to cross the East
o. tho,r retreat These ships then were moored IN
wanabout Bay the waters OF which covered part OF
what is now the New YORK Navy Yard IL was iouho
that they made convenient recepces for the PRISONERS
captured on land and in the engagements netwech
tho American the Royalist forces The forrors Oh
the prison ships beca the greatest 10
the American fight to the death rather than
submit TO Imprisonment
But great body Of patriotic and brave were CEN
6ned tn those floating hels" as they were termed ana
many thousands Of them died there.
THEIR srpFERINGs WE'RE INDEsCRIBABLE
The best Informed historians assert that the suerngs
of the men from confinement caused by the over
orowdng bad food lack OF medical attendance aud the
cruelty OF the guauis. have not boon exaggerated ny
those who fortunate enough to escape or survive
their treatment the end Of the war Anything was
thought good enough for the rebels as their capors
termed them. and 1t hoped that they could Do
terrified into owning allegiance to King George
But TO the honor OF brave prisoners be 1t said that
only one instance Of rcceancy recorded The rest 10
the number OF thousands preferred to perish rather
than forswear their faith in liberty. One OK these
vessels known as the Jersey, was regarded as more
abomInabe than the others. and over LOCO prisoners
were confined In the sitting hold at once AS fast as
death created vacancies they were filed by fresh VIC
Tins The dead we're carried the sandy shore OF the
ms ohes IN
places OF confinement afforded by these vessels II is
little wonder that the mortality was enormous NO
accurate figures ascertaned as to the number
OF dead but at the close OF the war IL was esueu
that cot than IL 900 12 900 brave soldiers died
In the nosome dungeons ami buried in the Long
Island sand.
The Washing waves barred their bones. and for
nearly thirty years after the close OF the war; In 1885,
they were sport OF the tides aud beached In the sun
in the lonely shore The first attempt to care for them
was made by John Jackson. who purchased a farm in
Gliding the shore OF the Waabout, In 1892. He col
lecred the which had been exposed by the ele-
ments and proposed to give them decent burial
BURIED WITH FITTING HoNoRs.
The villagers in townmeeting decided TO bury tneu
In the graveyard attached TO the Dutch Reformed
Church east City Hail. but Mr. Jackson had other
plans he induced the Tammany Society, OF which ne
was member in this city, 10 take up the matter ana
offered a site for a tomb Front and Jackson sts on
his es ate what is now Front ST. and Hudson-ave'
close TO the Navy Yard wall, below the AorA-sI
The sacbem. Of Tammqny took up the matter and with
pomp and parade at the cornerstone laying ana opening
AN imposing tomb was erected in 1903. In 1t were
placed all watch could be found. the quantity
filing twenty hogsheais They were placed in thirteen
huge and with eight pail bearers cash were horne
what supposed would be their hnal resting place.
Governor Tompkas Mayor De Witt Clinton and other
dignitsries together with Grand sachem Romaihe OF
The Tammany Society. the Columbian Order. took
part In the elaborate ceremonies and funeral Grafton
was pronounced by the Rev. Dr. Benjamin DE Witt
Tho Government had purchased part OF Mr. Jackson's
arm for a Navy Yard but the tomb was not Included IN
the reservation where it might have been safe nom dose
Grafton when the grade OF Jackson ST. was altered
the ground surrounding the tomb was encrolched upon
aud tomb itself permitted to fall to pieces ils
sad that the site sold for taxes AT any rate IL
uassed into the possession of Benjamin Romaine who
had been interested IN its erection. He repsiIed the
tomb and kept In order and when he died III 1874 Ills
body was laid in the vault An effort was then made 10
get Congress to provide for the OF the sacred relies
OF the Revolutionary heroes but without success ana
ten years later the Martyrs Monumental Association
was formed by eminent citizens of NewYork and Brook
Ign.
1t was proposed raise $4,000 by popular subscrp
lions and 10 ask Congress to appropriate S2oooo more
TO erect that might carry to future genera
tons suitable record Of the virtues OF the men who mad
suffered SO much for freedoms sacred cause
DELAYED BY ANOTHER WAR.
But the scheme with the success antici-
pated and in the stirring times preceding the outbreak
of another for freedom 1t was dropped. But 'he
tomb ia Hudson.ave fell into such decay that something
had TO The monument scheme had Included tue
securing OF site In Fort Greene Park and the PARK
Commissioners permitted the construction OF granite
vault in side of tue slope OF the park adjoining the
parade plaza and between the rows of steps leading 10
the the hill Here in 1928 the bones inoased
I'm twentytwO collins laid at rest Since that
time the vaul; has been once opened dno nse Doues
found in excavang for sewer In the Navy Yard were
The plan for a monument taken In hand by the
tower on the highest point in Fort Greene Park,
mandDg nne view or portions oil me Two clte anu ,e
snnare at the base. with walls nine feet Ia thickness
narrowing until they are only two ee nrouSu az , n
snrmounted by bronze dome which will stand huge
ctded eagle the emblem OF the vctory won in tue con
Test wherein the lives thousands of prisoners were
sacrificed stairway and an elevator Will lead TO me
dome which will Coruthian columns
space provided in the upper part OF the sruc
ture for tie exhibition of any trophies or memorials OF
the Revolution whch he desired 10 be placed there
aud which visitors would b| %n 70 see n Sboa tne
will he aoed thirteen bronze tablets bearing tue coats
suitable inscriptions over the entrance representa-
OF the Jersey prison hulk will be carved IN stone on
been signed to the petition asking Congress
for the Srga S wb peaS Country ras
represented all the original States and that nonorne
large As they are buried in Brooklyn there the
memorial should rise which Will rsnsont the LESSONS oil
future generations albeit their names are
lost in the lapse OF time.
INSCRIPTION on THE ORIGINAL TABLET.
II probably Is not generally known that the tablet
placed over the original tomb of the prisonship martyrs
in Brooklyn still in existcnce 1t consists OF block
OF red sandstone about four feet by three feet In sze
which lie well preserved. and tue inscription Is toieraoy
lecible The stone is In the possession Uf Arthur w
Benson, OF the BROOKLYN Gaslight Company. who SOM
years ago placed IL at the disposal OF Colonel John
culver formerly Superintendent and Chief Engineer
the Brooklyn Parks. whenever could be permanent,
sexed TO any structure 10 he erected the
the martyrs The inscription will he OF interest 20 MANI
people aud 1t Is accordingly reproduced here III tuH;