The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-08-07
The prIsoner or Forton.


From the sunny Hour.
Those of you who have had grandfath-
ers or great grandfathers who were taken
prisoners of war when they were cruis-
ing in American private waters have
heard, I do not doubt. Of the prison Of
Forton in England. Il was in this prison
that the american prisoner taken at sea
were kept, And very hari time they
had Of it until franklin was at last able
To arrange thst they should be- exehang-
ed for prisoners taken by Jones and 9TH
ers from English ships.
One Of the prisoners in F0rton, who
remained there eighteen months or more,
Was Captain Lee. Of Marbielead. The
pr;vateers Of salem. Marolehead and
Beverly were the terror Of an English
men who sailed upon the seas, but in
some adventure. which I need not tell
here, Captain Lee. Of Marb.ehead, was
overmatched. and So had bsen carried
into England with his crew and was inn
prisoned at Forton. Exchanges were not
then easy, for the English Government
had not at first decided On its course
about exchange.
One day, after poor Captain Lee had
fingered there more than a year and a
half. hc Was called % the DIOR and told
that a gentleman wished o. see nim-
This gentleman proved o. Dr. man of
military air. who took Captain Ire into
a corner and pressed into D = hand, pH-
vaiely. a purse. which proved to contain
seveniy-sye gnineas. With eInal priva-
cy he said 20 him that with part o. the
money he mnst buy. before night from
some Of :he attendants. the dress q one
Of the prison workmen. and that, when
the relief came around. heflusi be- ir an
out-of-the-way place. where be could hll
in with the relief in the twilight and
pass outside the prison proper ulobsery-
ed. But 20 20 ont Of the whole encios-
ure. said his friend. you sill need 10
know the countersigu" And so be whis-
pered % him the countensiel u the day
Captain Lee asked who 10 was 70 whom
he WAS indebted, but the stranger would
not tell him.
All fell out just as this good fairy had
said. Some loafer among the workmen
was not proof 10 the temptation Of few
bright guineas, and as might came on
Captain Lee clothed himselfin the suit
Of clothes which hc had bousht lie
fell in with the relief and noone observed
him. He came % one and another sen !
tinel who challenged him, and he "ap-
preached and gave the countersign."
lie passed out into the dark town, and f.
there be was puzzled about the streets.
when he met again his friend # the
morning. This gentleman congratulated I
him On his liberty, put him into car
riago which was in waiting and sent him
to a seaport, whence he could take pas /
sage for France.
The whole experience was as great a
wonder TO Captain Lee as if the stranger /
had been an angel sent from heaven, as
in a certain sense he was. Heaven is I
very apt 10 send as its messengers the /
persons who have been moved by kind /
ness done 10 them.
1t proved afterwards that the myster-
iOus stranger was no less person than
General Burgoyne. He also had been
prisoner of war. While he vas at Cam
bridge, in Massachusetts, he had been I
under the immediate charge Of Colonel (
Lee. who was Captain Lees bsother
When Burgoyne WAS exchanged he had /
promised Colonel Lee, for whose kind
ness to him he was grateful, that he
would render any service in his power TO
the prisoner at Forton. Colonel Lee had
intrusted to him the - guineas which he /
had delivered to Captain Lee, and it was
be who had whispered the valuable /
cOuntersign 10 him.