The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-02-18
rand ~accomplishe.

until he taxes MS Slanun next the river,
and looking out over the Wallabout, re-
calls something of the sad history con-
nected with this little bay and the mis-
cries suffered by our patriot soldiers
during Washington's battles for a ma
tons freedom.
Here, in October, 17I6, was moored a
British prison ship, the Whitby, crowd
ed with American patriot prisoners,
termed rebels by the English. Six
months later two other floating jaiIs
joined the Whitby, and within a year
both were burned. one in October. 1777,
the other in February, ITS.
Although no trustworthy record of
the facts'in the case were kept, hun
dreds of feeble and dying men are be-
lieyed to have persisted in these fires.
Certain it is that the one in February
occurred in the night, when the wealth
er was intensely cold, so that, if efforts
were made to save the prisoners, no
more than partial success WAS possible.
In April, IT'S, the Falmouth, the
Hope and the UNANIMOUSLY famous old
Jersey" were anchored in the Walla-
bout and filed with captives from the
American armies. The severity of their
confinement was such that more than
II, 900 are believed to have died of cold,
starvation and malignant diseases.
The adjacent hillsides, now graded
down and included in the city of Brook
lyn, became n vast cemetery where
these brave patriots were hastily piled
into shallow graves and slightly COW
cred with earth. In 1903 a tomb was
built to their memory, and a great
quantity of their bleached bones were
collected and inferred within it, with
solemn ceremonies. in the presence of
vast throngs Of people. Over the door
to this structure was Inscribed:
Portal to the Tomb of Patriot. Pris-
oners who died in prison ships during
the Revolution"
1t is not surprising that among such
3 host of liberty-loving prisoners there
should have been some who made bold
attempts at escape. Not many Were
successful. yet 10y fearful risks ard
hardships 4 few eluded their keepers,
reached home and friends, and after
a short rest. again joined the patriot
forces in the field. OF these escapes, one
of the boidest was led by a young Con-
necticut captain, Abel Beman, a cousin
of Nathan BemaL, of Vermont, the boy
who guided Col. Ethan Allen into Fort
Ticonderoga when he captured it from
the British.
Although Abel Beman was a very
small man he seemed TO condense in his
little frame the w~eil-known strength
and endurance of his almost gigantic
kinsman, which. combined with indom-
liable courage and Will, was no doubt
the reason for his selection as captain
in the colonial army. But the qualities
of the man were not on the surface,
for at 25 he was as beardless and boyish
as a lad of 16. and among his friends
was often called boy Beman."
BY some misfortune of war he and his
company were captured and impris-
oned on the Whitby in the Wallabout.
Here he bided his time, and for many
months watched for an opportunity
to escape.
Meanwhile he played before the
guards the role of a harmless, dull
witted fellow, and his large hazel eyes,
smooth face and simple gained
for him many favors sternly refused to
other prisoners. He was freely allowed
in every part of the ship, and often as
sisted the guards in various ways and
even handled their guns and %accoutre-
ments with innocent familiarity.
Thus ingratiating himself into their
confidence. he readily became onver-
San with the details CT his prison and
the methods of the officers. and shrewd-
Iy studied the temper and efficiency of
each with 4 view to discovering a way
to freedom.
a score of plans suggested them
selves, but the circumstances surround
ing him were desperate and ~forbidding.
Three soldiers with loaded muskets