New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-17
PRISON SHIP MARTYRS.
THEIR BURIAL AT FORT GREENE PARK
a MONUMENT PROPOSED.


The ceremonies which took place at Fort
Greene Park yesterday under the auspices of
the Prison Ship Martyrs Monument Association
Of The United States called attention another
burial place which is dear to all Americans
Here the bones Of some of the men who died on
board The old prison ships Jersey, Prince of
Wales, Good Hope, Falmouth, Chatham and
other old British prison ships We're buried
u =Hty-seEeu years ago. They were taken from
tie Jackson farm, which partly the
water and extended as far west as Gold-st and
east into the Navy Yard 1t comprised about
thirty acres Of land and thirty-five acres of
pond together with the old Remsen mill and
dwel us- Last April, while digging for a foun-
dau1l for the extension Of the storekeeper's
building In the Navy Yard the worl1men found
more skeletons. Some Of the bones We're in a
far state u preservation and some crumbIed
when touched i is believed that no fewer than
one hundred and twenty skeletons We're found
al that time, and these, in eight large collins
were ertaH5ed yesterday at Fort Greene Park
The prison ships We're used by the British to
save building prisons on shore. DR.. Charles e.
West ID an article on the subject said:
"The battle of Brooklyn in August and the
capture Of Fort Washington in November, 1776
Placed 10 possession Of the British nearly four
thousand prisoners. and this number vas in
creased by the arrest Of private citizens
pecJed II completely with the rebellion to over
i've thousand before the end Of the year The
bs0ay prisons then existing in the city of New
-'1DfA We're The new jail, which still remains, in
d ili' entirely altered FORM as the Hall of Records,
3 BIZ TIN 1ridewelI, which was located between
the present City Hail and Broadway. These
'---ees proving entirely Inadequate to the
e--4al--'-'T ~ these large numbers Of captives.
u whom '-ey We're unwilling 10 extend the
privileges " parole, the British were compelled
10 --in i-a-T large sugar houses, several of the
Churches the hospital and Columbia College
Into prisons f.r their reception These buildings
also "are soon crowded TO OVERLOOKING by daily
acc-zsi JOS n captive patriots, who in many in
Stances fe--a not even space TO lie down and
rest upon the hard and filthy floors. Here in
Uese -a-lt ONE dungeons denied the light and
aI u heaven. a-aDLy fed on poor, putrid and
S'1nell1es even uucOoked food, obliged to en-
1~le inc g.E- 1lignship Of the most abandoned
criminals AID those sick with smallpox and
o0Aef infectious diseases; worn out by the groans
ana complaints Of their suffering fellows, and
SUBJECTED 20 gerry conceivable insult and in
dignity b. their inhuman keepers thousands Of
americans sickened and died.
Great however as were the suferings Of
Ilose -nearo rated within the prisons Of the city
Iiey We're exc cd, if possible, by those Of the
uAIortcaate naval prisoners who languished in
lie prison ships Of the WaIebought. They
were originally The transport vessels in which
NE cattle and other supplies Of the British army
had been brought 70 America in 1916, and which
mad been anchored IN Gravesend Bay and occu-
pleo D. the prisoners in the battle Of Brooklyn
upon the occupation Of The city by the British
t@Ses"
me prisoners persisted by thousands The
'eSS'4a we're all anchored in the channel be
tween what Is now the Cob Dock and the inner
ShoTe OF the Bay, the old Jersey being at the
west side. nearly opposite what is now the west
''-0 4nee 10 the Navy Yard. The prisoners were
1'"'ed together in these dismantled ships,
r'N'y leo ard badly treated. and ii is estimated
e-at between eleven thousand and twelve thou
@Ho peTlshed there, the death rate on the old
'etSey alone amounting to i've a day.