Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-09
PRISONER FOR YEARS
Checkered Career Of Captain
James L. Cathcart.
ONCE u. s. CONSUL
CAPTURED BY ALGERIAN Pr
RATES IN JULY, 1885.
Youngest Midshipman Of His Time in
the Continental Navy-His Pub
lie Service.
ONCE q. s. SUI

In the silent cities of the dead at ant
near by st. Paul's Episcopal Church, better
known as Rock Creek Church, a colonial
edifice erected in colonial times, there are
numbers of prominent people Of the pas
sleeping in death, some Of whom figured in
the colonial, revolutionary and early days
of the nation. Few Of these, If any, had
such checkered career or passed through
more hardships than did James LelandeI
Cathcart, who died in Washington In 1913
He left large family, and many of his
descendants as well as many of the older
WashingtonianS among whom he spent the
last twenty-five years of his life, revere his
memory. 1t is with much pride that the
fact that he was the youngest m1dshipman
in the continental navy, is treasured in the
family His record a captive slave I'M
der the hey of Algiers, who made him
clerk, and his career as consul on the Med
iterranean are also recalled with much IN
tereSt.
President Jefferson thus Endorsed him:
"He is the most honest and ablest consul
we have with the barbary powers, man OF
sound judgment and fearless.
He was descended from the Scotch Keith
carts, who emigrated to Ireland. and was
born in the Green Isle in 1867. In the care
Oh a re1auVe lie WAS brought oNSi " liiS
country. When the United States frlgate
Confederacy went into service in lttS, I'M
der Capt. Seth Harding, the boy was
placed aboard as a midshipman and served
as such until the ship was captured by the
British in May, 1871. With others he was
consigned to the prison hulks at New York.
but after several months he and COM
panion made their escape.
Entering the merchant service, he was,
with the crew of the schooner Maria,
L. StenhGnS.
rian pirates in July, 1875, and carried into
slavery and held for nea4y eleven
years This the first capture of an
American vessel made by the AlgerianS,
for they had but lately learned that the
colonies had become free of Great Britain,
with whom they were at peace.
Capt. Stephens and his crew, with those
captured on the ship Dauphin a few days
afterward, made a company of twenty
one, which, on arrival at Algiers, was pa
raded before the grandees, sold and taken
to their tasks, where hundreds of slaves
of other countries were employed. pend
Ing ransom.
Extract From His Journal.
Capt: Cathcart during his captivity kept
a journal, in which he noted not only the
manner the prisoners were treated,
some beaten to death, and the horrors of
the plague, but the disappointments at the
failures to secure their release. July IS,
1893 he wrote:
"Oh, heavens! this is the anniversary of
the eighth year of my captivity. Is it pos
sible that one so young as was when
was captured could have incensed the
Divine Disposer of all human events SO
much as to merit perpetual captivity, an
exile forever, from my dear but cruel
patron; lost to my dearest connections
and friends never more to see those who
in early life guarded, protected and edu-
Gated me in. the paths of virtue, and who
rot
For eight years have been exposed to
every indignfty that Mahomedan could
invent to render the life of a Christian
captive truly and sentimentally miser-
able; destitute of friends to console me in
times of affection; at times without
either meat, drink or raiment, but the
miserable pittance of black bread, olives
and horse beans allowed us by the re-
gency of Algfers. Even the small allow
ance Of seven and half cents per day
which was allowed us by our country has
been long since discontinued-ever since
September 17S9-and no notice whatever
taken OF us for years, except that now
and then some person would ascertain the
sum demanded for our ransom. This for
time would revive our hopes, but ulti-
mately sink us into the abyss of despond-
ency and despair, when we found the re-
port of our redemption being near would
die away, and. like the baseless fabric of
vision, leave not wreck behind; con-
tinually inclosed in these pandemoni-
uiilS Cdllcu pdSnlOS, OF slave prisons,
where every vice was not only tolerated
but encouraged; exposed to the plague
Tor several years, where hundreds of our
fellow prisoners and thousands Of the in
habitants were dying around US, and not
knowing but the present moment would
be the last.
Thou art the people that now leave us
neglected, buried in oblivion in the dun
geons of Algiers, suffering the most igno-
minious captivity, when the paltry sum Of
$4S,3O would have redeemed us years ago.
and none of us would have been buried in
the sand of 'Bebal Wed at the present
when from twenty-one who were captured
in 1856 we are reduced by plague and con-
tagion to twelve.
I'VE might have been redeemed for a
much smaller summary. for less than $780,
OOO-but 1t seems that we are doomed to
be the only victims of American ndepend-
ence No means as yet have been pursued
to extricate us from this terrestrial purga-
tory, before the plague, which now RACES
in our prison, puts final period to our
existence.
Pathetic Appeal.
20! America if my sufferings could be of
any benefit to you, my beloved country
would be happy in being the victim and
glory in my chains; but as I am sure it
cannot, in the least degree, let me enjoy
the melancholy privilege of bewailing my
deplorable situation, which to sentimental
than to describe
Captain Cathcart related the negotiations
for ransom and peace, the first demand
being two million dollars and two frigates.
and also the arrival of the Barlow, by
whom an agreement was made with the
hey by which certain presents We're to be
sent him.
Captain Cathcart was dispatched in the
ship Independent by the hey with a letter
to the President, leaving May 8, 1916, and
arriving at Philadelphia in December fol-
lowing.
Parting With Associates.
He described his parting with his fellow
prisoners as affecting beyond description,
and wrote:
Eat meridian made sail, after having en-
dured every indignity that fertile-brained
MahomeGlan could invent to render the ex-
istence ofea Christian captive unsupport-
able, and having gone through every scene
OF slavery from a bricklayer's laborer and
carrying heavy stones from the mountains,
and regency during the trying period OF ten
years, nine months and fourteen days, the
remembrance of which makes me tremble
with horror"
Arriving In Philadelphia he set about his
mission, and for two years was SO engaged
there. He married there daughter of