Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-09-02
THE PROPOSED MONUMENT.

Jersey was originally "A gun ship
 and at the commencement of the
 American revolution, being found in
 a state of decay and unfit for service
 at sea. she was dismantled. moored in
 the East river, New York, and used
 as a store ship. In the year 17SO she
 was converted into prison ship and
 continued to be used for that purpose
 during the remainder of the war on the Long Island shore
 Horror, beyond description, reigned
 supreme in this improvised prison.
 Upon approaching the ship ones fears
 were at once aroused because of the
 gloomy appearance of the vessel; but
 once within it's confines and fears turned to terrible dread Lack of food, contact with verInin and wicked treat. ment by the British officers made life unbearable and death extremely vel come to the captured Yankees. To the visitor motley crew, with clothes clingfng to their bodies. vermin simply seething In their apparel, and emaci- ated from hunger. filth and disease. presented itself The menu, if one dare call 1t that name, is youched for as follows in an authentic revolution ary, tale: On Sunday, one pound of biscuit one pound of pork and half pint of peas. Monday. one pound of biscuit, one pint of oatmeal and two ounces of butter Tuesday, one pound of biscuit and two pounds of salt beef. Wednesday, one and a half pounds of Hour and two ounces of suet Thurs day was repetition of Sundays fare, Friday of Mondays. and Saturday of Tuesdays
 With this food of good quality and properly cooked there could be no pos sible complaint but the bread was, as . rule, filled with worms and the pork was literally rotten. Oftentimes the starving prisoners were cheated out of their portion and upon other occasions when the officers saw need for punish ment. their rations were cut in two.
 At stated periods work gangs were selected from the prisoners and these men were obliged to do all the menial labor about the vessel The skins of 1 the prisoners, washed with salt water, | coon after their advent upon the prison ship. became like parchment and from the treatment received, 1t Is but little | wonder that n 900 Americans perished from starvation and poisoning during the time which the ship was the home of the rebel" captives. The reader may wonder why concentrated efforts to escape could not secure freedom.
 The one successful run for liberty is somewhst comical A party of New York gentlemen who were wont to visit the ship. and witness the misery there drew up alongside one morning in a yawL Scarcely had the men reached the main deck when a mess" of prisoners stsalthily descended into the yawl and were not discovered until very near the opposite shore. While shots of the soldiers fell all around them. the leader who was al the helm. stood erect in the Tawi. and. to show bis contempt for ths BritiEh. taataliz- ingiy put his thzmb 10 his nose and wueEsd his fnEsrx Britizh feelings were further rr-si when the prison srs oa board gave three hearty cheers They were force5 osioT al the point Of the hsycaet and put o1 short rstions for puuish-rs1t
 Washington at 0ze tine conpiainsd thrsatcrirz to bs rrrszzs1 u7ou cap tire Engizsi- f -onsi.sc1s Eere not snproTst and {. sitastion chsags1 a trfse for tte bst.fr.