The air was so foul that at times a
lamp could not be kept burning, by reason of which the bodies were not
missed until they had been dead ten days.
"One person alone was admitted on deck at a time, after sunset, which
occasioned much filth to run into the hold, and mingle with the bilge
water, which was not pumped out while he was aboard, notwithstanding
the decks were leaky, and the prisoners begged permission to let in
water and pump it out again.
"While Mr. Sheffield was on board, which was six days, five or six
died daily, and three of his people. He was sent for on shore as
evidence in a Court of Admiralty for condemning his own vessel, and
happily escaped.
"He was informed in New York that the fresh meat sent in to our
prisoners by our Commissary was taken by the men-of-war for their own
use. This he can say: he did not see any aboard the ship he was in,
but they were well supplied with soft bread from our Commissaries on
shore. But the provision (be it what it will) is not the
complaint. Fresh air and fresh water, God's free gift, is all their
cry."
"New London, Conn. July 31. 78. Last week 500 or 600 prisoners were
released from confinement at New York and sent out chiefly by way of
New Jersey, being exchanged."
"New London Conn. Sep. 26, 78. All American prisoners are nearly sent
out of New York, but there are 615 French prisoners still there.
Pages:
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147