"
In the _Connecticut Journal_ of Jan. 30th, 1777, is the
following:
"This account of the sufferings of these unfortunate men was obtained
from the prisoners themselves. As soon as they were taken they were
robbed of all their baggage; of whatever money they had, though it
were of paper; of their silver shoe buckles and knee buckles, etc.;
and many were stripped almost of their clothes. Especially those who
had good clothes were stripped at once, being told that such were 'too
good for rebels.'
"Thus deprived of their clothes and baggage, they were unable to shift
even their linen, and were obliged to wear the same shirts for even
three or four months together, whereby they became extremely nasty;
and this of itself was sufficient to bring on them many mortal
diseases.
"After they were taken they were in the first place put on board the
ships, and thrust down into the hold, where not a breath of fresh air
could be obtained, and they were nearly suffocated for want of air.
"Some who were taken at Fort Washington were first in this manner
thrust down into the holds of vessels in such numbers that even in the
cold season of November they could scarcely bear any clothes on them,
being kept in a constant sweat. Yet these same persons, after lying in
this situation awhile, till the pores of their bodies were as
perfectly open as possible, were of a sudden taken out and put into
some of the churches of New York, without covering, or a spark of
fire, where they suffered as much by the cold as they did by the
sweating stagnation of the air in the other situation; and the
consequence was that they took such colds as brought on the most fatal
diseases, and swept them off almost beyond conception.
Pages:
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219