" _Connecticut Journal,_ Jan. 30th,
1777.
In April of the year 1777 a committee that was appointed by Congress
to inquire into the doings of the British on their different marches
through New York and New Jersey reported that "The prisoners, instead
of that humane treatment which those taken by the United States
experienced, were in general treated with the greatest barbarity. Many
of them were kept near four days without food altogether. * * *
Freemen and men of substance suffered all that generous minds could
suffer from the contempt and mockery of British and foreign
mercenaries. Multitudes died in prison. When they were sent out
several died in being carried from the boats on shore, or upon the
road attempting to go home. The committee, in the course of their
inquiry, learned that sometimes the common soldiers expressed sympathy
with the prisoners, and the foreigners (did this) more than the
English. But this was seldom or never the case with the officers, nor
have they been able to hear of any charitable assistance given them by
the inhabitants who remained in, or resorted to the city of New York,
which neglect, if universal, they believe was never known to happen in
any similar case in a Christian country."
We have already shown that some of the citizens of New York, even a
number of the profligate women of the town, did their best to relieve
the wants of the perishing prisoners.
Pages:
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225