Rivington's _Gazette_ of Jan. 15th, 1779, contains this notice:
"Privateers arriving in New York Harbor are to put their prisoners on
board the Good Hope or Prince of Wales prison ships.
"James Dick."
If the Jersey were in use at that time it must have been too crowded
for further occupancy. But although there is frequent mention in the
periodicals of the day of the prison ships of New York the Jersey did
not become notorious until later.
On the 29th of June, 1779, Sir George Collier, in a notice in
Rivington's _Gazette_, forbids "privateers landing prisoners on
Long Island to the damage and annoyance of His Majesty's faithful
servants."
This order was no doubt issued, in fear of contagion, which fear led
the British to remove their prison ships out of New York Harbor to the
retired waters of Wallabout Bay, where the work of destruction could
go on with less fear of producing a general pestilence.
In the issue for the 23rd of August, 1779, we read: "To be sold, The
sails and rigging of the ship Good Hope. Masts, spars, and yards as
good as new."
Among the accounts of cruelty to the prisoners it is refreshing to
come upon such a paragraph as this, from a New London, Conn. paper,
dated August 18th, 1779. "Last week five or six hundred American
prisoners were exchanged. A flag returned here with 47 American
prisoners, and though taken out of the Good Hope prison ship, it must
(for once) be acknowledged that all were very well and healthy.
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