Occasionally a few would be brought back who had been
found in the woods upon Long Island, and taken up by the Tories.
"Our mess one day noticed that the mess that occupied the place next
to them were among the missing. This circumstance led to much
conjecture and inquiry respecting the manner in which they had
effected their escape. By watching the movements of our neighbors we
soon found out the process necessary to be adopted.
"Any plan which a mess had formed they kept a secret among their
number, in order to insure a greater prospect of success. * * * For
the convenience of the officers of the ship a closet, called the
"round house", had been constructed under the forecastle, the door of
which was kept locked. This room was seldom used, there being other
conveniences in the ship preferable to it.
"Some of the prisoners had contrived to pick the lock of the door; and
as it was not discovered the door remained unfastened.
"After we had missed our neighbor prisoners, and had ascertained to
our satisfaction their mode of operation, the members of our mess
determined to seize the first opportunity that offered to attempt our
escape. We selected a day, about the 15th of August, and made all the
preparations in our power for ensuring us success in our
undertaking. At sunset, when the usual cry from the officer of the
guard, 'Down, rebels, down!' was heard, instead of following the
multitude down the hatchways, our mess, consisting of six, all
Americans, succeeded in getting into the 'round house', except
one.
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