"Of all the prisons, on land or water, for the confinement of the
Americans, during the Revolutionary War, the Old Jersey was
acknowledged to be the worst; such an accumulation of horrors was not
to be found in any other one, or perhaps in all collectively.
"The very name of it struck terror into the sailor's heart, and caused
him to fight more desperately, to avoid being made a captive.
Suffering as we did, day after day, with no prospect of relief, our
numbers continually augmenting, * * * can it be thought strange that
the younger part of the prisoners, to whom confinement seemed worse
than death, should be tempted to enlist into the British service;
especially when, by so doing, it was probable that some opportunity
would be offered to desert? We were satisfied that death would soon
put an end to our sufferings if we remained prisoners much longer, yet
when we discussed the expediency of seeking a change in our condition,
which we were satisfied could not be worse under any circumstances,
and it was proposed that we should enter the service of King George,
our minds revolted at the idea, and we abandoned the intention.
"In the midst of our distresses, perplexities, and troubles of this
period, we were not a little puzzled to know how to dispose of the
vermin that would accumulate upon our persons, notwithstanding all our
attempts at cleanliness.
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