Given under our hands in
New York the 22 of June, 1782.
Signed:
Robert Harris
John Chace
Charles Collins
Philemon Haskell
]. Carnes
Christopher Smith
James Gaston
John Tanner
Daniel Aborn
Richard Mumford
Robert Clifton
John McKeever
Dr. J. Bowen.
The publication of this infamously false circular roused much
indignation among patriotic Americans, and no one believed it a
trustworthy statement. The _Independent Chronicle_, in its issue
for August, 1782, had the following refutation: [Footnote: This letter
is said to have been written by Captain Manly, _five times_ a
prisoner during the Revolution.]
"Mr Printer:
"Happening to be at Mr. Bracket's tavern last Saturday, and hearing
two gentlemen conversing on the surprising alteration in regard to the
treatment our prisoners met with in New York, and as I have had the
misfortune to be more than once a prisoner in England, and in
different prison-ships in New York, and having suffered everything but
death, I cannot help giving all attention to anything I hear or read
relative to the treatment our brave countrymen met with on board the
prison-ships of New York. One of the gentlemen observed that the
treatment of our prisoners must certainly be much better, as so many
of our commanders had signed a paper that was wrote by Mr. David
Sproat, the commissary of naval prisoners in New York.
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