Nor could we, in such a case, by any
means expect that Madam Fortune would deign to smile so propitiously
as she did before, in the promotion of an exchange so much sooner than
our most sanguine expectations flattered us with, as 'tis said to be
with no small difficulty that a parole can be obtained, much more an
exchange."
This cruise resulted in the capture by the Washington of several
vessels, among them the Robust, Lord Sandwich, Barrington, and the
Spitfire, a British privateer.
In May, 1781, Mr. Drowne sailed on board the Belisarius, commanded by
Captain James Munro, which vessel was captured on the 26th of July and
brought into the port of New York. Browne and the other officers were
sent to the Jersey, where close confinement and all the horrors of the
place soon impaired his vigorous constitution. Although he was,
through the influence of his friends, allowed to visit Newport on
parole in November, 1781, he was returned to the prison ship, and was
not released until some time in 1783. His brother, who was a
physician, nursed him faithfully, but he died on the 9th of August,
1786. Letters written on board the Jersey have a melancholy interest
to the student of history, and this one, written by William Drowne to
a Mrs. Johnston, of New York, is taken from the appendix to the
"Recollections of Captain Dring."
Jersey Prison Ship Sep.
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