THE EXPERIENCE OF EBENEZER FOX
Ebenezer Fox, a prisoner on board the Jersey, wrote a little book
about his dreadful experiences when he was a very old man. The book
was written in 1838, and published by Charles Fox in Boston in 1848.
Ebenezer Fox was born in the East Parish of Roxbury, Mass., in 1763. In
the spring of 1775 he and another boy named Kelly ran away to sea.
Fox shipped as a cabin boy in a vessel commanded by Captain Joseph
Manchester.
He made several cruises and returned home. In 1779 he enlisted, going as
a substitute for the barber to whom he was apprenticed. His company was
commanded by Captain William Bird of Boston in a regiment under Colonel
Proctor. Afterwards he signed ship’s papers and entered the naval
service on a twenty gun ship called the Protector, Captain John F.
Williams of Massachusetts. On the lst of April, 1780, they sailed for
a six months cruise, and on the ninth of June, 1780, fought the Admiral
Duff until she took fire and blew up. A short time afterwards the
Protector was captured by two English ships called the Roebuck and
Mayday.
Fox concealed fifteen dollars in the crown of his hat, and fifteen more
in the soles of his shoes.
All the prisoners were sent into the hold. One third of the crew of the
Protector were pressed into the British service. The others were sent to
the Jersey. Evidently this prison ship had already become notorious, for
Fox writes: “The idea of being incarcerated in this floating pandemonium
filled us with horror, but the ideas we had formed of its horror fell
far short of the reality. * * * The Jersey was removed from the East
River, and moored with chain cables at the Wallabout in consequence
of the fears entertained that the sickness which prevailed among the
prisoners might spread to the shore. * * * I now found myself in a
loathsome prison, among a collection of the most wretched and disgusting
looking objects that I ever beheld in human form.
“Here was a motley crew, covered with rags and filth; visages pallid
with disease; emaciated with hunger and anxiety; and hardly retaining a
trace of their original appearance. Here were men, who had once enjoyed
life while riding over the mountain wave or roaming through pleasant
fields, full of health and vigor, now shrivelled by a scanty and
unwholesome diet, ghastly with inhaling an impure atmosphere, exposed to
contagion; in contact with disease, and surrounded with the horrors of
sickness, and death. Here, thought I, must I linger out the morning
of my life” (he was seventeen) “in tedious days and sleepless nights,
enduring a weary and degrading captivity, till death should terminate my
sufferings, and no friend will know of my departure.
“A prisoner on board the ‘Old Jersey!’ The very thought was appalling. I
could hardly realize my situation.
“The first thing we found it necessary to do after our capture was to
form ourselves into small parties called messes, consisting of six
in each, as previous to doing this, we could obtain no food. All the
prisoners were obliged to fast on the first day of their arrival, and
seldom on the second could they obtain any food in season for cooking
it. * * * All the prisoners fared alike; officers and sailors received
the same treatment on board of this old hulk. * * * We were all
‘rebels.’ The only distinction known among us was made by the prisoners
themselves, which was shown in allowing those who had been officers
previous to their captivity, to congregate in the extreme afterpart of
the ship, and to keep it exclusively to themselves as their place of
abode. * * * The prisoners were confined in the two main decks below.
The lowest dungeon was inhabited by those prisoners who were foreigners,
and whose treatment was more severe than that of the Americans.
“The inhabitants of this lower region were the most miserable and
disgusting looking objects that can be conceived. Daily washing in salt
water, together with their extreme emaciation, caused the skin to appear
like dried parchment. Many of them remained unwashed for weeks; their
hair long, and matted, and filled with vermin; their beards never cut
except occasionally with a pair of shears, which did not improve their
comeliness, though it might add to their comfort. Their clothes were
mere rags, secured to their bodies in every way that ingenuity could
devise.
“Many of these men had been in this lamentable condition for two years,
part of the time on board other prison ships; and having given up all
hope of ever being exchanged, had become resigned to their situation.
These men were foreigners whose whole lives had been one continual scene
of toil, hardship, and suffering. Their feelings were blunted; their
dispositions soured; they had no sympathies for the world; no home to
mourn for; no friends to lament for their fate. But far different was
the condition of the most numerous class of prisoners, composed mostly
of young men from New England, fresh from home.
“They had reason to deplore the sudden change in their condition. * * *
The thoughts of home, of parents, brothers, sisters, and friends, would
crowd upon their minds, and brooding on what they had been, and what
they were, their desire for home became a madness. The dismal and
disgusting scene around; the wretched objects continually in sight;
and ‘hope deferred which maketh the heart sick’, produced a state of
melancholy that often ended in death,--the death of a broken heart.”
Fox describes the food and drink, the prison regulations, deaths, and
burials, just as they were described by Captain Dring, who wrote the
fullest account of the Jersey, and from whose memoirs we shall
quote further on. He says of their shallow graves in the sand of
the Wallabout: “This was the last resting place of many a son and a
brother,--young and noble-spirited men, who had left their happy homes
and kind friends to offer their lives in the service of their country.
* * * Poor fellows! They suffered more than their older companions
in misery. They could not endure their hopeless and wearisome
captivity:--to live on from day to day, denied the power of doing
anything; condemned to that most irksome and heart-sickening of all
situations, utter inactivity; their restless and impetuous spirits,
like caged lions, panted to be free, and the conflict was too much
for endurance, enfeebled and worn out as they were with suffering and
confinement. * * * The fate of many of these unhappy victims must have
remained forever unknown to their friends; for in so large a number,
no exact account could be kept of those who died, and they rested in
a nameless grave; while those who performed the last sad rites were
hurried away before their task was half completed, and forbid to express
their horror and indignation at this insulting negligence towards the
dead. * * *
“The regular crew of the Jersey consisted of a Captain, two Mates, a
steward, a cook, and about twelve sailors. There was likewise on board
a guard of about thirty soldiers, from the different regiments quartered
on Long Island, who were relieved by a fresh party every week.
“The physical force of the prisoners was sufficient at any time to take
possession of the ship, but the difficulty was to dispose of themselves
after a successful attempt. Long Island was in possession of the
British, and the inhabitants were favorable to the British cause. To
leave the ship and land on the island, would be followed by almost
certain detection; and the miseries of our captivity would be increased
by additional cruelties heaped upon us from the vindictive feelings of
our oppressors.
“Yet, small as was the chance for succeeding in the undertaking, the
attempt to escape was often made, and in not a few instances with
success.
“Our sufferings were so intolerable, that we felt it to be our duty to
expose ourselves to almost any risk to obtain our liberty. To remain
on board of the prison ship seemed to be certain death, and in its most
horrid form; to be killed, while endeavoring to get away, could be no
worse.
“American prisoners are proverbial for their ingenuity in devising ways
and means to accomplish their plans, whether they be devised for their
own comfort and benefit, or for the purpose of annoying and tormenting
their keepers.
“Although we were guarded with vigilance yet there did not appear much
system in the management of the prisoners; for we frequently missed a
whole mess from our number, while their disappearance was not noticed by
our keepers. 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. The round house was found too small to contain more
than five; and the sixth man, whose name, I think, was Putnam of Boston,
concealed himself under a large tub, which happened to be lying near the
place of our confinement. The situation of the five, as closely packed
in the round house as we could stand and breathe, was so uncomfortable
as to make us very desirous of vacating it as soon as possible.
“We remained thus cooped up, hardly daring to breathe, for fear we
should be heard by the guard. The prisoners were all below, and no noise
was heard above, saving the tramp of the guard as he paced the deck. It
was customary, after the prisoners were secured below, for the ship’s
mate every night to search above; this, however, was considered a mere
formality, and the duty was very imperfectly executed. While we were
anxiously awaiting the completion of this service, an event transpired,
that we little anticipated, and which led to our detection.
“One of the prisoners, an Irishman, had made his arrangements to escape
the same evening, and had not communicated with any one on the subject
except a countryman of his, whom he persuaded to bury him up in the coal
hole, near the forecastle.
“Whether his friend covered him faithfully or not, or whether the
Irishman thought that if he could not see anybody, nobody could see him,
or whether, feeling uncomfortable in his position, he turned over to
relieve himself, I know not; but when the mate looked in the coal
hole he espied something rather whiter than the coal, which he soon
ascertained to be the Irishman’s shoulder. This discovery made the
officer suspicious, and induced him to make a more thorough search than
usual.
“We heard the uproar that followed the discovery, and the threats of the
mate that he would search every damned corner. He soon arrived at the
round house, and we heard him ask a soldier for the key. Our hopes
and expectations were a little raised when we heard the soldier
reply, ‘There is no need of searching this place, for the door is kept
constantly locked.’
“But the mate was not to be diverted from his purpose, and ordered the
soldier to get the key.
“During the absence of the soldier, we had a little time to reflect upon
the dangers of our situation; crowded together in a space so small as
not to admit of motion; with no other protection than the thickness of
a board; guarded on the outside by about twelve soldiers, armed with
cutlasses, and the mate, considerably drunk, with a pistol in each hand,
threatening every moment to fire through;--our feelings may be
more easily conceived than described. There was but little time for
deliberation; something must be immediately done. * * * In a whispered
consultation of some moments, we conceived that the safest course
we could pursue would be to break out with all the violence we could
exercise, overcome every obstacle, and reach the quarter-deck. By this
time the soldier had arrived with the key, and upon applying it, the
door was found to be unlocked. We now heard our last summons from the
mate, with imprecations too horrible to be repeated, and threatening us
with instant destruction if we did not immediately come out.
“To remain any longer where we were would have been certain death to
some of us; we therefore carried our hastily formed plan into execution.
The door opened outwards, and forming ourselves into a solid body, we
burst open the door, rushed out pellmell, and making a brisk use of our
fists, knocked the guard heels over head in all directions, at the same
time running with all possible speed for the quarter-deck. As I rushed
out, being in the rear, I received a wound from a cutlass on my side,
the scar of which remains to this day.
“As nearly all the guards were prostrated by our unexpected sally, we
arrived at our destined place, without being pursued by anything but
curses and threats.
“The mate exercised his authority to protect us from the rage of the
soldiers, who were in pursuit of us, as soon as they had recovered
from the prostration into which they had been thrown; and, with the
assistance of the Captain’s mistress, whom the noise had brought upon
deck, and whose sympathy was excited when she saw we were about to be
murdered: she placed herself between us and the enraged guard, and made
such an outcry as to bring the Captain” (Laird) “up, who ordered
the guard to take their station at a little distance and to watch us
narrowly. We were all put in irons, our feet being fastened to a long
bar, a guard placed over us, and in this situation we were left to pass
the night.
“During the time of the transactions related, our fellow prisoner,
Putnam, remained quietly under the tub, and heard the noise from his
hiding place. He was not suffered to remain long in suspense. A soldier
lifted up the tub, and seeing the poor prisoner, thrust his bayonet into
his body, just above his hip, and then drove him to the quarter-deck,
to take his place in irons among us. The blood flowed profusely from
his wound, and he was soon after sent on board the hospital ship, and we
never heard anything respecting him afterwards.
“With disappointed expectations we passed a dreary night. A cold
fog, followed by rain, came on; to which we were exposed, without any
blankets or covering to protect us from the inclemency of the weather.
Our sufferings of mind and body during that horrible night, exceeded any
that I have ever experienced.
“We were chilled almost to death, and the only way we could preserve
heat enough in our bodies to prevent our perishing, was to lie upon each
other by turns.
“Morning at last came, and we were released from our fetters. Our limbs
were so stiff that we could hardly stand. Our fellow prisoners assisted
us below, and wrapping us in blankets, we were at last restored to a
state of comparative comfort.
“For attempting to escape we were punished by having our miserable
allowance reduced one third in quantity for a month; and we had found
the whole of it hardly sufficient to sustain life. * * *
“One day a boat came alongside containing about sixty firkins of grease,
which they called butter. The prisoners were always ready to assist in
the performance of any labor necessary to be done on board of the ship,
as it afforded some little relief to the tedious monotony of their
lives. On this occasion they were ready to assist in hoisting the butter
on board. The firkins were first deposited upon the deck, and then
lowered down the main hatchway. Some of the prisoners, who were the most
officious in giving their assistance, contrived to secrete a firkin,
by rolling it forward under the forecastle, and afterwards carrying it
below in their bedding.
“This was considered as quite a windfall; and being divided among a few
of us, proved a considerable luxury. It helped to fill up the pores
in our mouldy bread, when the worms were dislodged, and gave to the
crumbling particles a little more consistency.
“Several weeks after our unsuccessful attempt to escape, another one
attended with better success, was made by a number of the prisoners.
At sunset the prisoners were driven below, and the main hatchway was
closed. In this there was a trap-door, large enough for a man to pass
through, and a sentinel was placed over it with orders to permit one
prisoner at a time to come up during the night.
“The plan that had been formed was this:--one of the prisoners should
ascend, and dispose of the sentinel in such a manner that he should be
no obstacle in the way of those who were to follow.
“Among the soldiers was an Irishman who, in consequence of having a head
of hair remarkable for its curly appearance, and withal a very crabbed
disposition, had been nicknamed ‘Billy the Ram’. He was the sentinel on
duty this night, for one was deemed sufficient, as the prisoners were
considered secure when they were below, having no other place of egress
saving the trap-door, over which the sentinel was stationed.
“Late in the night one of the prisoners, a bold, athletic fellow,
ascended upon deck, and in an artful manner engaged the attention of
Billy the Ram, in conversation respecting the war; lamenting that he had
engaged in so unnatural a contest, expressing his intention of enlisting
in the British service, and requesting Billy’s advice respecting the
course necessary to be pursued to obtain the confidence of the officers.
“Billy happened to be in a mood to take some interest in his views,
and showed an inclination, quite uncommon for him, to prolong the
conversation. Unsuspicious of any evil design on the part of the
prisoner, and while leaning carelessly on his gun, Billy received a
tremendous blow from the fist of his entertainer on the back of his
head, which brought him to the deck in a state of insensibility.
“As soon as he was heard to fall by those below, who were anxiously
awaiting the result of the friendly conversation of their pioneer with
Billy, and were satisfied that the final knock-out argument had been
given, they began to ascend, and, one after another, to jump overboard,
to the number of about thirty.
“The noise aroused the guard, who came upon deck, where they found Billy
not sufficiently recovered from the stunning effects of the blow he had
received to give any account of the transaction. A noise was heard in
the water; but it was so dark that no object could be distinguished.
The attention of the guard, however, was directed to certain spots which
exhibited a luminous appearance, which salt water is known to assume in
the night when it is agitated, and to these appearances they directed
their fire, and getting out the boats, picked out about half the number
that attempted to escape, many of whom were wounded, though not one was
killed. The rest escaped.
“During the uproar overhead the prisoners below encouraged the
fugitives, and expressed their approbation of their proceedings in
three hearty cheers; for which gratification we suffered our usual
punishment--a short allowance of our already short and miserable fare.
“For about a fortnight after this transaction it would have been a
hazardous experiment to approach near to ‘Billy the Ram’, and it was a
long time before we ventured to speak to him, and finally to obtain from
him an account of the events of the evening.
“Not long after this another successful attempt to escape was made,
which for its boldness is perhaps unparalleled in the history of such
transactions.
“One pleasant morning about ten o’clock a boat came alongside,
containing a number of gentlemen from New York, who came for the purpose
of gratifying themselves with a sight of the miserable tenants of the
prison-ship, influenced by the same kind of curiosity that induces some
people to travel a great distance to witness an execution.
“The boat, which was a beautiful yawl, and sat like a swan upon the
water, was manned by four oarsmen, with a man at the helm. Considerable
attention and respect was shown the visitors, the ship’s side being
manned when they showed their intention of coming on board, and the
usual naval courtesies extended. The gentlemen were soon on board;
and the crew of the yawl, having secured her to the forechains on the
larboard side of the ship, were permitted to ascend the deck.
“A soldier as usual was pacing with a slow and measured tread the whole
length of the deck, wheeling round with measured precision, when he
arrived at the end of his walk; and whether upon this occasion, any one
interested in his movements had secretly slipped a guinea into his hand,
not to quicken but to retard his progress, was never known; but it was
evident to the prisoners that he had never occupied so much time before
in measuring the distance with his back to the place where the yawl was
fastened.
“At this time there were sitting in the forecastle, apparently admiring
the beautiful appearance of the yawl, four mates and a captain, who had
been brought on board as prisoners a few days previous, taken in some
vessel from a southern port.
“As soon as the sentry had passed these men, in his straightforward
march, they, in a very quiet manner, lowered themselves down into the
yawl, cut the rope, and the four mates taking in hand the oars, while
the captain managed the helm, in less time than I have taken to describe
it, they were under full sweep from the ship. They plied the oars with
such vigor that every stroke they took seemed to take the boat out of
the water. In the meantime the sentry heard nothing and saw nothing of
this transaction, till he had arrived at the end of his march, when,
in wheeling slowly round, he could no longer affect ignorance, or avoid
seeing that the boat was several times its length from the ship.
He immediately fired; but, whether he exercised his best skill as a
marksman, or whether it was on account of the boat’s going ahead
its whole length at every pull of the rowers, I could never exactly
ascertain, but the ball fell harmlessly into the water. The report of
the gun brought the whole guard out, who blazed away at the fugitives,
without producing any dimunition in the rapidity of their progress.
“By this time the officers of the ship were on deck with their visitors;
and while all were gazing with astonishment at the boldness and
effrontery of the achievement, the guard were firing as fast as they
could load their guns. When the prisoners gave three cheers to the
yawl’s crew, as an expression of their joy at their success, the Captain
ordered all of us to be driven below at the point of the bayonet, and
there we were confined the remainder of the day.
“These five men escaped, greatly to the mortification of the captain
and officers of the prison-ship. After this, as long as I remained a
prisoner, whenever any visitors came on board, all the prisoners were
driven below, where they were obliged to remain till the company had
departed.”