That on the 6th of April, about six o’clock in the evening, when the
prisoners were all quiet in their respective yards, it being about
the usual time of turning in for the night, and the greater part of
the prisoners being then in the prisons, the alarm bell was rung,
and many of the prisoners ran up to the Market-square to learn the
occasion of the alarm. There were then drawn up in the Square several
hundred soldiers, with Captain Shortland [the Agent] at their head;
it was likewise observed, at the same time, that additional numbers
of soldiers were posting themselves on the walls round the prison
yards. One of them observed to the prisoners, that they had better
go into the prisons, for they would be charged upon directly. This,
of course, occasioned considerable alarm among them. In this moment
of uncertainty, they were running in different directions, inquiring
the cause of the alarm--some toward their respective prisons, and
some toward the Market-square. When about one hundred were collected
in the Square, Captain Shortland ordered the soldiers to charge upon
them, which order the soldiers were reluctant in obeying, as the
prisoners were using no violence; but on the order being repeated,
they made a charge, and the prisoners retreated out of the Square into
the prison-yards, and shut the gates after them. Captain Shortland
himself opened the gates, and ordered the soldiers to fire in among
the prisoners, who were all retreating in different directions toward
their respective prisons. It appears there was some hesitation in the
minds of the officers, whether or not it was proper to fire upon the
prisoners in that situation; on which Shortland seized a musket out
of the hands of a soldier, which he fired. Immediately after, the
fire became general, and many of the prisoners were either killed or
wounded. The remainder were endeavoring to get into the prisons, when
going towards the lower doors, the soldiers on the walls commenced
firing on them from that quarter, which killed some and wounded
others. After much difficulty, [all the doors being closed in the
entrance, but one in each prison] the survivors succeeded in gaining
the prisons; immediately after which, parties of soldiers came to the
doors of Nos. 3 and 4 prisons, and fired several vollies into them
through the windows and doors, which killed one man in each prison,
and severely wounded others.
It likewise appears, that the preceding butchery was followed up with
a disposition of peculiar inveteracy and barbarity.
One man, who was severely wounded in No. 7 prison-yard, and being
unable to make his way to the prison, was come up with by the
soldiers, whom he implored for mercy, but in vain; five of the
hardened wretches immediately levelled their pieces at him, and shot
him dead on the spot.--The soldiers who were posted on the walls,
manifested equal cruelty, by keeping up a constant fire on every
prisoner they could see in the yards endeavoring to get into the
prison, when their numbers were very few, and when not the least
shadow of resistance could be made or expected. Several of them
had got into No. 6 prison cook-house, which was pointed out by the
soldiers on the walls, to those who were marching in from the Square;
they immediately went up and fired into the same, which wounded
several; one of the prisoners ran out with the intention of gaining
his prison, but was killed before he reached the door.
On an impartial consideration of the circumstances of the case, we are
induced to believe that it was a premeditated scheme in the mind of
Captain Shortland, for reasons which we will now proceed to give--as
an illucidation of its origin, we will recur back to an event which
happened some days previous. Captain Shortland was, at the time,
absent at Plymouth, but before going, he ordered the contractor or his
clerk to serve out one pound of indifferent hard bread, instead of
one pound and a half of soft bread, their usual allowance--this the
prisoners refused to receive--they waited all day in expectation of
their usual allowance being served out; but at senset, finding this
would not be the case, burst open the lower gates, and went up to the
store, demanding to have their bread.
The officers of the garrison, on being alarmed, and informed of their
proceedings, observed, that it was no more than right the prisoners
should have their usual allowance, and strongly reprobated the
conduct of Captain Shortland in withholding it from them. They were
accordingly served with their bread, and quietly returned to their
prison. This circumstance, with the censures that were thrown on his
conduct, reached the ears of Shortland on his return home, and he
must then have determined on the diabolical plan of seizing the first
slight pretext to turn in the military, to butcher the prisoners
for the gratification of his malice and revenge. It unfortunately
happened, that in the afternoon of the 6th of April, some boys who
were playing ball in No. 7 yard, knocked their ball over into the
barrack-yard, and on the sentry in that yard refusing to throw it back
to them, they picked a hole in the wall to get in after it.
This afforded Shortland his wished-for pretext, and he took his
measures accordingly; he had all the garrison drawn up in the military
walk, additional numbers posted on the walls, and every thing ready
prepared before the alarm bell was rung; this, he naturally concluded,
would draw the attention of a great number of prisoners towards the
gates, to learn the cause of the alarm, while the turnkeys were
despatched into the yards to lock all the doors but one of each
prison, to prevent the prisoners retreating out of the way before he
had sufficiently wreaked his vengeance.
What adds peculiar weight to the belief of its being a premeditated,
determined massacre, are,
_First._--The sanguinary disposition manifested on every occasion by
Shortland, he having, prior to this time, ordered the soldiers to fire
into the prisons, through the prison windows, upon unarmed prisoners
asleep in their hammocks, on account of a light being seen in the
prisons; which barbarous act was repeated several nights successively.
That murder was not then committed, was owing to an over-ruling
Providence alone; for the balls were picked up in the prison, where
they passed through the hammocks of men then asleep in them. He having
also ordered the soldiers to fire upon the prisoners in the yard of
No. 7 prison, because they would not deliver up to him a man who had
escaped from the _cachot_, which order the commanding officer of the
soldiers refused to obey; and generally, he having seized on every
slight pretext to injure the prisoners, by stopping their marketing
for ten days repeatedly, and once a third part of their provisions for
the same length of time.
_Secondly._--He having been heard to say, when the boys had picked the
hole in the wall, and some time before the alarm bell rung, while all
the prisoners were quiet as usual in their respective yards, “_I’ll
fix the damn’d rascals directly_.”
_Thirdly._--His having all the soldiers on their posts, and the
garrison fully prepared before the alarm bell rung. It could not
then, of course, be rung to assemble the soldiers, but to alarm the
prisoners, and create confusion among them.
_Fourthly._--The soldiers upon the wall, previous to the alarm bell
being rung, informing the prisoners that they would be charged upon
directly.
_Fifthly._--The turnkeys going into the yards and closing all the
doors but one in each prison, while the attention of the prisoners
was attracted by the alarm bell. This was done about fifteen minutes
sooner than usual, and without informing the prisoners it was time to
shut up. It was ever the invariable practice of the turnkeys, from
which they never deviated before that night, when coming into the
yard to shut up, to hollow to the prisoners so loud as to be heard
throughout the yards, “_turn in, turn in!_” but, on that night, it was
done so secretly, that not one man in a hundred knew they were shut;
and in particular their shutting the door of No. 7 prison, which the
prisoners usually went in and out at, [and which was formerly always
closed last] and leaving one open in the other end of the prison,
which was exposed to a cross-fire from the soldiers on the walls, and
which the prisoners had to pass in gaining the prisons.
We here solemnly aver, that there was no preconcerted plan to attempt
breaking out. There cannot be produced the least shadow of a reason
or inducement for that intention, the prisoners daily expecting to be
released, and to embark on board cartels for their native country. And
we likewise solemnly assert, that there was no intention of resisting,
in any manner, the authority of this depot.
N. B. Seven were killed, thirty dangerously wounded, and thirty
slightly so. Total, sixty-seven killed and wounded.
(Signed)
WM. B. ORNE, }
WM. HOBART, }
JAMES BOGGS, }
JAMES ADAMS, }
FRANCIS JOSEPH, }
JOHN F. TROBRIDGE, } _Committee_.
JOHN RUST, }
HENRY ALLEN, }
WALTER COLTON, }
THOMAS B. MOTT. }
DARTMOOR PRISON, April 7th, 1815.
The same day Mr. Ingraham come to the prison and informed the prisoners
that he had come for the purpose of shipping a number of men, to man
ships now lying in different ports in Europe; he also informed us that
he had been appointed agent, under the consular agent of the United
States: and that every preparation was making for the immediate release
of every prisoner, and we might be assured of the immediate arrival of
the ships from London to convey us to the United States.
On the tenth, a number were discharged to man different ships in
Europe; this day arrangements were made by the prisoners, for the
assistance and relief of our wounded countrymen in the Hospital, and
also an arrangement for the prisoners to wear crape on their arm for
thirty days after their arrival in America, as a tribute of respect
due to their departed friends and fellow-prisoners. The wounded in
the hospital were paid every attention, for their comfort and speedy
recovery, by Doctor Magrath.
We received no letters from Mr. Beasley, although hundreds of letters
had been sent to him since the melancholy event of the 6th. Reports
were circulating that a new agent was to be appointed by the United
States to supersede Mr. Beasley, which every man most anxiously wished
might be true, but had not the satisfaction to learn it was the case;
every day’s delay made more confusion and anxiety among the prisoners.
The weather during this month up to the present day, had been
remarkably fine, pure and healthy, and more so than it had been at this
place since our confinement; as if the All-Seeing Eye of Heaven looked
down with pity and compassion upon our injured and wounded countrymen,
and dispensed His blessings for their speedy recovery in the salubrity
of His air. That passage in Holy Writ, in this instance, seemed to be
remarkably verified: “that when the prisoner was sick in prison, He
visited him.”
Capt. Shortland, after being acquitted, resumed the command of the
depot, but he was seldom seen by the prisoners, being very apprehensive
that the prisoners would shoot him the first opportunity; therefore he
kept a body guard around him, and this day a draft of thirty prisoners
being discharged, and having to pass by his house, he had his guard
stationed at his door.
On the morning of the twelfth, we were informed by Capt. Shortland that
the drafts for the discharge of the prisoners were already made out,
and that the draft for the first cartel would consist of 280, to be
discharged as they entered this depot. I therefore obtained the exact
number of prisoners then in each prison, which I shall give as follows:
Prison No 1, contained, 1290
3, 952
4, 978
5, 938
7, 1248
In different employments about the stores
and hospital, 29
Patients in the hospital, 107
----
Total number of unparoled prisoners in England, 5542
In visiting the hospitals, I found the wounded prisoners fast
recovering, all in high spirits, the prison generally more healthy than
it had been since our arrival in it. Capt. Shortland removed his family
from this place, for his guilt had brought upon him the apprehension of
the first draught’s retaliating upon him by attacking his family; but
no such idea had entered the imagination of any prisoner; it was the
creature of his own guilt.
We were ordered at this time to be in readiness to deliver up every
article which we had received from the British Government; such as
beds, hammocks, blankets, &c., &c. These articles had been in our
possession, and in constant use ever since the second of April, 1813,
and had never been changed; we felt but little reluctance in delivering
them up, when animated with the idea of once more visiting our native
country, and leaving a dreary prison, which many of us had inhabited
for upwards of two years.
On the following day we received a London paper which contained the
following account of the late horid massacre at this depot; it read as
follows:
An affair of a serious nature has recently taken place at Dartmoor
prison: the prisoners attaching the greater part of the fault of their
long detention since the peace, to Mr. Beasley their country’s agent,
resident at London, had, before the affray, burnt his person in effigy
in the yard of their prison; on account of which, Captain Shortland,
unarmed and unattended, entered the yard of their prison with a view
to appease the anger of these unfortunate men; but his reception was
attended with the prisoners discharging a pistol at him, the contents
of which grazed his clerk; upon this the prisoners attempted to gain
their liberty by rushing out of the gates, but were soon coiled by the
guards firing upon them, and killing twelve, and wounding thirty.
The account was equally base and false, as the act was cruel and
murderous; but the mention of twelve killed confirmed the prisoners in
their belief that this number had been killed, and the five which were
not to be found, were secretly buried by Captain Shortland that night,
and that he, in the guilty and confused state of his mind, had given
an account of twelve instead of seven, which were the only ones found
of the killed. I leave it to the reader to judge whether nature or
habit had done most towards hardening the feelings of this man. It is
well known that men accustomed to the sufferings and misery of their
fellow-beings, soon grow hardened and forget them. But could this man
from the short time here, have grown so callous in his feelings as to
commit such acts from habit, or must cruelty and malice have been woven
in his constitution?
On this day, the prisoners in making preparation for their departure,
prepared a large white flag, and as a memento had in the middle of it,
the representation of a tomb, with the Goddess of Liberty leaning on
it, and a murdered sailor lying by its side, and an inscription over
it in large capital letters, “_Columbia weeps, and we remember_.” This
flag was intended to be carried home to the United States, as it showed
a just resentment for the execrable deeds which it recorded, and a just
respect for the sufferers. This same day, numbers of prisoners were
released by application of their friends in England, for the purpose of
manning ships in different ports. We had no news from Mr. Beasley, and
most of the prisoners barefooted, the oldest in a state of nudity, not
having received any jackets or trowsers for more than eleven months.
At length, when we were almost dead with impatience and delay, on the
fourteenth we received a letter from Mr. Beasley to the following
effect:
Fellow Citizens,
I have been informed that numbers of the prisoners have entertained
an idea that they are to remain in prison, until the arrival of some
United States’ ships in this country; but I can assure them that
there is no foundation for the belief; and I can assure them of eight
cartels being already taken up for their conveyance to the United
States. And with regret I hear from officers who were sent to inquire
into the shameful conduct of the sixth of April, that the extravagant
excess of the prisoners was partly occasioned by their censuring the
United States and myself.
Mr. Beasley had, no doubt, been informed of what he wrote, but it was
not the fact, for his information, no doubt, came from the two officers
who were here, the Admiral and his associate; but no such conversation
took place in their hearing, which numbers of the most respectable
prisoners can testify, and no such idea had been entertained by any
prisoner in the prison. These officers intended that Mr. Beasley
should bear all the blame. God knows his conduct was blameable enough
throughout; but to do him justice he had no blame in the murderous
act of the fatal sixth of April. His effigy had been burnt on the 24th
of March, and all animosity had been dissipated with the ashes of his
effigy, and his name seemed to be forgotten, for it was scarcely ever
mentioned. Mr. Beasley had had every particular of the event before his
interview with the officers, but made no exertions as yet to inquire
into the affray.
The weather up to this day since the month began, had been remarkably
fine for this place, but this morning the moor, as far as the eye could
reach, was covered with snow, and continued to snow all day, and the
weather very cold.
On the sixteenth we received letters from London, from many of our
fellow-citizens, who had received passports and left the prison since
the fatal sixth of April; on their arrival in London, they were taken
before the lord mayor of that city, and their depositions taken
relative to the massacre of the sixth, which was to the same purport as
before the committee. On the same day, Col. Hawker, formerly consular
agent, under the American consul at London, visited the prison for
the purpose of shipping seamen to man ships at Plymouth, bound to
New-Orleans. In this way the prisoners were daily diminishing in
number, as any one might obtain a passport who could procure a friend
to make application for their release, and informing Mr. Beasley that
they required no assistance from him to convey them to the United
States. In obtaining a passport in this way from Capt. Shortland, they
needed no other protection in this country.
This day a man was committed to the cachot for drawing money from Col.
Hawker in an assumed name. The colonel was determined to have him
brought to condign punishment: this man the next day was taken out
of the cachot and conveyed to Exeter, to be tried at the next August
assizes.
On visiting the hospital, I found the wounded and the sick fast
recovering, and had every attention paid them by Dr. Magrath, for their
health and comfort, that his resources would allow.
On the seventeenth, a black man belonging to No. 4 was found dead in
his hammock. On this day we received another letter from Mr. Beasley,
which informed us that those officers who had visited the prison by
order of the British government, had represented the conduct of the
prisoners on the sixth of April, in a very unfavorable light, but
having received a correct statement from the prison, and a general
summary of the evidence on both sides as delivered in to the jury of
inquest; he now apologized for his last letter.
On the nineteenth, at four o’clock in the afternoon, an express arrived
informing Capt. Shortland that one cartel had arrived at Plymouth, and
ordered him immediately to remove two hundred and forty-nine prisoners
from this depot to that place, for embarking on board the ship. At five
in the afternoon, the whole draft was collected in the square, with all
their baggage. This was the first draft of prisoners that had entered
the prison after the declaration of war, and had been immured within
these gloomy walls more than two long and tedious years. They were then
informed that one baggage wagon would be allowed to every hundred men,
for the convenience of their baggage to Plymouth.
The prisoners being the greater part barefooted, made inquiry whether
any arrangement had been made by Mr. Beasley for providing them with
shoes and clothes, as they were much in want of them; but were much
surprised and disappointed when they found no provision had been made.
The money due from government had run over the usual time of payment,
now twenty-five days, although application had previously been made for
the payment of the daily allowance, and also, the other articles, both
by the prisoners and Capt. Shortland himself; but Mr. Beasley still
neglected to make any arrangement for either.
At six every prisoner’s name was called, and they committed together
with their baggage to a separate prison, ready for their departure the
next morning. The joy they felt on this occasion is better imagined
than described; I therefore leave to the imagination of the reader,
what emotions the heart must feel, when a change which promised every
endearment of life to them, and freed them from every evil of it, was
about to take place.
I visited the hospital this evening for the last time, and had the
pleasing satisfaction of finding the sick and wounded in a state of
fast recovery, except a few who were dangerous.
The next morning we took our departure for Plymouth, and with joy in
our hearts bid farewell to that pale of misery, and at four in the
afternoon arrived at Plymouth, having travelled all the way under the
direction of a strong guard.
We were immediately embarked on board the cartel Maria Christiana,
a Swedish ship, commanded by Capt. Dirkes; we found some few of our
countrymen who had been on parole, on board the ship.
It was now just forty days since the arrival of the ratified treaty in
England.
The next day eight of the prisoners left the cartel to join a brig
under French colors bound for France.
On the twenty-second the wind being contrary, the prisoners were
permitted to go on shore and spend the day. A court of inquiry had been
instituted by commissioners appointed by both governments, for the
investigation of the unfortunate occurrences of the sixth of April, and
was then sitting for that purpose. Several of the prisoners were called
upon to give evidence in the cause, and their depositions taken by the
court that day.
The court was attended by Mr. Williams, deputy consular agent to Mr.
Beasley.
Before we set sail Mr. Williams informed us that he was instructed by
Mr. Beasley to take down all the particulars of the investigation,
for the purpose of laying them before the American government; but
the commissioners had not reported when we left Plymouth, but it was
expected they would in a few days, which shall constitute a part of
this work as soon as it is received.
Mr. Williams informed us that the money allowed by government, which
had been due thirty days, would not be paid by Mr. Beasley, nor would
any provision be made by him for shoes or clothing, but that the
prisoners must go home as they were.
On the twenty-third, the wind being favorable, we hove short, and made
preparations for sailing.
On mustering the prisoners, we found their number amounted to two
hundred and sixty-three; this increase of number was by officers
paroled at Ashburton.
At three in the afternoon we left the port of Plymouth, with a fresh
and favorable wind.
We had left behind at Dartmoor five thousand one hundred and
ninety-three of our fellow prisoners, whom the agent informed us would
be conveyed to this place in the same manner as ourselves in a few
days, as the other cartels were on their way round to Plymouth, and
thence to embark immediately for the United States. After leaving
Plymouth we found the provisions under the direction of Capt. Turner,
appointed by the agents to deal out the rations to the prisoners.
We were allowed, five days in the week, one pound of salt beef, one
pound of bread, half a pound of potatoes a day; the other two days one
pound of pork, the same quantity of bread, and half a pint of peas per
man, and half a pint of vinegar a week.
Mr. Beasley had made arrangements for each prisoner to have a small bed
and blanket; the cartel was equipped according to custom, with great
guns and small arms.
A Physician had been appointed with a sufficient quantity of medicine
to serve during the passage.
One part of the ship was allotted to the sick, where every attention
was paid them by their countrymen for their comfort and convenience.
During the residue of the month nothing material occurred; cartel quite
healthy, only five cases of sick, and them not very dangerous; the
month ended with winds, light and unfavorable.
On the first of May we were in lat. 45° North, and longitude 23° 41’
West. On the second, being in long. 24°, we spoke a brig from London
bound to Quebec.
From the first to the fourteenth the winds were from N. W. to S. W.,
and the cartel kept between the latitudes of 42° and 44° North.
Some few sick but not dangerously. On this day we discovered a sail on
our weather beam, standing to the eastward; at 2 P. M. she bore up and
stood for the cartel, with a British flag flying; at four we spoke her
in lat. 42, and long. 38. She proved to be a British transport with
a number of troops from Mobile, bound to England, and fourteen days
from Bermuda. She sent her boat alongside of the cartel with a naval
and military officer, and the captain of the transport; they came on
board the cartel and remained for an hour, and then returned to the
transport, and each ship made sail for their destined places.
The winds still continued the same way the twenty-eighth. This day,
Sunday, we fell in with several large islands of Ice, lat. 43°; on
the same day, lat. 42° long. 60°, we spoke the brig Sally Barker, six
days from Boston, bound for Portugal; the three days following the
winds continuing light, from the South and West, we spoke a brig from
Portland four days out, bound to Surinam.
Cartel perfectly healthy, with the exception of one man very low in a
consumption.
On the first of June, lat. 40, 50, long. 64, spoke the ship Helvitius,
of Philadelphia, bound home, after remaining during the whole war
up the east country. On the 2nd of June, lat. 40, 35, long. 69, the
majority of the prisoners agreed to take possession of the cartel,
and run her into New-York, for the following reasons: the ship being
disabled by the loss of her main trussel-trees, which endangered the
top-mast, and rendered her unfit for sea; secondly, there being every
appearance of a gale from the S. W. and the weather thick and hazy;
thirdly, the port of New-York being the most convenient for the greater
part of the prisoners; for which reasons, at twelve meridian, by the
general voice of all on board, the command was taken from her former
captain, and she directed for the port of New-York. At 4 P. M. the man
in a consumption “put off this mortal coil,” and took his quietus in
thirty-five fathoms of water, in the usual form at sea.
The captain of the ship required some document, that he might show
for his indemnification for resigning the command of the ship, and
deviating from his destined port, which was Norfolk, Vir.; the
following certificate, signed by a great number of the prisoners, was
delivered him.