LIFE IN PENDENNIS CASTLE.--LORD NORTH.--ON BOARD THE
"SOLEBAY."--ATTENTIONS RECEIVED IN IRELAND AND MADEIRA.
The rascally Brook Watson then set out for London in great haste,
expecting the reward of his zeal; but the ministry received him,
as I have been since informed, rather coolly; but the minority in
parliament took advantage, arguing that the opposition of America
to Great Britain was not a rebellion. If it is, say they, why do
you not execute Colonel Allen according to law? but the majority
argued that I ought to be executed, and that the opposition
was really a rebellion, but that policy obliged them not to do
it, inasmuch as the congress had then most prisoners in their
power; so that my being sent to England, for the purpose of being
executed, and necessity restraining them, was rather a foil on
their laws and authority, and they consequently disapproved of my
being sent thither. But I had never heard the least hint of those
debates in parliament, or of the working of their policy, until
some time after I left England.
Consequently the reader will readily conceive I was anxious
about my preservation, knowing that I was in the power of a
haughty and cruel nation considered as such. Therefore, the first
proposition which I determined in my own mind was, that humanity
and moral suasion would not be consulted in the determining of my
fate; and those that daily came in great numbers out of curiosity
to see me, both gentle and simple, united in this, that I would
be hanged. A gentleman from America, by the name of Temple, and
who was friendly to me, just whispered to me in the ear, and told
me that bets were laid in London, that I would be executed; he
likewise privately gave me a guinea, but durst say but little to
me.
However, agreeably to my first negative proposition, that
moral virtue would not influence my destiny, I had recourse to
stratagem, which I was in hopes would move in the circle of
their policy. I requested of the commander of the castle, the
privilege of writing to congress, who, after consulting with an
officer that lived in town, of a superior rank, permitted me to
write. I wrote in the fore part of the letter, a short narrative
of my ill-treatment; but withal let them know that, though I
was treated as a criminal in England, and continued in irons,
together with those taken with me, yet it was, in consequence
of the orders which the commander of the castle received from
General Carleton, and therefore desired congress to desist from
matters of retaliation, until they should know the result of
the government in England respecting their treatment toward me,
and the prisoners with me, and govern themselves accordingly,
with a particular request that, if retaliation should be found
necessary, it might be exercised not according to the smallness
of my character in America, but in proportion to the importance
of the cause for which I suffered. This is, according to my
present recollection, the substance of the letter inscribed: "To
the illustrious Continental Congress." This letter was written
with the view that it should be sent to the ministry at London,
rather than to congress, with a design to intimidate the haughty
English government, and screen my neck from the halter.
The next day the officer, from whom I obtained license to write,
came to see me and frowned on me on account of the impudence
of the letter, as he phrased it, and further added, "Do you
think that we are fools in England, and would send your letter
to congress, with instructions to retaliate on our own people?
I have sent your letter to Lord North." This gave me inward
satisfaction, though I carefully concealed it with a pretended
resentment, for I found that I had come Yankee over him, and that
the letter had gone to the identical person I designed it for.
Nor do I know to this day, but that it had the desired effect,
though I have not heard anything of the letter since.
My personal treatment by Lieutenant Hamilton, who commanded
the castle, was very generous. He sent me every day a fine
breakfast and dinner from his own table, and a bottle of good
wine. Another aged gentleman, whose name I cannot recollect,
sent me a good supper. But there was no distinction between me
and the privates; we all lodged in a sort of Dutch bunks, in one
common apartment, and were allowed straw. The privates were well
supplied with provisions, and with me, took effectual measures to
rid themselves of lice.
I could not but feel, inwardly, extremely anxious for my fate.
This I, however, concealed from the prisoners, as well as from
the enemy, who were perpetually shaking the halter at me. I
nevertheless treated them with scorn and contempt; and having
sent my letter to the ministry, could conceive of nothing more
in my power but to keep up my spirits, behave in a daring,
soldier-like manner, that I might exhibit a good sample of
American fortitude. Such a conduct, I judged, would have a
more probable tendency to my preservation than concession and
timidity. This, therefore, was my deportment: and I had lastly
determined in my mind, that if a cruel death must inevitably
be my portion, I would face it undaunted; and though I greatly
rejoice that I returned to my country and friends, and to see the
power and pride of Great Britain humbled, yet I am confident I
could then have died without the least appearance of dismay.
I now clearly recollect that my mind was so resolved that I would
not have trembled or shown the least fear, as I was sensible
that it could not alter my fate, nor do more than reproach my
memory, make my last act despicable to my enemies, and eclipse
the other actions of my life. For I reasoned thus, that nothing
was more common than for men to die with their friends around
them, weeping and lamenting over them, but not able to help them,
which was in reality not different in the consequence of it from
such a death as I was apprehensive of; and as death was the
natural consequence of animal life to which the laws of nature
subject mankind, to be timorous and uneasy as to the event and
manner of it was inconsistent with the character of a philosopher
and soldier. The cause I was engaged in I ever viewed worthy
hazarding my life for, nor was I, in the most critical moments
of trouble, sorry that I engaged in it; and as to the world of
spirits, though I knew nothing of the mode or manner of it, I
expected nevertheless, when I should arrive at such a world, that
I should be as well treated as other gentlemen of my merit.
Among the great numbers of people who came to the castle to see
the prisoners, some gentlemen told me that they had come fifty
miles on purpose to see me, and desired to ask me a number of
questions, and to make free with me in conversation. I gave for
answer that I chose freedom in every sense of the word. Then one
of them asked me what my occupation in life had been. I answered
him, that in my younger days I had studied divinity but was a
conjuror by profession. He replied that I conjured wrong at
the time I was taken; and I was obliged to own that I mistook
a figure at that time, but that I had conjured them out of
Ticonderoga. This was a place of great notoriety in England, so
that the joke seemed to go in my favor.
It was a common thing for me to be taken out of close
confinement, into a spacious green in the castle, or rather
parade, where numbers of gentlemen and ladies were ready to see
and hear me. I often entertained such audiences with harangues on
the impracticability of Great Britain's conquering the colonies
of America. At one of these times I asked a gentleman for a bowl
of punch, and he ordered his servant to bring it, which he did,
and offered it to me, but I refused to take it from the hand of
his servant; he then gave it to me with his own hand, refusing
to drink with me in consequence of my being a state criminal.
However, I took the punch and drank it all down at one draught,
and handed the gentleman the bowl; this made the spectators as
well as myself merry.
I expatiated on American freedom. This gained the resentment of
a young beardless gentleman of the company, who gave himself
very great airs, and replied that he knew the Americans very
well, and was certain they could not bear the smell of powder.
I replied that I accepted it as a challenge, and was ready to
convince him on the spot that an American could bear the smell
of powder; at which he answered that he should not put himself
on a par with me. I then demanded him to treat the character
of the Americans with due respect. He answered that I was an
Irishman; but I assured him that I was a full-blooded Yankee, and
in fine bantered him so much, that he left me in possession of
the ground, and the laugh went against him. Two clergymen came to
see me, and inasmuch as they behaved with civility, I returned
them the same. We discoursed on several parts of moral philosophy
and Christianity; and they seemed to be surprised that I should
be acquainted with such topics, or that I should understand a
syllogism or regular mode of argumentation. I am apprehensive
my Canadian dress contributed not a little to the surprise and
excitement of curiosity: to see a gentleman in England regularly
dressed and well behaved would be no sight at all; but such a
rebel as they were pleased to call me, it is probable, was never
before seen in England.
The prisoners were landed at Falmouth a few days before
Christmas, and ordered on board of the _Solebay_ frigate, Captain
Symonds, on the eighth day of January, 1776, when our hand
irons were taken off. This remove was in consequence, as I have
been since informed, of a writ of habeas corpus, which had been
procured by some gentlemen in England, in order to obtain me my
liberty.
The _Solebay_, with sundry other men-of-war and about forty
transports, rendezvoused at the cove of Cork, in Ireland, to take
in provisions and water.
When we were first brought on board, Captain Symonds ordered all
the prisoners and most of the hands on board to go on the deck,
and caused to be read in their hearing a certain code of laws or
rules for the regulation and ordering of their behavior; and then
in a sovereign manner, ordered the prisoners, me in particular,
off the deck and never to come on it again: for, said he, this
is a place for gentlemen to walk. So I went off, an officer
following me, who told me he would show me the place allotted to
me, and took me down to the cabin tier, saying to me this is your
place.
Prior to this I had taken cold, by which I was in an ill state
of health, and did not say much to the officer; but stayed there
that night, consulted my policy, and I found I was in an evil
case: that a captain of a man-of-war was more arbitrary than a
king, as he could view his territory with a look of his eye, and
a movement of his finger commanded obedience. I felt myself more
desponding than I had done at any time before; for I concluded it
to be a government scheme, to do that clandestinely which policy
forbid to be done under sanction of any public justice and law.
However, two days after, I shaved and cleansed myself as well as
I could, and went on deck. The captain spoke to me in a great
rage, and said: "Did I not order you not to come on deck?" I
answered him, that at the same time he said, "that it was the
place for gentlemen to walk; that I was Colonel Allen, but had
not been properly introduced to him." He replied, "---- ----
you, sir, be careful not to walk the same side of the deck
that I do." This gave me encouragement, and ever after that I
walked in the manner he had directed, except when he, at certain
times afterward, had ordered me off in a passion, and I then
would directly afterward go on again, telling him to command
his slaves; that I was a gentleman and had a right to walk the
deck; yet when he expressly ordered me off I obeyed, not out of
obedience to him, but to set an example to the ship's crew, who
ought to obey him.
To walk to the windward side of the deck is, according to custom,
the prerogative of the captain of the man-of-war, though he,
sometimes, nay commonly, walks with his lieutenants, when no
strangers are by. When a captain from some other man-of-war comes
on board, the captains walk to the windward side, and the other
gentlemen to the leeward.
It was but a few nights I lodged in the cabin tier before I
gained an acquaintance with the master of arms; his name was
Gillegan, an Irishman, who was a generous and well-disposed man,
and in a friendly manner made me an offer of living with him in a
little berth, which was allotted him between decks, and inclosed
in canvas; his preferment on board was about equal to that of
a sergeant in a regiment. I was comparatively happy in the
acceptance of his clemency, and lived with him in friendship till
the frigate anchored in the harbor of Cape Fear, North Carolina,
in America.
Nothing of material consequence happened till the fleet
rendezvoused at the cove of Cork, except a violent storm which
brought old hardy sailors to their prayers. It was soon rumored
in Cork that I was on board the _Solebay_, with a number of
prisoners from America, upon which Messrs. Clark & Hays,
merchants in company, and a number of other benevolently disposed
gentlemen, contributed largely to the relief and support of the
prisoners, who were thirty-four in number, and in very needy
circumstances. A suit of clothes from head to foot, including
an overcoat or surtout, and two shirts were bestowed upon each
of them. My suit I received in superfine broadcloth, sufficient
for two jackets and two pairs of breeches, overplus of a suit
throughout, eight fine Holland shirts and socks ready made, with
a number of pairs of silk and worsted hose, two pairs of shoes,
two beaver hats, one of which was sent me, richly laced with
gold, by James Bonwell. The Irish gentlemen furthermore made a
large gratuity of wines of the best sort, spirits, gin, loaf and
brown sugar, tea and chocolate, with a large round of pickled
beef, and a number of fat turkies, with many other articles,
for my sea stores, too tedious to mention here. To the privates
they bestowed on each man two pounds of tea and six pounds of
brown sugar. These articles were received on board at a time
when the captain and first lieutenant were gone on shore,
by the permission of the second lieutenant, a handsome young
gentleman, who was then under twenty-one years of age; his name
was Douglass, son of Admiral Douglass, as I was informed.
As this munificence was so unexpected and plentiful, I may
add needful, it impressed on my mind the highest sense of
gratitude toward my benefactors; for I was not only supplied
with the necessaries and conveniences of life, but with the
grandeurs and superfluities of it. Mr. Hays, one of the donators
before-mentioned, came on board and behaved in the most obliging
manner, telling me that he hoped my troubles were past, for that
the gentlemen of Cork determined to make my sea stores equal
to that of the captain of the _Solebay_; he made an offer of
live-stock and wherewith to support them; but I knew this would
be denied. And to crown all, did send me by another person fifty
guineas, but I could not reconcile receiving the whole to my
own feelings, as it might have the appearance of avarice, and
therefore received but seven guineas only, and am confident, not
only from the exercises of the present well-timed generosity, but
from a large acquaintance with gentlemen of this nation, that as
a people they excel in liberality and bravery.
Two days after the receipt of the aforesaid donations, Captain
Symonds came on board full of envy toward the prisoners, and
swore by all that is good that the damned American rebels should
not be feasted at this rate by the damned rebels of Ireland;
he therefore took away all my liquors before-mentioned, except
some of the wine which was secreted, and a two-gallon jug of
old spirits which was reserved for me per favor of Lieutenant
Douglass. The taking of my liquors was abominable in his sight.
He therefore spoke in my behalf, till the captain was angry with
him, and in consequence proceeded and took away all the tea and
sugar which had been given to the prisoners, and confiscated it
to the use of the ship's crew. Our clothing was not taken away,
but the privates were forced to do duty on board. Soon after this
there came a boat to the side of the ship and Captain Symonds
asked a gentleman in it, in my hearing, what his business was,
who answered that he was sent to deliver some sea stores to
Colonel Allen, which, if I remember right, he said were sent from
Dublin; but the captain damned him heartily, ordering him away
from the ship, and would not suffer him to deliver the stores. I
was furthermore informed that the gentlemen in Cork requested of
Captain Symonds that I might be allowed to come into the city,
and that they would be responsible I should return to the frigate
at a given time, which was denied them.
We sailed from England on the 8th day of January, and from the
cove of Cork on the 12th day of February. Just before we sailed,
the prisoners with me were divided and put on board three
different ships of war. This gave me some uneasiness, for they
were to a man zealous in the cause of liberty, and behaved with
a becoming fortitude in the various scenes of their captivity;
but those who were distributed on board other ships of war were
much better used than those who tarried with me, as appeared
afterward. When the fleet, consisting of about forty-five sail,
including five men-of-war, sailed from the cove with a fresh
breeze, the appearance was beautiful, abstracted from the unjust
and bloody designs they had in view. We had not sailed many days
before a mighty storm arose, which lasted near twenty-four hours
without intermission. The wind blew with relentless fury, and
no man could remain on deck, except he was lashed fast, for the
waves rolled over the deck by turns, with a forcible rapidity,
and every soul on board was anxious for the preservation of
the ship, alias their lives. In this storm the _Thunder-bomb_
man-of-war sprang a leak, and was afterward floated to some part
of the coast of England, and the crew saved. We were then said to
be in the Bay of Biscay. After the storm abated, I could plainly
discern the prisoners were better used for some considerable time.
Nothing of consequence happened after this, till we sailed to
the island of Madeira, except a certain favor I had received of
Captain Symonds, in consequence of an application I made to him
for the privilege of his tailor to make me a suit of clothes
of the cloth bestowed on me in Ireland, which he generously
granted. I could then walk the deck with a seeming better grace.
When we had reached Madeira and anchored, sundry gentlemen with
the captain went on shore, who, I conclude, gave the rumor that I
was in the frigate, upon which I soon found that Irish generosity
was again excited; for a gentleman of that nation sent his clerk
on board to know of me if I could accept a sea store from him,
particularly wine. This matter I made known to the generous
Lieutenant Douglass, who readily granted me the favor, provided
the articles could be brought on board during the time of his
command; adding that it would be a pleasure to him to serve me,
notwithstanding the opposition he met with before. So I directed
the gentleman's clerk to inform him that I was greatly in need
of so signal a charity, and desired the young gentleman to make
the utmost dispatch, which he did; but in the mean time Captain
Symonds and his officers came on board, and immediately made
ready for sailing; the wind at the same time being fair, set sail
when the young gentleman was in fair sight with the aforesaid
store.
The reader will doubtless recollect the seven guineas I received
at the cove of Cork. These enabled me to purchase of the purser
what I wanted, had not the captain strictly forbidden it, though
I made sundry applications to him for that purpose; but his
answer to me, when I was sick, was, that it was no matter how
soon I was dead, and that he was no ways anxious to preserve
the lives of rebels, but wished them all dead; and indeed that
was the language of most of the ship's crew. I expostulated
not only with the captain, but with other gentlemen on board,
on the unreasonableness of such usage; inferring that inasmuch
as the government in England did not proceed against me as a
capital offender, they should not; for that they were by no means
empowered by any authority, either civil or military, to do so;
for the English government had acquitted me by sending me back
a prisoner of war to America, and that they should treat me as
such. I further drew an inference of impolicy on them, provided
they should by hard usage destroy my life; inasmuch as I might,
if living, redeem one of their officers; but the captain replied
that he needed no directions of mine how to treat a rebel; that
the British would conquer the American rebels, hang the Congress
and such as promoted the rebellion, me in particular, and retake
their own prisoners; so that my life was of no consequence in the
scale of their policy. I gave him for answer that if they stayed
till they conquered America before they hanged me, I should die
of old age, and desired that till such an event took place, he
would at least allow me to purchase of the purser, for my own
money, such articles as I greatly needed; but he would not permit
it, and when I reminded him of the generous and civil usage that
their prisoners in captivity in America met with, he said that
it was not owing to their goodness, but to their timidity; for,
said he, they expect to be conquered, and therefore dare not
misuse our prisoners; and in fact this was the language of the
British officers till Burgoyne was taken; happy event! and not
only of the officers but the whole British army. I appeal to
all my brother prisoners who have been with the British in the
southern department for a confirmation of what I have advanced on
this subject. The surgeon of the _Solebay_, whose name was North,
was a very humane, obliging man, and took the best care of the
prisoners who were sick.