Saturday, January 26, 2013

Returning Prisoners "All Sick"

The ship under a flag of truce carried American prisoners from British-occupied New York City.  The prisoners brought sad news for New London, Connecticut.

New-London, January 30, 1781
In the Flag which arrived here last Thursday [that is, January 25] from New-York, came 30 American Prisoners, belonging to different parts of New-England, who are all sick, and in a distressed Situation: They left about 170 others in the Prison Ship, great Part of whom are also sick.  Another ship at New York has about 200 American Prisoners on Board.  Before these were brought from the ship 7 or 8 died every 24 Hours.  Mr. Daniel Hempsted and Mr. Ichabob Youngs, of this Town, lately died in one of these Ships.
The Connecticut Gazette (New London), 30 January 1781
For a 1781 letter reportedly from a prison ship moored off Brooklyn’s Wallabout Bay, please visit the post “The Prison Ship Jersey.”   

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