The Ghost Ship of Brooklyn

by Robert P. Watson

  “Pericles’ Funeral Oration from the Peloponnesian War.” Ancient History Sourcebook, Fordham University. http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/pericles-funeralspeech.asp.

  “Philip Freneau.” Revolutionary Writers in American History: From Revolution to Reconstruction and Beyond. University of Groningen. http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/outlines/literature-1991/authors/philip-freneau.php.

  “Privateers and Mariners in the Revolutionary War.” American Merchant Marine at War. http://www.usmm.org/revolution.html.

  Ranlet, Philip. “In the Hands of the British: The Treatment of American POWs During the War of Independence.” The Historian 62, no. 4 (Summer 2000): 731–757.

  . “Tory David Sproat and the Death of American POWs.” Pennsylvania History 61, no. 2 (1994): pp. 185–205.

  Schellhammer, Michael. “John Adams’s Rule of Thirds,” Journal of the American Revolution, February 11, 2013. http://allthingsliberty.com/2013/02/john-adamss-rule-of-thirds.

  Shy, John. “The American Revolution: The Military Conflict Considered as a Revolutionary War.” In Essays on the American Revolution, edited by S. G. Kurtz and J. H. Hutson, 121–156. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1973.

  Smith, Paul H. “The American Loyalists: Notes on Their Organization and Numerical Strength.” William and Mary Quarterly 25 (1968): 259–277.

  Starkey, Armstrong. “War and Culture: A Case Study: The Enlightenment and the Conduct of the British Army in America.” War and Society 8 (May 1990): 1–28.

  Sterling, David L. “American Prisoners of War in New York: A Report by Elias Boudinot.” William and Mary Quarterly 13 (July 1956): 376–378.

  Stockwell, Mary. “Battle of Long Island: Moving Around.” Digital Encyclopedia of George Washington. http://www.mountvernon.org/digital-encyclopedia/article/battle-of-long-island.

  Stone, Hiram. “The Experiences of a Prisoner in the American Revolution.” Journal of American History 2 (1908): 520–530.

  Thayer, Theodore. “Nathanael Greene.” In George Washington’s Generals, edited by George A. Billias, 109–136. New York: William Morrow, 1964.

  “Thucydides: Pericles Funeral Oration in Depth.” Background to the PBS documentary The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization. www.pbs.org/empires/thegreeks/background/36.html.

  USHistory.org. “Loyalists, Fence-sitters, and Patriots.” U.S. History Online Textbook. http://www.ushistory.org/us/11b.asp.

  White, Joseph. “Thomas Andros: Captive.” New England Quarterly 10 (1937): 510–520.

  Wilford, John Noble. “Bones May Be Those of Ancient Athenians in Pericles’ Funeral Oration.” New York Times, February 17, 2000.

  Wisner, Meredith. “The HMS Jersey, Is She or Isn’t She?” BNY Blog, Building 92: Brooklyn Navy Yard Center, May 2012. http://bldg92.org/blog/hms-jersey.

  Notes

  INTRODUCTION

  Pericles’ funeral oration: “Thucydides: Pericles’ Funeral Oration.” For analysis of the meaning of such military burials, see “Pericles Funeral Oration in Depth.”

  Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address: Wills, Lincoln at Gettysburg; see also Lincoln, “The Gettysburg Address.” For a discussion on the meaning of military burials, see Delahunty, “The Burials of Greek Warriors.”

  “No degree of gratitude”: Taylor, Martyrs to the Revolution, p. iii.

  Walt Whitman poems: “Brooklyniana, No. 5” (see also Walt Whitman Archive, http://whitmanarchive.org/published/periodical/journalism/tei/per.00220.html); Whitman, Uncollected Poetry and Prose, pp. 236–245; “Ode,” July 4, 1846 (see also Walt Whitman Archive, http://whitmanarchive.org/published/periodical/poems/per.00062).

  West’s address: West, Horrors, pp. 2–3.

  “All this evidence”: Taylor, Martyrs to the Revolution, p. 33.

  Stories of suffering: Ranlet, “Tory David Sproat,” p. 185.

  “Among the varied events of the war”: Dring, Recollections, p. 1.

  Hawkins’s description and quote: Hawkins, Life and Adventure, p. 1.

  “Temporary triumph of passions”: Taylor, Martyrs to the Revolution, p. 5.

  Descriptions of and quotes about ship: West, Horrors, p. 5.

  The Jersey as a symbol and the quote “America’s historical memory”: Ranlet, “Tory David Sproat,” p. 185.

  Newspapers influencing public opinion about the war: Humphrey, “Top 10.”

  CHAPTER 1. WARSHIP

  War of Spanish Succession: Falkner, The War of Spanish Succession.

  Anglo-Spanish War: Adams, “The Spanish Armada.”

  War of Jenkins’ Ear: see Davis, America’s Hidden History.

  Horace Walpole quote: Hickman, “War of Jenkins’ Ear”; see also Ford, Admiral Vernon and the Navy.

  Lawrence Washington: Nolan, “Lawrence Washington.”

  “The braces, bowlines shot away”: Willis, Fighting at Sea, p. 158.

  Early battles of the Jersey: Armbruster, Wallabout Prison Ships, p. 16.

  “At the commencement” and “Without ornament”: Taylor, Martyrs to the Revolution, pp. 12–13.

  CHAPTER 2. “THE GLORIOUS CAUSE”

  Rule Britannia: Burrows, Forgotten Patriots, p. 31.

  “Traitors”: Brigham, British Royal Proclamations, pp. 224–230.

  British expeditionary force in summer of 1776 and challenges to George Washington’s command: Myers, “George Washington: Defeated.”

  “Tho’ I am truly sensible”: United States Continental Congress, Journals, vol. II, p. 92 (June 16, 1775).

  “Without clothes and shoes”: Armbruster, Wallabout Prison Ships, p. 7.

  Challenges facing the hungry Continental Army: Allen, Naval History of the American Revolution, p. 212. “Every type of horse food”: Jones, History of New York, p. 599; Force, Archives, 5th Series, vol. I, p. 835; and letter from George Washington to Congress, August 9, 1776, in Washington, Writings (ed. Ford), vol. 4, p. 337.

  “The time is now near” and “Those who have committed”: Washington, Papers (ed. Chase), vol. 5, pp. 179–182; McCullough, 1776, p. 145.

  Start of the battle: Manders, Battle of Long Island, p. 40; and Gallagher, Battle of Brooklyn, pp. 101–103.

  “The Hessians and our brave”: Manders, Battle of Long Island, pp. 43–44; Gallagher, Battle of Brooklyn, pp. 113–125; and Onderdonk, Revolutionary Incidents, pp. 137–140.

  “The rebels had resolved”: Myers, “George Washington: Defeated.”

  “I never shall forget”: Stiles, Letters from the Prisons, pp. 3–16; see Gillet’s letter dated December 2, 1776.

  Attempts to surrender to the Hessians and their hanging prisoners: Johnston, The Battle of Harlem Heights, pp. 150–155, and Johnston, The Campaign of 1776. Brutality of the Hessians and surrendering Americans “massacred”: Burrows, Forgotten Patriots, pp. 5–6.

  “Good God, what brave fellows”: quoted in McCullough, 1776, p. 177.

  Washington’s escape from Brooklyn: Stockwell, “Battle of Long Island.”

  “The stench of the dead”: Serle, Journal, pp. 79–92; Onderdonk, Revolutionary Incidents, p. 136; Gallagher, Battle of Brooklyn, pp. 135–137; and Manders, Battle of Long Island, p. 62.

  The terrible conditions of Brooklyn after the battle: Burrows and Wallace, Gotham, pp. 241–242.

  Howe’s dilemma about prisoners: Burrows, Forgotten Patriots, p. 9.

  CHAPTER 3. CITY OF PRISONS

  The number of prisoners arrested: Taylor, Martyrs to the Revolution, p. 7.

  “City of Prisons”: “City of Prisons,” pp. 461–462.

  Finding jails for prisoners: Lindsey, “Treatment of American Prisoners,” p. 9.

  “A number of people”: Cresswell, Journal, pp. 244–245.

  Poor treatment of prisoners: Taylor, Martyrs to the Revolution, p. 8.

  “Burning and laying waste”: Starkey, “War and Culture,” p. 15; and Daughan, If by Sea, pp. 43–46.

  Same strategy in War of 1812: Watson, America’s First Crisis.

  “Rebels taken in arms”: Gruber, Howe Broth
ers, p. 31, see letter by Captain MacKenzie.

  “Brutal severity”: Amerman, “Treatment of American Prisoners,” p. 263.

  “The term rebel”: Graydon, Memoirs of His Time, pp. 205–210.

  “Side arms, watches”: Johnston, Battle of Harlem Heights, p. 198.

  Treatment of Lt. Lindsay and other prisoners: Burrows, Forgotten Patriots, p. 45; and “The William Darlington Story,” Pennsylvania Evening Post, May 3, 1777.

  “Each morning, several frozen”: Stone, “Experiences of a Prisoner,” p. 527.

  “The distress of the prisoners” and “Rather than experience”: Force, American Archives, 5th Series, vol. 3, pp. 1429–1430.

  Insufficient rations: Stone, “Experiences of a Prisoner,” p. 528.

  Lack of wood and resorting to eating shoes: Lindsey, “Treatment of American Prisoners,” p. 11.

  “In a confused manner” and “The next day”: Stone, “Experiences of a Prisoner,” p. 527.

  “Loring fingered”: Burrows, Forgotten Patriots, p. 10.

  “As Cleopatra of old”: Alden, History of the American Revolution.

  Descriptions of Cunningham and Provost: O’Malley, “Provost Marshal Cunningham”; Dandridge, American Prisoners, ch. 5; Lossing, Pictoral Field-Book; and Taylor, Martyrs to the Revolution, p. 8. The story of Captain Birdsall: Dandridge, American Prisoners, ch. 21.

  “Under cover of”: Lossing, Pictoral Field-Book; and Watson, Annals.

  “Cruelty and wickedness” and other quotes: Dandridge, American Prisoners, pp. 100–102, 200–202.

  “Would threaten to hang” and other quotes: American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, Old Martyrs’ Prison; and Field, Historic and Antiquarian Scenes, pp. 14–16.

  Account of Cunningham even beating prisoner’s wife: Taylor, Martyrs to the Revolution, p. 30.

  Nathan Hale quotes and capture: “The Execution of Nathan Hale, 1776,” Eyewitness to History and the Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (www.connecticutstar.org/patriots/hale-nathan.htm).

  Quote “that many of the cruelties” and correspondence between Boudinot, Washington, and Howe: Force, Archives, 5th Series, vol. 3, pp. 1311, 1483. For a discussion of the concerns about Cunningham and prisoners, see also Dandridge, American Prisoners, ch. 5; Boudinot, “Journal of Events”; “City of Prisons,” p. 461, Lindsey, “Treatment of American Prisoners,” p. 14; and Stone, “Experiences of a Prisoner,” p. 529.

  The Royal Navy capturing ships and sailors: Watson, America’s First Crisis.

  Howe and Loring and the dilemma of the prisoners: Burrows, Forgotten Patriots, pp. 12–13.

  “Great, however, as were”: West, Horrors, p. 4.

  CHAPTER 4. PRIVATEERS

  The Royal Navy in America: see Coggins, Ships and Seamen.

  State of the American navy and letters of marque to establish privateers: Frayler, “Privateers in the American Revolution”; Chidsey, American Privateers; Armbruster, Wallabout Prison Ships, pp. 6–7; and Maclay, History of American Privateers, p. 113.

  CHAPTER 5. PATRIOTS

  Hawkins’s description of the Eagle: Hawkins, Life and Adventure, pp. 5–6. Captain Porter and Eagle next to the British ship: Hawkins, p. 6. Caught in the gale: Hawkins, p. 7.

  Dring sailing on the Chance: Dring, Recollections, p. 7. Dring caught by the Belisarius: Dring, pp. 7–8.

  Andros as boy: Andros, Old Jersey Captive, p. 3, preface. Andros fighting in the war: Andros, pp. 59–61. “A good effective Firearm” and “the first day of December”: Continental Army Enlistment Form, June 1776.

  Andros aboard the Hannah: Andros, Old Jersey Captive, pp. 62–63. Andros and taking a ship as a prize: Andros, pp. 6–7. Andros captured: Andros, p. 7.

  Fox’s youth: Fox, Adventures, p. 7. Apprenticed as a boy: Fox, pp. 15–17. Employment as a sailor: Fox, p. 19. The first battle and nearly being captured: Fox, p. 34. “Whistled around my head,” “wet clothes,” and other quotes: Fox, p. 35.

  Sherburne’s youth: Sherburne, Memoirs, pp. 2, 14. His exposure to religion: Sherburne, pp. 14–16. Quotes “I wished myself…” and “I was filled with anxiety”: Sherburne, p. 18. Quotes “Almost a man,” “Pack up their clothes,” and others: Sherburne, p. 19.

  CHAPTER 6. ADVENTURE ON THE HIGH SEAS

  Fox discussing “largest sum”: Fox, Adventures, p. 38. “Evil consequences”: Fox, p. 42. Fox joining the war: Fox, p. 47. Being recruited to the navy: Fox, p. 56. Song the new recruits sang: Fox, p. 58. Fox’s first naval battle: Fox, pp. 62–64. “Paraded the streets”: Fox, p. 79. “Evil day”: Fox, p. 85. Fox’s capture and “damned rebels”: Fox, p. 89.

  Sherburne first setting sail: Sherburne, Memoirs, p. 20. Seeing sails by Jamaica: Sherburne, p. 21. Ranger’s crew capturing their first prize: Sherburne, pp. 22–24. Fighting in Charleston: Sherburne, p. 27. Sherburne’s first time being captured and trip back home: Sherburne, p. 29.

  Quotes and description of Sherburne going back to sea: Sherburne, Memoirs, p. 35. Quotes and description of the cursed cruise to Canada: Sherburne, pp. 38–41. As a captive at Old Mill Prison: Sherburne, pp. 44, 79–81. Back home and promising not to go back to sea: Sherburne, p. 103. Quotes and description of the Scorpion’s being captured and the crew sent to New York: Sherburne, pp. 108–109. “Half starved, emaciated” and other quotes: Sherburne, pp. 110–111.

  Reputation of the Jersey and sailors’ fear of her: Ranlet, New York Loyalists, pp. 110–111; and Anderson, “Establishment of British Supremacy,” pp. 81–89.

  CHAPTER 7. FLOATING DUNGEONS

  Crime and prisons in England: Campbell, Intolerable Hulks, p. 10. “The fact is”: Bolton, “William Eden,” p. 37. A bill to use prison ships: Bolton, “William Eden,” p. 36. Prison ships in the West Indies: Campbell, Intolerable Hulks, p. 129.

  Problems with the prison ships: Rigden, Floating Prisons.

  Transport ships hulked in America: Dandridge, American Prisoners, pp. 95, 224. The Hulks Act: Campbell, Intolerable Hulks, pp. 5–15. For a discussion of the early prison ships, see Johnson, English Prison Hulks, p. 84.

  Description of Wallabout Bay: Dandridge, American Prisoners, ch. 21.

  Details on the Whitby: Stiles, History of the City of Brooklyn, vol. I, p. 333.

  “Bad provisions”: West, Horrors, p. 4.

  “Soon, according to another” and Johnson’s account: Dandridge, American Prisoners, ch. 21. “Our present situation,” “Crowded promiscuously together,” and other quotes: Dandridge, American Prisoners, ch. 21. The letter in question was written on December 9, 1776, onboard the Whitby, while the Connecticut Gazette article is from February 8, 1777; see also Force, Archives, 5th series, vol. 3, p. 1138.

  Robert Sheffield’s description: Connecticut Gazette, July 10, 1778, and Onderdonk, Revolutionary Incidents, pp. 227–228. Thorp’s description: see Thorp, Revolutionary War Pension Application, file W15427, Records of the Veterans Administration, Record Group 15, National Archives. Ichabod Perry’s description: Perry, Reminiscences of the Revolution, pp. 15–20. William Gamble’s and William Sterrett’s descriptions: Dandridge, American Prisoners, ch. 21 (article is from the Connecticut Gazette, February 8, 1777).

  “During two months”: Taylor, Martyrs to the Revolution, pp. 9–10.

  “Dead bodies were hoisted”: Little, “Revolutionary War Pension Application,” Records of the Veterans Administration, Record Group 15, National Archives.

  “Even by fire” and “So great was”: Taylor, Martyrs to the Revolution, pp. 11–12.

  “The prisoners, except a few”: Johnson, “Notes and Observations”; Dandridge, American Prisoners, ch. 21; and West, “Prison Ships,” p. 122. Descriptions of other ships arriving at Wallabout: Amerman, “Treatment of American Prisoners,” p. 268; Lindsey, “Treatment of American Prisoners,” p. 15; and West, “Prison Ships,” pp. 4–5.

  CHAPTER 8. DEAD RECKONING

  Description of the Jersey: Dandridge, American Prisoners, p. 242; and Bushnell, The Prison Ship “Jersey.” Early
accounts of the Jersey: Onderdonk, Revolutionary Incidents, p. 229, and Pennsylvania Packet, August 22, 1780.

  The number of prisoners on the Jersey: “American Prisoners of the Revolution: Names of 8000”; and Lossing, Pictoral Field-Book, vol. 2, p. 660.

  The Jersey as the main prison ship: Dandridge, American Prisoners, p. 249.

  Accounts by Captain John van Dyke and Alexander Coffin of prisoners moved to John in 1782: Dandridge, American Prisoners, p. 317.

  “Incoherent ravings”: Dring, Recollections, p. 42.

  Descriptions of prisoners stealing, stumbling, and suffering: Amerman, “Treatment of American Prisoners,” p. 270; and Taylor, Martyrs to the Revolution, p. 27.

  Descriptions of the waste tub, officers’ bunk, and “dismal” conditions of the “lower dungeon”: Dring, Recollections, pp. 40, 47. Discussion of the prisoners in the gangways and on the upper deck: Dring, pp. xiv, 37–38.

  A system of governance on the Jersey: Dring, Recollections, pp. 84–86. Dring’s account of the rules: Dring, pp. 84, 86–87. Enforcing and violating rules: Andros, Old Jersey Captive, p. 13.

  “Most of these,” “suffered even more,” “British officers,” and other quotes: Dring, Recollections, pp. 43, 50–51; and Fox, Adventures, p. 108.

  Accounts and quotes about European prisoners on the Jersey: Onderdonk, Revolutionary Incidents, pp. 228–232, and Fox, Adventures, p. 108.

  Treatment of American prisoners in England: Taylor, Martyrs to the Revolution, p. 18, and Armbruster, Wallabout Prison Ships, p. 17. Fox’s description and quotes such as “The inhabitants”: Fox, Adventures, p. 108; and Dandridge, American Prisoners, p. 256.

  CHAPTER 9. WELCOME TO HELL

  “I’ll soon fix you,” “multitude of,” and other quotes: Dring, Recollections, p. 9.