Sunday, February 14, 2010

American & British Soldiers & Seaman

This information comes from Foreign Relations Volume 3., 1807-1815, pages 630 through 692. This volume is held at the Library of Congress.
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These six seamen were of the American privateer Sarah Ann, Richard Moon, master, and were captured by His Majesty’s sloop Rhodian, John George Ross, Esq. commander.
These men were sent to Jamaica.

1. Edward Dick.
2. Thomas Rodgers.
3. Adam Taylor.
4.John Gaul.
5. Michael Pluck.
6. George G. Roberts.
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Here are twenty-three American soldiers belonging to the 13th, 6th, and 1st regiments of the United States’ armies. They were taken on the 13th of October, in Upper Canada. The reason they were born in the British dominions, but now are all citizens of the United States.

1. Henry Blaney.
2. George M’Cammon.
3. John Dolton.
4. Michael Condin.
5. John Clark.
6. Peter Burr.
7. Andrew Doyle.
8. John M’Gowan.
9. James Gill.
10. John Fulsum.
11. Patrick M’Brabarty.
12. Matthew Mooney.
13. Patrick Karns.
14. John Fitzgerald.
15. John Wiley.
16. John Donnelly.
17. John Curry.
18. Nathan Shaley.
19. Edward M’Garrigau.
20. George Johnson.
21. John Dinne.
22. John Williams.
23. Henry Kelly.
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These two men were of the Brig Vixen and were returning from Jamaica on parole as prisoners of war, and on entering the Delaware, when Commodore Beresford caused them to be brought on board the Poictiers, The Commodore stated he would hold them believing them to be British subjects, but would exchange them for two of his crew being held in Philadelphia.

1. John Stevens, carpenter.

2. Thomas King, seaman.
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The following four British men of His Britannic Majesty’s subjects to be held in durance, for the safe return of the two men stated above.

1. William Kitto, carpenter, British packet Swallow.

2. Henry Beddingfield, boatswain, British packet Swallow.

3. John Squirrell, Seamen, Dragon 74 ( 74 Guns ).

4. James Russell, Seamen, Dragon 74 ( 74 Guns ).
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Statement by;

I, James Foot, of Newburyport, in the county of Essex and commonwealth of Massachusetts, mariner, testify and depose that I was a prize-master on board the private armed brigantine Decatur, of Newburyport, in her late cruise, *William Nichols, commander; that, on the 18th day of January now last past, the said brigantine was captured by His Britannic Majesty’s frigate Surprise, commanded by Captain Cochrane, and carried into Barbadoes. After our arrival in Barbadoes, Captain Nichols, with the other officers of the Decatur, were paroled. About two months after our arrival, His Britannic Majesty’s frigate Vesta arrived in Barbadoes, and, through the influence of the commander of the Vesta, Captain Nichols, without any known or pretended cause, was arrested and held in close confinement, without liberty to speak to any of his officers, or any other American. The place where Captain Nichols was confined was about four feet in width, and seven feet in length, on board a prison ship, where he remained for thirty-four days, as nearly as I can recollect, and was then taken on board His Majesty’s ship Tribune, and carried to England. What the cause of the unwarrantable and unjustifiable conduct of the enemy towards Captain Nichols was, I am unable to state. There were several reports in circulation; one was, that he was to be carried to England and held a prisoner until the release of certain men in France from whom Captain Nichols recaptured his vessel which had been taken by the British before the commencement of the present war between the two countries. Another report was, that lhe was to be held until the close of the war, on account of his having been active against the enemy since the commencement of hostilities, and having been fortunate In a former cruise.
James Foot.

*Joseph Barss, captain of the late British privateer schooner Liverpool Packet, would be held in close confinement till the return of Captain William Nichols.
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List of American prisoners of war confined by the enemy in dungeons at Halifax.

1. Thomas Carpenter, seamen, United States frigate Chesapeake.
2. John Pussy, seamen, United States frigate Chesapeake.
3. Stephen Ball, seamen, United States frigate Chesapeake.
4. Sylvester Stacy, seamen, United States frigate Chesapeake.
5. Joseph Goodall, seamen, United States frigate Chesapeake.
6. John Chappal, seamen, United States frigate Chesapeake.
7. James Peterson, seamen, United States frigate Chesapeake.
8. Isaac Porter, seamen, United States frigate Chesapeake.
9. George Miller, Carpenter, United States frigate Chesapeake.
10. Matthew Rogers, Boatswain, United States frigate Chesapeake.
11. James Trask, Sailingmaster, Privateer Revenge.
12. John Light, Lieutenant, Privateer Juliana Smith.
13. J. R. Morgan, Commander, Privateer Enterprise.
14. William Lane, Commander, Privateer Wiley Reynard.
15. David Perry, Lieutenant, Privateer Wiley Reynard.
16. Thomas Swain, Lieutenant, Privateer Wiley Reynard.
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Note. The following links will open small, but there will be a enlarging box in the lower right hand corner of the page.

List of 101, American prisoners discharged from Halifax, September 1813.

1. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/003/0600/06640656.gif

2. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/003/0600/06650657.gif

3. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/003/0600/06690661.gif
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The following 59, American soldiers being British subject were taken to England on board the Melpomece.

1. http://memory.loc.gov/ll/llsp/003/0600/06660658.gif
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*John Swanton, Captain of the private armed schooner Globe, sent to England for trail as being a British subject.

Part of his examination; Where were you born?, Kilcat County, Kilkenny Ireland. When did you leave it? In 1789. How old are you? Thirty-eight years. Have you lived seven years in the United States of America? Yes above three times that, and an a citizen in the right of my father, who lived and possessed property in America before the revolution. Have you a vote? Yes, and voted for Mr. Madison. Are you a marred man? Yes, and have five children.

*William Lincoln, a British subject and mate of the merchant brig Fly, to be held for the safety of Captain Swanton.
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Thomas Goldsmith, ordinary seaman of the United States schooner Scourge, captured on the Julia, sent to England for trial, believing he is a British subject.
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Thomas Alexander Clark, a Indian interpreter with a rank of a subaltern in the British service. Captured at the Rapids of the Miami of the lake, to be held as a hostage for a Captain Whitmore Knaggs of a militia company of Detroit, in the Michigan Territory.
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Captured from the Wasp and held as British subjects.

1. --McLeod,
2. J. Jones.
3. John Goldthwait..
4. *John Stephens,
5. George M. D. Read.
6. Thomas Philips.
7. *John Rose.
8. Dennis Dougherty.
9. William Mitchell.
11. *Peter Barrow.
12. John Brooks.
*Died at Bermuda.
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Samuel McKeehan, Surgeon’s mate, Second regiment, Second brgade, Ohio militia. Captured by Indians while taken a flag of truce to Malden.
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List of persons in Montreal jail.

1. George H. Rodgers, United States army.
2. William Hollenback, army.
3. Seth Barns, army.
4. Gains Hooker, army.
5. Philaster Jones, army.
6. Danny Jones, army.
7. Jared Witherall, army.
8. Major Watson, army.
9. Alexander McGregor, army.
10. Lewis Minor, army.
11. John Campbell, army.
12. Zebina Konkey, army.
13. Pliny Konkey, , army.
14. David Johnston, , army.
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Doctor William McDowell Scott, late marshal of Detroit, Doctor James W. Wood of Plattsburg and Innis B. Palmer of Schlosser private citizens taken prisoner, taken to Quebec.
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Arrested in Canada near Fort George.

1. William Dickson, barrister at law.
2. Joseph Edwards, merchant and justice of peace.
3. James Muirhead, surgeon.
4. Andrew Heron, merchant, Niagara.
5. John Greer, Niagara.
6. John Baldwin, Niagara.
7. John Crooks, clerk to James Crooks, merchant.
8. Haggai Skinner, farmer, full sixty-four years of age.
9. John McFarlance, boat builder.
10. William Ross, of the commissariat.
11. Alexander Donald, deputy paymaster of militia.
12. John Syminton, deputy paymaster of militia.
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List of American seamen, prisoners of war, taken front on board the prison—ship at Quebec, to work on board of the transport.;, and sailed front thence.

United States’ schooner Growler. Colvin Williams, boatswain; William H. Warner, seaman; Philip Baker, seaman, William Johnson, seaman.

Schooner Julia. William Wilcox, seaman; John Mallet, seaman, John Rian, seaman, James Peterson, seaman, John Bernard, seaman, John Smith, seaman, James Riley, seaman, Edward Myers, seaman, George Springs, seaman.
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Jonathan Bigelow impressed America seaman, belonging to Hs Majesty’s ship Cornelia. Jonathan Bigelow was impressed into the British service in the year 1807, and has been held therein ever since.
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William Dews, It appears from the books of the American consulate office at London, that, in October, 1809, this man was ordered by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to be discharged, as an American, from the Princess of Orange. He is still being held?
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Lynnhaven Bay, November 20, 1813.

James Balfour.

Major Somerville must have misunderstood my meaning, when he stated me to have assured him, “that Mr. James Balfour., would be immediately released, on his procuring satisfactory evidence of his birth-place.” What I intended the major to understand, was, that on procuring the necessary evidence I would discharge the man from the service, but as to granting his unconditional release, it is beyond my power. If it were not, your testimony of the respectability of the parties who have made the affidavits of James Balfour, citizenship would be sufficient evidence with me to order his discharge immediately. I represented this man’s case to my superior officer in March last; his reply I have shown to Captain Myers, in which 1 am directed to dispose of all persons in Balfour’s situation as prisoners of war. All I can therefore do, is to send the man to Bermuda as a prisoner.

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