Life on a British Prison Ship
From 1776 to 1783, after their successful invasion of New York City, British forces took thousands of Patriot soldiers as prisoners of war and arrested many more civilians who refused to swear their allegiance to England. There were so many Patriot prisoners that the British eventually ran out of buildings in which to house them. Instead of moving the prisoners to places outside the city, British forces anchored 16 warships (called hulks) in the sea and turned them into jails.
Due to the extreme temperatures, overcrowding, and filth, many prisoners died of disease, while others starved to death. Around 11,000 American prisoners died on the ships during the war; only about 1,400 prisoners survived their time on the ships. For comparison, it is believed that only 4,500 Americans were killed in combat during the Revolution.
Adapted from: https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/the-hms-jersey
Due to the extreme temperatures, overcrowding, and filth, many prisoners died of disease, while others starved to death. Around 11,000 American prisoners died on the ships during the war; only about 1,400 prisoners survived their time on the ships. For comparison, it is believed that only 4,500 Americans were killed in combat during the Revolution.
Adapted from: https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/the-hms-jersey
Read the poem excerpt below to discover how terrible it was to be a prisoner on a British ship during the Revolution.
The British Prison Ship, a Poem in Four Cantos
by Philip Freneau
The various horrors of these hulks to tell,
These Prison-Ships where pain and sorrow dwell;
Where death in tenfold vengeance holds his reign,
And injur'd ghosts, in reason's ear complain;
This be my task—ungenerous Britons you,
Conspire to murder those you can't subdue;
Why else no art of cruelty untry'd,--
Such heavy vengeance and such hellish pride?--
Death has no charms—his empires barren [lie],--
A [desert] country and a clouded sky;--
Death has no charms except in British eyes,--
See how they court the bleeding sacrifice!
See, how they pant to stain the world with gore,
And millions murdered, still would murder more;
This selfish race from all the world disjoin'd,
Eternal discord sow among mankind;
Aim to extend their empire o'er the ball,
Subject, destroy, absorb and conquer all;
As if the power that form'd us did condemn
All other nations to be slaves to them
Excerpted from: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/evans/N13588.0001.001/1:2.3?rgn=div2;view=fulltext
The British Prison Ship, a Poem in Four Cantos
by Philip Freneau
The various horrors of these hulks to tell,
These Prison-Ships where pain and sorrow dwell;
Where death in tenfold vengeance holds his reign,
And injur'd ghosts, in reason's ear complain;
This be my task—ungenerous Britons you,
Conspire to murder those you can't subdue;
Why else no art of cruelty untry'd,--
Such heavy vengeance and such hellish pride?--
Death has no charms—his empires barren [lie],--
A [desert] country and a clouded sky;--
Death has no charms except in British eyes,--
See how they court the bleeding sacrifice!
See, how they pant to stain the world with gore,
And millions murdered, still would murder more;
This selfish race from all the world disjoin'd,
Eternal discord sow among mankind;
Aim to extend their empire o'er the ball,
Subject, destroy, absorb and conquer all;
As if the power that form'd us did condemn
All other nations to be slaves to them
Excerpted from: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/evans/N13588.0001.001/1:2.3?rgn=div2;view=fulltext