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History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

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1775.] REVOLUTION—PRISONERS OF WAR—TORIES. 367<br />

Gen. Wash<strong>in</strong>gton <strong>of</strong>- Sooii after tliis battle, Gen. Wa.sli<strong>in</strong>gton<br />

fers him a Brigade, assuiiied the Command <strong>of</strong> the American<br />

array, and <strong>of</strong>fered the position <strong>of</strong> Brigadier<br />

General to Gen. Pomeroy. The state <strong>of</strong> his health compelled<br />

him to decl<strong>in</strong>e the appo<strong>in</strong>tment, and he returned<br />

home. With<strong>in</strong> two years, however, at the personal solicitation<br />

<strong>of</strong> Wash<strong>in</strong>gton, he re-entered the service, but he<br />

was unable to endure the fatigues <strong>of</strong> the campaign, and<br />

died <strong>in</strong> a few weeks at Peekskill.<br />

Treatment <strong>of</strong> Pris- The matter <strong>of</strong> the treatment <strong>of</strong> prisoners<br />

oa^rs. created considerable <strong>in</strong>terest throughout the<br />

country. Gen. Gage considered all prison-<br />

ers rebels, whether taken <strong>in</strong> arms or not. Prom<strong>in</strong>ent busi-<br />

ness men <strong>of</strong> Boston had been arrested and thrown <strong>in</strong>to<br />

prison, among thieves and felons, while <strong>of</strong>ficers and soldiers<br />

were kept <strong>in</strong> close conf<strong>in</strong>ement, and it was believed were<br />

treated with great cruelty. Gen. Wash<strong>in</strong>gton remonstra-<br />

ted aga<strong>in</strong>st such brutality, and threatened to retaliate.<br />

Gen. Gage refused to modify his methods, and Wash<strong>in</strong>gton<br />

notified him that if he was compelled to treat "our prison-<br />

ers with harshness, they and you will remember the occa-<br />

sion for it." But Wash<strong>in</strong>gton, although wholly justified<br />

by the laws <strong>of</strong> war, could not reconcile himself to an act<br />

which should " <strong>in</strong>flict punishment on <strong>in</strong>nocent men for the<br />

folly and obst<strong>in</strong>acy <strong>of</strong> a commander." ^<br />

Prisoners sent to Many prisouers captured <strong>from</strong> the British,<br />

<strong>Northampton</strong> Jail, were seut to towus <strong>in</strong> the <strong>in</strong>terior for safe-<br />

keep<strong>in</strong>g, till they could be properly exchanged.<br />

In August, a squad <strong>of</strong> twelve <strong>of</strong>ficers and twenty-<br />

six privates, were sent to <strong>Northampton</strong> to be thus held <strong>in</strong><br />

custody. A new jail had just been erected here, and it was<br />

doubtless considered a place <strong>of</strong> safety. The follow<strong>in</strong>g document,<br />

signed by a majority <strong>of</strong> the council, is an <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g<br />

contribution to the history <strong>of</strong> the times. It is the orig<strong>in</strong>al<br />

paper, issued to Lieut. Parker, signed by fifteen members<br />

<strong>of</strong> the council, conta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the autographs <strong>of</strong> some <strong>of</strong><br />

the lead<strong>in</strong>g men <strong>in</strong> the " times that tried men's souls " : —<br />

" Council Chamber <strong>in</strong> Watertown, Atig^ 19, 1775.<br />

"Ordered, that Mr. Ichabod Jones, Capt. Arnold, Mr. Budd Gunner,<br />

1 Sparks' Life <strong>of</strong> Wash<strong>in</strong>gton, p. 142.

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