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Show Just Jusf 160 Years Ago the Doors of the Jail JailIn JailIn JailIn In Historic Williamsburg , Va . , Clanged Shut ShutBehind ShutBehind ShutBehind Behind One of "Most Most " Hated Men in America " ' . By ELMO SCOTT WATSONReleased WATSONBeleased WATSON WATSONReleased ( ( ( Released Beleased by Western Wcstern Newspaper Newapoper M w paper Union ) T IS a June morning mornmg in III theyear the theyear theyear OT IT I year 1779 Citizens ofWll- ofWll ofWllhamsburg of Wil- Wil Williamsburg Wil Williamsburg - - liamsburg hamsburg Va , out for a astroll astroll astroll stroll along its elm shaded shadedsIdewalks shadedsidewalks shadedsidewalks sIdewalks , . glance cunously curiously curiouslyat cunouslyat at a procession processlOn that is plod plod- plodding ploddmg plodding - ding dmg up historic hlstonc Duke of Glou Glou- Gloucester Glou- Glou Glou'euef - - cester " ' , cester 'euef euef ' . . . . , . , . street etrst . sireet . . . . , . In AU Tn the the . . ' " center _ 'nter nter ' " , .n n . _ _ " ' . . . . . . . . . . . AU . . ' " _ " , .n n . _ _ of the group of armed men menrzde menride menride rzde ride two horsemen They are areclad areclad areclad clad in III the uniform umform umforin of Bnhsh British Bnhsharmy Britisharmy Britisharmy army officers but its scarlet scarletbnllIance scarletbrilliance scarletbrilliance bnllIance brilliance is now dusty and andtravel andtravel . travel stained stamed They ride nde with withbowed withbowed withbowed bowed heads , leaning leanmg deject deJect- deJectedly dejectedly dejectedly - - . edly over their saddle horns hornson hornson hornson on which whlCh rest their handsheld hands , held closely together by bybracelets bybracelets bybracelets bracelets ofiron of iron ironWho ironWho Who are these two captives at atwhom atwhom atwhom whom the passers by m in mold old Wll WiT Wllhamsburg WiTliamsburg Wilhamsburg hamsburg liamsburg are staring7 starmg staring ? That one onem onein onein m in the lead . who v.ho vho ho lifts his head headlong headlong headlong long enough to give back at them thema a coldly contemptuous glance IS ISone isone isone one of the most hated men lD in lDAmerIca mAmerica inAmerica AmerIca For he is Henry Ham Hamllton Hamilton Hamilton llton ilton until a few months ago Bnt Brit BntIsh British British Ish governor general of the Western West Western Westem ern em outpost of Detroit The Ken Kentucky Kentucky Kentucky tucky frontiersmen call him theHaIr theHair the HaIr - Buyer Buyer - General Gnera1 - - because - - - - th they Y-beh-he Y beh he Ybehheh believe ; ; ; he -h h hben has ; -b-en b en been - ; offering offeringhis offeringhis ff ; g ghIS hIS Indian allies a higher prIce prIcefor pricefor pricefor for scalps than for prisoners pnsoners prisonersHis pnsonersHIS prisonersHis His com companion pam on is Capt Gu Guil Guillaurne Guillaume laume laurne La Mothe a famous famousFrench famousFrench famousFrench French Canadian partisan leader leaderwho leaderwho leaderwho who is held responsible for some someof someof someof of the scalping scalpmg raids against agamst the theKentucky theKentucky theKentucky Kentucky settlements But hisraiding hIs hIsraldmg hisraiding raldmg raiding days are over now for forwhen forwhen forwhen when George Rogers dark Clark and andIllS andIns andhis IllS his heroic band of KentuckIans KentuckIansbesIeged Kentuckiansbesieged Kentuckiansbesieged besIeged Fort Sackville in m the old oldFrench oldFrench oldFrench French town of Vmcennes and andforced andforced andforced forced Hamilton and his garnson garrison garrisonto garrisonto garnsonto to surrender La Mothe Motbe recently recentlyreturned recentlyreturned recentlyreturned returned from one of his forays forayswas forayswas forayswas was among those who were taken takenpnsoners takenprisoners takenprisoners takenprisonersThe pnsoners prisoners pnsonersThe prisonersThe The story of George Rogers RogersClark RogersClark Rogersdark Clark s epic march across theDrowned theDrowiied the theDrowned Drowned Drowiied Lands from KaskasLia Kaskas Kaskashla Kaskaskia hla kia to Vincennes Vmcennes and his capture captureof of that post is 15 a familiar famlhar captureI one to toevery toevery toevery I every American Amencan But the school schoolhIstorIes schoolhistories schoolhistories hIstorIes always more concerned concernedwIth concernedwith concernedwith wIth the victor than with the van vanqUJshed vanquashed vanquished qUJshed quashed while paying paymg a well-deserved well deserved well-de well de welldeserved welldeserved - - served tribute to dark Clark s prowess prowesshave prowesshave prowesshave have little to say about the sub subsequent subsequent subsequent sequent fate of his rus adversary adversaryThis adversaryThis . ThIS article proposes to tell theaftermath theaftermath the theaftermath .1 1 aftermath of Vincennes Vmcennes be because because because cause it is a chapter in m the hIs history history I Itory tory of Williamsburg whose re recent recent recent cent restoration to its former glo glones gb gbries glones nes ries as the colonial colomal capital of ofVirginia ofVirginia I IVlrgmla Vlrgmla Virginia causes thousands of ofAmerIcans ofAmericans ofAmericans AmerIcans to make patriotic patnotlc pll pal palgrimages pilgnmages ! gnmages grimages there e\ e eery \ ery yearHamilton year yearHamilton Hamilton lIamllton s story storyThat StoryThat StoryThat That aftermath can best be betold betold betold told perhaps in m the words of the theman theman theman man who experienced expenenced It-HamIl It HamIl ItHamIlton itHamilton it - - Hamilton ton himself rumself In July , . 1781 the ex exgovernor exgovernor exgovernor governor of Detroit sat hImself hImselfdown himseLfdown himselfdown down in m his lodgings lodgmgs in lD Jermyn Jermynstreet Jermynstreet Jermynstreet street London and wrote a long longreport longreport longreport report to his superior officer Gen GenSIr GenSir GenSir SIr Frederick Fredenck Haldimand Haldlmand gover gayer governor governor gayernor nor general of Canada That re report report report port which is 15 still preserved m in mEngland inEngland wEngland England tells m in detail deta how hewas he hewas hewas was besieged by dark Clark and ood neid hIS hISKentuckIans hisKerituckians hisKentuckians KentuckIans Kerituckians at Vincennes Vmcennes how he hesurrendered hesurrendered hesurrendered surrendered how he and his men menwere merwere menwere were sent as prisoners ofar of v . var , ar first firstto firstto firstto to the Falls of the Ohio ( LOUIS LOUISvIlle Louisvile Louisville vIlle vile VirginiaHe Ky ) and arid then to Virginia Vlrgmla VlrgmlaHe He then contmues continues On the 26th ( May 1779) 1779 ) A ARebel ARebel tRebel Rebel Captain with a Guard Guardmarched Guardmarched Guanmarched marched us from Beaver dam to toRIchmond toRichmond tiRichmond RIchmond from thence to Ches Chesterfield Chesterfield Chesterfield terfield where we rem remain am d till tillthe tillthe tillthe the 15th June on which day an anOffcer anOuI'cer anOffcer Offcer OuI'cer OuIcer ' having havmg a written order un sin under sinder under der the hand of the Governor of ofthe oi oithe &the the of&the I ofI & the Province Provmce Thomas Jeffersol Jefferson JeffersonII Jeffersonor II IIor [ or taking takmg me in m Irons to WIl WiT WIlliamsburgh WiTliamsburgh Wilhamsburgh accordinglyhandcuff accordmglyhandcuff liamsburgh I was accordmgly accordingly handcuff d put upon a horse and andmy andray andmy my ray servant not being bemg suffered to togo togo tcgo go with me my Valise Vahse was fast fasten fasten fasten en d behind behmd me-Captn me Captn me - Captn Lamothe Lamothewas Lamothewas Lamothcwas was order d to accompany me mebemg mebeing mebeing bemg being in m like hke manner handcuff d dThe dThe c cThe -The The - The fatigues of the march hav hay having havmg haymis mis ing mg svia heated iintis . heated I svi . ' , blood . . . + to . - . . ---a a . - . - . - ' " " - - ' - ' . - ' - ' . ' & .uuu uuu W VIa v ' . - ' - ' - & . ' . .J J a VS.I VSI VS.Ilent . lent degree I had several large largeboils largebOlls bOlls boils on my legs my handcuITs handcuffs handcuITswere handcuffswere handcuffswere were too tight but were eased at ata ata ata a Smiths shop on the road thus thussome thussometimes thussometimes some sometimes tunes riding ndmg and sometimes sometimeswalkIng sometimeswalking sometimeswalking walkIng we arrived arnved the 2d eve evening evening : nmg ning havingcome at WIllIams Wilhamsburgh Williamsburgh burgh havmg having havmgcome come 60 MIles-We MIles We Miles - We were conduct conducted conducted conducted ed to the Palace where we re remam remain remain mam main d about half an hour in m the Street theStreet at the Governors door m in mwet inwet inwet wet deaths c10aths cloaths weary hungry andthirst and andthIrst andthirst thIrst but had not even a cup of ofwater ofwater olwater water thistime offered to us-DurIng us DurIng us - During thIS thIStime time a considerable Mob gather d dabout dabout dabout about us which whlch accompanied accompamed us usto usto usto I usI to JaIl-On JaIl On 3ail-On 3ail i ail - On our arrival arnval there we wewere wewere wewere were put into mto a cell not ten feet feetsquare feetsquare feelsquare square where we found five cnmmals cnm crirn cnmmals crirnanals mals anals and Mr Dejean Deean ) who was wasalso wasalso wasalso also handcuff dThis dThis d dThis This poor man fluid qmld could not re refram retrain retrain fram train from tears on seeing seemg our oureqUIpment ourequipment ouiequipment eqUIpment We had the floor for fora fora foia a bed the 5 felons were as happ happy happyas ; as rum could make them and so si I _ w.9 w9 . 4 , ) / , * l I ' mf ; 0 j jI - I \ ' , ' L'1 L1 ' I ; I ! / 1 1I 1t tiL $ I t " 1 1aW4i . 8 aW4i 0 , 44 44Old Old Jall ad at WIllIamsburg . , Va . , m in wwch which Gen Henry lIamllton Ramilton was washeld washeld held prlsoner prisoner ( PIcture taken before the restoration ) v . vie e were left to our repose for forthat forthat forthat that night mght nightThe mghtThe nightThe The next day we three v.ere vere sere v.eretaken seretaken . weretaken taken out about 11 oClock oCock ] and andbefore andbefore andbefore before a number of people our ourhandcuffs ourhandcuffs ourhandcuffs handcuffs taken tahen off and fetters fettersput fettersput fettersput put on in m eJ\.change-I eJ.changeI eJ .change change I exchange-I exchange exchange \ . - I was hon honored honored honored ored with the largest WhICh WhIChweIghed whichweighed whichweighed weIghed eighteen pounds eIght eIghtounceAs eightounceAs eightounce ounce-As ounce As - - As I thought oppertumtles oppertunities oppertumtlesmIght oppertunitiesmight opportunitiesmight mIght not offer frequently and andseemg andseeme andseeing seemg seeing some ome of the delasates delagates d l gates I . occasion wiule my myIrons myirons myirons Irons . were v.ere vere nvettmg rivetting to speak a afew afew afew few words wordsI I told them that the Ignomm ignomin IgnommIOUS ignominbus ignommious IOUS bus manner in which we were weretreated weretreated weretreated treated without any proof of cnm crim cnmmahty crimmality cnminahty mahty mality or any hearing heanng wIthout wIthouteven withouteven withouteven even a crime crune being bemg laid to our ourcharge ourcharge ourcharge charge was v . as a reproach to thoseonly those thoseonly thoseonly only who could act in m that man manner manner manner ner by prisoners pnsoners of War under underthe underthe underthe the sanction of a Capitulation CapltulatIon- CapltulatIon Capitulation- CapltulatIonThat CapitulationThat CapitulationThat - That after a proceeding proceedmg so un unJust unjust unjust Just I was prepared for any ex e'c ec extremlty e'ctreniity ettremity ' tremlty treniity but desired the personspresent persons personspresent personspresent present to observe that pUnIsh pUnIshment punishment punishment ment was e\ercised e ercised e\.erclsed e.erclsed .erclsed erclsed exercised \ . on us before beforeany beforeany beforeany any enquiery enqulery had taken place or orany orany orany any person who might have ac accused accused accused cused us being bemg confronted wIth wIthI wIthussome withussome withus I us-some us some - some by their gestures apGEN apWa ap- ap apGEN - - - ! Wa 1 1JJ w/ w JJw wuo JJ / -uo uo - _ _ _ GEN HENRY HAMILTONpeared HAMILTON HAMILTONpeared peared to feel for us but no one oneutter oneutter oneutter utter d a word and when our fet let fetters letters fetters ters were properly fixed we v.e ve v . . e wereremanded were wereremanded wereremanded remanded to our Dungeon from fromWhICh fromwhich fromwhich WhICh the five felons were re removedThe removedThe removed moved-The moved The - The light I1ght we receIved receIvedwas receivedwas receivedwas was from a grate which faced facedthe facedthe facedthe the Court of 20 feet square wIth wIthwalIs withwalls withwalls walIs walls 30 feet hIgh-The hIgh The high - The prIson prIsonhavmg prisonhaving prisonhaving havmg having been built 60 Years it may be maybe conceived concelVed we . were v.ere vere subject subect ) to toone toone tcone one very offensive convenience convemence In an Inthe anthe inthe the heat of summer almost suffo suffocatmg suffoeating suffoeating catmg eating our door was only open d dto dto dto to give us water we were not al aT allowed aTlowed allowed lowed any candle and from thefirst the thefirst thefirst first to the last of our confine ment we never could find that thatthe thathe the Governor or Council had or order ordat order der dat d provision of any kind kmd to be bemade bemade b bmade < made for us except Water wIth wIthWhICh withwhich wittwhich WhICh we were really very well wellsupplied wellsupplied welsupplied welsuppliedHaving supplied suppliedHavmg suppliedHaving Having Havmg been by order of the theGovernor theGovernor thGovernor ( Governor ( with the advice of hIS hISCouncIl hisCouncil hi ; Council ) ) prohibited the use of pen penInk penInk peiInk Ink and paper or the converse of ofanyone ofany oany anyone any one but our Jailor we had no noemployment noemployment niemployment employment but in m our refleclions refleclionsAugust reflec reflectlOns reflections tlOns tions tlOnsAugust tionsAugust August 31stMaJor 31st -MaJor MaJor - Major Hay wIth wIthother withother willother other Prisoners Pnsoners from Chesterfield ChesterfieldarrIved Chesterfieldarrived Chesterfieliarrived arrIved at Wilhamsburgh Williamsburgh W lIamsburgh the theSoldIers theSoldiers thiSoldiers SoldIers were confined in m the thedebtors thedebtors thdebtors debtors room the officers 5 u m in mNumber inNumber Number were put Into the Dun geon with us which made the theheat theheat theheat heat mtolerableAt intolerableAt intolerable mtolerable intolerableAt At eleven at night mght we were wereobliged wereobliged wereobliged obliged to alarm the prisoners pnsoners m in mthe inthe inthe the next cell who pass d the word wordto wordto wordto to the Guard for the Jailor Jallor our ourSurgeon ourSurgeon ouiSurgeon Surgeon being bemg on the point pomt of suf suffocatmg su suffocatmg ! focatmg focating an asthma to which he hewas hewas hewas was Subject having havmg seized hIm hImat himat himat at this time with that vIOlence vIOlencethat violencethat violencethat that he lost his pulse for ten mm nun mmutes nunutes mmutes utes we had tried tned by wafting EBlanket a aBlanket aBlanket Blanket to draw some air thro throthe throthe throthe the grate but this was msufficlent insufficient msufficlentand insufficientand insufficientand and if he had not had presence presenceenough presenceenough presenceenough enough enoughof of mind to open a vem vein vemhe veinhe veinhe he would probably have expIred expIredfor expiredfor expiredfor for the state of the air was such suchthat suchthat suetthat that a Candle with which we haclately had hadlately hadlately lately been indulged |
