Part 14

Dr. Magrath’s time and attention were fully occupied in the hospital, and in vaccinating the prisoners. From his unprecedented exertions in an inclement season of the year, in a most inhospitable clime, his health became seriously impaired; but totally regardless of himself, he persevered in his unparalleled exertions, and from his superior knowledge in the healing art, was the means, under divine Providence, of rescuing many citizens of the United States from the fast approximating embraces of death. This malignant species of small-pox, unknown to the generality of professional gentlemen, appeared in other places, and a far greater number fell victims, in proportion to the cases at the place. We therefore trust, that some distinguished mark of the nation’s gratitude will be conferred on Dr. Magrath; for this truly great man’s exertions in the cause of suffering humanity, have been rarely equalled, but never excelled.

We have the honor to remain, with sentiments of respect and attachment, your excellency’s obedient humble servants,

BENJ. MERCER, } PIERRE G. DE PEYSTER, } HENRY PROCTOR, } JOHN COTTLE, } THOS. CARBERRY, } Hospital JAMES LESTER, } Committee. HENRY BULL, } THOS. B. MOTT, } SETH WALKER, } WILLIAM WEST, } For and in behalf of CHARLES DEXTER, } the Amer. prisoners WILLIAM MOLLEY, } at this depot. JOHN S. TROUBRIDGE, } HENRY SHERBURNE, } THOS. B. FROST. }

ANSWER.

_Officers and brave Americans collectively_:

Permit me to request you will accept the warmest and most sincere thanks of my heart, for the flattering testimonials of your approbation of my conduct, with which you have honored me, and allow me to assure you, that nothing can be more exquisitely gratifying to my very best feeling, than the language in which you have been pleased to convey this mark of your esteem. I feel convinced that you will indulgently excuse me, if I find it impossible to command words sufficiently emphatic, adequately to express the sentiments of gratitude, with which I am penetrated, for this unexpected proof of your regard; I must therefore allow my heart, rather than my pen, to thank you. But it would not be doing justice to my feelings were I to abstain from assuring you, that I have endeavored to perform my duty towards you, with that self-devotedness which looks only for its reward in its own consciousness of right, and its own secret sense of virtue; and whatever difficulties I have had to encounter in the discharge of my important trust, by struggling with a succession of the most violent and exasperated epidemic diseases, perhaps ever recorded in medical history, during the whole of my service among you, the distinguished proof of your confidence, and approbation of my professional labors, with which you this day have been pleased to honor me, amply compensates me, and must rank amongst the proudest and happiest events of my life. It now only remains for me, in this plain, but unfeigned language, again to beg you will receive my most sincere thanks; and to assure you, collectively, that a due and lively sense of the high honor which you have conferred upon me, shall, to the last moments of my existence, remain ingrafted in my breast. And here allow me most sincerely to congratulate you on the happy event which terminates your captivity, and which is soon to restore you to the bosoms of your families and friends; and that you may all enjoy peace and happiness, is the sincere wish of your most grateful and much obliged humble servant,

GEO. MAGRATH.

DARTMOOR, March 30, 1815.

DARTMOOR PRISON, April 9th, 1815.

To His Excellency JOHN Q. ADAMS.

SIR:

Impressed with the sense of duty which we owe to our country and to ourselves, we respectively solicit permission to introduce to your Excellency George Magrath, Esq., M.D., principal of the medical department at this depot. Language is incompetent to delineate the worth and character of this gentleman, pre-eminent in medical science, enriched by every virtue and accomplishment that can dignify and adorn human nature, and form the gentleman and philanthrophist.

His professional skill has been peculiarly conspicuous in his successfully combatting a succession of diseases, of the most exasperated and malignant character, which prevailed among the prisoners.

Dr. Magrath’s health, from his indefatigable exertions, became seriously impaired, but he persevered in the performance of his arduous duties and unremitting efforts to arrest the alarming and rapid advances of the prevailing diseases; and he was the agent under divine Providence of rescuing many citizens of the United States from a premature grave, and as it were, renewing their existence, but more particularly on the late unhappy occurrence.

Language is too impotent to describe Dr. Magrath’s unexampled endeavors to prevent the effusion of blood; regardless of the many dangers by which he was environed, he persevered, amidst the heavy and incessant fire of musketry, in his humane endeavors to prevent the fatal catastrophe.

His treatment of the unfortunate wounded Americans is superior to all praise, and was such as to entitle Dr. Magrath to the esteem and gratitude of the citizens of the United States.

We therefore respectfully and ardently solicit that your Excellency would be pleased to honor Dr. Magrath with your particular notice and esteem, and to convey these our sentiments to the government of the United States; for we would wish to give all possible publicity to our high sense of Dr. Magrath, and to evince to our country and the world how gratefully we appreciate the essential services we have received from that gentleman.

We avail ourselves of this opportunity to offer to your Excellency our congratulations on the happy termination of your important duties at Ghent, by the conclusion of a peace so highly honorable to our beloved country, and to yourself, and to assure your Excellency of our high respect and attachment to your character and person.

We have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient humble servants,

For and in behalf of the American prisoners of war at this depot,

PIERRE G. DEPEYSTER, HENRY PROCTOR, HENRY BULL, JOHN COTTLE, THOS. GAIR, THOS. CARBERRY, JAMES LESTER, BENJ. MERCER, ISAAC DOWELL.

DARTMOOR, April 10, 1815.

GENTLEMEN,

Honored as I am with the approbation of those whose good opinion I so highly estimate, I cannot permit myself to receive this additional mark of your friendship and regard (in which you much overrate my humble exertions, in the discharge of my duty and the cause of humanity,) without begging leave to assure you, that whilst it reflects upon me the highest honor that could be conferred, it lays claim to my heartfelt acknowledgments and everlasting gratitude.

With the most sincere and cordial good wishes for your health and happiness,

I remain, gentlemen,

Your much obliged and most grateful servant,

GEO. MAGRATH.

To the gentlemen forming the Hospital Committee.

FEBRUARY, 1815.

_The following is a correct list of all who entered his Majesty’s service out of Dartmoor prison from April 1813 until 1814; to which is annexed their former residence, and the ships in which they were captured or impressed._

James Akin, Roxbury, Mass., Wm. Bayard. Abel Akins, Penobscot, Maine, Tygris, Baltimore. Alford Arnold, unknown, Penn., Viper, do Wm. Armstrong, Salem, Mass., Rolla, priv. Anthony Agusta, New Orleans, do do Henry Allen, Roxbury, Mass., Wm. Bayard, N. Y. George Blanchard, Elizabeth, N. J., do Gabriel Bugoine, ---- Vir., brig Star, N. Y. Henry Brown, New York, Criterion, Baltimore. Edward Blackstone, Kennebunk, Maine, do Wm. Bishop, Danverse, Mass., Spitfire, Boston. Wm. Brown, New-Point-Comfort, Vir., U. S. brig Argus. Frederick Cransburgh, Prussia, brig Star. John C. Cox, b. New York, do Stephen Churchell, Richmond, Vir., Viper, Balt. Samuel Cook, Tiverton, R. I., Price, do Albert Cooper, Newburyport, Mass., man-of-war. Jerodia Denison, Middleton, Con., brig Star. John Duncan, Boston, Viper. Wm. Ervine, New York, Virginia Planter. Francis Foster, New London, Con., Meteor, N. Y. Shubel Folger, Nantucket, Mass., Wm. Bayard. William Fenton, Wiscasset, Maine, man-of-war. Daniel Holt, New London, Con., brig Star, N. Y. John Hughs, New York, do do John Hubbard, do do do James Holms, Portsmouth, N. H., Magdalin, N. Y. Thomas Howell, Beverley, Mass., Independence. Anthony Hughieco, New Orleans, Rolla, privateer. Aaron Hinkley, Bath, Mass., Viper, Balt. Francis Joseph, New Orleans, brig Star, N. Y. James Jackson, Phil., Penn., Paul Jones, N. Y. John Little, do Unknown Mathew Latimore, N. Y., Meteor, N. Y. Robert Murray, Newport, R. I., Rolla, Phil. Henry Neal, N. Y., N. Y., Ned, Balt. Charles M’Nites, Balt., Maryland, Ned, Balt. John Newgen, N. Y., True-blooded Yankee. Francis Rice, Boston, Mass., Virginia Planter. Ebenezer Rich, Portland, Mass., Flash, N. Y. John Senate, Philadelphia, Wm. Bayard. John Sheard, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., do John Shultz, Denmark, Criterion, N. Y. Wm. Smith, New York, Terrible. John Thompson, Denmark, brig Star. Wm. Thomas, Germany, Viper, Balt. Zach. Tough, New London, Con., Terrible. John Williams, New York, N. Y., Wm. Bayard. Edward Washburn, New York, N. Y., brig Star. George Williams, Balt., Maryl., Charlotte, Charls. John Wilson, Phil., Penn., Governor Gerry, N. Y. William Warner, New York, N. Y., Ajax. John West, do do Dukanor. Israel Wright, Tinmouth, Ver., brig Star, N. Y. Wm. Wilson, Long Island, N. Y., Ned, Balt. Robert Wesel, New York, do do James Pickerton, Hampton, Vir., Lightning, Phil. Francis Lisda, New Orleans, Louisiana, Unknown. James Johnson, New York, N. Y., brig Mars.

_The following is a correct List of all who entered his Majesty’s service from the different prison ships at Chatham, from April 1813, until June 1814. Copied from the clerk’s books._

John Anderson, b. Newcastle, Del., man-of-war. John Atkinson, b. Baltimore, Maryland, True Blood. John Austin, unknown, unknown. Josiah Abraham, Phil., Penn., man-of-war. James Anderson, Balt., Maryland, unknown. Peter Boyd, New York, N. Y., do John Boyd, Kennebunk, Mass., do John Brown, New Bedford, Impressed. John Bauld, Block Island, man-of-war. Isaac Baily, Boston, Mass., do John Brown, Salem, do True Blood. Peter Brown, Phil., Penn., unknown. George Bing, New York, N. Y., man-of-war. John Brown, b. Salem, Mass., do Samuel Billham, b. do do do John Barks, New Bedford, do George Burns, Phil., Penn., do Asa Bumpus, New Bedford, Mass., unknown. Rufus Brown, Eastport, do John Burns, North Carolina, do John Baily, Hainsbury, Mass., do Ebenezer Carter, Portsmouth, N. H., man-of-war. Isaac Crawford, Boston, Mass., do Benjamin Cotton, Norfolk, Vir., man-of-war. Thomas Charles, b. New York, N. Y., do Charles Cuffee, Long Island, do do Isaac Carrol, New York, do unknown. Ezekiel Church, Phil., Penn., do Peter Dowling, Lewisburg, Vir., Gov. Tomkins. Wm. Denning, New Bedford, man-of-war. Isaac Darlton, Boston, Mass., do Thomas Denison, Portsmouth, N. H., man-of-war. Thomas Dunn, New York, N. Y., unknown. John Davis, Alexandria, Vir., man-of-war. Henry Dison, Holmes’ Hole, unknown. Silas Eaton, Phil., Penn., M. S. Malta. Dudley French, b. Newburyport, Mass., unknown. John Fowler, do Elias Field, do Nicholas Gold, North Kingston, R. I., do Wm. Goes, New York, N. Y., do Jeremiah Gills, b. Baltimore, Maryland, do Isaac Griffin, Boston, Mass., do ——-- Gills, New York, N. Y., do Samuel Harvey, North Carolina, Impressed. James Hoyd, New York, N. Y., man-of-war. Henry Hamong, Phil., Penn., brig Esel, Balt. Henry Holsworth, New York, unknown. John Hopkins, do do Samuel Hopkins, do do Samuel Hainsly, b. do do Wm. Hull, b. Balt., Maryland, do Johnson Harlem, b. New York, do James Hall, Wainsburg, N. Y., do Wm. Hubbard, Providence, R. I., do Peter Henrv, Phil., Penn., do Thos. Hazaird, Narragansett, R. I., do John Fitz, New Bedford, Mass., do Benjamin Holbrook, Kennebeck, do Thomas Jackson, b. New-York, do John Jackson, Long-Island, do Samuel Jackson, b. Salem, Mass., do John Jackson, b. New-Bedford, do Wm. Johnson, Norfolk, Vir., do Zaca James, Snowhill, Maryland, do Francis Johnson, Bal., do do Nathan Kezer, Newburyport, Mass., do John Jones, Boston, do do Isaac Lemur, do do Impressed. Andrew Lamson, Portsmouth, N. H., unknown. John Lunderson, New-York, do John Lames, Portsmouth, N. H., brig Hunter. George Lewis, b. unknown, unknown. George Lee, b. Salem, Mass., do Asa Freeman, Pittyfoog, unknown. Jeremiah Miller, Soco, Maine, do Edward Mathews, Phil., Penn., man-of-war. John Morris, do do do Mr. Fairlin, Balt., Maryland, do Benjamin Morgan, b. unknown, do Benjamin Melvin, b. Nantucket, Mass. do John Molden, b. Balt., Maryland, do ——-- Morris, New-York, do Edw. Moulton, Newburyport, Mass., do Henry Moore, New-York, do John Mackey, Portsmouth, N. H., do John Nicklas, New-York, N. Y., do ——-- Owens, Philadelphia, Penn. Richard Porter, Wiscasset, Mass., Impressed. Thomas Parkman, unknown. Edward Phillips, do Elisha Paul, Maryland. Simon Roy, Saybrook, Connecticut. John Ride, Philadelphia, Penn. Thomas Roberson, Plymouth, Mass., man-of-war. John Rough, Alexandria, Virginia. William Riley, Philadelphia. Henry Randolph, ----, Massachusetts. Robert Real, New-York, N. Y. James Roberts, b. Wilmington, N. C. Robert Roberts, b. New-York. John Ring, Philadelphia, Penn. Nathan Robinson, unknown. Morris Russell, Savannah, Georgia. William Rich, Warrington, Conn. Isaac Somendycke, New-York. George Simsons, b. Philadelphia. David Simond, b. Alexandria, Virg., impressed. John Smith, Norfolk, do do James Stanly, New-York. William Symons, b. Charleston, S. C. William Stewart, b. unknown. John Simon, b. do William Strong, Marblehead, Mass. David Stephens, Long-Island, N. Y. William Scofield, Turkey-Hill, Oldhadam, Conn. John Thompson, Long Island, N. Y. Edward Fitley, New-York. John Vanderhoven, New-York. William Welch, Charleston, S. C. Charles Wetmore, Norwich., Con. John B. Williams, Baltimore, Md. John Wells, New-York. Charles Wright, Alexandria, Vir. Charles Wilford, New-York. Charles Williams, unknown. William Watson, Charleston, S. C., man-of-war. William Walker, Pelham, N. H. Jason Wood, Philadelphia, Penn. William Wood, do do Ezekiel Wilson, do do William Wolf, Savannah, Georgia. Charles Wilson, Providence, R. I. Robert Wilson, Newport, do

_The following is a correct list of prisoners who entered his Majesty’s service at the Depot of Stapleton, from July 1813, until May 1814, copied from the clerk’s books._

John Abrahams, b. New-York, Grand Napoleon. John Brown, Charleston, S. C., Revenge. John Reinbridge, Dutchman, Tickler, Boston. Charles Burgoin, Charleston, S. C., Revenge. Joseph Fletcher, Portland, Mass., Orders in Council. Henry Henrick, do Eben. Jacobs, Newburyport, impressed. William Howard, Philadelphia, Fox. Stephen Henry, black man. Robert Hackley, New-York, unknown. Mark Mason, Philadelphia, Fox. James Marley, Norfolk, Virg., impressed. George Russell, New-York, Tom of Baltimore. John Smith, Paul Jones. Francis Surges, black man. Thomas Taylor, Maryland, Price of Baltimore. Charles White, New-York, Meteor.

_The following is a list of names of persons who died at Stapleton prison, from July 1813 until June 1814._

George Morgan, Long-Island, N. Y., Grand Napoleon. David Smart, New-York, Price of Baltimore. John Dunn, Philadelphia, do do D. Francis, Providence, R. I., Hebe of Philadel. John Mitchel, New-York, unknown. Isaac Watts, Charleston, S. C., do Lambert Johnson, New-York, do

_The following is a list of names of persons who died at Chatham, on board the different prison-ships, from January 1813 until June 1814; at which time all the prisoners were removed to the depot at Dartmoor._