A Relic of the Revolution

by Charles Herbert

29. Last night we opened the hole and shut it up again, until about twelve o’clock. We then opened it again, and a man went out and opened a window in the first wall. We likewise chose two of the principal men in prison, that did not intend to go, to take the list of each company, and stand one upon each side the hole, to see that every man went out in his turn. It fell to my lot to go out in the first company, after those who dug the hole. I went through, and came to the first wall, where the window was open. Three more walls I had to get over, which were so high that I could just jump and catch the tops of them; all of which, we went over like greyhounds. Then six of us met and concluded to go together. We then ran back into the country until we judged we were two or three miles out of Plymouth, and in this manner we rambled about the fields, up hill and down dale, over hedges and through ditches, till we were lost and could not find the right road to Tinemouth, which was the town we meant to aim for, about thirty-six miles from Plymouth. Before we were lost, we walked about twenty miles, as we judged, backwards and forwards, through the fields. We then sat down by the side of a hill, till we were almost chilled to death. We then proceeded to a haystack, under the lee of which we lay until the day began to break, and it being cloudy, we could not discover the east from the west; so we wandered about till daylight, when we found the road to Tinemouth, and pressed forward till we came to a bridge, where, by the help of a milestone, we found, to our great surprise, that we were only three miles from Plymouth. At this bridge I pulled off a pair of trowsers, which I wore to keep my breeches and stockings clean, and threw them into the stream. We then pushed on two miles farther, in the road. By this time, the people began to stir about, and we concluded it was no longer safe to walk by daylight. We then took a cross road that led into the country, and travelled about a mile, and then cut across some fields, and went into a hedge, where we determined to lay till night, and then proceed on our journey. It was almost seven o’clock in the morning when we went into the hedge, and we lay there undiscovered, as we supposed, until an hour before sunset. All this time, we lay on the wet grass, and had nothing to eat or drink. We had only a penny loaf apiece, and that we meant to save to eat in the night following, and so travel all night; the next morning we expected to reach Tinemouth. About nine hours we lay in the hedge, wet, hungry, and almost chilled to death with the cold; lying all the time in one position, longing for the night to come. I went to stir one of my legs and a bone snapped and went out of joint, and as one of the company was setting it, about ten farmers, with a soldier, came upon us. One of them had a pistol, one a bayonet, one a flail, and all the rest had clubs; we told them that we came into Plymouth in a prize, and were bound to Tinemouth. The country was alarmed, and we were taken. They carried us to a little village and gave us a good glass of brandy, and a halfpenny cake, apiece. We were then guarded by a sergeant of the militia, and about a dozen farmers, to Plymouth. We stopped on the road to get something to drink, but they would not let us stop to eat. We came to Plymouth in the evening, and some hundred men gathered round us and caused great confusion and excited a tumultuous broil. In this fray I lost my penny loaf. From thence we were brought to prison again, where we found that about thirty were taken before us, and the Black-hole was full; so that we were put in the long prison again. I was here informed that one hundred and nine men got out at this hole, and that it was carried on with the greatest regularity, till a boy went out who was unable to get over the wall, and he called for help, which alarmed the guard; otherwise, every man in prison might have got out, that had any inclination to do so.

30. Last night and to-day, about forty more were brought back, and those in the Black-hole taken out, and all put on half allowance.

31. To-day a number more were brought back, and those of us who are on short allowance, are divided into messes, eight men in a mess, all to sit down to a four pound loaf, and three pounds of beef, before it is cooked, a bowl of broth, and a little cabbage, which we have only every other day. To-day a mess of us joined together and bought a bag of potatoes, of fifteen gallons, for two shillings and ninepence, which will be of great service to us, on our forty days’ half allowance.

January 1, 1779. This is a new year, and a sorrowful one it is, though our friends sent us a white loaf to every mess on full allowance, and would have sent one to those on half allowance, but our cruel agent would not let it come in. This so vexed us that we went and reasoned the case with him, and he at last consented to let it come in, if it was intended only as a new year’s gift. We have also received greens, for four days past, instead of cabbage or peas, which is not half so good as either. We have to-day written a petition to the Board to see if they will grant us peas, and another, to see if they will favor us in regard to provision or time, while on half allowance. Two more men were brought back this afternoon. As yet, I have not got over my frolic. My knee is stiff where I put it out of joint. My hands are sore, being torn with burs. In short, I have not got a place about me the size of a halfpenny, but what is stiff and sore.

2. To-day we wrote a note to Mr. Heath, to let him know that Mr. Coudry had consented to let a loaf come in to each mess on half allowance, as a new year’s gift. Also, to-day the agent served out shoes to almost every man in prison, except those on half allowance. We have received a letter from Portsmouth, which informs us that fifteen men had gone from that prison on board the men-of-war, last week, and that there are two hundred and thirty American prisoners there.

3. Sunday. In answer to the note we sent yesterday, to Mr. Heath, we received a white loaf to each mess on half allowance, and the generosity of our friends led them to send us a sixpenny loaf, which make our hearts glad.

4. Notwithstanding there are so many of us on half allowance, it does not discourage us from digging, for yesterday we began another hole, and last night it was unfortunately discovered.

This afternoon another man was brought back, who had got as far as Torbay, where he saw three hundred sail of vessels, in three fleets, one of which was bound to New York, one to Halifax, and the other to the West Indies, most of them with provisions, and some troops.

5. Last night, Captain Boardman made his escape from the officers’ prison, and as there has been none brought back to-day, it gives us reason to hope, that those who are now out, will escape from this detested place. The number not yet returned is twenty-four, as eighty-five out of one hundred and nine have been brought back again.

6. This morning, I began to set myself up to sell bread, to enlarge the little amount of money I have, while on half allowance. I send out to the baker’s and purchase by the dozen, and retail it out; by which means I realize twopence on a dozen. As necessity is the mother of invention, so necessity obliges me to take every honest method to get a penny, especially at this time, when we have greens, or cabbage as they are called, instead of peas, but unworthy of the name of either, for it is more like kelp than cabbage, and it is not fit for any human being to eat.