“The American prisoners there had an allowance from the States paid by order of Dr. Franklin.”
The small payments of cash doled out to the American seamen in Mill Prison were entrusted to this Miles Saurey, of London, by Benjamin Franklin, at that time in France as Minister.
[15] Under date of “Passy, 25 June, 1782,” Franklin wrote his friend Robert R. Livingston:
“I have long suffered with these poor brave men who with so much public virtue have endured four or five years’ hard imprisonment rather than serve against their country. I have done all I could toward making their situation more comfortable but their numbers were so great that I could do little for each, and that very great villain, Diggs, defrauded them of between three and four hundred pounds, which he drew from me on their account.”
[16] The diarist, oddly enough, fails to explain how Captain Manley secured “his pistols with ammunition” while in prison.
[17] William Russell had organized a school among the prisoners soon after his arrival at Plymouth. This school he taught during the two years of his captivity and the small store of pence received as “tuition fees” enabled him to buy many extras in the way of food and clothing. There were many youngsters in the prison who had been taken out of privateers as cabin-boys, powder-boys, etc., and lads of twelve and thirteen were then shipping as full-fledged seamen to “fight the British.” The prison schoolmaster helped keep these small firebrands out of mischief.
[18] Meaning that the lashings of his hammock were cut.
CHAPTER VIII
THE JOURNAL OF WILLIAM RUSSELL (concluded)
(1779-1783)
June 5, 1782. Yesterday was ‘George the Foolish’s’ Birthday. The Shipping and Forts fired Salutes at noon; Cowdry hoisted an English Jack, and a French one under it, and fired his Battery. In the afternoon the Officers of the Guard took some of their men, and fired the Cannon a number of times. In loading a piece, they did not stop the vent, and fire took the cartridge before the rammer was out, and killed one and wounded three of their men. A very melancholy circumstance has happened, two to three hundred of us taken ill with a violent cold, myself included. I still remain unwell, but something better; the men in general are improving. I was taken with a violent pain in my head, back, stomach and legs with a dry cough, but knowing the Doctor would give me but one sort of medicine, let the ail be what it may, I thought to use none of his drugs, but to trust the Physician of Physicians, and use such means as I might think proper.
“One of our Men said to the Doctor,