. The naval history of the United States. wasa famous athlete, and in the cock-loft, over which he reigned, was to beseen fine boxing and fencing. Gambling, too, was not ruled out of the royallist of amusements ; and the cries of the players, mingled with the singingof the negroes, and the sounds of the musical instruments upon which theyplayed, made that section of the prison a veritable pandemonium. But although some few incidents occurred to brighten momentarily thedull monotony of the prisoners lot, the life of these unfortunate men, 534 BLUE-JACKETS OF 1812. while thus imprisoned, was mis
. The naval history of the United States. wasa famous athlete, and in the cock-loft, over which he reigned, was to beseen fine boxing and fencing. Gambling, too, was not ruled out of the royallist of amusements ; and the cries of the players, mingled with the singingof the negroes, and the sounds of the musical instruments upon which theyplayed, made that section of the prison a veritable pandemonium. But although some few incidents occurred to brighten momentarily thedull monotony of the prisoners lot, the life of these unfortunate men, 534 BLUE-JACKETS OF 1812. while thus imprisoned, was miserable and hateful to them. Monthspassed, and even years, but there seemed to be no hope for last came the news of the declaration of peace. How great thenwas the rejoicing! Thoughts of home, of friends and kindred, floodedthe minds of all; and even strong men, whom the hardships of prison-life had not broken down, seemed to give way all at once to tears ofjoy. But the delays of official action, red-tape, and the sluggishness. 5^- THE LAST VOLLEY OB THE WAR. of travel in that day, kept the poor fellows pent up for months afterthe treaty of peace had been announced to them. Nor were they toescape without suffering yet more severely at the hands of their months had passed since peace had been declared ; and the longdelay so irritated the prisoners, that they chafed under prison restraint,and showed evidences of a mutinous spirit. The guards, to whom wasintrusted the difficult task of keeping in subjection six thousand impatient BLUE-JACKETS OF 1812. 535 and desperate men, grew nervous, fearing that at any moment the hordeof prisoners would rise and sweep away all before them. An outbreakwas imminent; and the prisoners were like a magazine of gunpowder,needing but a spark of provocation to explode. On April 6, 1815, mattersreached a crisis. The soldiers, losmg all presence of mind, fired on thedefenceless Americans, killing five men and wounding thirty-fou
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookpublishernewyo, bookyear1896
