French and American Prisoners of War at Dartmoor Prison, 1805-1816

French and American Prisoners of War at Dartmoor Prison, 1805-1816 PDF

Author: Neil Davie

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-11-11

Total Pages: 350

ISBN-13: 3030838919

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This book explores the history of Dartmoor War Prison (1805-16). This is not the well-known Victorian convict prison, but a less familiar penal institution, conceived and built nearly half a century earlier in the midst of the long-running wars against France, and destined, not for criminals, but for French and later American prisoners of war. During a period of six and a half years, more than 20,000 captives passed through its gates. Drawing on contemporary official records from Britain, France and the USA, and a wealth of prisoners’ letters, diaries and memoirs (many of them studied here in detail for the first time), this book examines how Dartmoor War Prison was conceived and designed; how it was administered both from London and on the ground; how the fate of its prisoners intertwined with the military and diplomatic history of the period; and finally how those prisoners interacted with each other, with their captors, and with the wider community. The history of the prison on the moor is one marked by high hopes and noble intentions, but also of neglect, hardship, disease and death

The Prisoners' Memoirs, Or, Dartmoor Prison; Containing a Complete and Impartial History of the Entire Captivity of the Americans in England, From the Commencement of the Last War Between the United States and Great Britain, Until All Prisoners Were Relea

The Prisoners' Memoirs, Or, Dartmoor Prison; Containing a Complete and Impartial History of the Entire Captivity of the Americans in England, From the Commencement of the Last War Between the United States and Great Britain, Until All Prisoners Were Relea PDF

Author: Charles Andrews

Publisher: Legare Street Press

Published: 2023-07-18

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781019396957

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This remarkable historical account provides a vivid picture of the experiences of American prisoners of war during the War of 1812. Written by a former prisoner, it offers a detailed and often harrowing description of life in Dartmoor Prison, one of the largest and most notorious POW camps in British history. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Prisoners of War at Dartmoor

Prisoners of War at Dartmoor PDF

Author: Trevor James

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2013-07-30

Total Pages: 243

ISBN-13: 1476603421

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The incarceration of French and American prisoners of war in Dartmoor Prison, at a time when Britain was at war with both its traditional enemy and the young nation of former British colonies, was a dark and unusual episode. Acts of cruelty and degradation were countered by defiance and a spirited loyalty by the prisoners to their respective countries. Much of the story is told firsthand by those who were there, against a background of warfare and glorious victories on all sides. The author relates how a barren landscape that was (and is) subject to the worst of winter weather was transformed into a thriving township by one very determined man, Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt, and why such a place was chosen to build a prison. The design and construction of the prison are described, as are the experiences of the men held in the harsh, overcrowded conditions of Dartmoor. From May 1809 to February 1816, 271 American and more than 1100 French prisoners of war died in confinement.

The Prison on the Moor

The Prison on the Moor PDF

Author: Justin Jones

Publisher:

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 310

ISBN-13:

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The War of 1812 is a conflict best characterized by two adjectives: ironic and forgotten. Conventional histories of the War of 1812 focus almost exclusively on the land engagements of the war, despite the occurrence of several crucial engagements at sea. In what is perhaps the greatest irony of all, one of the most infamous incidents of the war -- the shooting of several United States prisoners-of-war at Dartmoor prison in 1815 -- has received virtually no scholarly attention. The general topic of prisoners-of-war during the War of 1812 has received almost no treatment. Owing to the lack of substantial scholarly literature on Dartmoor Prison during its time as a place of incarceration for both French and American prisoners-of-war, this study's primary focus is on the autobiographical accounts of the men held there. For this study, the author has discovered ten narratives that each tell a slightly different story of what it was like within the prison on the moor. Without exception, all of these narratives are autobiographical in scope. Building upon the prisoner-of-war autobiographies, the thesis concludes with a discussion of the two most important events in Dartmoor's history as a prisoner-of-war compound. The first, a riot over bread, bears a direct correlation to what would take place on April 6, 1815, the date of the Dartmoor Massacre. To what degree did the former influence the latter? What did actually take place during both events? Was the Dartmoor Massacre really a massacre? Or have time, sensationalism, and political rhetoric obscured the truth?

Mad Blood Stirring

Mad Blood Stirring PDF

Author: Simon Mayo

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2019-01-01

Total Pages: 416

ISBN-13: 1643130927

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The war of 1812 is over, but for the inmates at Dartmoor Prison, peace—like home—is still a long way away.On New Year’s Eve 1814, the American sailors of the Eagle finally arrive at Dartmoor prison, bedraggled, exhausted, but burning with hope. They’ve only had one thing to sustain them during the har- rowing voyage—a snatched whisper overheard along the way. The war is finally over.Joe Hill thought he’d left the war outside these walls but it’s quickly clear that there’s a different type of fight to be had within. The seven prison blocks surrounding him have been segregated; six white and one black.Inspired by true events, this novel recounts the remarkable story of the first ever all-black Shakespeare production, staged by segregated American prisoners of war. It is a story of hope and freedom, of loss and suffering. It is a story about how sometimes, in our darkest hour, it can be the most unlikely of things that see us through.