reeable as possible. To instance a few of his
proceedings will sufficiently warrant the foregoing assertion. His
conduct to the American officers was marked with peculiar baseness
and indignity. In the construction of the depot at Dartmoor, there
was a separate prison, built and enclosed for the more commodious
accommodation of those officers (prisoners of war) who were not
considered by them entitled to a parole. Instead of Shortland
allowing those officers to occupy that prison, they were turned
into the other prisons promiscuously, with their men. His conduct
to the prisoners generally was of the same stamp. There not being,
at any time, a sufficient number to occupy all the prisons, he
kept the two best, which were built by the Frenchmen during their
confinement, and more conveniently fitted for the accommodation of
prisoners, shut and unoccupied, while the upper stories of those
prisons in which the Americans were put, were in such a state
that on every rain storm the floors were nearly inundated. The
pernicious effect this had on the health of the prisoners may be
easily judged of by the great mortality that prevailed among them
during the last winter season.

Another instance of his murderous disposition, was his ordering
his guards to fire into the prisons, when, at any time, a light
was seen burning during the night, as specified in the general
report. While the Frenchmen were confined in that depot, it was a
custom for the turnkey, with a sentry, to go into each prison, and
see the lights extinguished at a stated hour; although frequently
lighted again there was no further molestation. Instead of
pursuing this plan with the Americans, Shortland gave orders for
the guards to fire into the prisons whenever there should be a
light burning. Frequently, on the most trivial occasions, he would
prevent the prisoners, for ten days at a time, from purchasing, in
the market, of the country people, such articles of comfort and
convenience as their scanty means would admit of. His last act of
this kind, was but a short time previous to the massacre, and his
alledged reason for it was, that the prisoners would not deliver
up to him a man who had made his escape from the black hole, (a
place of confinement for criminals) and had taken refuge among the
prisoners in general. This man