shortland

Updated: June 21, 2025

No. I, John G. Gatchell, having been duly sworn, depose and say That I was walking in the yard, towards the gate. The first I knew, was the soldiers coming into the yard, with Capt. Shortland at their head, when an immediate fire began from the soldiers, and one man fell within six feet of me.

Benjamin Waterhouse - A Journal of a Young Man of Massachusetts, 2nd ed.: Late A Surgeon On Board An American Privateer, Who Was: Captured At Sea By The British, In May, Eighteen Hundred: And Thirteen, And Was Confined First, At Melville Island,: Halifax, Then At Chatham, In England ... And Last, At: Dartmoor Prison. Interspersed With Observations, Anecdotes: And Remarks, Tending To Illustrate The Moral And Political: Characters Of Three Nations. To Which Is Added, A Correct: Engraving Of Dartmoor Prison, Representing The Massacre: Of American Prisoners, Written By Himself.

Had the commander of Dartmoor Prison been an old woman, the Americans would have respected her sex and years, and obeyed her commands; but they despised and hated Shortland, for his deficiency of head, heart, and education; from all which originated those sad events which have disgraced one nation, and exasperated the other forever.

Benjamin Waterhouse - A Journal of a Young Man of Massachusetts, 2nd ed.: Late A Surgeon On Board An American Privateer, Who Was: Captured At Sea By The British, In May, Eighteen Hundred: And Thirteen, And Was Confined First, At Melville Island,: Halifax, Then At Chatham, In England ... And Last, At: Dartmoor Prison. Interspersed With Observations, Anecdotes: And Remarks, Tending To Illustrate The Moral And Political: Characters Of Three Nations. To Which Is Added, A Correct: Engraving Of Dartmoor Prison, Representing The Massacre: Of American Prisoners, Written By Himself.

Shortland an exact confirmation of all the intelligence which I had received concerning him from the officers of the Dutch frigate. The two ships which I had collected some accounts of from Rio de Janeiro, he told me, had parted company with him two days after he left Port Jackson; and that he was nineteen weeks and four days on his passage to Batavia.

John Hunter - An Historical Journal of the Transactions at Port Jackson and Norfolk Island

They had suffered much at Barbadoes, and they expected a different treatment in England; but alas! Captain Shortland at once dissipated the illusion and shewed himself what Britons really are. The next morning they were taken up to Captain Shortland's office to be described, and marked, and numbered.

Benjamin Waterhouse - A Journal of a Young Man of Massachusetts, 2nd ed.: Late A Surgeon On Board An American Privateer, Who Was: Captured At Sea By The British, In May, Eighteen Hundred: And Thirteen, And Was Confined First, At Melville Island,: Halifax, Then At Chatham, In England ... And Last, At: Dartmoor Prison. Interspersed With Observations, Anecdotes: And Remarks, Tending To Illustrate The Moral And Political: Characters Of Three Nations. To Which Is Added, A Correct: Engraving Of Dartmoor Prison, Representing The Massacre: Of American Prisoners, Written By Himself.

He expressed great regret for what had occurred, and assured the prisoners that no further violence should be used upon them. In the mean time Shortland made his appearance. Instantly the indignant cry of murderer, scoundrel, villain, burst from the lips of hundreds.

Benjamin Waterhouse - A Journal of a Young Man of Massachusetts, 2nd ed.: Late A Surgeon On Board An American Privateer, Who Was: Captured At Sea By The British, In May, Eighteen Hundred: And Thirteen, And Was Confined First, At Melville Island,: Halifax, Then At Chatham, In England ... And Last, At: Dartmoor Prison. Interspersed With Observations, Anecdotes: And Remarks, Tending To Illustrate The Moral And Political: Characters Of Three Nations. To Which Is Added, A Correct: Engraving Of Dartmoor Prison, Representing The Massacre: Of American Prisoners, Written By Himself.

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.

Benjamin Waterhouse - A Journal of a Young Man of Massachusetts, 2nd ed.: Late A Surgeon On Board An American Privateer, Who Was: Captured At Sea By The British, In May, Eighteen Hundred: And Thirteen, And Was Confined First, At Melville Island,: Halifax, Then At Chatham, In England ... And Last, At: Dartmoor Prison. Interspersed With Observations, Anecdotes: And Remarks, Tending To Illustrate The Moral And Political: Characters Of Three Nations. To Which Is Added, A Correct: Engraving Of Dartmoor Prison, Representing The Massacre: Of American Prisoners, Written By Himself.

It is probable that Captain Shortland has never once reflected that there are fewer grades of men between the lowest white man under his charge and the highest in America, than there are between him and the highest ranks in England.

Benjamin Waterhouse - A Journal of a Young Man of Massachusetts, 2nd ed.: Late A Surgeon On Board An American Privateer, Who Was: Captured At Sea By The British, In May, Eighteen Hundred: And Thirteen, And Was Confined First, At Melville Island,: Halifax, Then At Chatham, In England ... And Last, At: Dartmoor Prison. Interspersed With Observations, Anecdotes: And Remarks, Tending To Illustrate The Moral And Political: Characters Of Three Nations. To Which Is Added, A Correct: Engraving Of Dartmoor Prison, Representing The Massacre: Of American Prisoners, Written By Himself.

The prisoners were determined to protect him; and when Shortland found that the prisoners would not betray him into his hands, he resorted to his usual embargo of the market; and sent his soldiers in after the prisoner; but he might as well have sought a needle in a hay-mow; for such was the difficulty of finding an individual among six thousand.

Benjamin Waterhouse - A Journal of a Young Man of Massachusetts, 2nd ed.: Late A Surgeon On Board An American Privateer, Who Was: Captured At Sea By The British, In May, Eighteen Hundred: And Thirteen, And Was Confined First, At Melville Island,: Halifax, Then At Chatham, In England ... And Last, At: Dartmoor Prison. Interspersed With Observations, Anecdotes: And Remarks, Tending To Illustrate The Moral And Political: Characters Of Three Nations. To Which Is Added, A Correct: Engraving Of Dartmoor Prison, Representing The Massacre: Of American Prisoners, Written By Himself.

Whether these islands, which I have last mentioned are Captain Carteret's nine islands, or those Lieutenant Shortland saw, I will not be very positive; he says, they extended north-west by west and south-east by east; the direction is nearly the same, and the distance in that direction is fifteen leagues, and their number nine.

John Hunter - An Historical Journal of the Transactions at Port Jackson and Norfolk Island

I find all the prisoners here deeply exasperated against Captain Shortland, and too much prejudiced to hear any thing in his favor. I presume they have reason for it. As I have but just arrived, I have had but little opportunity of seeing and judging his conduct. Instead of his being a bad hearted man, I am disposed to believe that the fault is in his understanding and education.

Benjamin Waterhouse - A Journal of a Young Man of Massachusetts, 2nd ed.: Late A Surgeon On Board An American Privateer, Who Was: Captured At Sea By The British, In May, Eighteen Hundred: And Thirteen, And Was Confined First, At Melville Island,: Halifax, Then At Chatham, In England ... And Last, At: Dartmoor Prison. Interspersed With Observations, Anecdotes: And Remarks, Tending To Illustrate The Moral And Political: Characters Of Three Nations. To Which Is Added, A Correct: Engraving Of Dartmoor Prison, Representing The Massacre: Of American Prisoners, Written By Himself.