Journal of an American Prisoner
Surgeon's Mate James Reynolds

1812

14th [August] - Friday. Pleasant. After (noon) made the detail for the 13th. There was five boats came up loaded with soldiers, and five more this morning loaded with from 12 to 20 men in each, making in the whole about 170 men. Another boat arrived about eleven o'clock-20 men in it, and the new soldiers all appeared to leave the town about sunset.

15th - Saturday. Foggy. The drums beat to arms about sunrise and the troops were all in motion or at least all that were left. The citizens all entered boats for Detroit, as I am told. The Indians went by in boats. By land about 300. About sunset the Cannon began to roar at Sandwich.

16th - Sunday. Pleasant weather but unpleasant news we heard about noon that Hull had given up Detroit and the whole Territory Mitchigan. The Indians began to return about sunset well mounted and some with horses and chais. Who can express the feelings of a person who knows that Hull had men enough to have this place three times and gave up his post. Shame to him, shame to his country, shame to the world. When Hull first came to Detroit the 4th U. S. Regt. would have taken Malden and he with his great generalship has lost about 200 men and his Territory.

Can he be forgiven when he had command of an army of about 2500 men besides the Regulars and Militia of his Territory and given up to about 400 regular troops and Militia and about 700 Indians.

17th - Monday. Cloudy. The news of yesterday was confirmed. The Indians were riding our horses and hollowing and shouting the whole day....

27th [September] - Sunday. Pleasant. The men are something better. Nothing happened through the day.

28th - Monday. Pleasant but cold for the season. The men better, the women cross etc. The Surgeon came on board.

29th - Tuesday. Nothing worth recording.

30th - Wednesday. Pleasant. The Doct. came on board. Nothing other worth recording. Good weather but cold for the season.

Oct. 1st - Thursday. Pleasant. Sergt. Maj. Huggins and two men all sick came on board our vessel and I sent (away) three well men in their room (place). The three men that came on board were very sick.

2nd - Friday. Cloudy. The men something better. The Surgeon did not call to see us.

3rd - Saturday. Cloudy and rainy. Corp. Perry's child died this morning about daybreak and was buried (at) 4 o'clock p.m. Mrs. Andrews has been in travail ever since early this morning.

4th - Sunday. Rainy. Mrs. Andrews was delivered of a fine boy after 24 hours labor. The men not much better.

5th - Monday. Cloudy. I visited all the prison ships in the harbor and took 4 men on board our vessel. The sick very low.

6th - Tuesday. Cold. Sergt. Stoner's child died this morning. The men very low, many of them. For the first time I had to lay violent hands on Mrs. Critchet and the first time I ever saw her made to hold her tongue. Women deprived of decency are the damdest creatures that ever were borned.

7th - Wednesday. Cold and squalls of snow. The guard came to bury Sergt. Stoner's child. I visited all the prison ships in the Harbor and gave medicine to the sick. We had some sugar, rice, and barley sent for the sick and some other refreshments was sent on board.

8th - Thursday. Cold and rain. They brought 7 men sick from 4 to 6 (o'clock) and we returned five. About nothing further.

9th - Friday. Cold for the season. Corp. Berry's child died about three o'clock this morning. The men are something better. I visited all the prison ships in the harbor. Corp. Perry's child was buried this afternoon. Three men came from No. 85-three returned to No. 85 and three to 406. (Transports and prison ships).

10th - Saturday. Cloudy. Three men that was sent to No. 406 came on board this morning and we returned them immediately. We drawed fresh bread for the first time. Nothing further.

11th - Sunday. Cloudy and cold. I visited all the prison ships in the harbor. The women were all ordered from our ship, accordingly they all went, but four who had sick children and one lately layed in (confined). We had snow this evening and rain. We had a fresh supply of stores.

12th - Monday. Cloudy and cold. The sail covered with snow. Joseph Quil's child died at 12 o'clock this morning and Saml. Lewis died at half past 12 o'clock. The Surgeon came on bord at 9 o'clock. The men something better. I took from Morgan his scrotum and left the testicles entirely naked.

13th - Violent storm of snow but not cold. The people on bord better except Ingalls and McMaster. We had 3 men from 406 and returned two.

14th - Wednesday. The storm continues. Wires' child died at - o'clock. Four men received and 6 discharged. Ingalls' child died at 4 o'clock this afternoon. The times are serious and the lessons striking.

15th - Thursday. Cloudy and warm. John McMaster died at half past three o'clock this morning. Henry Pluck died at half past 10 o'clock this evening.

16th - Friday. Cold and cloudy. A Surgeon came on bord. A Mister (minister) of the Church of England came on board and baptised Ingalls.

17th - Saturday. Cloudy. We have five sick men from No. 406. Discharged two, one from 35, and one sent to 35. Two women sent to 71. Pluck buried this forenoon.

18th - Sunday. Cloudy. I received hospital bedding and cloths (clothes) the men in genl. better except Ingalls.

19th - Monday. Pleasant. Amos Ingalls died at 5 o'clock this morning. 6 men came from 406 and 4 returned. The men very sick many of them, 44 in our number of sick. I had a reprimand from one of the B. (British) Os. (officers)....

George Moore Fairchild, ed. Journal of An American Prisoner at Fort Malden and Quebec in the War of 1812. (Quebec: 1909), pp. 18-19, 28-31.