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tb-//f^l 
 
 NARRATIVE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 TRANSACTIONS, IMPRISONMENT, 
 
 ?-. 
 
 rj; 
 
 l*rl 
 
 AND 
 
 SUFFERINGS, 
 
 O F 
 
 JOHN CONNOLLY, 
 
 A N 
 
 AMERICAN LOYALIST, 
 
 AND 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel in his Majesty's Service. 
 
 IN WHICH ARE SHEWN, 
 
 The unjustifiable Proceedings .f Congress, in his 
 
 Treatment and Detention. 
 
 
 h 
 
 LONDON: 
 Printed in tlie Year mdcclxxxiii. 
 
 'm 
 
 M 
 
 } ! 4' 
 
NARRATIVE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 TRANSACTIONS, IMPRISONMENT. 
 
 AND 
 
 SUFFERINGS, 
 
 O F 
 
 JOHN CONNOLLY, 
 
 A N 
 
 AMERICAN LOYALIST, 
 
 AND 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel in his Majesty's Service. 
 
 IN WHICH ARK SHFAVN, 
 
 9%o 
 
 
 The unjustifiable Proceedings of Congress, in his 
 Treatment and Detention. 
 
 LONDON 
 
 Printed in tiie Year mucclxxxui. 
 
REPRINTED FOR 
 
 CHARLES L. WOODWARD, 
 New York, i 889. 
 
A NARRATIVE OF THE TRANSACTIONS, IlirRISONMENT, AND 
 
 SUFFERINGS OF JOHN CONNOLLY, AN AMERICAN LOYALIST 
 
 ANP LIEUT, COL. IN HIS MAJESTY'S SERVICE. 
 
 There cannot, perhaps, be a more severe task imposed 
 upon a person, who has any pretensions to that sense of 
 propriety which distinguishes a delicate mind, than to be 
 obliged to relate a long story, of which he is himself the 
 subject. It has, however, always been held excusable if the 
 incidents were extraordinary, and it were necessary to the 
 future peace and prosperity of the narrator they should be 
 known, provided the tale were told with modesty and truth. 
 I hope this gentle indulgence will be kindly extended to 
 me, and that the unavoidable egotism that must pervade 
 this narrative, will be benevolently overlooked in mercy to 
 the misfortunes of one who is at least conscious of having 
 acted with good intentions, and from principles which he 
 believed were descriptive of a loyal subject, an honest man, 
 and a man of honour. 
 
 I was born in America of respectable parents, and re- 
 ceived as perfect an education as that country could afford. 
 In the early part of life I was bred to physic, the practice 
 of which it was intended I should pursue ; my natural bent 
 of mind, however, determined otherwise. It was my am- 
 bition to be a soldier ; and this passion was so prevalent 
 that, contrary to the wishes of my friends, I went a volun- 
 teer, while yet a youth, to Martinico, where I endeavoured 
 to distinguish myself, as far as inexperience and an unim- 
 portant station would admit. After the peace of 1762, the 
 North American Indians entered into a general confederacy 
 to destroy our frontier settlements and demolish the garri- 
 sons. The British commander in chief was obliged to send 
 an army to repel these invaders; in which, once more a 
 
 X 
 
 .i.ri 
 
 ^17 4^' 
 
I 
 
 s 
 
 Narrative of John Connolly, Loijalkt. 
 
 volunteer, I served two campaigns, at my own private ex- 
 pense ; and. as became me, cheerfully and ambitiously en- 
 countered the dangers and fatigues of war. Here I had an 
 opportunity of observing the great difierence between the 
 petite guerre of the Indians, and the military system of the 
 Europeans, and how essentially necessary it was for a good 
 soldier in this service to be master of them both. Ani- 
 mated by a strong desire to make myself worthy to serve 
 my King and country on future occasions, after peace was 
 established with the Indians, I explored our newly ac- 
 quired territory, visited the various tribes of native Ameri- 
 cans, studied their different manners and customs, under- 
 took the most toilsome marches with them through the 
 extensive wilds of Canada, and depended upon the pre- 
 carious chace for my subsistence for months successively. 
 A perseverance in these preliminary duties of a good sol- 
 dier taught me to endure hardships, and gave me agility of 
 body, and an aptitude to enterprize, very proper to form a 
 partizan officer. 
 
 Delighted vdth the soil and climate, I afterwards fixed 
 my residence beyond the Apalachian mountains in West 
 Augusta county, and as numbers were daily emigrating 
 thither from the middle Colonies, I was active in encour- 
 aging the new settlers ; these soon acquired property, the 
 spirit of industry increased, cultivation and improvements 
 were extended, and establishments, scarcely credible, arose 
 from the midst of a wilderness, and spread for more than 
 one hundred miles down the river Ohio. To be at the head 
 of a new settlement was not the only object I had in view. 
 During the preceding war, France had sent her soldiers 
 from Canada, and by seizing this country, and erecting 
 Fort Du Quesne (now Fort Pitt) had given great disturbance 
 to Virginia, and the Middle Colonies in general. This new 
 settlement precluded the possibility of renewing the like 
 ravages from Louisiana, now the only avenue through 
 which we were vulnerable, in case of future hostilities with 
 the House of Bourbon. I had been taught from my earliest 
 infancy to revere my King and country, and provide against 
 
Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 8 
 
 their enemies : I had here an opportunity of performing my 
 duty, and I was happy. 
 
 In the infancy of the settlement, the magistrates of Penn- 
 sylvania usurped a power of jurisdiction that was not only 
 illegal but extremely prejudicial to the inhabitants; to 
 preserve which, they proceeded to many very unjustifiable 
 acts of violence, and went even so far as to threaten an ap- 
 peal to the sword. I was the person, who having the most 
 power, had the greatest share in procuring a redress of 
 these grievances. I was sensible the Charter limits of the 
 Province of Pennsylvania could not justify the exercise of 
 jurisdiction beyond the Western bounds of that govern- 
 ment ; and therefore applied to the Governor and Council 
 of Virginia, and obtained the necessary authority to pro- 
 hibit such usurpation, until his Majesty's royal pleasure was 
 known. These things are mentioned, not to display my 
 own merits or consequences, but because they are necessary 
 to the narrative ; for though it was my endeavour, through- 
 out this transaction, to conduct myself with a dispassionate 
 and candid regard to justice only, yet, as it was prejudicial 
 to the pecuniary interests of some individuals in Pennsyl- 
 vania, they became my enemies, among whom, was a Gen- 
 tleman since advanced to high military rank in the Ameri- 
 can service. 
 
 In the year 1774, disputes arose between the Indians and 
 some inconsiderate people, who, it appeared from every cir- 
 cumstance, had treated the former in a very harsh and im- 
 proper manner; reciprocal injuries took place, and the in- 
 dustrious and meritorious husbandman, with his innocent 
 family, suftered for the injustice committed by his unprinci- 
 pled countrymen. I was, at that time, invested with the 
 command of the militia ; it was, therefore, my peculiar duty 
 to avert,if possible, a war that threatened the destruction of 
 a flourishing Colony, and every endeavour at pacification 
 was employed by me, but unhappily without effect. Depre- 
 dations continued, and the defenceless inhabitants fled from 
 the vengeance of their enraged enemies. However, in obe- 
 dience to the orders of his excellency Lord Dunmore, I raised 
 
 i 
 
4 Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 a body of men sufficient to cover the frontier, and by a 
 chain of small forts repelled the violence of their incursions. 
 Hostilities did not end here; other Indian nations joined the 
 confederacy, and the war became more important. Two 
 small armies were marched into the enemies' country, as the 
 sole means of eflecting a speedy and permanent reconcilia- 
 tion. Lord Dunmore, in person, commanded, and a battle, 
 the most important that ever happened on a similar occa- 
 sion, in North America, was fought, in which the Indians 
 were totally routed, pursued to their towns, and reduced to 
 the necetoity of giving hostages for the accomplishment of 
 a treaty of peace entered into by them, and which was to 
 hav3 been finally ratified the ensuing Spring at Pittsburgh. 
 I cannot speak in terms sufficiently expressive of the admi- 
 ration with which the whole army beheld Lord Dunmore, 
 during this expedition. His conduct was exemplary to the 
 officer and the soldier: he chearfully encountered every 
 hardship, waded through every creek, and marched with 
 his men upwards of Four hundred miles on foot. He 
 preserved the dignity, by fulfilling the duties of his 
 station. 
 
 In the course of the contest, the principal warriors and 
 chiefs were made prisoners, and committed to my charge at 
 Fort Pitt, where, after the expedition, I had the honour to 
 command some Colony troops as Major Commandant. I 
 have before spoken of the efforts I had used to qualify my- 
 self for the profession of arms ; and I had now the satisfac- 
 tion to meet every honourable testimony of applause for my 
 behaviour in the Indian war, both from his excellency Lord 
 Dunmore and my fellow-subjects. 
 
 Although Congress had assembled themselves in Septem- 
 ber 1774, yet as that was about the time I was going into 
 the Indian country, my mind was so intent upon the war, I 
 paid but little regard to political heats which every loyalist 
 imagined would soon subside ; but on my return, the inti- 
 mations of my friends, and the proceedings of the disaf- 
 fected, gave me the first unhappy presages of the ensuing 
 commotions. These were greatly heightened by the follow- 
 
Narrative of John Qmnolly, Loyalist. 6 
 
 ing letter, which I received from General Washington, in 
 answer to one I had written to him on Indian afiairs. 
 
 Mount-Vernon, Feb. 26, 1775. 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 Your servant, on his return from Williamsburg, aflfords 
 me occasion to answer your polite letter. I confess the state 
 of affairs is sufficiently alarming ; which our critical situa- 
 ation, with regard to the Indians does not diminish : but as 
 you have wrote to Lord Dunmore, relative to the prisoners 
 under your charge, there can be no doubt of his Lordship's 
 having now transmitted you the necessary directions on that 
 subject. I have only to express my most ardent wishes that 
 every measure, consietent with reason and sound policy, may 
 be adopted to keep those people, at this time, in good 
 humour ; for another rupture would not only ruin the ex- 
 ternal, but internal parts of this government. If the jour- 
 nal of your proceedings in the Indian war is to be published, 
 I shall have an opportunity of seeing what I have long 
 coveted. With us here, things wear a disagreeable aspect ; 
 and the minds of men are exceedingly disturbed at the 
 measures of the British government. The King's Speech 
 and Address of both Houses, prognosticate nothing favour- 
 able to us ; but by some subsequent proceedings thereto, as 
 ivell as by private letters from London, there is reason to be- 
 lieve, the Ministry would willingly change their ground, 
 from a conviction the forcible measures will be inadequate 
 to the end designed. A little time must now unfold the 
 mystery, as matters are drawing to a point. 
 I am, dear sir, 
 
 your friend, and most obedient 
 
 humble servant, 
 
 G. Washington. 
 Major Connolly, 
 
 Fort Pitt. 
 
 This letter spoke in plain terms the spirit of its dictator, 
 and the intelligence I received from all quarters confirmed 
 my apprehensions. And here I have the consolation to 
 
 
 * 'ill 
 
6 
 
 Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 reflect, that ray loyalty to my Prince, and respect for the 
 established form of government, were too confirmed to 
 admit of the least doubt which party I should espouse ; I 
 decided instantly, and resolved to exert every faculty in 
 defence of the royal cause ; from which resolution not one 
 idea has ever swerved, although my succeeding misfor- 
 tunes left me only the inclination, while it deprived me of 
 the power to execute. At this time, indeed, I had better 
 prospects ; for notwithstanding that those illegal assemblies, 
 called county committees, had generally pervaded the thir- 
 teen Provinces, I had influence enough, not only to prevent 
 any such a^ Ny in West Augusta county, where I pre- 
 sided, but ; T to engage a formidable body of friends, 
 at the risk j and fortune, in support of the constitu- 
 tional authority. 
 
 The battle of Bunker's Hill had now been fought, and 
 the flames of rebellion began openly to blaze. I had written 
 to Lord Dunmore for instructions respecting my conduct, 
 who, I found, would be obliged to quit his government; and 
 received for answer, that he advised me to disband the 
 troops, at the time limited by act of assembly, that they 
 might have no cause of complaint on that head; that I 
 should convene the Indians to a general treaty, restore the 
 prisoners, and endeavour to incline them to espouse the 
 royal cause. This last proved a most hazardous enterprize, 
 though not therefore relinquished; for the assembly of 
 Virginia, having resolved the- aselves into an unwarrantable 
 convention, finding I had invited the contiguous Indian 
 tribes to a general congress at Fort Pitt, deputed a commit- 
 tee of their own body to inspect my conduct. These people 
 were ordered to impress upon the minds of the Indians, the 
 justice of the hostile proceedings against this country, and 
 the necessity of arming as a preliminary to the intended 
 requisition of their auxiliary aid in future. This was the 
 direct contrary to what it was my duty, if possible, to effect ; 
 and, narrowly as I was watched, I had the happiness to 
 succeed in this dangerous and critical undertaking. 
 
 This was owing to my superior knowledge of Indian 
 
Narrative of John Connolly, Loyaliet. 7 
 
 manners and tempers, and the measures I had previously 
 taken. I had most assiduously cultivated the friendship, 
 and insinuated myself into the favour of my prisoners; 
 had convinced them of the advantages that might accrue to 
 their nations, by adhering to the British governraent; and 
 procured their promises to negotiate the business with their 
 brethren, which they punctually performed. Thus I se- 
 cretly frustrated the machinations of the Republicans, while 
 I received their thanks, and procured assurances from the 
 Indian chiefs to support his Majesty, at all events, as his 
 Majesty's most faithful friends and auxilliaries ; ae. a proof 
 of which, I was authorized to transmit a large belt of wam- 
 pum to Lord Dunmore, from him to be sent to his Majesty, 
 as a symbol of their inviolable attachment to his royal per- 
 son. This public transaction employed a fortnight, at the 
 end of which I dismissed the Indians perfectly satisfied and 
 informed ; having first added an additional and considerable 
 present out of my private fortune, to what had been pub- 
 licly voted for that purpose. 
 
 The troops lately under my command were now dis- 
 banded, the demagogues of faction were active, the spirit 
 of sedition was every where prevalent, and distrust of each 
 other pervaded hearts the most loyal. But as nothing 
 great or good could be effected in times like these with- 
 out risk, I considered only what plan was best at such 
 conjuncture; and having determined, resolved to act with 
 vigor, as a temporizing neutrality was neither consistent 
 with my principles nor my passions. My design briefly 
 was, first to engage as many gentlemen of consequence 
 as possible to join with me in defence of government, 
 and afterwards to make my way through the country, 
 visit Lord Dunmore, who was now driven, for personal 
 safety, on board a ship lying at Norfolk, consult with him, 
 and take his instructions concerning the most effectual 
 mode I and my adherents could pursue to serve his Majesty. 
 I began by inviting such of my friends as I could best de- 
 pend on to an entertainment, where, as public disturbances 
 were now the universal topic, little address was necessary 
 
 iiL 
 
 m 
 
§ Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 to introduce such discourse. Encouraged by an unanimity 
 of opinion, each man delivered his sentiments freely ; and 
 as I found them universally enraged against the arbitrary 
 proceedings of the Republican party, I ventured to predict, 
 that nothing less than independency, and a total revolution, 
 were intended by the leaders of faction, whatever might be 
 their pretentions. My friends were men warmed with a high 
 veneration for his Majesty, and the constitution ; and as the 
 conversation operated as I could wish, I found means to 
 take some of the most confidential aside, and inform them 
 of my plan, of my resolution to execute it at the hazard of 
 life and fortune, and of my expectation of their hearty con- 
 currence and aid. The gentlemen present were most of 
 them either officers in the militia, or magistrates of the 
 county, consequently were those whose influence and wealth 
 could most effectually serve the cause. A solemn compact 
 was immediately entered into, stating, that if an accommo- 
 dation did not take place, and I could procure the necessary 
 authority to raise men, they would, at the risk of life and 
 property, most willingly engage to restore the constitutional 
 authority, as far as any co-operative measure from that 
 county could contribute to so salutary a design, after which 
 the strictest secrecy was enjoined, and the company separated. 
 The circumspection and art necessary to escape to Lord 
 Dunmore, occasioned some preparatory delay; and the 
 tbllomng incident, which will give a lively picture of the 
 anarchy of the times, made this delay still greater. Two 
 uights before my intended departure, my servant entered 
 my room after midnight, to inform me that an express was 
 just arrived, with dispatches from Lord Dunmore, and de- 
 sired admittance. I ordered him to be brought in, and im- 
 mediately a man followed my s ..'vant in a travelling dress, 
 with a packet in his hand. I drew my curtain, received it, 
 and was breaking open the seal, when the villain seized me 
 by the throat, presented a pistol at my breast, told me I was 
 his prisoner, and, if I offered the least resistance, a dead 
 man. I had been so long learning to despise danger, and 
 acquire fortitude, that I was not easily to be intimidated. 
 
Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 9 
 
 I rightly suspected he had accomplices, so leaping up, I 
 drove the fellow back, seized him, and while struggling 
 gave the door a kick, and shut it by the spring-lock. I 
 called to my servant for my sword or pistols; but to his 
 stupefaction, it is probable, I owe my present existence ; for 
 though I should have killed ray antagonist in self-defence, I 
 should have fallen the immediate martyr of revenge. My 
 door was quickly burst open by his armed coadjutors, about 
 twenty in number ; and the contest becoming unequal, I 
 was compelled to submit myself their prisoner. I was 
 scarcely allowed tim.e to dress, my servants were secured ; I 
 was mounted on a horse brought for the purpose, hurried 
 away, and obliged to ride all night at the risk of my neck, 
 till about ten o'clock in the morning, when I found myself 
 at Ligonier, fifty-four miles from Pittsburgh. 
 
 I soon learnt I was in the power of my inveterate enemy, 
 the commander of the militia, and principal man of the 
 place ; who had taken this opportunity of wreaking his 
 malice, under pretence of seizing a dangerous person and a 
 Tory, an appellation lately revived, and given by the repub- 
 licans to the loyalists ; and which the common people were 
 taught to hold in such abhorrence, that Tory was, in their 
 imaginations, synonimous to every thing vile and wicked. 
 My only hope, and that a very distant one, was, a rescue by 
 my friends ; and as I was informed, that I was suspected of 
 an intention to raise a body of men to act against the liber- 
 ties of America, to answer which accusation I must imme- 
 diately be sent to Congress, I found I could only escape, by 
 gaining time, and protracting a journey so destructive to all 
 my future designs. The agitation of mind unavoidable in 
 such times, and under such circumstances, with the fatigue 
 of such a jaunt, had brought on a slight indisposition, which 
 I purposely magnified, and prevailed on the gentleman in 
 whose custody I was, to suft'er me to go to bed ; where by 
 continuing the same pretence, I remained all day, and when 
 night came was indulged with a farther respite till the next 
 morning. My wish was, that ray friends, who had the cause 
 of royalty as well as friendship at heart, would gain the 
 
 h\ 
 
 11 
 
|®r Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 passes of the Lawrel-hill [Laurel-Hilla] or Allegheny 
 mountains, and there effect my rescue. 
 
 In the morning, when we had breakfasted, the guard had 
 mounted, and I reluctantly on the point of setting out for 
 Philadelphia, a man on horseback arrived at Ligonier from 
 the mountains, who had apparently rode very hard. He 
 was stopped by the Captain of the guard, and I soon per- 
 ceived, by their whispers and change of countenance, he 
 brought intelligence they did not like ; and almost at the 
 same instant, another person was seen coming, with the 
 greatest expedition, in the contrary direction from Pitts- 
 burgh, whom I soon knew to be one of my neighbours, 
 though not perfectly satisfied at that time of his loyalty. To 
 me these were favourable omens, and my conjectures were 
 quickly confirmed, by the arrival of the Gentleman who 
 planned and directed this expedition, and who now saluted 
 me very civilly, entered into conversation, spoke of the dis- 
 agreeable prospect of civil war, and the unjustifiable at- 
 tempts of the British legislature ; which supposition I re- 
 pelled, as far as the delicacy of my situation would permit- 
 Happening to pass through the kitchen of the public 
 house where we were, one of the maids followed me out, 
 and informed me, that a considerable body of my friends 
 were waiting at the Lawrel-hill, who had vowed to put 
 every man to the sword whom they should find guarding 
 me, and afterwards to burn down the house of the princi- 
 pal, in reveng ^ for such a lawless outrage. This intelligence 
 perfectly explained appearances, and gave me boldness, so 
 that when I re-entered, I presently came to an eclairciseement 
 with my enemy. I observed to him, that his conduct seemed 
 to precipitate the horrors of civil dissention, and that his 
 having recourse to an armed force to remove me out of my 
 own country, in so hostile and suspicious a manner, could not 
 fail to awaken the resentment of my friends, who, undoubt- 
 edly, on such a pressing occasion, would have recourse to 
 force also, and repel violence by violence: I added, that it was 
 mutually our duty to suppress, not encourage such proceed- 
 ings, for they were indubitably big with the most dreadful 
 
Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 11 
 
 calamities. The conclusion was, I was permitted to return 
 home, and very gladly took my leave. I had not yet, how- 
 ever, passed the boundaries of danger.— 
 
 I had not proceeded far on my return, before I met one of 
 my servants with a led horse, and a portmanteau of cloaths 
 for my use, in case I had been taken to Philadelphia. He 
 informed me of several persons he had seen assembled at 
 Hannah's Town, whose political characters were the reverse 
 of mine, and that he suspected they intended me some in- 
 jury; and accordingly we presently saw three persons ap- 
 proach, whom I knew to be Magistrates of Pennsylvania, 
 and whom I had some time before been under the necessity 
 of arresting and holding to bail, because they would persist 
 to execute their magisterial functions beyond the limits of 
 their own province and county, (as related in the beginning 
 of this narrative), very much to the prejudice of his Majesty's 
 subjects in the colony of Virginia. These Gentlemen, who 
 were accompanied by the Sheriff, after a hasty salute, ar- 
 rested me on a writ of twenty thousand pounds damages, 
 for having confined their persons. They proposed returning 
 to Ligonier with me ; to this I objected, alledging, that the 
 action was of so strange a nature, I would not give bail, but 
 insisted on being taken to the county gaol, which was near 
 my own home and friends. 
 
 My partizans having heard of my release at Ligonier, 
 and not suspecting any farther attempts, were satisfied and 
 dispersed, and remained quiet two or three days; but when 
 they heard I was again detained at Hannah's Town, under a 
 fresh pretext, they were greatly enraged, and were only 
 prevented from proceeding to extremities, by the prudence 
 of a few individuals. A letter waa, however, immediately 
 sent from the senior Magistrate of the county, over which 
 I had the honor to preside, to the committee of Westmore- 
 land county, written in a firm but proper tone, demanding 
 my release. This had instantly the desired effect, and I 
 was at length allowed to return to Pittsburg, where I was 
 met by a great number of my adhorerts, armed, and im- 
 patiently waiting the issue. My gra. ^e and feehngs at 
 
 Iti 
 
 i 
 
m 
 
 Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 the firmness of their attachment were powerful, and after 
 returning them my thanks in the most expressive manner I 
 could, they again dispersed. 
 
 I have not related these incidents, hecause they are not 
 only descriptive of the factious spirit that prevailed, and 
 how plausibly private pique could assume the appearance 
 of public spirit, but tend likewise to show, that formidable 
 as the republican party was, the loyalists were not less so ; 
 and that had it not been for the after impediment, of a 
 long and rigorous imprisonment, I should undoubtedly have 
 had the power, by collecting, encouraging, and heading 
 my friends, to have served my king and couniry most essen- 
 tially. 
 
 Once more at liberty, I had now to pursue my plan of 
 visiting Lord Dunmore; but the distance I had to travel, 
 and the lawless and suspicious temper of the times, made 
 this no easy matter. The treaty which I had concluded 
 with the Indians, gave me ostensible business to the Com- 
 mittee at Winchester ; and the better to hide my intentions, 
 I prevailed with three of the Indian Chiefs to accompany 
 me thither, carrying with me a copy of the treaty, calculated 
 for the inspection of the President and Convention assem- 
 bled at Richmond. I travelled about one hundred and 
 eighty miles from Fort Pitt, till I came to the warm springs 
 in Frederick county, without any remarkable occurrence. 
 Here I met a great concourse of Gentlemen from the difler- 
 ent governments, who delivered sentiments very opposite 
 to mine ; but though I had the caution not to contradict, 
 notwithstanding that I heard the grossest falsehoods indus- 
 triously propagated, yet my silence was construed into dis- 
 sension, and I was given to understand, I was a suspected 
 person, and that it had been proposed to form a committee 
 to enquire into my conduct and intentions. Though his 
 arbitrary examination was dropped, I learnt, that several 
 Gentlemen had written to the Committee at Winchester, 
 describing me as a suspicious and dangerous character. I 
 determined, however, to proceed; and concluded, that if 
 I could escape, with plausibility, this one more difficulty, 
 
Narratire of John Connolly, Loyaluit. 
 
 la 
 
 I might obtain some ccrtiticate of the satisfaction my con- 
 duct had given this newly erected tribunal, which might 
 serve as a passport tlirough the remainder of my journey. 
 
 The day after I arrived, the expected scrutiny took place, 
 and I found not only the letters written from the susiiicious 
 valetudinarians of tlie warm springs, hut one come express 
 from the clerk of the county where I myself presided, re- 
 plete with assurances to the committee, of my dangerous 
 and Tory principles; and expressive of a conviction, that I 
 intended to join Lord Dunmore, and meditated every op- 
 position to the laudable purposes then adopted for the sup- 
 pression of tyranny. To men entlamed with enthusiastic 
 ideas of infringed rights, this was a charge most criminal : 
 I endeavoured to avert and soften it, by declaring, first, in 
 general terms, that though my reverence for the King and 
 Constitution might, at some moments, possibly have be- 
 trayed me into expressions reflecting on certain proceedings, 
 which I could not help dreading, might plunge our unhappy 
 country into all the horrors of a civil war, yet I had ever 
 exerted myself to the utmost extent of my abilities for the 
 public good, in all affairs which I had been deemed worthy 
 to transact : that I flattered myself, the treaty and proceed- 
 ings with the Indians, now open for their inspection, would 
 vouch for my assertions : that with respect to letters and 
 suspicions, they were no proofs ; and that the letter most 
 positive in accusation, came from a person not instigated by 
 a love of justice and his country, but by motives far less 
 praiseworthy, of which I gave them satisfactory and notori- 
 ous proofs. 
 
 And now an incident happened, that turned the scale en- 
 tirely in my favour, for just as the Clerk of the Committee 
 had finished reading the Indian treaty, an express arrived 
 with dispatches from the President of the Convention, held 
 at Richmond, containing not only entire approbation of my 
 conduct, in the beforementioned Indian treaty, of which 
 the Commissioners, sent to inspect and assist, had given an 
 account, but likewise a polite and complimentary letter from 
 the President to me, expressing a desire to see me along 
 
 2 
 
 
 'i\ 
 
M 
 
 Narrative of John Connolh), Loyalist. 
 
 P i 
 
 I L 
 
 with the Indian Chiefs. Thia produced everything I could 
 wish. The Clerk was ordered to give me a copy of a re- 
 solve, signifying their entire satisfiu.'tion, at my good and 
 ahle conduct, and their belief, of my liaving acted hereto- 
 fore, in a manner conducive to the liberties of America. 
 
 It was not my purpose, however, to visit the convention, 
 but Lord Dunmore : the next day, therefore, I informed the 
 Indians, I must now part with them, as my business re- 
 quired I should take a different route; advised them to 
 meet the Convention at Richmond ; brought to their recol- 
 lection, the duty I had so often inculcated, and took my 
 leave ; but not without regret at parting with men, who, 
 though unpolished and barbarous, had great integrity of 
 heart, and an inviolable friendship. 
 
 So full was the country become of Committees, new 
 raised militia, petty officers, and other persons officially busv, 
 in hopes of being distinguished, thfit the utmost circum- 
 spection was continually necessary. When I came to Fred- 
 ericksburg, I dined with an old friend, in better days Doc- 
 tor, afterwards General Mercer, and killed at Prince Town, 
 in an action with the seventeenth regiment, and because I 
 was silent, when inflammatory and unconstitutional toasts 
 and sentiments were drank, the next day, when I ao-ain set 
 ott' on my journey, I found they had placed a spy upon me, 
 under the appearance of an accidental traveller on the road 
 to Richmond. 
 
 Him, however, I had the address to shake off. AVhen I 
 came near Williamsburg, I contrived so as to pass through 
 the town in the night. I saw several officers and soldiers, 
 and was hailed by the centinels, but answering, " a friend," 
 they supposed me a country Gentleman, and suffered me to 
 pass. Though the rains had been, and were exceedingly 
 heavy, attended with violent thunder and lightning, I did 
 not stop till [ came to York-Town, which was tov^^ards 
 midnight, and there, thoroughly drenched, and excessively 
 fatigued, I went to bed. Being near the end of my journey, 
 on the morning I set forward, through still unremitting rain, 
 which, though very disagreeable, was a very convenient cir- 
 
Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 16 
 
 cunistanco, for the militia and inhabitants were obliged to 
 keep in their houses, and I passed through Hampton safe 
 and unobserved. I here procured a boat, and by a little 
 finesse witli the waterman, got on board tlie ship where 
 Lord Dunmore usually remained. His Lordship was gone 
 on shore to Gosport, whither I instantly followed, and im- 
 mediately obtained the ardently wished-for-pleasure of an 
 interview. 
 
 Those only who have seen such times, and been in 
 similar situations ; who have felt the like passionate desire 
 to distinguish themselves in the service of their King and 
 country, and the like apprehensions of being prevented, 
 those only can conceive the satisfaction I experienced at 
 this moment. I had been twice a prisoner, twice rescued ; 
 had passed the Apalacbian Mountains, and come upwards 
 of four hundred and iifty miles, through a country where 
 every eye seemed intuitively suspicious ; had formed a 
 party in favour of the cause I had espoused ; and my heart 
 swelled with the hopes of doing something eminently con- 
 spicuous: I had happily joined a Nobleman, whose loyal 
 sentiments corresponded with my own, and who made it an 
 invariable rule never to suflbr those who preferred their al- 
 legiance to the vain applause of a giddy multitude, to pass 
 undistinguished. Thus far success attended my efforts, 
 and I was happy : the reverse of the medal must presently 
 appear. 
 
 It was evident, on consulting with Lord Dunmore, and 
 informing him of the plan I had concerted, and the confed- 
 eracy I had formed, tbat when his Lordship was reinforced 
 wnth supplies from Britain, a co-operative body of troops 
 from Canada, and the western frontiers of Virginia, with 
 Indian auxiliaries, would be ready to act at the time that 
 Sir "William Howe would draw their principal attention to 
 the northward. This would not only be productive of the 
 restitution of the royal authority of this colony, but have a 
 general tendency to promote the success of his Majesty's 
 arms, and the like happy effects universally. His Lordship 
 therefore dispatcbod me to General Gage at Boston, to lay 
 
 *] 
 
 r " 
 
 11 
 
16 
 
 Narraftve of John Connolhj, Loyalist. 
 
 before his Excellency the projected 8chenie,an{l to desire his 
 concurrence and co-operation. But as Lord Dunniore had 
 promised the Indian Chiefs, when in their country, that he 
 would certainly meet them in person the ensuing spring, at 
 Fort Pitt, finally to adjust all difterences; and as the re- 
 bellion had rendered it impossible to keep his promise, he 
 was solicitous to transmit an apology to a Chief of the 
 Delavvares, intimating in some measure the cause of this 
 disappointment. This speech his Lordship gave to my 
 charge, and desired me to transmit to a Mr. Gibson, of Pitts- 
 burgh, that he might interpret it to the Chief, I had reason 
 to suspect Lord Dujimore reposed too much confidence in 
 this Gentleman, but as he had lately been with his Lord- 
 ship on business, and as his Lordship seemed persuaded he 
 was worthy of being trusted, I gave up suspicions that 
 afterwards appeared to be but too well founded. Ideas of 
 former intimacy and juvenile friendship arose in my mind, 
 for we had been long acquainted, and I felt an anxiety to 
 preserve him from measures, which I deemed destructive to 
 both his interest and honour. When therefore I sent him 
 the speech, I likewise enclosed the following letter : 
 
 Portsmouth, Aug. 9, 1775. 
 Dear Sir. 
 
 I am safely arrived here, and am happy, to the greatest 
 degree, in having so fortunately escaped the narrow inspec- 
 tion of my enemies, the enemies to their country, to good 
 order, and to government. I should esteem myself defec- 
 tive in point of friendship towards you, should I neglect to 
 caution you to avoid an over zealous exertion of what is 
 now ridiculously called patriotic spirit : but, on the contrary, 
 to deport yourself with that moderation for which you have 
 always been remarkable, and which must, in this instance, 
 tend to your honour and advantage. 
 
 You may be assured from me. Sir, that nothing but the 
 greatest unanimity now prevails at home ; that the inno- 
 vating spirit amongst us here is looked upon as ungener- 
 ous and undutiful ; that the utmost exertions of the powers 
 
:l 
 
 Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 17 
 
 of government, if necessiiry, will bo used to convince the 
 infiituuted people of their folly. I could, I iiHsure you, Sir, 
 give you such convincing proofs of what I ussert, and from 
 which every reasojuible person may conclude the eftects, 
 that nothing hut inudiiess could operate upon a man so far 
 as to overlook his duty to the present constitution, and to 
 form unwarrantable associations with enthusiasts, whose ill- 
 timed folly must draw upon them inevitable destruction. 
 His Lordship desires you to present his hand to Capt. 
 "White-Eyes, and to assure him that he is very sorry he had 
 not the pleasure of seeing him at the treaty, or that the sit- 
 uation of affairs prevented hiui from coming down. Believe 
 me, dear Sir, that I have no motive in writing my sentiments 
 thus to you, farther than to endeavour to steer you clear of 
 the misfortunes which I am confident must involve, but 
 unhappily, too many. 
 
 I have sent you an address from the People of Great- 
 Britain to the People of America; and I desire you to con- 
 sider it attentively, which will, I flatter myself, convince you 
 of the idleness of many declamations, and of the absurdity 
 of an intended slavery. Give my love to George, and tell 
 him he shall hear from me, and I hope to his advantage. 
 Interpret the inclosed speech to Capt. White-Eyes from his 
 Lordship; be prevailed upon to shun the popular error, and 
 judge for yourself; act as a good subject, and expect the 
 rewards due to your services. 
 I am, dear Sir, 
 
 Your sincere friend and servant, 
 
 JJOHN COKNOLLY. 
 
 To John Gibson, Esquire, 
 
 near Fort Dunmorc. 
 
 To a mind impressed with the slightest sense of rectitude, 
 and that has ever once conceived the meaning of the word 
 honour, it seems impossible that any man can be base enough 
 to betray a private confidential correspondence, more espe- 
 cially where the intention was indisputably benevolent and 
 friendly. This dishonourable act, however, was Mr. Gib- 
 
18 
 
 Nfuratlir <>/ John Connofli/, LoifdUtit. 
 
 son's : ho laid my U'ttor l.ut'oro tlie county committee, to 
 wliifh I am to iittributi- my Hiu'cecding misfortunes, and a 
 five years' captivity. Miiny other letters of mine were Hcnt, 
 at tlie same time, ami by the same conveyance, to persons 
 who afterwards accepted offices of high trust under the Re- 
 publican government; yet none, either then or since, ever 
 divulged my o[)inions. This gentleman, for his treacherous 
 display of patriotism, was honou cd with a consequential mili- 
 tary command; and I have frecpiently had the mortification 
 to see him enjoy the warm sun-shine of freedom and favour, 
 from the window of an iidiospitable prison. But to return. 
 
 It was agreed that T should go to Boston, for which voyage 
 a small schooner was provided and manned from the Otter 
 Sloop, and I set out for head ([uarters, charged with Lurd 
 Dunmore's dispatches to the commander in chief, where I 
 arrived after a voyage of ten days. 
 
 Secret and expeditious as I had hitherto been, my arrival 
 at Boston was soon known to General Washington. The 
 inhabitants, by permission, were daily going in and out of 
 town ; and some of them had so far corrupted my servant, 
 as to obtain from him such intelligence as he could give. 
 He was an Englishman, had lived with Lord Dunmore, and 
 had acquaintance in General Washington's family, to whom, 
 some short time ofter, he eloped, where he reported a strange 
 mixture of truth and falsehood, relative to my past proceed- 
 ings and future intentions. 
 
 When my propositions were laid before General Gage, 
 [as] he was well acquainted with American affairs, and saw 
 the advantages that were likely to result from their being 
 put in execution : they met, therefore, with his entire ap- 
 probation. But as General Arnold (then in the American 
 service) had already began an expedition against Canada by 
 the Kennebec River, and other obstacles intervened, I could 
 not immediatel}' proceed to Quebec, as was at first intended, 
 80 it was thought most expedient I should return to Vir- 
 ginia, taking with me Ills Excellency's instructions to the 
 officers commanding at Illinois and Detroit, as well as to 
 the deputy superintendeir; ox Indian athiirs. 
 
Xarmlivi' of John Cimnofh/, Loii<iliM. 
 
 1» 
 
 After oxpei'iencini? sevenil of thoso tedious dcUiyH iilway^i 
 iiiscpiirablo from sea voyages, imtl callitigon boanl the Asia, 
 lying at New York, agreeuhle to the directions of Lord Dun- 
 niore, to I'minire for dispatches from England, I arrived once 
 more at PortHnioutli, and rejoined his Lordship on the 12t]i 
 of October. A short tit of sickness, occasioned by excessive 
 fatigue and anxiety, for I had travelled tliis year upwards 
 of four tbousan<l miles, and always upon affairs that lay 
 heavy on the n.md. held me in a suspense that, while it 
 lasted, niude illnesc doubly irksome. As soon, however, as 
 I was able, I consulted with his Lordship upon my plan and 
 future proceedings ; and on the 5th of November, 1775, a 
 commission of Lieutenant-Colonel (Jomniandant under his 
 Lordship's sign manual, as his Majesty's representative, was 
 given me, with full power and authority to raise a battalion 
 of men, and as many independent companies as I could. 
 The deputy superintendent of Indian affairs was directed to 
 make such expences in that department, as I might judge 
 requisite for his Majesty's service; and the officer com- 
 manding a detachment of the eighteenth regiment at the 
 Illinois, was ordered to join mo at Detroit, by the Onabache 
 communication. The commanding otHcer at Detroit, like- 
 wise, was desired to give every encouragement to the Cana- 
 dians of his district, to embody themselves for the expedi- 
 tion under my orders; and every other matter was so 
 arranged, as to give the fairest prospect of success. These 
 dispositions were made conformable to appearances and 
 probabilities. Early the next spring, we had the strongest 
 reason to hope, that a formidable body of British troops 
 would take the tield ; that the combined force of the enemy 
 must be drawn to the northward, and that I should have an 
 opportunity of marching from Pittsburgh, with the detach- 
 ment of the eighteenth regiment, the new-raised corps, the 
 Indian auxiliaries, so as to form u junction with Lord Dun- 
 more at Alexandria. By this means the communication 
 between the southern and northern governments would 
 have been interrupted, and a favourable turn indisputably 
 given to his Majesty's affairs in the southern Provinces. 
 
 1 ' 
 
 I 
 
 
 M 
 
W Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 To put tlicso dcsiijiis into action, tlio service required I 
 should first go to Detroit, to gnin ^vlli(•ll tliere were several 
 routes. But as this garrison lay at least seven hundred 
 miles distant in the straightest possible direction, and as the 
 circuitous roads were not only very tedious, but liable to 
 other objections, I detei'mined to go the shortest way 
 through Maryland. In this my knowledge of the country 
 and the peoide, made me so far justifiable, that I should 
 undoubtedly liave succeeded, and passed safe, had it not 
 been for an accident (before alluded to) of which I could 
 Jiot then possibly have any foresight. My instructions and 
 commission were concealed in tbe sticks of my servants 
 mail pillioji, artfully contrived for that ])urpo8e, and in the 
 night of the IStli of November, 1775, I took my leave of 
 Lord Dunmore, and set oft" in company with Lieutenant 
 Allen Cameron, and Dr. John Smyth. These Gentlemen 
 were both staunch loyalists, men of abilities, and very 
 agreeable to me. Mr. Cameron was from Scotland, and 
 well acquainted with the Indians and Indian aftiurs, having 
 acted as agent under the honourable John Stuart, superin- 
 tendent general of the department. He had suft'ered nmch 
 abuse for his unshaken loyalty, previous to bis coming into 
 Virginia, and liad refused the republican ofters of military 
 rank in South Carolina with disdain. He had come with 
 dispatches from Governor Lord AVilliam Campbell, of South 
 Carolina, Tonyn of East Florida, and the honourable John 
 Stuart, and intended to serve in a corps of Highland emi- 
 grants, then raising at Boston, and since the eighty-fourth 
 regiment. His loyalty, courage and good conduct, were so 
 well established, that Lord Dunmore thought him a proper 
 person to accompany me, and gave him a lieutenant's com- 
 mission, leaving it with me to advance him to a company, 
 if I thought good, on raising the corps, which from the 
 expci-ience I afterwards had of his worth and estimable quali- 
 ties, I should certaiidy have done. Dr. Smytli was a Gen- 
 tleman, who had resided in .^^aryland, but his nonconformity 
 to the temper of the times, had made him obnoxious to the 
 republican [)arty. Incapable of temporizing he was on his 
 
Narrative of John Comwllij, Loyalid. 21 
 
 way to "West Florida, to escape the turbulence of faction, and 
 act agreeably to his principles. Observing him to be a man 
 of quick penetration, firm loyalty, and ready to serve his 
 Majesty at all hazards, intimately acquainted too with the 
 lower parts of Maryland, through which I intended to pass, 
 I solicited hini to accompany nie likewise, designing to make 
 him surgeon to the regiment. 
 
 We began our unfortunate journey by the way of the 
 Potomac River, intending to land on the Maryland side near 
 Port Tobacco, and by a feint, leave the Pittsburgh road, and 
 proceed by a jirivate route to a place called the Standing 
 Stone, which was beyond the intluence of county committees, 
 and from whence to Detroit is not above seven days jour- 
 ney. This, however, was prevented by a furious north-west 
 wind, that drove us up the river St. Mary's, where we landed 
 and took the road like ordinary travellers. AVe proceeded 
 on, unmolested, till the evening of the liHh, when we were 
 on the very border of the frontier, and almost out of danger. 
 We stopped for the night at a public house about five miles 
 beyond llager's Town, the landlord of which knew me. 
 From hitn we learnt, that although it was known T had been 
 on board with Lonl Dunmore, yet it was supposed I should 
 return quietly to Pittsburgh, as soon as I had settled my own 
 personal concerns ; neither Vv^as it known that I had been to 
 Boston. The misfortune that hung over my head was the 
 eifect, not of temerity, but unsuspected private treachery, 
 and the manner in which tiiis happened was as tbllows : 
 
 Some short time before we came to our inn in the even- 
 ing, a young man met us, that had formerly been a private 
 under my command at Pittsburgh, and saluted me as he 
 passed, by the title of major. This gave some uneasiness 
 to the gentlemen with me, who wished to have him secured ; 
 but asl could not pass through the country without the 
 probability of being known by many, and as any violence, 
 or even art, used with the man, were likely rather to pro- 
 duce than avoid the effects they feared ; beside, that there 
 was not really any probable danger, I thought it by far more 
 prudent to siiffer him to pass unnoticed. About ten o'clock 
 
 ]| 
 
22 
 
 A^drvatlvc of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 the same night, tliis man went to a heer-house in Huger's 
 Town, and niixetl with some officers of the Minute-men (a 
 species of the Vohmteer Militia) where hearing some per- 
 son in coini)any enrpiire who those gentlemen were that 
 passed through the town in the evening, lie replied, that one 
 of them was Major ('oniiolly. Unfortunately for me a copy 
 of my letter to Mr. Gihsou,with Lord Dunmore's speech to 
 the Delaware Chief, had l)een sent, only two days hefore, to 
 the Colonel of the Minute-Men, who had sp )ken of it as a 
 demonstration of my Tory principles to the officers then 
 present; they, therefore, immediately informed their Colonel 
 of my having passed through the town, and he, with as much 
 expedition, sent a hody of his men after us, to ohlige us to 
 return, that we might be examined before the committee. 
 About two o'clock in the morning they suddenly broke into 
 the room where we lay, and made us [trisoners. We were 
 conducted to Ilager's Town, kept in separate houses during 
 the next day and night, and suffered that kind of disturbance 
 and abuse which might be expjcted from undisciplined sol- 
 diers, and a clamorous rabble, at such a crisis. The day 
 following, the committee being assembled, my letter was 
 produced, as a testimony of my political principles being 
 repugnant to their own ; and the speech of Lord Dunmore 
 commented upon, as designed to influence the Indians to 
 act against them, in case of hostilities with Great Britain. 
 To which I answered, the sentiments contained in my letter 
 were the result of friendship for a person, with whom I had 
 had a long and early acquaintance. They were not calcu- 
 lated to publicly prejudice their measures; and the person 
 advised was entirely at liberty to pursue his own inclinations. 
 It extended no iarther than the giving a private opinion; 
 and the only person culpable was he wiio could so unwar- 
 rantably betray a confidential letter. With respect to the 
 speech, I observed, it was merely an apology from Lord 
 Dunmore to the Indians; he not being able to meet them in 
 council at Pittsburgh, agreeable to his promise the preceding 
 year. The heat of party resentment seemed considerably 
 abated when they had heard me; but it was nevertheless 
 
Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalhit. 
 
 23 
 
 resolved, I hIiouUI not proceed home {where they supposed 
 me going) till the sense of the whole committee, assembled 
 at Frederick Town, could be taken. This fatal resolution, 
 carried only by a small majority, was, I foresaw, destruction 
 to my hopcG, as the news of my havitig been at Boston must 
 soon get abroad. 
 
 And now, instead of proceeding in the service to which 
 my heart was devoted, the next day we were escorted back 
 to Frederick Town, about thirty-five miles, in a retrograde 
 direction, from where we were taken. Here, the first house 
 I entered, I saw a Colonel well known to me, who had just 
 returned from before Boston, and who proceeded, without 
 hesitation, to inform me, that General Washington knew 
 the time of my coming to, and the very day of my leaving 
 Boston; and that it was generally supposed I intended 
 getting into the western part of the Quebec government 
 by the Mississippi. All attempts at denial were now 
 
 idle. 
 
 The committee were anxious to seize my papers ; but, as 
 I found their search inefiectual, I told them they had been 
 sent to Quebec; and, after .-epeated examination, my port- 
 manteau was returned to my servant, without discovery. 
 Yet, although Dr. Smyth and myself had several times, 
 before we left Norfolk, severely scrutinized and destroyed 
 every paper that might affect us, there was a manuscript 
 that had been wrapt round a stick of black ball by my ser- 
 vant, so soiled and besmeared, as to have escaped the search 
 both of ourselves there, and the committee here, who were 
 as industrious as they were suspicious. This paper, which 
 contained a rough draft of propositions, supposed to have 
 been laid before General Gage by me, but which really was 
 not the case, was discovered in consequence of a fresh ex- 
 amination demanded by a Member of Congress, who arrived 
 at the committee some days after we had been taken to 
 Frederick Town, and was published as my confession, 
 though I repeatedly, and with truth, denied the justice of 
 the supposition. 
 
 We were now decidedly prisoners, and it became one of 
 
 ■ t- 
 
 »l 
 
Narraiive of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 y 
 
 ^ ,1 
 
 my chief concerns lest my friends of West Augusta County 
 might sufter from my misfortune. I, therefore, obtained an 
 interview with the Member of Congress, and endeavoured 
 to eradicate every suspicion from his mind, by introducing 
 such conversation as I judged most conducive to this pur- 
 pose. Among otlier matters, this gentleman informed me, 
 that Congress seeing the consequences of civil war inevita- 
 ble, had come to a determination that officers taken by 
 them should be admitted to their parole, and treated with 
 every lenity consistent with the public interest, as they ex- 
 pected a similar indulgence would be extended to the unfor- 
 tunate on their side, who should become prisoners. How 
 far this resolution was adhered to, the subsequent part of 
 this narrative will testify. The idea was, indeed, to me very 
 renovating ; it gave me to hope, that although a prisoner 
 now, and my etlorts for the present impeded, I should soon 
 regain my liberty, and have still the power to prove myself 
 an active supporter of the constitutional government. 
 
 We were now removed to the house of the Colonel of the 
 Minute-men, and confined in a room where we had no reason 
 to complain of lodging, or diet; but the clamorous gabbling 
 of this raw militia was eternal and noisy beyond conception. 
 They were ignorant, and stupidly turbulent; and their 
 guard, which was relieved every four-and-twenty hours, 
 gave a night of entertainment to themselves and visitors, and 
 of tantalizing perturbation to me, whose heart was inces- 
 santly panting after other scenes, and different companions. 
 
 My servant, who was a man of great fidelity and adroit- 
 ness, was not confined ; and as he had gathered some slight 
 intimation that matters of consequence were in the pillion 
 sticks, and observing the saddle and its appendages sus- 
 pended in an adjoining shed, after having undergone a 
 severe but fruitless scrutiny by the committee, he seized 
 a favourable moment in the dead of night, opened the 
 sticks, examined their contents by the light of a tire, and 
 finding of what importance they were, destroyed them all, 
 except my commission. This he sealed up, and conveyed 
 to rae, with a note informing mc of what he had done, by 
 
k'i 
 
 Nan'cdive of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 25 
 
 i 
 
 means of a negro girl, that had before been proved to bo 
 faithful. 
 
 Among other conjectures, on the probable operations of 
 Congress, I began to reflect, that they would certainly send 
 a body of men down the Ohio, to capture the small garrison 
 at Kuskuskis, as they were in great want of stores and 
 ordnance. I therefore wished very much to inform Captain 
 Lord, who commanded at the Illinois, of his imminent dan- 
 ger, and advise him to quit his post, and gain Detroit, by 
 the Onabache communication, without delay. We had ob- 
 served, that towards day-light, our guard frequently ex- 
 hausted by their own noise and folly, were inclined to a 
 momentary quiet, and as no centry were regularly relieved, 
 but all were on duty at the same time, we concluded there 
 was a possibility for one of my companions to effect an 
 escape. But as verbal intelligence might not find immedi- 
 ate credit, it was necessary I should write, and in this our 
 good negro again assisted us: she procured paper, and an 
 ink-horn, which she contrived to leave between the bed and 
 sacking-bottom, unnoticed by the guard. Thus furnished, 
 I wrote the necessary letters, and Dr. Smyth willingly offer- 
 ing his services for this laborious undertaking, we contrived 
 to unscrew the lock from the door, and towards morning, 
 just as the guard were nodding in their chairs, he slipt down 
 stairs unobserved. We had scarce time to screw the lock on 
 again, and lie down, before the guard entered our room, 
 but seeing some of us in bed, they concluded we were all 
 there, so cried all safe, and retired. This business was very 
 critically effected, for the next day we were to be removed 
 towards Philadelphia, pursuant to an order of Congress. 
 
 In the morning, when it was found that Dr. Smyth had 
 made his escape, we felt such consequences as might natu- 
 rally be expected from vulgar and exasperated men, and 
 were plentifully loaded with opprobrious epithets. 
 
 It was on the 29*'' of December, 1775, in a severely cold 
 season of the year, that we set out for Philadelphia, a jour- 
 ney of one hundred and sixty miles. We were escorted by 
 a party of militia dragoons ; our spurs were taken off, our 
 
 ?: 
 
26 
 
 NarvaUve of John Connolly, Loynlist. 
 
 \] 
 
 horses placed parallel like coach horses, with tlieir heads 
 tied together in a very confined manner, and a horseman, 
 with a long rope attached to the intermediate cord, rode 
 before, rudolv conducting us in whatever direction he 
 thought i)roper. My servant was allowed to follow with 
 my portnnuiteau, but not having taken off his spurs, the 
 populace ran violently up to him, and cut through his boot 
 and stocking to tear them away. We were obliged to per- 
 form a considerable journey that day, in a manner painful 
 to remember; the road was rough, the snow on the ground, 
 the rivulets numerous and frozen, and a track for the horses 
 obliged to be broken through them. These were only made 
 wide enough for a single horse, and notwithstanding our 
 entreaties to the contrary, we were obliged to enter all these 
 narrow passes, with our horses abreast, the consequence of 
 which was, a continual contest between the poor animals, to 
 preserve the open communication, alternately forcing each 
 other to jump upon the firm ice, or break a larger extent in 
 the struggle. Our knees were repeatedly bruised, and our 
 limbs in imminent danger of being broken, by the inces- 
 sant falls and warfare of the horses. Sorry am I to say, 
 it rather aftbrded cause of merriment to our conductors, 
 than any scope for the exercise of benevolence. For the 
 honour of humanity, liowever, it should be observed, that 
 our guard consisted of the lowest and most irrational of the 
 inhabitants, in and near the town of Frederick, and their 
 captain a common surgeon-barber. 
 
 On the second day we reached York Town, where a com- 
 mittee assembled to determine how they were to lodge us. 
 Their deliberations were not of long continuance ; we were 
 committed to a room in the county gaol, in which was a 
 dirty straw bed, little covering; and, notwithstanding the 
 inclemency of the season, no fire ; add to which, their new 
 made soldiers were so fond of fife and drum, that they en- 
 tertained us all night with this music. The next morning 
 was the first of January, 177(3, and we were conducted from 
 gaol to the tavern, where our horses were, by an officer's 
 guard, and a drum beating the rogue's march. Here we 
 
Narrative of John Connolhj, Loyalist. 
 
 27 
 
 were coriHijfiiccl once more to our polite friends of Frederick 
 Town, who, to the no small entortuinnient of the populace, 
 ironically and vociferously complimented us with many 
 wishes of a happy new year. 
 
 Led in tliis insulting manner, hy a formidable guard, and 
 exhibited in terrorcm. to all loyalists, I now too plainly saw 
 the probability of my falling a political sacrifice, and that 
 this parade of indignity was but the commencement of my 
 sutt'erings. I was the first person of influence, who had 
 attempted to support the Royal cause, by raising troops in 
 America. That they meant to intimidate every Gentleman 
 from future efforts of that ruiture, not only by exposing me 
 as an object of contempt to one party, and of dread to the 
 other, but of unrelenting persecution likewise, will I think 
 be evident from the facts contained in this narrative. Let 
 it, however, be always understood, both here, and in all 
 other places, where I mention the rigours I sustained, that 
 I do not mean to accuse any man, or set of men, any farther 
 than a fair statement of my own case requires; nor have I 
 any view, but to shew that my sufferings were the effects of 
 my unshaken loyalty, that I was, while free, an active main- 
 tainer, and when imprisoned, an inflexible adherent to the 
 cause I espoused ; that they were convinced of this, and 
 that this was the source of the unabating severity with 
 which 1 was treated. By the received modes of modern war, 
 their conduct was certainly unjustifiable; how far their pe- 
 culiar situation may extenuate this charge, is not for me to 
 determine. My purpose is only faithfully to relate what the 
 interest of myself and family demands should be related. 
 
 When we again set forward, great numbers of the inhabi- 
 tants of York-Town rode with us to Wright's-Ferr}', as 
 well for the novelty of the sight, as to be present at an in- 
 terview that was expected to take place between me and an 
 uterine brother of mine, who had long been the representa- 
 tive of the county in the general assembly of the Province, 
 and who was of a very different political complexion. I 
 know not how this meeting afl'ected the multitude, but to 
 me it conjured up a train of melancholy ideas; my own ex- 
 
 m 
 
 11 
 
28 
 
 Nan-atlve of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 ^ fit 
 
 !/' 
 
 ii 
 
 i( 
 
 
 ample giive me a strong picture of the horrors of civil dis- 
 cord, tliat was too disniiil to boliold without a shudder. My 
 stay was short; at ray brother's re((ue8t, I was suffered to 
 walk upon the ice, across the Susquohanuii, in his company, 
 with the guard following in the rear. The painful remem- 
 brance of the blessings of peace, and of the ravages of that 
 dissention that could make the brother war against the 
 brother, and the son against the father, gave sensations, 
 better to be imagined than expressed. When we reached 
 the opposite shore, therefore, we soon took our leave. 
 
 This night we were lodged in the gaol at Lancaster, and 
 two days more brought us to Philadelphia, where we were 
 committed to the charge of the associated city militia dressed 
 in uniform. About six in the evening, by an order from the 
 Council of Safety, we were marched to where they sat, and 
 from thence to prison, where, by the nature of the commit- 
 ment, we were debarred the use of pen, ink, and paper. 
 My servant too was now involved in the severity practised 
 upon me, and we were all three shut up in a dirty room, in 
 which we could obtain nothing but an old pair of blankets, 
 and that only in consideration of a considerable premium to 
 the gaoler. In this state we cotitinued in the depth of 
 winter for ten days, without a change of linen, before we 
 could get our cloaths out of the hands of the Council of 
 Safety; at length they were restored, and by virtue of 
 pecuniary influence, we obtained something that the keeper 
 called a bed. Here we remained till the latter end of Jan- 
 uary, when we were removed to a new and elegant prison, 
 then lately erected, whither we were escorted with great 
 formality, and again honoured with a rogue's march. Was 
 this necessity, or was it illiberal faction ? if the latter, success 
 will not surely wipe off the aspersion incurred by the author 
 of this ungenerous treatment ; if the former, benevolence 
 must lament for those who were the unfortunate victims. 
 Thus Congress were determined, not only to hold me up 
 as a public example of political vengeance to the loyalists, 
 but to take every means possible to degrade and render me 
 contemptible. 
 
Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalid. 
 
 29 
 
 f' 
 
 Though I had progressively acquired rank in the pro- 
 vincial service, of which they could not be ignorant, few 
 men having been more generally or more respectably ac- 
 quainted in the middle and southern colonies, though I 
 had obtained a lieutenant-coloners commission under his 
 Majesty, yet whenever they had occasion to mention me in 
 their resolves and public proceedings, they wrote plain John 
 Connolly, without the least mark of distinction, or aft'ected 
 to call me Doctor, thereby bringing to the remembrance of 
 those who knew me, that it was once intended 1 should 
 pursue the practice of physic, if that were any disgrace, 
 and insiimating to the world at large, that a Doctor would 
 not have been in such a situation, had he not been a busy, 
 factious person. The English history is replete with in- 
 stances of a similar nature. The tyranny and insolence of 
 republican faction, arraigned even the sovereign of these 
 realms, by the name of Charles Stuart. Self-defence obliges 
 me to make the foregoing remarks, it would else become 
 matter of wonder, when the papers of Congress necessarily 
 cited hereafter come to be read. Why, if I were what I say, 
 I was not so distinguished. 
 
 Amidst the hardships and chagrines I daily suffered, I 
 had still the consolation to reflect, I had done every thing 
 possible in the discharge of my duty, and anxiously hoped 
 Mr. Smyth had been fortunate enough to escape to the 
 Illinois, but in this I was disappointed. This Gentleman, 
 after having encountered a variety of difficulties, and suf- 
 fered abuses for having undertaken this enterprise, scan- 
 dalous to the perpetrators, disagreeable to remember, and 
 unnecessary to relate, was brought once more a prisoner to 
 Philadelphia. I was still resolved, if possible, to apprize 
 Captain Lord of his danger, which I ctlectcd by the follow- 
 ing means. 
 
 The Council of Safety had made a resolution to discharge 
 all British prisoners, privates, who would take an oath not 
 to engage in hostilities against the United Colonies. Among 
 their captives, was a recruit of the Ilighhuul emigrants, that 
 was allowed to come of a morning to make my fire, whom 
 
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 m 
 
30 
 
 Narrative of John ConnoUy, LoyaUM, 
 
 t 
 
 ^ 
 
 iii 
 
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 i! 
 
 I 
 
 I found to be acute, and willing to do me any aervice. 
 This man I prov.iilod on to take the oath, and procure his 
 release, and then ref<()lved to send him to Pittsburgh, with 
 letters to a friend of mine, who might dispatch an Indian 
 down the Ohio to Captain Lord. The recruit found oppor- 
 tunity to bring me some writing paper and sul ammoniac, 
 and the Ixisiness was happily effected. By this means I 
 endeavoured to preserve his Majesty's garrison, stores, and 
 ordnance ; but as the transaction became ultimately known 
 to Congress, it did not tend to lessen their severities. 
 
 When Mr. Cameron and myself were conveyed to the 
 new Prison, we were both <;onrtncd in one room ; the walls 
 were thick, and not thoroughly dry, so that we contracted 
 inveterate colds. Our rootn door was constantly kept shut, 
 and our windows towards the street nailed down, by which 
 all free cix'culation of air was prevented, neither was any 
 person suffered to speak to me, without an order under the 
 sio-nature of the Secretary of Congress. Under these cir- 
 cumstance:;, I began first to experience a very disagreeable 
 and a very serious alteration in my health, when by a resolve 
 of Congress, I was allowed more open air, and a separate 
 room; but this indulgence was of short duration, and I was 
 again locked up night and day. 
 
 In the montla of December, 1770, an attempt was made 
 by Mr. Cameron, Mr. Smyth, and another gentleman (Mr. 
 Maclean, since captain in the Eighty-fourth), of so indus- 
 trious and hazardous a nature as to deserve a particular 
 relation, the horrors of their imprisonment alone can 
 account for the temerity of the enterprize. These gentle- 
 men, with wonderful exertions and address, and with no 
 other tool but a knife, opened a hole through the arched 
 roof, and got unobserved upon the top of the prison. With 
 the unsound ptullasses on which they lay, and their old 
 blankets torn up, they made a rope, and perilous as the 
 attempt too visibly was, resolved to endeavour this way to 
 descend. Mr. Cameron, than whom no man is more 
 daringly intrepid, made the first and the only essay; for 
 scarce had he suspended himself beneath the roof, before the 
 
Nai'rative of John Connolli/, Loi/<ilMt. 
 
 31 
 
 faithless cord broko, uiul he tell iieur tifty foot upon n hard 
 frozen ground. It seoins miraoulout^, that inunediato death 
 was not the consequence. Ho was taken up lifeless, his 
 ancle bones were broken, and hirt whole frame shattered. 
 The tu'o unliurt gentlemen were thrown into the dungeon, 
 where they remained until removed, with the other prisoners, 
 to Baltimore, on the advance of the royal army to Trent 
 Town, when Mr. Cameron, in a dying condition, was taken 
 to the sick quarters in the city. Mr. Smyth was more for- 
 tunate in a third attempt, escaping from Baltimore to New 
 York, where Sir William IIowc gave him a company in 
 the Queen's Rangers. 
 
 Mr. Cameron did not obtain his release till the winter of 
 1778, when, from a series of extreme hardships and abuses, 
 his health was so much impaired, and he only enabled to 
 walk on crutches, that he was incapable of service. This 
 he accounted his greatest misfortune ; he therefore came to 
 England, bearing with him the most unequivocal and mel- 
 ancholy testimonials of his loyalty. Here he recovered in 
 so astonishing a manner, that scarcely any visible marks of 
 lameness remain. I am sorry to add, he has not been pro- 
 vided for in that mode in which he is again become capable 
 of acting, with honour to himself, and advantage to society. 
 
 When Congress first tied from Philadelphia to Baltimore, 
 they left only a small committee of their body to act in 
 concert with the Council of Safety. I had now been im- 
 mured within the iidiospitable walls of a gaol for upwards of 
 a year, deprived of all exercise, cut otf from all social inter- 
 course, and my mind preyed upon by eternal chagrine, by 
 reiterated reflections on what I hoped to have performed, 
 and what, were I free, I might still perform : no wonder 
 that my state of health became truly deplorable. I had con- 
 tracted a complication of disorders; my legs were swollen, 
 and I was emaciated to a surprising degree. Solitude itself 
 was become more solitary, for the very [)rison was deserted, 
 and I only remained. At this crisis, two members of the 
 Council of Safety came to inform me, I must prepare to 
 move to the southward ; to which I replied, that my health 
 
 
 
 
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32 
 
 Nnrrntive of John Cnnnolhj, Loyalist. 
 
 ilil 
 
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 I! i'l 
 
 
 )'■ 
 
 was BO fur inipnirod, of wliicli they seeing ine, would not 
 avoid being convinced, T was no longer able to encounter 
 the diflicultics to which I siiw others exposed, and that if 
 they meant to continue my existence, they must suffer me 
 to procure a carriiii';o, and go on my parole. To this they 
 assented, moved, as I imagined, by the spectacle they 
 beheld ; and I was in hourly expectation of a partial relief, 
 which, however, I di<l not obtain, till my brother, now 
 become a General in the service of Congress, came to com- 
 mand at rhihuK'lphia. Through his interest, and becom- 
 ing- responsible tor my appearance when demanded, I was 
 enlarged upon my parole, and sent to his house in the 
 country, where T was allowed five miles distance to ride for 
 the recovery of my health. This was fourteen months after 
 my first becoming a prisoner at Hager's town. 
 
 I remaini'd here between five and six weeks, and was then 
 remanded back to prison, where I continued about six 
 weeks longer, with the liberty, however, of walking in the 
 gaol yard during the day. My health had been too radically 
 impaired to be so suddeidy re-established, which being rep- 
 resented to Congress, I was again admitted to live at my 
 brother's on my ])arole, though not till he had entered into a 
 high pecuniary ol)ligation with the Council of Safety for my 
 appearance. 
 
 I now began to hope, that austerity and persecution were 
 past, and that henceforth I should be allowed something 
 like those liberties which ofKcers, under such circumstances, 
 usually enjoy, till my exchange could be effected. I was 
 miserably deceived. I continued, in this comparatively 
 happy situation from the 11th of April, 1777, till the 14th 
 of October following, when Congress, once more obliged to 
 fly from riiiUulelpbia at the approach of Sir Williain Howe, 
 retired to York Town, in the vicinity of my brother's house. 
 The night of the 14th I was again apprehended, by an order 
 from the board of war : my papers, with every scrap of 
 manuscript they could collect,, seized, and myself hurried 
 away to York-Town prison, close locked up, and every for- 
 mer severity renewed. I was conscious of having done 
 
Nnrralivf. nf John Crmnolly, Tjoyaltid. 
 
 88 
 
 nothing to merit this treatment, and imagined, that as it 
 might How from muw malicioua misrepresontation of my 
 having given sceret intelligence to the British army, I should 
 ho enlarged as soon as my innoeence appeared. But my 
 predi(;tion was drawn from reHectiona on justice, candour, 
 and humanity, and I was a false prophet. My papers were 
 returned, and I was taught to hope for my former indul- 
 gence ; hut days and months elapsed, and I was still a 
 prisoner. The convention of Saratoga put so many per- 
 sons of consequence into the possession of Congress, that 
 the prospect of either humane usage, or exchange, was very 
 faint. 
 
 Inconsequence of a recommendation from Congress, laws 
 were passed in some Provinces, that whoever among the 
 Loyalists should return, within a time specified, and hecome 
 subject to the Republic, should have their estates restored. 
 Wlien this act took place in Virginia, I was earnestly so- 
 licited to renounce my allegiance, and again enjoy my lands 
 and liberty. But harrassed as I had been, and unhappy 
 as I was, without one earthly comfort, and scarce a future 
 ray of hope, this proposition was peremptorily rejected : 
 at the risk of a lingering death, I preferred my honour 
 and my loyalty to every inferior consideration. I was de- 
 barred the rights, but could not forget the duties of a good 
 subject. 
 
 York-Town gaol, where I was now confined, was so 
 crowded with British prisoners, it being the stage for such 
 as were marching southward, exclusive of those that were 
 resident, that at length a contagious fever appeared. About 
 this time Congress appointed a day of thanksgiving to be 
 observed throughout the United States, and their proclama- 
 tion was replete with professions of piety, benevolence, and 
 charity towards their enemies. This I thought a proper 
 time, by a firm atid candid representation of facts, to draw 
 their attention towards the miserable condition of the 
 prison, and, in concurrence with the opinion of some 
 officers who signed the paper, I wrote and sent them the 
 following remonstrance : 
 
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 34 
 
 Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
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 To THE Hon. Henry Laurens, Esq. : 
 
 May it please your Honour, We the subscribing persons, 
 prisoners of war, having underwent a series of calamitous 
 confinement equal to the utmost rigour (which has given 
 cause to loud com}»Uiint) had the pleasing prospect of seeing 
 a period to such atflictions by an exchange of otticcrs, or by 
 that humane interposition, which, in such cases, marks the 
 character of a civilized and Christian people; but uidiap- 
 pily find ourselves disappointed. We beg leave to remind 
 your Honour, of the nmltitude of prisoners taken by his 
 Majesty's forces, who have been restored to their friends, 
 and their distress alleviated by a dismission from captivity. 
 Whilst we have beheld a succession of sucli events extend- 
 ing to almost all ranks of American prisoners, we are sorry 
 to say, that our miseries have been aggravated by a most 
 criminal imprisonment, in a loathsome, crowded jail in- 
 fected with a contagious fever, and polluted with noisome 
 smells through every part. Could any motives, founded 
 upon reasons even of a political nature, be urged in justifi- 
 cation of the treatment we experience, it would ap[)ear to 
 us less objectionable; but when we are satisfied that difi'er- 
 ent gentlemen, in every respect in similar circumstances 
 with ourselves, who were born and educated in this country, 
 have been admitted to generous favours, sent into the British 
 lines, either on parole, or exchanged, and, in every other 
 respect, treate<l only as unfortunate, we find ourselves utterly 
 at a loss to account for the peculiarity of our persecution. 
 In your address to the inhabitants of the United States, it is 
 therein publicly declared, that you have studiously endeav- 
 oured to alleviate the captivity of your enemies. Wc most 
 heartily wish we could subscribe to this assertion; but how 
 is it possible, when sixteen months imprisonment, of the 
 most distressing nature, is the shortest time of which any 
 of us complain? SuV)ject to all the indignities, and low in- 
 sults, of an illiberal gaoler and turnkey, and placed upon 
 the same footing with horse-thieves, deserters, negroes, and 
 the lowest and most despicable of the human race ? To 
 cultivate the assistance of Heaven by acts which Heaven 
 
I 
 
 Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. $$ 
 
 opposes, is a recommendation trnly laudable. But whether 
 the complaints which we thus exhibit, can be agreeable to 
 the benignity of the Divine Ruler of Heaven, we submit to 
 the dispassionate determination of your Honour. We beg 
 leave, finally, to observe, that as this gaol is a stage for all 
 prisoners moving to the westward, that such as are sick, 
 lame, or otiierwise disabled, are left behind, and as the 
 yard, and every part of it, is truly odious, from the disa- 
 greeable smell, and unfit to maintain life, we intreat your 
 Honour to lay this our Remonstrance before Congress, 
 earnestly soliciting them to admit us to our paroles in any 
 part of the country, or in some other manner to extend 
 their humanity towards us, which, from our sufierings and 
 your declarations, we have the greatest reasons to expect. 
 We are, Sir, 
 
 Your most obedient. 
 
 Humble servants, 
 
 John Connolly, 
 Richard W" Stockton, 
 Charles Harrison, 
 AsHER Dunham, 
 Robert Morris, 
 Francis Frager. 
 York-Town Gaol, May 17, 1778, 
 
 iS I 
 
 
 This Address was productive of the following Resolve of 
 Congress, and Report from the Board of War : 
 
 In Congress, May 23d, 1778. 
 
 Whereas it appears probable that attempts are making to 
 misrepresent the conduct of these United States towards the 
 prisoners in their possession, in some degree, to wipe ofi' or 
 counterbalance the just reproach that has fallen upon our 
 enemies for their barbarity. * 
 
 Jiesolral, Tliat the letter from John Connolly and others, 
 dated York-Town gaol, May the 17th, 1778, together with 
 the report of the Board of War upon it, be published. 
 
 At a Board of War, 22d of May, 1778. The Board, 
 

 36 
 
 Narrative of John ConnoUy, Loyalist. 
 
 - I 
 
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 11 
 
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 having taken into consideration the letter from Doctor John 
 Connolly, and the other prisoners of war, most of whom 
 have been lately removed from Carlisle gaol, into the prison 
 of the County of York, beg leave to rej)ort to Congress : 
 
 That, forbearing to remark upon the indecency of the 
 terms in which the said letter is conceived, and which is 
 calculated for other purposes than merely to relate their 
 pretended grievances, the board will lay before Congress the 
 facts which they have collected from Major Wilson, com- 
 manding at Carlisle, during the residence of Major Stock- 
 ton, and other ofHcers of his party in the gaol of that place. 
 . . . From Mr. Thomas Peters, Deputy Commissary of 
 prisoners, who had the charge during the winter, of the 
 prisoners at Carlisle and York, from Doctor Henry, em- 
 ployed to attend the British prisoners, when sick . . . and 
 from Colonel Pickering, one of the board, who visited 
 the gaol of this place. From the concurrent testimony 
 of all which gentlemen, the account given by the prisoners, 
 in the said letter, appears to be founded in misrepresenta- 
 tion. 
 
 Major Wilson, who was fn^qucntly called in by the officers 
 themselves to examine their situatiun at Carlisle, agrees with 
 the Commissary of prisoners. 
 
 That as often as eitlier of these gentlemen visited the 
 gaol at Carlisle, the officers, being six in imml)er, had the 
 privilege of the whole gaol, except such part as the gaoler 
 occupied, and one room entirely to themselves; and, 
 although the criminals were under the same roof, yet they 
 were so far from being crowded, that there were not in the 
 said gaol more than six or seven prisoners at a time (and 
 the most of these Tories) on an average, during the con- 
 finement of the officers at tluit place. That the gaol was as 
 clean as such phuics can be kept ; and if it had not been so, 
 the fault would have lain with the officers, who were in- 
 dulged with two servants to attend them for the purposes 
 of cleansing their apartment, and waiting on their persons. 
 These (jfficers too, were conlined by order of the Cotnmis- 
 sary General of prisoners, as a retaliation for those of our 
 
 li." 
 
Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist 
 
 m 
 
 array suiFering every degree of insult and cruelty, which 
 British haughtiness and inhumanity could inflict, in the 
 provost and dungeons of New York and Philadelphia. 
 This being the reason of their confinement, and the fore- 
 going the situation of it, the board conceive their imprison- 
 ment was of the mildest nature, when compared with the 
 riffours of that of our own officers. . . . But the gaol at 
 Carlisle not being secure, the Deputy Commissary of 
 prisoners, removed them to the prison of this place, wherein 
 was confined Doctor John Connolly, for the same causes 
 which induced and continue their present imprisonment; 
 and for other reasons of policy and prudence, Doctor Con- 
 nolly having also sundry times behaved amiss while on 
 parole. 
 
 In the gaol at York, these prisoners (seven only in num- 
 ber) have two airy rooms ; the one fifteen by twenty feet, 
 and the other something less, besides the privilege of the 
 whole gaol yard, which is sixty yards long, and eighteen 
 wide . . . frequently swept, and kept as clean as possible, 
 and by no means polluted with filth, &c., there being a 
 privy at the extreme end of the yard. These gentlemen 
 too, have three servants to attend them . . . their com- 
 plaints, then, of being confined in a loathsome, crowded 
 prison, infected with a contagious fever, and polluted with 
 noisome smells through every part, are not warranted by 
 facts. The gaol is made a place of temporary confinement 
 for passing prisoners, but is never crowded, and there are 
 now only nine privates therein, and three of them are the 
 officers' servants, although it is capable of holding, conven- 
 iently, one hundred and sixty prisoners. There was, some 
 time ago, an apprehension, in a part of the gaol, distant 
 from the officers' apartments, that a contagious fever liad 
 broke out among the soldiers : but the diseased were im- 
 mediately removed to hospitals, and a surgeon and nurses 
 provided for them, and every assistance ottered them the 
 nature of our attUirs would admit. The gaol is now jlean 
 and healthy, save that there are five soldiers who have 
 fevers, from want of exercise and other causes common to 
 
 4 
 
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i 
 
 38 
 
 Narrative of John Connolly, Loyaliat. 
 
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 places of confinement ; but tlie disorders are not contagious 
 or dangerous. 
 
 Mr. (■onnolly, althoiigli indulged with every thing a 
 prisoner could reasonably wish, has repeatedly represented 
 his own, and the situation of the gaol, in similar terms with 
 the letter now under consideration; and the former, and 
 this board, have often had consefjuent examinations, in all 
 of which, they found the complaints groundless. . . . Once, 
 particularly, when Mr. Connolly represented himself at the 
 point of death from the severity of his confinement, the 
 board directed Doctor Shippen to visit him, who reported 
 that his situation was directly opposite to his representation ; 
 his indisposition slight, and merely of an hypochondriac 
 nature; the board have been so particular for several 
 reasons, one whereof is, to supercede the necessity of future 
 enquiries ; and are ii}>on the whole of opinion, that these 
 gentlemen should be more strictly confined, as from the 
 indulgence now given them, there is a probability of some 
 of them, at least, making their escape. 
 
 By order of the Board, 
 
 Richard Peter. 
 
 Pul)lished by order of Congress, 
 
 Chakles Thompson, Secrdari/. 
 
 l!^otbing can have a greater appearance of dispassionate 
 candour, if we except the expression Tories, than this re- 
 port; yet nothing was ever more abundant in chicane and 
 deceit. On the 17th of May, the date of our letter, the gaol 
 was exactly, literally, in the state we represented it to be : 
 on the 23d of the same month it was what their report af- 
 firms. But, in the interim, so industrious were they to give 
 their proceedings every appearance of truth, as well as of 
 humanity, one hundred and fifty privates had been sent 
 away, some of the sick removed, the gaol-yard thoroughly 
 cleaned, and our rooms whitewashed. They then, with an 
 ostentatious formality, examined the prison, and made their 
 rei)ort. But was it probalde, was it possible, that men could 
 have the temerity, knowing themselves in the power of an 
 
Narrative of Jolin Connolly, Loyalid. 00> 
 
 unforgivinc^ onerny, or the audacity, making pretension to 
 the cliaracter of gentlemen, to atHrin such direct falsehoods 
 as their report made our letter to contain ? Or if one were 
 so spleen-ridden, as to magnify his miseries so excessively, 
 Avould five other gentlemen have written their names, and 
 disgraced themselves in attestation of his visions? No: 
 Rouzed by a retrospection of things that could not he justi- 
 fied, and irritated that men should dare to speak the plain 
 truth, they remove, in some measure, the cause of the com- 
 plaint, and then afiirm it never existed : they are afraid the 
 tale should be told to their confusion, therefore resolve to 
 tell it first themselves. No other excuse can be adduced to 
 plead for the duplicity of their conduct, but the often reiter- 
 ated one of political necessity. This, perhaps, may justify 
 them to themselves, and to the world, as politicians, but 
 will not invalidate my claim to distinction from the nation 
 in whose cause I suffered. It will, likewise, if admitted, 
 be a melancholy proof, that politics and justice are things, 
 in their own nature, very distinct and heterogeneous. 
 
 There are other things in this report which I would wish 
 should be particularly noticed. Retaliation, and other 
 reasons of polici/ and prudence, are there assigned as the 
 causes of my continued imprisonment. I hope this will be 
 remembered, because very different motives are given here- 
 after. It is likewise there asserted, I had sundry times 
 behaved amiss while on parole : this, upon the Avord and 
 honour of a gentleman, I totally deny. I must, likewise, 
 remark, that their other reasons of policy and prudence 
 were evidently the conviction they had of my determination 
 to leave nothing unessayed to serve his Majesty. They 
 knew me to be an enterprizing, and, as may ho adduced 
 from the former part of this narrative, a dangerous enemy; 
 and, therefore, would not suffer me to escape. These wei-e 
 reasons of policy and prudence. 
 
 Another effort is made to impugn my veracity, by saying, 
 that Dr. Shijipen, when he visited me, found my situation 
 directly o[)[)osite to my reiu'csentation : that my indisposi- 
 tion was slight, and merely of a hypochondriac nature. To 
 
 J 
 
 (I 
 
40 
 
 Narrative of John Connolli/f LoyaVid. 
 
 
 hi 
 
 I 
 
 I' 
 
 this I answer, tliat when this visitation was made, I liail lo.st 
 my appetite : liad an incessant watchfulness ; was reduced 
 to a skeleton ; had hlisters upon my neck ; was incapable of 
 walking across the room ; and, for the two preceding nights, 
 my brother officers had very humanely sat up with me. 
 That melancholy and hypochondria should be generated in 
 such a situation is not to be wondered at ; but surely these 
 were indications of something more than a slight indis- 
 position. 
 
 Here, that is, in York-Town gaol, I remained till the 
 evacuation of Philadelphia by the British army; when, 
 just before the return of Congress to that city, I was in- 
 formed, officially, that a general exchange had taken place, 
 and that I, amongst others, was exchanged : but before the 
 final departure of Congress, this information, though from 
 the Board of War, was contradicted. Towards the latter 
 end of July, a still stronger assurance of approaching liberty 
 arrived. A letter from the American Commissary General 
 of Prisoners came to York-Town, wherein it was required 
 that I, with my brother officers, should be inmiediately for- 
 warded to Elizabeth Town, to be exchanged. I was now 
 admitted to my parole (be pleased to observe) as a prisoner 
 of icar, and obtained a passport for myself and servant to 
 Philadelphia, when I waited on the Deputy Commissary of 
 Prisoners, and shewed him my passport. He informed me, 
 I should jiroceed in a day or two, took my address, and 
 recommentled me to keep within my lodgings. 1 was 
 punctual in waiting upon him at the time mentioned, when 
 to my utter surprize and chagrine, he told me, I was by 
 order of Congress, to be again confined, for a few days, in 
 the new gaol, until that Ijody had more properly considered 
 of the admission of my exchange, whither he had an officer 
 in waiting to convey me. To have gained my parole, to be 
 thus far advanced on my way, and afterwards, without the 
 least cause, to be so cruelly and vexatiously again imprisoned, 
 disturbed me so much, that I wrote to the President of Con- 
 gress, complaining bitterly of the length of my confine- 
 ment, and evidently studied cruelty of my treatment, to 
 
Nairative of John Connolly, Loyalht. 
 
 41 
 
 which I received no answer. I then addressed myself to 
 General Washington, and stated the peculiarity of my case, 
 who wrote me a short reply to this purport; '* That he had 
 transmitted my letter to the President of Congress, but 
 could extend no relief to me, as I was the immediate prisoner 
 of that body." 
 
 It was on the 5th of August, 1778, that I, for the third 
 time, became an inhabitant of this prison, at which time I 
 became acquainted with Captain Hawker, a Gentleman of 
 great philanthropy and liberality of sentiment, and to 
 whom I owe every acknowledgment, for his polite atten- 
 tions and civilities while he remained. 
 
 My irritation of mind was now so great, that a dismal 
 train of nervous disorders, established in my habit by former 
 sufferings, were revived with such force, that sleep and 
 appetite again forsook me, and I fell into the last stage of 
 despondency. I wrote, however, on the 12th of October, 
 to Congress, informed them of my ungenerous usage, and 
 claimed the treatment of a prisoner of war. I ultimately 
 demanded a personal audience of a Committee of Congress, 
 in order to know wherefore I was refused to be exchanged, 
 or on what pretence I had been subjected to such unpax'- 
 allelcd injustice and indignities. The olficers who signed 
 the before recited remonstrance, were Provincial, not British 
 otficers, born and bred in America ; and they, as well as 
 many more in the same predicament, had been exchanged, 
 therefore my country could be no impediment. Mr, 
 Cameron, who had been taken with me at Hagar's Town, 
 had been so also of course. I was upon that ground equally 
 eligible. I therefore declared I was utterly incapable of 
 accounting, by any mode of reasoning, for my peculiar 
 detention, and required to receive personal and authentic 
 information. 
 
 For once I was gratified, and brought before a committee, 
 where having l)rictly recapitulated my causes of complaint, 
 the chairman replied to the following purport : 
 
 That it had been for some time past his opinion, which 
 he had not scrupled to communicate to Congress, that I 
 
 i 
 
42 
 
 Xairative of John ConnoUij, LoyuUd. 
 
 *;' 
 
 m 
 
 \\ 'I 
 
 1/1 
 
 I 
 
 should be kept in close custody, until Sir John Johnson 
 was delivered up to them, who, he asserted, had broken his 
 sacred parole given to General Scuyler, and joined the 
 enemy; since which time he had been committing ravages 
 upon the northern frontiers, with a body of light troops and 
 Indians, as he supposed I intended to do. 
 
 To this I answered, that a })arole or honorary obligation, 
 I presumed, was of modern date, calculated to alleviate the 
 horrors of war ; that no Gentleman could be answerable 
 for any but himself; that I had been admitted to my parole 
 above a year ago, Avhen my conduct Avas irreproachable, and 
 that I was again, without the least cause on my part, thrown 
 into prison, and there continued for another year; that 
 much had been said about the infraction of my parole, 
 which I utterly denied to have been the case. 
 
 To this they replied, I certaiidy had not adhered to the 
 spirit of it, for that I had spoken against their proceed- 
 ings, and had frequently attempted to turn them into ridi- 
 cule. 
 
 I answered, the spirit of my parole was so indefinite a 
 phrase, that it carried no accusation ; that it was impossible 
 to produce an instance, and that nothing of this nature could 
 be affirmed, except in vague and general terms. 
 
 The final objection they made to my exchange, turned 
 upon the impropriety of my being considered as a prisoner 
 of war. They said, T had not lieen taken at the head of 
 any armed troops, but privately making my way through 
 the country ; and one of them asserted, I might be con- 
 sidered as amenable to law martial, as a spy; but at the 
 same time he observed, there was no intention of treating 
 me as such. 
 
 This was an accusation of so strange and novel a nature, 
 that it (ixcited both my surprise and indignation ; and I 
 answered it, recapitulating, that I had been now almost 
 three years a prisoner, in which space I had been three 
 times admitted to my parole on their own authority; that 
 I had repeatedly complained to them of the harshness of 
 my treatment, and the length of my imprisonment, but 
 
Narrative of Julia Connol/i/, Loyalist. 
 
 43 
 
 that thoy never betbie had allcdged thi'i crime against me 
 in their justification ; nor was it, I said, possible, witii even 
 a shadow of truth. I was the King's commissioned officer, 
 taken in the execution of my duty, to a sovereign, at that 
 time, acknowledged by themselves. America was not a 
 separate state ; no independency was declared ; no penal 
 laws promulgated. Neither was there anything to 8})y. I 
 was perfectly acquainted with the country, and there were 
 no armed troops, fortifications, or intrenchments, to be 
 inspected ; nay, more, themselves knew my business was 
 not to give intelligence, but to act, which had been publicly 
 declared in their proceedings concerning me, in which I had 
 been acknowledged a prisoner of war. 
 
 The committee at length promised to consider and report 
 my case to Congress, and as my health was so exceedingly 
 and visibly impaired, gave me an intimation, that if I were 
 not exchanged, I should be enlarged on parole, I was then 
 re-conducted to prison. 
 
 As the sole end and purport of this narrative is to show, 
 that I was, from the commencement to the last moment, 
 firm and active in my loyalty ; that had I been at liberty, I 
 had the power as well as the will to serve my sovereign and my 
 country ; that Congress were conscious of this, and there- 
 fore resolved to detain me, which they did in an extraordi- 
 nary manner, and quite distinct from any other Loyalist, 
 during the whole contest ; I therefore hope my prolixities 
 will be forgiven, and my endeavours to exhibit myself and 
 Hutterings such as they really were, considered not as the 
 etiusions of vanity, but a strict and literal representation of 
 facts, in order to obtain justice : that I shall be indulged 
 with a patient hearing, while I contrast the assertions, and 
 shew the incongruities of the opposite party ; and that, 
 while I " extenuate nought, nor aught set down in malice," 
 I shall not be thought guilty of magnifying my own mis- 
 fortunes, or the political injuries of my enemies. 
 
 Permit me then to remark, that in the report of the 23d 
 of May, retaliation for the sufferings of American prisoners, 
 and other reasons of policy and prudence, were assigned 
 

 if 
 
 rii 
 
 1 1 ■ " 
 
 
 t 
 
 I f 
 
 Hi 
 
 44 
 
 NdiTdtive of John Chnnolli/, Lnyolid. 
 
 for the causes of my imprisonment; but since that, having 
 been more closely pressed for my release, and having no 
 good reason to alledgo why I should not be exchanged as 
 well as others, they answered, for the first time, that I ml<iht 
 be considered as amenable to law martial as a Spy, but gra- 
 ciously gave me to understand, they would not toialbi pro- 
 ceed to such extremities. They had still a farther subterfuge. 
 The following note was sent me a few days after the above 
 hearing from the committee : 
 
 The committee appointed to take into consideration the 
 application of Lieutenant Colonel Connolly, request that 
 gentleman will inform them of his reasons for not producing 
 and pleading his commission, at the time he was first taken, 
 and for a considerable time afterwards. 
 
 Thursday 12 o'clock. 
 
 It appears really astonishing, to think that a body of men 
 could suffer such a note to escape them, when my papers 
 had several times, and my commission among the rest, been 
 examined ; but the fact was, they wanted to publish some- 
 thing to the world, that should, in my case, have at least 
 the semblance and plausibility of justice. However, I made 
 them so cautious an answer, that they were obliged to drop 
 this plea, and once again take refuge under the Spy. Ac- 
 cordingly, in about two months after this committee first 
 gave me a hearing, and pretended to examine into the true 
 state of the business, the following report and resolve of 
 Congress were published : 
 
 Congress, Nov. 12, 1778. 
 
 The committee, to whom was referred a letter from John 
 Beatty, Commissary of Prisoners, dated September 15th, 
 1778, together with two letters from Joshua Loring, Esq. ; 
 of the 1st of September and 28th of October, and sundry 
 letters from John Connolly, report the following state of 
 facts : 
 
 That Doctor John Connolly (now stiliiig himself Lieu- 
 
Narrative of John Connolly, Loijalid. 
 
 45 
 
 tenant-Colonel in the BritiBli service) was, in the latter end 
 of November, 1775, apprehended in Frederick county, in 
 Maryland, in company with a certain Allen Cameron, and 
 John Smyth, by the Committee of Inspection of that county. 
 That at the time he was taken, he was not in arms, or at 
 the head of any i)arfy of men in arms, but was clandestinely 
 making his way to Detroit, in order to join, give intelligence 
 to, and otherwise aid the garrison at that place, as apj)ear8 
 by his own interce}tted letters of the 16th of Decendjer, 1775. 
 
 That a number of otHcers in the British service, who 
 were made ]>ris()iu,'rs, long after the said John Connolly 
 was apprehended, have been exchanged in course; and no 
 denuvnd has been made (till within these few months past) 
 by any British General, for the release or exchange of the 
 ollic'or last-mentioned. 
 
 With respect to the treatment of the said Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Connolly, the Committee report : 
 
 That at the time when he was first apprehended, he was 
 contined under guard, by the Committee of Inspection in 
 the town of Frederick, in an apartment separate from his 
 associates, ^vithout any circumstance to aggravate his cap- 
 tivity, except the being debarred the use of pen, ink, and 
 paper: That, notwithstanding this restraint, he contrived 
 to write several letters of intelligence to the British officers 
 commanding at the posts of Detroit and Kuskuskis, which 
 letters were found on the person of Dr. Smyth, one of his 
 associates, who, having escaped from the town of Frederick, 
 was again apprehended : 
 
 That by the resolution of Congress, of the 8th of De- 
 cendjcr, 1775, he was ordered to be contined in prison at 
 Philadelphia; that being brought to that city, he was con- 
 fined in the new gaol, wherein he continued till about the 
 month of ISTovendjer, 1776, when he was permitted, on 
 account of a declining state of health, to reside on his 
 parole, at the house of his brother-in-law, on the river 
 Susquehannah, where he continued for about two months ; 
 when, on information being given to the Council of Safety, 
 of the State of Pennsylvania, of certain suspicious circum- 
 

 m 
 
 XuiTdlln of John ( 'nnnollij, Loi/a/lKf. 
 
 ifi 
 
 Btaiicos relative to him, lie was reniaiKled to his former place 
 of continciiitiit, in Aviiidi lio continued till about tlio Hpriug, 
 1777, when ho was ai;aiii permitted oti his parole, and the 
 security of liis brother-in-law, to return to his former place 
 of residence on the river Sus(|neliannah : 
 
 That during these jteriods of his confinement in the new 
 gaol, he had, for the greatest part of the time, a separate 
 apartment to himself, the privilege of walking in the yard, 
 a person allowed to attend him in Ids apartment, and his 
 own servant iicrmitted to fetch him such necessaries as he 
 chose to order. 
 
 That during the short period, wlii-n he had not a separate 
 apartment, tliere were never more than two pt'rsons in the 
 same room, seldom more than one, and those, some of his 
 associates, or in cons('({ucnce of his particular request: 
 
 That during these [leriods of time, he nuide two attempts 
 to escape, in which he was detected : 
 
 That on authentic information beinij <;iven to Conerress, 
 at York-Town, that the said Lieut. Col. John Connolly, 
 was acting in a numner not consistent with the sjtirit of his 
 parole, and the frontiers being threatened with a barbarous 
 war, in which there was reason to apprehend he was designed 
 as an instrument, he was ordered into confinement in the 
 gaol at York-Town on the 13th of October : 
 
 That on the 17th of May, the said J. Connolly, with 
 several others confined in said gaol, made a representation 
 to Congress, setting forth in the strongest colouring, the 
 liardships and cruelties which they declared they were then 
 suffering : 
 
 That on the result of a strict enquiry, and after the gaol 
 had been visited by Colonel I'ickcring, one of tlie members 
 to the Board of War, it ai)peared, that the suggestions 
 contained in tin; said rejiresentation, were scandalous and 
 groundless ; and the report of the Board of War, was, on 
 the 23d day of May, ordered to be published : 
 
 That since the evacuation of Phila(lel[)liia, the said J, 
 Connolly was remanded to the new gaol in that city, wliere 
 (excepting the space of about fourteen days, when two 
 
Nairath'e of John Connolli/^ Loifolist. 
 
 47 
 
 persons were necessarily obliged to sleep in the same room) 
 he has had n aepurate and commodious apartment of his 
 own choice, the privilege of his own servant to attend him 
 constantly, and to bring him whatever he may recjuire, and 
 the unrestrained use of a spacious yard to take the air in, 
 during the day: 
 
 That in his letter of the 12th of October, 1778, the said 
 J. Connolly declared, " That the common rights of humanity 
 are denied to him," and paints his situation in such terms, 
 as would tend to induce a belief, that the most wanton 
 cruelties and restraints are imposed upon him: 
 
 That in consequence of a request of J. Connolly, to be 
 heard in person by Committee of Congress, this Committee 
 have complied with this request, when he declared, in pres- 
 ence of your Conmiittee, " that, excepting the restraint of 
 his person, under the limits above-mentioned, which, how- 
 ever indulgent they might a}»pear, he conceived unfavourable 
 to his state of health, he experienced every other relief which 
 could be extended to a person in confinement :" 
 
 That Joshua Loring, Esq ; British Commissary of pris- 
 oners, in his letter to Mr. Beatty of the first of September, 
 1778, threatens to retaliate on an American prisoner at war, 
 of equal rank with Lieutenant Colonel Connolly, for the 
 sufterings which, it is pretended that oflficer endures." 
 Whereupon, Resolved, That Lieutenant Colonel John Con- 
 nolly, cannot of right, claim to be considered and treated 
 as a prisoner of war; but that he was, at the time he was 
 apprehended, and still is, amoKtble to the law martial, as a spy 
 and anissary from the British army : . . . that the repeated 
 representations made by Lieut. Col. John Connolly, of the 
 grievances he undergoes, are not founded on fiicts : . . . 
 That General Washington be directed to transmit the fore- 
 going resolutions and state of tacts, to the Commander in 
 Chief of his Britanic Majesty's forces in New- York; and 
 to inform the said officer, that if, under the pretext of 
 retaliating for the pretended sufl:erings of a person, who, 
 by the law of nations, has no right to be considered as a 
 prisoner of war, any American ofliecr, entitled to be con- 
 
 1 
 
 ( 
 
 I 
 
I 
 
 48 
 
 Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 
 (i 
 
 sidered and treated as a prisoner of war, shall undergo any 
 extraordinary restraints or sufferings, Congress are deter- 
 mined to retaliate on the person of an officer of the first 
 rank in their possession, for every species of hardship or 
 restraint on such account inflictod. 
 Extract from the minutes, 
 
 Charles Thompson, Secretary. 
 
 Though the inconsistencies of this paper are, I hope, 
 evident from the facts before related, yet as they may not 
 strike a mind less interested with the same force, I beg to 
 be indulged while I point out a few of them. 
 
 They make it one of my crimes, that although I was de- 
 barred the use of pen, ink, and paper, I, notwithstanding, 
 contrived to write several letters of intelligence to British 
 officers. This is ridiculous; for, certainly, if I had the 
 means, it was as much my duty to aid my Sovereign when 
 in prison, as when at liberty, I not having given, by parole, 
 any promise to the contrary. 
 
 Another of my sins is, that I made two attempts to 
 escape ! 
 
 Sometimes they call me Doctor, sometimes Lieutenant- 
 Colonel, and sometimes John Connolly; but when they 
 speak ot the lex talionis, they threaten to retaliate on the 
 person of an officer of the first rank in their possession. 
 
 Another part of their report is contrary to truth : after 
 the evacuation of Philadelphia, they say I was raaanded back 
 to tho new gaol in that city. The tact is as before related ; 
 I was going from York-Town to Elizabeth-Town, on my 
 parole, to be exchanged, and was stopped at Philadelphia ; 
 but it did not suit their purpose to state it in this light. 
 
 They say no demand has been made, till within these few 
 months past, by any British General for my release, or ex- 
 change. This is an equivocation which must be explained 
 in justice to Sir William Howe. I had come down to Phil- 
 adelphia, in consequence of a general exchange of prisoners ; 
 which, previous thereto, could never be settled, owing to 
 the impediments inseparable from a state of wariare in a 
 
 i > 
 
Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 49 
 
 rebellion. It could not, therefore, militate against that com- 
 mander, as inattentive to the cond'tion of a loyal American. 
 I must likewise acknowledge, wJth the warmest gratitude, 
 the zeal with which Sir Henry Clinton insisted upon my 
 release, although this equitable and generous interference 
 had nearly effected my destruction ; for finding themselves, 
 when they made the above resolve, in possession of General 
 Phillips, and othar ofiicers of rank, the Congress was de- 
 termined to keep me ; and the threat of retaliation, however 
 disguised, was palpably levelled at the last-mentioned Gen- 
 eral, and was, in f ,ct, a plain declaration to Sir Henry Clin- 
 ton, that I should not then be exchanged. 
 
 I owe, indeed, every obligation to Sir Henry's attention ; 
 for when the report, which the emissaries of Congress had 
 propagated that I was not commissioned, reached the British 
 lines ; to obviate immediately that pretence, and all undue 
 advantages that might be taken, had my commission been 
 lost by any accident, or out of my power to produce, he 
 instantly caused the following certificate to be transmitted 
 to Philadelphia : 
 
 Inspector General's Office, New York, 
 November 27, 1778. 
 
 This is to certify, that John Connolly, Esq ; was appointed 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel \n his Majesty's service, by his Excellency 
 
 Lord Dunmore; and said Lieutenant-Colonel Connolly is 
 
 now confined in prison by the enemy, in Philadelphia ; and 
 
 I further certify, that I have received Lieutenant-Colonel 
 
 Connolly's full subsistence, up to the 25th December, 1778, 
 
 by order of his Excellency Sir Henry Clinton, Commander 
 
 in Chief of his Majesty's forces in ISTorth America. 
 
 H. Rook, 
 
 D. I. G. P. forces. 
 (Copy from the original.) 
 
 I shall forbear to reason upon, or take any further notice 
 of that part of their report, where they endeavour to shew 
 I had not endured any peculiar hardships in my imprison- 
 ment, or of their treating me as a spy in their resolve, having 
 
IS ku 
 
 ^ 
 
 i 
 
 )/•> 
 
 ' 
 
 \i > 
 H 
 
 ^ 1 
 
 If i 
 
 50 
 
 Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalid. 
 
 before spoken to those points, but shall proceed with my 
 narrative. 
 
 Some time after this, Doctor Berkenhout arrived at Phila- 
 delphia from New York, and was imprisoned on some sus- 
 picions, by which accident I became acquainted with that 
 Gentleman, and much conversation passed between us con- 
 cerning the most probable means of my obtaining my liberty. 
 Shortly after he was delivered from his confinement, an 
 order of Congress, under the signature of their Secretary, 
 came to the keeper to lock me up in ray room (I having 
 then the privilege of walking in the gaol yard), place a cen- 
 tinel at my door, and allow no person whatever to converse 
 with me. The complexion of the times, the formality of 
 the order, coming immediately too from Congress, and the 
 strictness with which it was enforced, gave me reason to 
 believe that the last tragic act was now to take place, and 
 that I should be released from my sufferings by execution ; 
 and in such a state were both my mind and body, that this 
 imagination gave far more pleasure than pain. I remained 
 in this suspense for six weeks, when my door was again 
 thrown open, and I was allowed to walk in the yard. 
 
 It afterwards appeared, that Mr. Silas Doane, in his de- 
 fence of his public transactions while Ambassador to the 
 Court of France, had affirmed, he had discovered, by means 
 of his emissaries at New York, that Dr. Berkenhout had 
 made a proposition to the British General, to suspend all 
 exchange of American officers till I was admitted to be ex- 
 changed, and that I was then to be sent to the northward, 
 to carry on a predatory war, whence he asserted, he had 
 saved the inhabitants of the United States from the horrors 
 of Indian hostilities. This, absurd as it was, and calculated 
 on private views only, was the cause of my above close 
 confinement. 
 
 Soon afterwards I was suddenly attacked by a cholera 
 morbus, and continued in so languishing a state, that in the 
 beginning of April, 1779, a certificate of my infirmities was 
 signed by two of the mbst eminent physicians in Philadel- 
 phia, and sent by them to Congress, wherein they declared. 
 
Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 51 
 
 that unless I was allowed the open air, I must fall a victim 
 to imprisonment, on which I was allowed to ride four hours 
 a day, within the limits of about two miles, but on my 
 parole, obliged to return every niglft to confinement. It 
 was intimated likewise, I should soon be sent to Reading 
 and exchanged ; but even the indulgence of riding in the 
 open air, was presently prohibited, and I again shut up in 
 prison. 
 
 Thus I continued till the 17th of November, at which 
 time, in consequence of the return of General Sullivan, 
 from his expedition against Colonel Butler and the Indian 
 auxiliaries, in which lie was supposed to have greatly in- 
 timidated those people; and as it was evident, that my 
 health was in a manner irreparably impaired, and the future 
 of the war more favourable to Congress, they came to the 
 following resolve : 
 
 In Congress. 
 Read a report from the Board of War. 
 
 Whereupon resolved. 
 
 That the Commissary-General of prisoners be authorized 
 to exchange Lieutenant-Colonel John Connolly, for any 
 Lieutenant-Colonel in the service of the United States, now 
 a prisoner with the enemy. 
 
 By order of Congress, 
 Signed 
 
 Charles Thompson, Secretary. 
 
 I was quickly after sent to German Town on parole, and 
 on the 4th of July, 1780, allowed to go to New-York on 
 the following conditions : 
 
 Philadelphia. 
 
 His Excellency General Washington having granted me 
 
 permission to repair to the City of New- York on parole, 
 
 for the purpose of negociating my exchange for that of 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Ramsay, I do promise, on my word of 
 
 ;|" 
 

 "I 
 
 d< 
 
 \%' 
 
 52 
 
 Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 honour and faith as a e^entlenian, that I will jiass from here 
 on the direct road to the aaid City of New-York, by the 
 way of Elizabeth Town, and that I will return to captivity 
 at the expiration of one month from tins day, unless within 
 that time the above-mentioned exchange is effected. 
 
 I do, in like manner, pledge my word and sacred honour, 
 that I will not, directly nor indirectly, say or do any thing 
 injurious to the United States of America, or the armies 
 thereof; but that I will in all things conduct myself as a 
 prisoner of war ought and should do, under the indulgence 
 granted me. 
 
 It is worthy of reniark, that, in the resolve. Congress 
 authorized me to be exchanged for any Lieutenant-Colonel 
 in the service of the United States ; but in the strange parole, 
 which they obliged me to give, they insist upon a particular 
 person, a favourite Colonel. However, that all necessity of 
 my return to Philadelphia might be totally superseded, the 
 Commander in Chief allowed Colonel Ramsay to set oft' on 
 his parole immediately, and the final adjustment of the 
 matter was dcfierred till the 25th of October, 1780, at which 
 time, after sufiering what I have related, in an imprisonment 
 of almost five years, I congratulated myself on a restoration 
 to liberty. 
 
 I was no sooner free, than I was highly solicitous to be 
 employed in the mode most likely to render service. I had 
 observed that Lord Cornwallis, now advancing from the 
 southward, was often retarded by the temporary junction 
 of the Militia with the Congressional troops. I knew the 
 country, the capacity and genius of these men, and the 
 necessity of obliging them to attend to desultory operations 
 in their rear, to facilitate his Lordship's gallant endeavours. 
 I, therefore, submitted a plan to the consideration of Sir 
 Henry Clinton, wherein I proposed attacking some out-posts 
 on the frontiers of the Middle Colonies, to possess myself 
 of Pittsburgh, fortify the passes of the Allegehcney Moun- 
 tains, and with Provincial troops, and Lulian auxiliaries, 
 act as emergencies might require. His Excellency was 
 
Narrative of John OonnoUy, Loyalist. 
 
 53 
 
 pleased to approve of tliis measure ; but as the season was 
 too far advanced to arrive in proper time on the proposed 
 field of action, by the circuitous route of the river St. Law- 
 rence and the lakes, it was laid aside. 
 
 In the month of April, 1781, I found myself very ill ; 
 but as his Excellency intimated early in June a wish that 
 I should join the army under Lord Cornwallis, though I 
 knew the danger of the hot climates to my constitution at 
 that time, I did not suffer myself to hesitate a moment, but 
 obeyed. I had hope, too, of here effecting another purpose ; 
 about which I was extremely anxious, I was without a 
 regiment, and was endeavouring to raise one at JSTew-York; 
 but as the recruiting tiiere went on very slowly, I flattered 
 myself I might be enabled to coinpleat my corps to the 
 southward; and before my departure, his Excellency was 
 pleased to confirm my rank as Lieutenant Colonel in the 
 Provincial line. 
 
 Having joined Lord Cornwallis, and following him to 
 York-Town, an enemy's fleet being daily expected on the 
 coast, his Lordship appointed me to the command of the 
 Virginia and jSTorth Carolina Loyalists, with a detachment 
 of the York Volunteers. I was directed to move down to 
 Back River, to protect the inhabitants of the Peninsula, 
 lying between the Chesapeak-Bay and James River, who 
 were exposed to the ravages of armed boats from the east- 
 ern shore of Virginia. I had not marched above five miles 
 on this expedition, before I was obliged to halt, being in- 
 formed the French fleet had arrived, and that two seventy- 
 four gun ships were actually at the entrance of York-River. 
 I was, therefore, ordered to return to the vicinity of York- 
 Town. 
 
 The men had underwent excessive fatigue in pn inclement 
 climate; had been obliged to drink noxioi .rater; the 
 horses in the legionary camp were lying dead in numbers ; 
 the negroes that followed the army could hardly be buried 
 fast enough ; and the putrescent eftluvia, that consequently 
 followed, nuule the air too unwhok'sonioforthosniall remains 
 of vigour in my constitution to resist its eflects. Lyin 
 
 111 
 
iV 
 
 64 
 
 Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 'i 
 
 the field brought on a dysentery ; I was obliged to go into 
 sick quarters; and the disorder turned to a debilitating diar- 
 rhcea, that reduced nie to almost the last extremity. Re- 
 maining in the town Avas certain death ; and the oidy remedy 
 was a change of air. I had been invited by some loyal 
 gentlemen to their houses, and as the inhabitants of the 
 Peninsula had either been admitted to parole, or had taken 
 the oath of allegiance, there seemed little danger in accept- 
 ing the invitation ; yet, as it was possible, though, as I sup- 
 posed, very improbable, I might again fall into the hands of 
 the enemy, desperate as my state of health then certainly 
 was, I would not venture into the country till I had first 
 informed Lord Cornwallis of my wishes, and obtained leave ; 
 which his Lordship, as humane as he is brave, instantly 
 granted by the following note : 
 
 ! k' 
 
 Sir, 
 
 Head-Quarters, 21st Sept. 1781. 
 
 I am directed by Lord Cornwallis to inform you, that he 
 most readily consents to your going to the country, or taking 
 any other step that you think will contribute to the estab- 
 lishment of your health ; his Lordship wishes you a speedy 
 and perfect recovery ; and I am with great regard, 
 Sir, 
 your most obedient 
 
 most humble Servant, 
 
 A. Ross, Aid du Camp. 
 Lt. Col. Connolly. 
 
 I 
 
 II l^ 
 
 Licapable of riding on horseback, I set out in a small 
 sulkey, attended by two servants ; and on the road, met the 
 gentleman to whose house I was going, who informed me 
 there was no danger; and perceiving me to be very weak 
 and exhausted, went with me to a contiguous gentleman's 
 house, and introduced me to the family, advising me to 
 repose till the sun declined, by which time he would return 
 from York-Town, whither he was going, and a(!company 
 me home. My friend not returning so soon as I exi)ccted, I 
 
 i 
 
Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalid. 
 
 55 
 
 set forward without him, but had not proceeded far before 
 three men, with fixed bayonets, rushed out of u thicket and 
 made me and one of my servants prisoners. 
 
 They drove my carriage into a forest of pines, and detained 
 me till night for fear of a rescue, and then, by secret roads, 
 conducted me to a place called New-Port-News, where I first 
 learnt that General "Washington was arrived at Williams- 
 burgh, before whom, they insisted I must be taken, having 
 no respect for my illness, nor any conception of admitting 
 a prisoner, in such a predicament, to his parole. It perhaps, 
 was happy for me, that they did not ; for the air, or exercise, 
 or both, had such an etiect upon me, that when I was put 
 to bed, I slept upwards of three hours; a refreshment to 
 which I had been long a stranger. In fact, I have reason 
 to believe, that though the misfortune of captivity seemed 
 to haunt me, yet, in this instance it saved my life. 
 
 From hence I was embarqued in a whale boat, and put on 
 board a French ship Armee en Flute, when I had the good 
 fortune to meet with Admiral Barras, with the Artillery 
 officers of the French army, who treated me with all the 
 tenderness and humanity, which the feelings and politeness 
 of gentlemen could dictate. The next day I was sent on 
 shore to General Lincoln, wdio behaved to me with every 
 respect, sent one of his Aids to accompany me, and very 
 obligingly furnished me with his own horse, as he was 
 remarkably gentle and safe and no carriage to be had, to 
 carry me to General Washington. 
 
 I was now to see a man with whom I had formerly been 
 upon a footing of intimacy, I may say of friendship. Poli- 
 tics might induce us to meet like enemies in the field, but 
 should not have made us personally so. I had small time 
 for refiection ; we met him on horseback coming to view 
 the camp. I can only say the friendly sentiments he once 
 publicly professed for me, no longer existed. He ordered 
 me to be conducted to the Marcjuis de la Fayette's quarters. 
 
 From the Marquis I received every civility and attention ; 
 and on account of my health, was entertained by him for 
 three days, when being solicitous to avoid giving trouble, I 
 
r 
 
 
 66 
 
 NniraHvc nf John Connnlhf, LoynUxt. 
 
 w 
 
 
 ri 
 
 I'- 1 
 
 I' 
 
 r 
 
 was sent on parolo by General Wasliinirton's orders, about 
 sixty miles back into the country. Here I remained till I 
 heard of the catastroi>he at York-Town, and that the British 
 otKcers were generally allowed to e^o into New-York. I 
 thereupon wrote to the American Commissary General for 
 passports, but could obtain no satisfactory answer. I applied 
 to General Washinijton, and was equally disappointed. 
 Being left alone, as it were, in an enemy's country, and 
 no authority capable of granting my request remaining, 
 except the Govenor's of Virginia, to him I had recourse. 
 From this gentleman, I obtaitied permission to go to Phila- 
 delphia, on receiving a written assurance from me, of sub- 
 mitting myself there to those who had the supreme direction 
 of prisoners. I did not reach this city till the 12th of 
 December, when I applied to the Secretary of War, for 
 leave to proceed to ISTew-York, but soon found I had un- 
 expected ditiiculties to encounter. I was detained at a 
 public house above a fortnight, and then committed to prison 
 by the following warrant, under the Seal of the Common 
 Wealth, issued by the Executive Council, and signed by the 
 I'resident, a copy of which I demanded from the gaoler. 
 
 You are hereby authorized and directed to receive into 
 your custody, a certain John Connolly, an officer in the 
 British service, charged with having broke his parole, given 
 in the State of Virginia, and him safely keep until he be 
 delivered in due course of law. 
 
 Given under my hand and seal, in the Council Chamber, 
 this twenty eighth of December, Anno Domini, 1782. 
 
 W. MooiiE, Presklent. 
 
 To the keeper of the gaol of the city 
 and county of Philadelphia. 
 
 The above is a true copy of the original remaining in my 
 hand. 
 
 John Reynolds, Gaoler. 
 
 r , 
 
Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 67 
 
 The pretence of a breach of parole was preposterous, and 
 to be delivered from confinement for such an offence, by 
 due course of law, was more so. I wrote to General "Wash- 
 ington on the occasion, but soon discovered he did not 
 intend I should have left Virginia, and appeared determined, 
 at first, that I should return. To this I could not volun- 
 tarily accede, and I remained in prison till the 1st of March; 
 when, by the interposition of friends, I was at length per- 
 mitted to go to New- York, provided I went from thence to 
 Europe, where (at New-York) I arrived on the 11th of the 
 same month. 
 
 I must here take notice, that the raising of my intended 
 regiment became no longer practicable, as the officers whom 
 I had warranted for that service, with the recruits raised in 
 Virginia, had shared a common fate with the army at York- 
 Town ; and those that remained at New- York, as soon as 
 the war became merely defensive, were drafted into another 
 corps. 
 
 When the fleet sailed, Sir Guy Carleton gave me permis- 
 sion to come to England, for the recovery of my health, 
 where I yet continue to receive my subsistence, as Lieu- 
 tenant-Colonel in the Provincial service, as will appear by 
 the annexed letter from the Secretary of State to his Ex- 
 cellency Sir Guy Carleton. 
 
 Whitehall, Feb. 24, 1783. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 Having laid before the king a letter from Lieutenant-Col- 
 onel Delancey, Adjutant-General of the forces under your 
 command, to Lieutenant-Colonel Coimolly, acquainting him 
 that some difficulties have arisen with regard to the pro- 
 priety of issuing his pay in North-America, on account of 
 his absence upon leave. I am, in obedience to his Majesty's 
 commands, to acquaint you, that he is pleased to approve of 
 your causing the pay due to Lieutenant Connolly to be 
 
It ' 
 
 11 / 
 
 68 
 
 fi 
 
 m 
 
 
 ./ 
 
 If ,' 
 
 i 
 
 I ' 
 
 i 
 
 Nan'aiivc of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 issued to him, and of its being continued, from time to 
 time, during his absence on leave. 
 I am, Sir, 
 
 Your most obedient, 
 
 humble servant, 
 
 J. TOWNSHEND. 
 
 (Signed) 
 Sir Guy Carleton, K. B. 
 
 It is a duty incumbent on me to shew, that the truth of 
 the foregoing narrative need not rest solely on my asser- 
 tions, the following papers are authentic testimoniala of its 
 veracity : 
 
 ' I hereby certify, that Major John Connolly was appointed 
 by me to the command of the militia of West Augusta 
 County, in his Majesty's colony of Virginia; and that he 
 exerted himself as a faithful officer, in the discharge of that 
 duty, until the commencement of the rebellion, when the 
 good of the King's service, and my own personal security, 
 obliging me to withdraw from the seat of government, I 
 authorized Major Connolly to adjust all differences with the 
 adjacent Indian tribes, and to incline them towards his 
 Majesty's interest. This service appeard to me to have been 
 well performed, from the belts and speeches transmitted by 
 their Chiefs through him to me, notwithstanding that Com- 
 missioners from the Assembly (at that time resolved into an 
 illegal convention), attended the treaty at Pittsburgh, in 
 order to influence them to assist in their meditated opposi- 
 tion, to the constitutional authority of this kingdom. 
 
 Upon the performance of this service, in conformity to 
 my direction, the troops under the command of Major Con- 
 nolly at Fort Pitt, were discharged agreeable to the pro- 
 vision made by the Act of Assembly ; and he repaired to 
 me, through much difficulty, with a zeal and alacrity that 
 bespoke the firmest loyalty. I immediately dispatched 
 Major Connolly to Boston, informing General Gage of the 
 situation of the colony at that period; and as Major Con- 
 nolly had a formidable interest in the frontiers, I proposed 
 
 n 
 
 u > 
 
 'li 
 
Narrative of John Connolly, Loyalist. 
 
 59 
 
 liis nuHiiit^ u body of men for his Majesty's service there, 
 and in the contiguous parts of Quebec government, and to 
 eonmiand an expedition, so as to co-operate with me, for the 
 reduction of the King's enemies, for whicli purpose lie was 
 invested with a commission of Lieutenant-Colonel Com- 
 mandant, bearing date the 5th of November, 1775, with full 
 powers to act as emergencies might require. In the exe- 
 cution of this duty, Lieutenant-Colonel Connolly was un- 
 fortunately made a prisoner, and contiimed as such, under 
 the inniiediate direction of Congress, near five years, sutier- 
 ing a constant state of confinement. I further certify, that 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Connolly, from his loyalty and attach- 
 ment to government, forfeited a very considerable sum of 
 money due to him from the Assembly of Virginia, for his 
 public services as an officer; and that his estate was also 
 confiscated ; four thousand acres of his landed property 
 having been patented by me, whilst I had the honour to 
 preside as his Majesty's representative in Virginia.' 
 Given under my hand the 25th day of October, 1782. 
 (Signed) Dunmore. 
 
 ' I certify, that Lieutenant-Colonel Connolly, came from 
 his Excellency the Earl of Dunmore to Boston, in the year 
 1775, and laid before me certain propositions for the sup- 
 pression of his Majesty's enemies in the colony of Virginia; 
 to promote which, I gave orders to a detachment of the 
 King's troops, then in the Illinois, to receive the directions 
 of Lord Dunmore ; and I further certify, that in the execu- 
 tion of this duty, it was reported to me, that Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Connolly was made a prisoner by the enemy, and 
 that from every appearuJice, he manifested the greatest 
 loyalty and attachment to the constitutional authority of 
 government.' 
 
 Given under my hand, this 30th day of October, 1782. 
 (Signed) Thomas C Age. 
 
 What I have said in this recapitulation will meet, I hope, 
 on every hand, with a candid construction. It is a cutting 
 reflection to find, on looking it through, that it is a tale of 
 
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 / 
 
 60 
 
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 m 
 
 I,' 
 
 '!! 
 
 4i. 
 
 Ndirath-e of Jnhn (hnnolfi/, Loyttliai. 
 
 n 
 
 KickiioaB and miafortunert, instead of a history of fjloriouB 
 actions and essontijil services ; l)ut the assiffned causen are 
 surely a sutHoient upoloiry. The eonteniplative and humane 
 must commiserate the infirmities of nature, whilst the mag- 
 nanimous and enti-rprizin^LC must dread similur impediments 
 in the pursuit of gh)ry. In my own vindication I have l)een 
 ohlifred to speak of persons and things as they were, hut I 
 hope this lias hecn done without exaggeration or malignity. 
 I wisli not to revive animosities liacl I tlie power, nor to 
 complaiji of men who, whatever were their motives then 
 for intlicting severities upon me in particular, are never 
 likely to have the same cause, or the same opportunity, 
 Tliey, doubtless, thought themselves acting virtuously, and 
 would iilead the love of their country, in extenuation of 
 errors ; I must do the same, with this addition, my virtues, 
 in their eyes, became my crimes; let not my misfortunes, 
 in the eye of government, become my tauits. I shall con- 
 elude, with a few reflections on the nature of the Provincial 
 service, before and during the Civil Wars, and of what I 
 deem my consequent and reasonable claims on this country. 
 Before the dismemberment of the British empire, the 
 provincial otHcer in Korth America knew, with precision, 
 ui>on what footing he took the field, to co-oi)erate with 
 British troops, to prevent incursion, or effect conquest. Ilia 
 rank was determined by the King, and wherever ho acted 
 in conjunction with his fellow-subjects of this country, either 
 within his own province, or in another colony, every difiiculty 
 was obviated, lie was considered as the junior officer : this 
 was evidently an equitable and a sufficiently honourable 
 mark of Royal favour. The loyalty that induced him to 
 espouse the quarrels of Britain in America, promoted, like- 
 wise, the security of his own property, and restored the 
 blessings of peace and atHuenee to himself, his friends, and 
 countrymen. Few reflected that it was as British colonists 
 they were involved in the wars of Britain, or that a separate 
 system of government could witlihold them from seconding 
 the interest of the parent state. As Englishmen they felt, 
 and as Englishmen they were ready to act : but as the entire 
 
 h ' I 
 
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Narrative of John Connolly, Loyaluit. 
 
 61 
 
 professional soldier, select from the body of his fellow-Hub- 
 jectfl, was but of a temporary nature, and the return of peace 
 replace<l him in his former happy station, it would have been 
 unjust to have expected the permanent rank and emolunienta 
 of him, who devoted himself wholly to the possession of the 
 sword. It is the imnmnities of a member of this empire, 
 founded upon the broad basis of equity and justice, that 
 must give efficacy to reasonable pretensions. 
 
 In former wars, when American subjects acted in con- 
 formity to the orders of their sovereign, and were commis- 
 sioned by the royal representative to military command, the 
 pecuniary advantages annexed to the respective stations in 
 which they appeared, arose from the acts of general as- 
 sembly of the governments wherein they resided ; and this 
 provision more ample, or circumscribed, depended upon tlie 
 temper or generosity of the difterent legislatures. The late 
 unfortunate dispute, wherein not only the prerogative of 
 the King, but the supremacy of the Parliament of his 
 Kingdom, was the litigated cause between Britain and her 
 colonies, and in the maintenance of which, the American 
 loyalist who attempted to support this system as constitu- 
 tional, took an active part, changed totally the nature of his 
 political connexions. Cut off from his former dependance 
 l)y the issue of the war, excluded from the privileges of the 
 community to which he belonged, and deprived of his prop- 
 erty as a mark of its displeasure and disapprobation of his 
 conduct, to whom can he apply for retribution, but to that 
 power which has been the source of his misfortunes ? Or 
 liow can he be more honourably or equitably treated in the 
 society to which he is now attached, than by a provision in 
 that line by which he became a sufferer. Congress have 
 asserted, that we were destined by Britain to be hewers of 
 wood, and drawers of water. The time is now arrived, 
 when ample opportunity is allowed to contradict this un- 
 generous aspersion, and full scope given to the exercise of 
 that generosity of disposition and liberality of sentiment, 
 for which I hope this nation will forever appear as the 
 tuirest candidate. The peculiarity of my case is without 
 

 i 
 
 i 
 
 ■fi 
 
 
 I ! 
 
 n 
 
 02 
 
 Narrative of John ComioUy, Loyalist. 
 
 parallel, and my pretensions, if as successful as just can 
 afford no precedent. The troops to be raised under my 
 orders, both from Canada and Virt?inia, must illustrate the 
 conditions upon which I entered the service, and plairdy 
 shew that my intended operations were not merely Colonial, 
 as an inhabitant of Virginia, but that from the St Lawrence 
 to the Mississippi, I was equally ready to obey the royal 
 niandate. Commissioned as Lieutenant-Colonel, uncondi- 
 tionally by the King's representative, at the commencement 
 of the rebellion, and taken in the execution of my duty as 
 a faithful servant of the Crown, held in captivity five years 
 by the enemy, to prevent the efforts of my capacity, to dis- 
 regard my claim, as the consequence of such misfortunes, 
 my suft'erings, my zeal, and loyalty, must then operate as 
 my greatest faults ; and what I ever flattered myself, must 
 argue in my favour, would unexpectly complete the measure 
 of my disappointment from captivity. 
 
 Upon my relcasement, as the war Avas changed from an 
 offensive to defensive one, in the Northern Colonies, and 
 the prospect of raising a corps in circumscribed limits 
 where I had no particular interest, but faint and unprom- 
 ising, the Conmiander in Chief, sensible of the hardness of 
 my case, was pleased to confirm my rank in the provincial 
 line. And I must beg leave to offer my being fully sub- 
 sisted as Lieut. Col. and which I yet continue to receive, as 
 a corroborating proof of my merits, and the propriety of 
 my present requisition. 
 
 Li fact, feeling as I do, the cause of exultation the dis- 
 appointment would afford my political enemies, and the 
 oblique implied reflection upon my character, from a treat- 
 ment less distinguishing than my loyal countrymen of the 
 same rank, I must beg leave to insinuate, that I can receive 
 no adequate reconipcnce through any other channel. A 
 compensation for my loss of estate is, in that case, all I 
 require; and I shall endeavour to support this unmerited 
 adversity, with that conscious dignity of mind, which I 
 hope will never forsake me, and iiui manner the least excep- 
 *>'"^'''''*'- John Connolly. 
 
 I 
 
 'I