1777. ly, and fubjoin to the whole, affidavits and other evidence to fupport their affertions."

"1. The wanton and oppreffive devaftation of the and deftruction of property."

country

"The whole tract of the British army is marked with defolation and a wanton deftruction of property, particularly through Weft Chester county in the ftate of New York; the towns of Newark, Elizabeth-town, Woodbridge, Brunswick, Kingston, Princeton, and Trenton, in New Jerfey. The fences deftroyed, the houses deferted, pulled in pieces or confumed by fire, and the general face of waste and devaftation spread over a rich and once well cultivated and well inhabited country, would affect the moft unfeeling with melancholy or compaffion for the unhappy fufferers, and with indignation and refentment against the barbarous ravagers. It deferves notice, that though there are many inftances of rage and vengeance against particular persons, yet the destruction was very general and often undistinguished ; those who fubmitted and took protections, and fome wha were known to favor them, having frequently fuffered in the common ruin. Places and things, which, from their public nature and general utility, fhould have been fpared by a civilized people, have been deftroyed, or plundered, or both. But above all, places of worship, minifters and religious perfons of fome particular protestant denominations, feem to have been treated with the most rancorous hatred, and at the fame time with the highest contempt.'

"2. The inhuman treatment of thofe who were fo unhappy as to become prifoners,"

"The prifoners, instead of that humane treatment 1777. which thofe taken by the United States experienced, were in general treated with the greatest barbarity. Many of them were near four days kept without food altogether. When they received a fupply, it was both infufficient in point of quantity, and often of the worst kind. They fuffered the utmoft diftrefs from cold, nakedness and close confinement. Freemen and men of fubftance fuffered all that a generous mind could fuffer, from, the contempt and mockery of British and foreign mercenaries. Multitudes died in prison; and when others were fent out, feveral died in the boats while carrying a fhore, or upon the road attempting to go home. The committee in the course of their inquiry learned, that fometimes the common foldiers expreffed fympathy with the prifoners, and the foreigners more than the English. But this was feldom or never the cafe with the officers; nor have they been able to hear of any charitable affiftance given them by the inhabitants who remained in, or reforted to the city of New York; which neglect, if univerfal, they believe was never known to happen in any fimilar cafe in a chriftian country."

3. The favage butchery of those who had submitted and were incapable of refiftance."

"The committee found it to be the general opinion of the people in the neighbourhood of Princeton and Trenton, that the enemy the day before the battle of Princeton had determined to give no quarter. They did not however obtain any clear proof, that there were any general orders for that purpose; but the treatment of feveral particular perfons at and fince that time, has been of the most shocking kind, and gives too much

Officers wounded and first rank, were barba

1777. countenance to the fuppofition. disabled, fome of them of the rously mangled or put to death. A minifter of the gofpel in Trenton, who neither was nor had been in arms, was maffacred in cold blood, though humbly fupplicating for mercy"-[Mr. Roseburgh of the Forks of Delaware.]

4. The luft and brutality of the foldiers in the abufing of women."

"The committee had authentic information of many inftances of the most indecent treatment, and actual ravishment of married and fingle women; but fuch is the nature of that moft irreparable injury, that the perfons suffering it, and their relations, though perfectly innocent, look upon it as a kind of reproach to have the facts related, and their names known. They have however procured fome affidavits, which will be published in the appendix. The originals are lodged with the fecretary of congrefs."

"Some complaints were made to the commanding officers upon the fubject, and one affidavit made before a justice of peace; but the committee could not learn that any fatisfaction was ever given or punishment inflicted, except that one foldier at Pennington was kept in custody for part of a day."

"On the whole, the committee are forry to fay, that the cry of barbarity and cruelty is but too well founded; those who are cool to the American cause, have nothing to oppose to the facts but their being incredible, and not like what they are pleafed to ftile, the generofity and clemency of the English nation. The committee beg leave to obferve, that one of the circumstances most frequently occurring in the inquiry, was the opprobrious

disdainful names given to the Americans; these do not 1777• need any proof, as they occur fo frequently in the newfpapers printed under their direction, and in the intercepted letters of those who are officers and call themfelves gentlemen. It is eafy therefore to see what muft be the conduct of a foldiery greedy of prey, toward a people whom they have been taught to look upon, not as freemen defending their rights on principle, but as defperadoes and profligates, who have rifen up against law and order in general, and wish the fubverfion of fociety itself."

"This is the most candid and charitable manner in which the committee can account for the melancholy truths which they have been obliged to report. Indeed the fame deluding principle seems to govern perfons and bodies of the highest rank in Britain: for it is worthy of notice, that not pamphleteers only, but king and parliament, conftantly call thofe acts lenity, which on their firft publication, filled this whole continent with refentment and horror."

"Refolved, That the faid report be accepted, and that the committee, who brought it in, publish the fame with the affidavits.":

The royalists, or tories as they are generally called, in the Maryland counties of Somerfet and Worcester, became fo formidable, that an infurrection was dreaded; and it was feared, that the infurgents would in such case be joined by a number of difaffected perfons in the county of Suffex in the Delaware ftate. Congress, to prevent the evil, recommended the apprehenfion, and April removal of all perfons of influence or of defperate characters within the counties. of Suffex, Worcester and

20.

1777. countenance to the fuppofition. Officers wounded and disabled, fome of them of the first rank, were barbarously mangled or put to death. A minifter of the gofpel in Trenton, who neither was nor had been in arms, was maffacred in cold blood, though humbly fupplicating for mercy"-[Mr. Roseburgh of the Forks of Delaware.] 4. The luft and brutality of the foldiers in the abufing of women."

"The committee had authentic information of many inftances of the moft indecent treatment, and actual ravishment of married and fingle women; but fuch is the nature of that moft irreparable injury, that the perfons fuffering it, and their relations, though perfectly innocent, look upon it as a kind of reproach to have the facts related, and their names known. They have however procured fome affidavits, which will be published in the appendix. The originals are lodged with the fecretary of congrefs."

"Some complaints were made to the commanding officers upon the fubject, and one affidavit made before juftice of peace; but the committee could not learn that any fatisfaction was ever given or punishment inflicted, except that one foldier at Pennington was kept in custody for part of a day."

"On the whole, the committee are forry to say, that the cry of barbarity and cruelty is but too well founded; thofe who are cool to the American cause, have nothing to oppose to the facts but their being incredible, and not like what they are pleafed to ftile, the generosity and clemency of the English nation. The committee beg leave to obferve, that one of the circumstances most frequently occurring in the inquiry, was the opprobrious