Alexandria Gazette, Commercial And Political

Extract of a letter dated Oxford, N. H. February 27, 1814.

Sir—The minds of the people in this state are at this time extremely agitated, in consequence of the unlawful and horrid transaction of the commanding officer at Fort Plumer in Stewart Town, in this state. The circumstances are as follow:

A captain Hodgson, a United States officer, with between 60 and 70 men, have been for some time stationed at the fort. Within a fortnight past, he has caused seven or eight of the peaceable inhabitants in the vicinity of the fort, while they were laboring upon their farms, and engaged in their ordinary business, to be arrested by a sergeant and file of men, clothed with no authority but their gun and bayonets, and carried to the Fort, where they have ever since been confined, in the most inhuman manner. Some have been kept without any food twenty-four hours at a time. Some are refused the fire until almost frozen, and then are forced to warm themselves by having a large stick of wood lashed to them, and driven around the Fort with various other modes of treatment equally barbarous!!! Their friends are not allowed to speak to them. The captain assigns no reason for arresting them, and when he is asked by what authority he proceeds in such a manner, his answer is, that he is ordered by his general to arrest all who are suspected of being engaged in smuggling, or knowing to it, and also all who speak disrespectfully of government or the war.

You may suppose these things are impossible, but they are all proved, and more, by the affidavits of Judge Loomis, Thos. Eames, Jeremiah Eames, Herman Beach and several other persons which I have seen and read. I have also seen and conversed with one other gentleman who has been to the fort since the confinement of these persons, and conversed with capt. Hodgson, who made the same statement to him respecting his orders as above related. He says the people are in the greatest distress imaginable in that part of the country.

An application in behalf of those suffering citizens was made to the court of Common Pleas the week before last, then sitting at Lancaster for a writ of habeas corpus, for which purpose the affidavits, I have mentioned, were taken. The court entertained doubts whether they possessed the power to issue the writ, and deferred giving their opinion until last week, when holding their court at Haverhill. On Friday last the motion was again brought before the court, and after most able and eloquent arguments from Mr. P. and Mr. N. in favor of the motion which gained great applause by a very full & crowded court the court said it was a case in which it was absolutely necessary, that the writ should be granted, but over-ruled the motion on the ground that the Court of Common Pleas have not the power to issue the writ.

You may rely on the truth of all I have said, and might state many more facts, had I time. One of the sufferers was taken out of the store of Mr. Beach in Canaan. Another was taken at work on the farm of Thomas Eames, in Northumberland. Another was taken out of a barn where he was employed threshing grain. One of Judge Loomis's hired men was taken. Several respectable people have left their homes and families, and dare not return for fear of being taken, as they understand, they are proscribed. All these facts appear by the affidavits I have mentioned above. If I learn more on this subject, I will write you again. [Fed. Republican.

Extract of another letter from the same, dated March 6, 1814.

SIR—Since my last letter, in which I wrote respecting the poor unfortunate citizens confined at Fort Plumer, I have understood that application has been made to Judge Livermore, of the supreme judicial court of this state for a writ of Habeas Corpus, which he granted without the least hesitation. What the result will be cannot be determined. On Friday last I saw a respectable and well-informed gentleman, residing at no great distance from the fort, who says that the fort, and every man in it, will certainly be destroyed very soon, unless the prisoners are given up.