The Virginia Gazette

BOSTON, February 13.

IT may be relied on as a matter of fact, that when the enemy took possession of Newport on Rhode Island, a person who lived on the island and had been a lieutenant of a privateer, was taken up and carried before Lord Percy, Sir Peter Parker, and Colonel (or as some call him General) Prescott. Says Prescott, what are you? I have been a Lieutenant of a privateer—A Lieutenant of a privateer, ha! Damn your blood, one of the damn'd thieves, and immediately made up to him, and hit him a knock in the jaws, and said he should be hanged; he told the Colonel he too had had prisoners in his power and, always had used them well, and even when he himself had short allowance, the prisoners had a full allowance of provisions; Yes, damn you, I have been a prisoner among you, and know how I was treated, and hit him another knock: Lord Percy desired the Colonel not to proceed in that way, as he was a prisoner; the Colonel told the prisoner he should be chained neck and heels, and be fed with nothing but oatmeal and water, and while he lived his life, should be miserable, and hit him another knock, which Lord Percy again disapproved of, and ordered him to be put in prison, which he said was enough without blows or irons.

We shall leave it to our readers to make their own reflections on this treatment, and to determine from it the character of Col. Prescott, and whether it does not indicate him to be a blustering coward; for according to an established maxim, the brave are always generous, and treat with humanity those whom the fortune of war has made their prisoners.—

We should be glad the good people of Philadelphia would publish to the world what treatment Col. Prescott received while he was prisoner among them.