The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

Mr. Benjamin Hathorne, who was taken, some months since, in the privateer brig Chase, of this port, and carried into Charleston, South-Carolina, arrived here on Thursday last from that place. He informs that on the evening of the 3d ult. he effected his escape from the Lord Howe prison-ship, and with great difficulty landed safe in Charleston, after swimming upwards of half a mile: That he was accompanied from the ship by six others, one of whom, he afterwards heard, being unable to reach the shore, was drowned: That he remained in the town till the night of the 9th, when, by the help of two or three Negroes, he finally escaped from the enemy, and got to Georgetown from whence he took passage for Swansey, and arrived here as above.—Mr. Hathorne further informs, that the number of prisoners on board the Lord Howe, before he left her, amounted to about eighty: That the greater part had been confined a long time, and had suffered much from their scanty allowance of provision: That, previous to his leaving the town, he had reason to conclude, from the opinion of those he ventured to converse with, and from the general appearance of things, that it was in contemplation to evacuate the place: That from the confined situation of the garrison, the sickness and discontent which prevailed among the troops (chiefly Highlanders) with the want of fresh provisions (there being scarcely an ounce to be purchased at any price) the situation of the enemy in that quarter was rendered (as in justice it ought to be) very mortifying and distressing.