History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

370 HISTORY OP NORTHAMPTON. [1775.
says that the order for harsh treatment was countermanded
while the prisoners were on their way hither, through a
dispatch forwarded by Col. Reed to the Committee of
Safety. But the above quoted order shows conclusively
that the design of retaliation had been abandoned before
Lieut. Parker started on his journey. Almost the identi-
cal language quoted by Sparks as contained in the letter of
Reed, is to be found in the order of instructions to Parker.
The communication to the Committee of Safety was only
an official notification to that body of the change of sentiment.
It will bc uoted that ouly ouc man among
Close Confinement, the prisouers — Budd, the gunner — was
Only one Ordered to
ordered to close confinement, ample rea-
sons being given for his sentence, and that only four others
were refused their parole. Three of them, Robert Arnold,
Wm. Broughton and Philobert Dummitt, petitioned the
General Court to be released on parole, and their prayer
was granted.
Expenses of t h e Cougrcss granted to the midshipmen, con-
Prisoners. fined in the jail here, the sum of $2 per
week for the time they severally resided in
Northampton, after the 21^' of May, 1776. The order on
the town treasurer dated Nov. 26, 1776, and signed by the
selectmen, is on file. The amount was paid by the town.
Seven persons are named in the order, and the entire
amount was £26.19. It was distributed as follows: — Dr.
McFaggen £4.4 ; Mr. Sprowle £6.9 ; Capt. Hitch £8.2 ; Mr.
Carthew £2.10; Billy Broughton £2.1 ; Mr. Duiisin £2.1 ;
Mr. Bogie £2.1. Two of the first consignment of prisoners
died here : —
Arthur Bennett, in Oct. 1775, and Richard
Stilton fleet, in Oct. of the following year.
other British Pris- Other prisoucrs were sent here as the war
oners. progrcsscd, and the jail was never without
its quota of British captives. In 1776, the
number was sixty-eight. Some of them were condemned
to close confinement, and they were constantly petitioning
for the liberty of the town, which was usually granted.