[1777. August] 31. Sunday. To-day we had a newspaper, where-in was a confirmation of Ticonderoga and Philadelphia being taken; also, of the Hancock frigate and Fox being retaken; this news is very disagreeable to us, for we are sorry to hear of the enemy being in any way victorious; for should they conquer the country, or even get the upper hands of it, we are positive that the gallows or the East Indies will be our destiny. But as to conquering the country, it never disturbed, for me, an hour's rest, though it appears that they are in a fairer way for doing it now, than ever before. We have trouble enough here, without hearing bad news; for it is enough to break the heart of a stone to see so many strong, hearty men, almost starved to death through want of provisions. A great part of those in prison, eat at one meal what they draw for twenty long hours, and then go without until the next day. Many are strongly tempted to pick up the grass in the yard, and eat it, and some pick up old bones in the yard, that have been laying in the dirt a week or ten days, and pound them to pieces and suck them. Some will pick up snails out of the holes in the wall, and from among the grass and weeds in the yard, boil them and eat them, and drink the broth. Often the cooks, after they have picked over our cabbage, will cut off some of the but-ends of the stalks and throw them over the gate into the yard, and I have often seen, after a rain, when the mud would be over shoes, as these stumps were thrown over the gate, the men running from all parts of the yard, regardless of the mud, to catch at them, and nearly trample one another under feet to get a piece. These same cabbage stumps, hogs in America would scarcely eat if they had them; and as to our broth, I know very well hogs in America would scarcely put their noses into it. Our meat is very poor in general; we scarcely see a good piece once in a month. Many are driven to such necessity by want of provisions, that they have sold most of the clothes off their backs for the sake of getting a little money to buy them some bread. I find it very hard, myself, but it is not so hard with me and a few others, who have got into a way of making boxes and punch ladles, for which we get a trifle, as it is with the prisoners, in general, who are obliged to live upon their allowance; but I expect that boxes and punch ladles will soon become an old thing, for many who buy them now, buy them more out of charity than any thing else.
