Throughout the weekend, American History tv is featuring Corpus Christi texas. Our staff recently traveled there to learn more about its rich history. Learn more about Corpus Christie and other stops at cspan. Org local content. Youre watching American History tv, all weekend, every weekend on cspan3. During the war for independence american revolutionaries had more than 13,000 prisoners, many in the tension camps the lancaster, pennsylvania. Next, ken miller, author of works during the war for independence. He talks about the tensions and problems caused by the prison camps. Not only were the british and hessian prisoners to find defiant, they were often loyal. What i would like to do tonight is just tell you a story , a story about a particular revolutionary community, the community of lancaster pennsylvania, a large predominately german speaking town in the atlantic interior. As it turns out, lancaster offers an especially fascinating case study. Early american historians have an excellent understanding of how the revolution played out in the major American Cities and seaports boston, philadelphia, new york. We still have a good deal more to learn about what the revolution entailed for the vast majority of americans scattered across the broad american interior. Well, as it happens, lancaster was located in a remarkably diverse part of the american interior that stretch from transylvania down to virginia and parts beyond. During the 18th century repeated bursts of immigration brought tens of thousands of english, scots irish, and german speakers to the region. By the mid18th century, Lancaster County was home to an increasingly diverse array of settlers now residing in unaccustomed proximity. This dizzying diversity actually bred friction in lancaster, making residents more conscience of their particular ethnic and religious differences. Through the first decades of settlement, the communitys distinct groups generally preferred to associate with their own kind, clinging to their particular languages customs, and safeguarding the peculiar ethnocultural interest. In this unfamiliar new world you have german speakers, they are actively seeking out the company of fellow german speakers. In the speakers activates seeking out in the speakers. As a consequence, you would not always see the friendliest of interactions across ethnic lines. Distinct groups continue to approach diverse neighbors with real suspicion. Similarly, the majority of residents remained very provincially oriented, thinking first and foremost in terms of their immediate locales. What mattered most to residents of lancaster was what was close to home. Nothing disrupted this particular dynamic so much as war. It proved an absolute game changer for lancaster. The towns diverse residents found new Common Ground in a shared enemy that suddenly endangered the community. Well, war came to lancaster on a number of occasions during the 18th century. First, during the 1750s and 1760s in the seven years war and the indian rebellion that reduced it to a killing ground pitting settlers against indian neighbors. Again, during the 1770s and 1780s, when the american commies struggled from or independence from great that in. From Great Britain. The war came to lancaster and an unusual fashion, the community quickly became the revolutionaries principle attention site. The revolutionary war brought thousands of prisoners, both british regulars and hessian auxiliaries, to lancaster for extended through to detention. Ultimately, lancasters unique character had farreaching implications for both the towns and its diverse inhabitants. During the war for independence, lancasters revolutionaries found themselves with a constellation of new enemies including indians loyalist, reddish regulars, and german mercenaries. The threat posed by their assorted answers compelled the patriots to transcend their customary interactions, attachments, by thinking in broader terms, by mo more selfconsciously identifying ways as revolutionaries, as americans, as a people increasingly distinct from their realworld cousins. You have this peculiar wartime process which encouraged residents to effectively invent themselves a new by forging novel ties, novel identities, in this grim crucible of war. What i would like to do this evening is take you through a portion of the book that explores the very beginnings of this process. In 1775 and 1776, when the first reddish prisoners right in lancaster, the material that im sharing with you tonight is actually drawn from my third chapter, a danger set of people. First, just a few quick words about some of my terminology for clarification. Im going to refer to the revolution in a number of different ways, not only as revolutionaries, but as hatreds, wigs, and occasionally as insurgents. Im also going to distinguish between pennsylvania officials and continental officials. This is a very important distinction. Continental officials are the centralized authorities who directed the american enter colonial resistance against Great Britain, typically from philadelphia. Following the americans declaration of independence in 1776, these officials would become in effect the national authorities. Our story tonight begins not in pennsylvania, but far to the north, during the americans Canadian Campaign of late 1775 where rebel forces captured a number of british forts and several hundred british prisoners near montreal. You would imagine that this was great news for the americans and innocence, it was. To capture these large british garrisons also posed a serious problem for the americans knew Continental Congress. Having just recently commenced hostilities with britain, wigs lacked both an established prisoner policy and the necessary institutions to hold hundreds of enemy captives. Fortunately for continental authorities, 18thcentury europe and military conventions provided president for handling the new prisoners. According to convention, each of the major belligerents was in a tigger conflict and was obliged to bear the expense of maintaining its own soldiers held in captivity by the enemy. Now, captured officers for their part were customarily paroled. In effect it allowed captured officers a degree of mobility that was to be determined by their captors. This afforded captured officers more freedom than their men. The enlisted prisoners, who were ideally confined in close quarters during their captivity. This business of role and confinement this is important to our story. These conventions had informed the treatment of european lactose as recently as the seven years war. Problem in this particular case was that the present conflict between britain and its north american colonies was no ordinary war. It was colonial revolt. It was rebellion against the mother country. In short, complicating matters for continental officials who had at this point in the crisis remained british subjects, their new prisoners were fellow britons, fellow britons seized in an unlawful insurgency. So, wig officials faced a real dilemma here as to how to proceed with her new captives. After weighing their options continental officials are elected to hold on to the new prisoners and use them as leverage in ongoing negotiations with the british. To ensure the british prisoners safekeeping, congress expects sends them to several towns in the pennsylvania hinterland. York carlisle, reading, and lancaster, pennsylvania. Boasting some 3000 inhabitants lancaster received nearly 400 of the british prisoners. For continental officials in philadelphia, sending their british captives to lancaster made sense. Lancasters inhabitants had been demonstrated their enthusiasm for the war in the fight against Great Britain. Congressional officials now trusted that they would faithfully execute continental prisoner policy. For lancasters diverse insurgents these new captives made for a most unwelcome addition to an already anxious and divided community. In 1775, amid growing frictions with britain, many lancaster residents still retained vivid memories of the brutal and dramatic warfare of the 1750s and 1760s. As a consequence, local security remained a lingering concern. When the escalating conflict with britain, the regions indians maintained a precarious neutrality, but the uncertainties surrounding their future commitments placed lancaster at the crossroads of a potentially explosive frontier. That was not lost on local residents in 1775 and early 1776. These newly arriving at his captives also added a volatile ingredient to lancasters emerging wartime division and stunning cultural diversity. Through the mid1770s, even as they mobilized to the war with britain, lancasters english and german speakers divided along familiar ethnocultural lines. The struggle with britain intensified local divisions as supporters chose sides. They split into hostile camps as either rebels or loyalists. These british visitors in late 1775 now threaten to multiply the challenges already confronting lancasters internally divided community. These british soldiers made for a very odd set of prisoners. On the one hand, theyre in. All can spend, follow subjects of the british empire. On the other, they are in any combatants who could conceivably exacerbate local tensions. This would ultimately prove a decisive moment for lancaster. The situation for local residents could play out in any number of ways. Well, as it turns out, in lancaster, english and german speakers stand facetoface, daytoday, encounters with their new captives and ultimately facilitated the break with britain while nurturing a distinct revolutionary identity. Through 1776, locals came to know your british prisoners intimately as hardboiled combatants devoid of safety for their colonial kindred. In bedard by their enemies disdain for their cause, the insurgents developed a corresponding repulsion for the imperial flow. Thus, these british captives defied their local host and cobalt cultivated associations. Emission german speakers began to transcend their cultural differences by identifying collectively with a broader evolutionary community. In late 1775, as lancaster braced for the arrival of their new british guest, a remained uncertain how events would unfold. What follows is that story. Lancasters first british prisoners arrived in 1775, when roughly 400 captives marched into town under military escort, accompanied by more than 60 women and children. These women and children numbered among the wars followers, who routinely accompanied them to camps and on campaign. Lancasters new committee of safety faced an imminent crisis when the american commander of the captives military escort announced that the prisoners carried only todays provisions. Equally troubling, he reported that he received no specific instructions pertaining to the captives from the americans knew Continental Congress. Lancasters committee now had to decide how to provision the new prisoners while ensuring their safekeeping and the security of the towns inhabitants. Local officials ultimately decided to move them into antibarracks, but permitted british Officers Congress soon sent word that the captains should draw their provisions from a particular philadelphiabased merchant, was contracted to supply the british prisoners at the quotes, expense of the crown,. In theory now, the british are to provide for their soldiers held in american captivity. Having now resolve the matters of lodging and subsistence lancaster officials quickly found themselves burdened with additional responsibilities. Among other problems, the british captives stood in dire need of warm clothing after arriving without their baggage with the winter season threatening. This is december move by the prisoners plight and eager to please the congress, like in Tsipras Lancaster furnished with linen on the public account. The british are picking up the tab. Lancasters committee again intervened arranging to supply the captains families at public expense until congress issued orders for their future subsistence. This is a case of locals picking up the tab. This is not being paid for by british authorities. Lancasters committee explained to congress, quote being mindful that humanity ought to distinguish among america, we were strongly inclined to assist the prisoners and their families in their distress end quote. Congress upon receiving the news voiced warm approval of the quote, civility, and humane sentiment, displayed by lancasters inhabitants. Locals generosity mirrored officials own concerns with their british captives. What is striking in this situation is how sharply whigsmagnanimity differed from treatment of american prisoners. The british approach their american captives as treasonous rebels, unworthy of the privileges of formal combatants, refusing to distinguish between american officers and enlisted men by subjecting both to a rigorous confinement in cramped and dingy jails, sugar refineries, and prison ships. This is a contemporary image of life and death of board one of those british prison ships. In the years after 1776, these prison ships became deadly places for thousands of americans aboard. Yet even after receiving these initial reports of the harsh treatment meted out to american prisoners, general washington and the Continental Congress urged their fellow whigs to avoid britains quote, unworthy example, by treating their british captives with civility and compassion. Influencing early continental polity for those informal convention i mentioned earlier governing the humane treatment of european prisoners of war. To their credit, washington and leading continental officials recognized that american prisoner policy needed to remain above reproach. At this point in the war americans had to get things just right. Neglect or abuse of prisoners could discredit the american resistance. By contrast, a policy of humane treatment would enable whigs to seize world high ground, especially in light of continuing neglect and abuse of its american prisoners. Along with such practical considerations early prisoner policy also sprang from a persistent cultural and imperial affinity to Great Britain. In late 1775 when envisioning their british adversaries, many continental officials still felt the faint tug of kinship, born of a sense of common identity. Bear in mind that the continental officials in question were english speakers. Two, the Americans First began formulating prisoner policies in 1775 and early 1776. Even after nearly a year of hostilities, there were still roughly six months from declaring their independence from britain. Many americans were still hopeful at that point of reconciling with the mother country. This feeling of common kinship informed continental officials approach to their first british captives. In 1775, George Washington assured general thomas gage in north america that despite the many abuses american prisoners suffered under the british, the colonists treated their new captives quote, with a tenderness due to fellow citizens and brethren. In january 1770 six, john hancock, who has been president of the Continental Congress, remarked of lancasters earlier arriving prisoners. Quote, as men they have a claim to all the rights of humanity. As countrymen, though enemies, they claim something more. Even after nearly a year of conflict, such sentiments continued to influence american prisoner policy. For those who would become pennsylvanias revolutionaries, that would change quickly. By mid1776 pennsylvanias diversity, escalating hostilities, and mounting antagonism between local insurgents and their new british captives would combine to transform continental prisoner policy. For local supporters of the whig resistance pennsylvanias prisoners soon magnified dangers both real and imagined. As british prisoners became more difficult to control, tensions rose throughout the diverse pennsylvania hinterland. These mounting local pressures ultimately helped to redefine both continental perceptions of the british and american prisoner policy. This process is happening from the ground up, with local pressures influencing ultimately what becomes following the american declaration of Independence National prisoner policy. What i would like to do now is illustrated in greater detail why early american prisoner policy group is so problematic in pennsylvania. It is important to note that throughout the revolutionary war, american prisoner policy prove the product of an ongoing and often deeply frustrating process of experimentation. That is especially true during the first few years of the war. In late 1775 and early 1776, with no welldefined policy or established apparatus with which to administer, americans had to improvise. Lancaster became a laboratory for prisoner policy. Case in point, the first experiment occurred with these british prisoners in early 1776. It does not go well. When these first british captives arrived in lancaster the Towns Committee quite understandably asked congress whether it would not be wise to ensure that the enlisted prisoners, quote becomes constantly confined to the barracks under a guard. Not surprisingly, town officials remained eager to preserve the peace and ensure residents security by fencing in the barracks and restricting their new prisoners movements. It turns out that congress had other ideas, preferring instead the policy of what they call enlargement. Congress policy of enlargement allowed lancasters captives to mix freely with their local hosts. These newly arrived british prisoners were immediately walking the streets of lancaster. They are not locked up. They had no guards. You see where this is going, right . What was congress thinking here . Congress plan was pretty straightforward. By encouraging close and fluid interaction between lancasters inhabitants and british prisoners, congress apparently hoped to nurture kindred relations between the combatants and. Elicit the british captives sympathy for their cause. Congress ordered their captive officers relocated to neighboring towns. Now the officers are being formerly formally separated from their men. Congress had the british officers sign paroles which print prohibited parolees from straying more than six miles from their designated residence and from engaging in any correspondence concerning the dispute between Great Britain and its rebelling colonies. These british officers paroles were in keeping with longstanding convention. The enlargement of these fish and liston says, that was another story. That was another story. By the standards of the day and certainly when contrasted with british resin or policy enlargement proved a remarkably liberal, even indulgent policy. It allowed these british rankandfile captives a surprising degree of mobility. It was this mobility, or relative freedom of lancasters enlisted prisoners, which became a bone of contention between locals and continental authorities. This becomes the Sticking Point in the months ahead. As it turns out, congress initial approach proved not a little naive. In practice, continental prisoner policy posed immediate problems but this proximity between captor and captives bread not Mutual Understanding but antipathy and mistrust. Thus whatever the expectations of continental officials, in their daily encounters in american host communities, captors and captives eyed each other with suspicion. Nor should that come as any great surprise. Most british regulars bitterly resented the indignities of captivity under colonial insurgents. For many, their captivity merely reinforced perceptions of the americans as renegades who threatened the stability and sanctity of empire. Paroled british officers routinely referred to whigs as vagabonds and rascals. An 18th century, thems fighting words, you understand . Many whigs approach their british guests with similar disdain. By 1776, lancasters county troops had already traded blows with the british. In december 1775 as lancasters new british prisoners were beginning to settle into the community, Lancaster County riflemen participated in the disastrous assault on quebec, numbering in the more than 400 americans killed or captured during the engagement, nursing bitter grievances sharpened on the battlefield. Lancasters own volunteers now returned home, only to find british enemies hunting their neighborhood, roaming the streets in their scarlet regimentals. The british prisoners offered locals a grim daily reminder other escalating difficulties with the mother country and their corresponding insecurity at home. Adding to these tensions was pennsylvanias for markham will pluralism, the provinces stunning diversity. Continental prisoner policy faced particular challenges in the diverse pennsylvania hinterland, where german speakers intermingled wish with scotch and english. The germans and scratch irish were more inclined to see the prisoners as menacing intruders. Many german settlers had gladly exchanged the chronic warfare of Central Europe for the promised peace and prosperity of pens province. In the wake of lexington and concord, the scotch irish provide many of lancasters most zealous recruits. The lancaster stage was set for conflict. Enlisted prisoners soon clashed with the towns increasingly resentful and frightened inhabitants. By early february 1776, just weeks into this new experiment, lancasters committee was receiving more and more complaints of british captives roaming the town, antagonizing the residence, with some of the prisoners now, quote, openly threatening revenge whenever opportunity shall present, end quote. Locals were growing increasingly alarmed. Lancaster was now a community that was fully mobilized for war. At any given time, a portion of the countys ablebodied males were absent. They were away, performing distant military service. Those local troops had to be supplied with whatever arms were available. It wasnt at all unusual for lancaster to find both men and munitions in alarmingly short supply. Thats a problem when congress has just dropped 400 increasingly reckless and resentful prisoners on your doorstep. Perhaps to their credit, locals were not shy about airing their fears. Just a few months after the press knows prisoners arrival, lancaster residents aired their concerns. The fatal consequences which may arrive are too obvious to be insisted on, one committee particularly in this town, where we have 400 prisoners, and most of them of active, restless, and uneasy spirits. As if these troubles werent enough for lancasters whigs they face additional problems with british officers on parole. British officers true to their aristocratic form on american captivity, found american captivity particularly onerous ever solicitous of their honor and the customary privileges of their high rank and status, they registered a gentlemans contempt for the colonial upstarts who flooded Imperial Authority and abuse their own newfound influence. Lancaster county officials encountered new difficulties in mid june 1776. Upon learning of the escape of a halfdozen paroled british officers from the town of lebanon more than 20 miles north of lancaster. Lebanon was part of Lancaster County. June 15, 17 76, lebanon authorities informed lancasters committee of the british officers had left town the day before to go fishing. Ok, lets give them the benefit of the doubt, they are officers. A harmless fishing trip was allowed under the terms of the officers parole. It was permissible as long as those officers stayed within a designated six mile radius. The problem in this particular case was that this proved to be the longest fishing trip ever recorded in Lancaster Countys history. Those officers never returned. Instead, they headed north in hopes of eventually reaching the safety of a british line. The officers are fugitives. Locals considerable frustration, they matched managed to get away. To no ones surprise, lancaster s whigs were furious. The officers escape now confirming their longstanding suspicions that their british prisoners required much closer supervision. Local officials were especially vexed that the fugitive officers had so blatantly violated their sworn parole. From the perspective of american officials, that was bad enough. Local supporters of the american resistance it was something else. It was something more that made this particular escape even more distressing. It had to do with how these british officers had pulled off their escape. Alarming evidence indicated that before making for british lines, the fugitive officers had discarded their uniforms and donned american dress, assuming the guise of quote, virginia gentleman, end quote to elude their american captors. This particular detail came as especially disturbing news as lancaster, where some of the towns enlisted british had taken to dressing in the garb of american riflemen. This is a modern rendering of an american riflemen. Note the very distinctive garb here including the riflemens socalled hunting shirt. This is all occurring in early summer 1776. Months before, the site of british prisoners in american dress might have seemed an encouraging sign to local insurgents still in eager to win british converts to their cause. At this late stage of the proceedings, with the war now intensifying, and with relations between combatants growing increasingly strained, anxious local militants worried that british prisoners choice of American Apparel revealed with their less than affinity for their host. As late as the summer of 1776, even in a colony as diverse as pennsylvania, the line separating britons and americans remained ambiguous and illdefined. By this time pennsylvania was home to tens of thousands of german speakers, but the colonys risch prisoners still found a good deal in common with their anglo hosts who spoke the same language, embraced similar customs, shared a common heritage. These cultural and linguistic ties could blur the divisions between friend and foe, creating an effect, a permeable boundary between the combatants. It was simple enough to identify a british regular. Boom. There you go. Im going to guess that we can all agree here that this is not the most understated of looks, right . [laughter] those scarlet regimentals were a dead giveaway every day of the week. But what if a british redcoat exchanged his regimentals for american dress . That could create a problem, and heres why. Many a pennsylvanias british captives shared enough in common with their englishspeaking hosts that they could conceal their britishness beneath the casual veneer of american dress. Cloaked in a homespun attire of riflemen, they could masquerade as american troops. As so inclined, they could exploit this ambiguity for subversive ends, assuming a friendly guys to mask hostile aims. If you know much at all about the revolutionary war you are probably familiar with these american riflemen who had come to embody the american cause. Celebrated by members of the american resistance, but also notoriously short of discipline. The riflemen provided the perfect cover for british fugitives intent on clandestinely negotiating american lines. Especially recruited from a provincial backcountry for the deadly accuracy with a rifle, the riflemen formed an elite core in the continental ranks. In a distinctive hunting shirts, they routinely breathe br eezed through american checkpoints. Locals now feared that the riflemens garb served as a virtual passport. That was precisely the word they used in their correspondence with philadelphia officials, a passport. A passport that enabled captors to move about the country undetected. Sound a little paranoid . It turns out locals had something to fear. The escalating hostilities in pennsylvanias divided allegiances allowed british captives Fertile Ground for subversion. Some continental officials had optimistically hoped to seduce their new british captives. Their enemies probably turn the tables by secretly working to rally support for the british crown. As early as december 1770 five congress received troubling complaints of paroled british officers fomenting dissent by endeavoring to debauch the minds of the people. Rumors warned of captives gathering intelligence conspiring with locals, even inciting violence. By summer 7076, growing numbers of wigs feared that their british captives harbored deadly intentions. One Lancaster County resident had born gruesome witness to the violence a previous decades and reasoned that those reddish parolees from lebanon were eagerly inciting the indians to take up the hatchet against us. Potential saboteurs now inflamed suspicions and insecurity. So much so that continental authorities had to rethink their prisoner policies and institute a more rigorous system of controls. During midsummer 1776, following consistent pressure from pennsylvania officials, Congress Finally reversed its policy of enlargement in lancaster by adopting a new policy of confinement. Lancasters exasperated residents had intensified their pleas for stricter controls following a british officers escape from lebanon. Adding to the sense of urgency was an order from philadelphia. Residents now feared that the militias impending departure would place him at the mercy of their increasingly vengeful british prisoners. On july 7, 1776, lancasters committee lodged a formal complaint with congress emphasizing the shortcomings of continental prisoner policy and the need for enhanced local security. The committee stressed the quote, dangerous situation of the town, which had exposed the fear in ravages of 400 prisoners who only lived because of the open state of lancasters barriers end quote. Lancasters committee reminded congress how they refuse the towns initial request to fence in the barracks. Instead, said the committee quote, by mixing with the people they have done much mischief. They adhere with firmness to their tyrannical master and his cause, and every action and expression convinces us they would seize every opportunity to distress us, end quote. The Committee Recommended having the british enlisted prisoners in some manner security, so as to prevent their struggling, carrying intelligence, or insulting or entering the inhabitants. For while a liberty, they are dangerous set of people. End quote. Well, six months into Things Congress had heard enough and now shared locals exasperations. Continental authorities now implemented stiffer controls. In the process, revolutionizing american prisoner policy. Much to locals relief, july 10 1776, congress ordered lancaster s committee to confine and postcards over the british enlisted prisoners. This was music to locals ears. This shift in continental prisoner policy had farreaching implications, both for pennsylvania and beyond, with lancasters newly stockade barracks now becoming the working continental model, literally furnishing the group went the blueprint throughout the emerging united states. This is not the best image, but this is the blueprint. This was drafted in lancaster. It was sent to the Continental Congress in philadelphia for circulation. I found this in the papers of the Continental Congress. What youre seeing in pennsylvania is the culmination of a decisive, qualitative shift in early american prisoner policy. Whigs were now approaching, now envisioning the british enemies in new ways. These british captives in lancaster and neighboring communities had helped lift the scale from american eyes. Increasingly dissolution american officials came to view their british captives as sinister compare conspirators. For pennsylvanias whigs, the british in captivity had exposed the prisoners, both officers and enlisted men, as devoted agents of tyranny. For the embattled members of the american resistance, the stakes were very high. In regions that remained high in number of loyalists and indians patriots ability to identify and neutralize their enemy prisoners now assumed special urgency. To safeguard their cause and communities, pennsylvanias revolutionaries now sought to carefully contain their british captives. And so in july 1776, pennsylvanias council of safety ordered all of the provinces paroled british officers to quote, where the uniforms, end quote, whenever they happen to venture beyond their designated place of residence. Any parolee violating the order would be seized and confined, whether it was an officer are not. Or not. In such newly instituted security measures, pennsylvanias revolutionaries were effectively sharpening the boundaries between friend and foe. In pennsylvania, now more than ever before, british redcoats, scarlet regimentals symbolized an enemy of the american cause. For pennsylvanias embattled whigs, it was now a certainty. Reddish captives proved brethren, no more british captives proved brethren, no more. To conclude, developments in lancaster ultimately offer a case study of the local production of an emerging revolutionary identity during the americans war for independence. More broadly, lancasters story illustrates how the revolution evolved, grounded within this shared sense of imperial belonging to a contest between distinct british and american nationalities. When congressional officials asked the late [indiscernible] they gambled the close interactions might actually help mend the breach between combatants. Instead, captors and captives squared off his adversaries approaching each other with mounting suspicion. By late spring 1776, lancasters hardliners felt locked in an irreconcilable conflict with an implacable reddish british fo e. Pennsylvanias diverse insurgents had begun to embrace a common revolutionary identity. Thus while the forging of a distinct american identity remained an ongoing and frankly deeply contested process pennsylvanias revolutionaries had begun fashioning themselves anew into something quite apart from the transatlantic cousins. Thats all i have for you tonight. Thank you very much. [laughter] im happy to answer some questions, should you have any. Back there . Yes, sir. [inaudible] this idea of enlargement, it is occurring in lancaster. I can understand the intention of it, but can you imagine if this was done in one of the major cities . There would be an outrage. With all 400 of these captives allowed to move about wow. To the minds of locals, these are the dregs. These are enlisted prisoners from the streets of london and elsewhere. That is an oversimplification of reality. That is the perception. Where it really goes badly is lancaster is not a largely englishspeaking community. It is a predominately germanspeaking community. That is quite a leap, placing these anglo prisoners and lancaster with the expectation that most of the community will embrace them as kinsman and brethren. It just doesnt work. They are seen as aliens by a good number of the community. The atrocities to the americans on the british side really hadnt ramped up yet. Right. Its not a calculated risk. Its a huge risk. And it goes badly. Its not just the officers who are escaping. Theres a reason that only lasts six months. Its a harebrained scheme from the start. Yes . When the redcoats went on the fishing trip north of lebanon where did they meet british lines, and what was the convention on their arms . Even if they were able to trade a red coat for a frontiersman frock, the long rifle versus the short rifle was a dead giveaway. Wouldnt their arms have been taken away initially . How did that work . The officers can hold onto their swords. The enlisted prisoners are not armed by any stretch of the imagination. Without that long rifle, thats true. But some of them actually this is documented in the book some of these prisoners who escaped and are on the run, they do find rifles and mskuskets. They are eventually armed. They fear they are conspiring with indians along the frontier. Some of this is exaggerated. Some of it is well documented. It is not simply fear. Some of it is reality too. Where did they meet the british lines . They are on the run for quite some time. Where they finally land is in occupied new york. This is following the debacle of washingtons campaign. In late 1776 some of these prisoners were on the run. This becomes more and more common over the course of the war. There is an elaborate escape network towards the end of the war, where they have access to loyalists safehouses between a place like lancaster or york and new york city, theyre finding safe haven among your lists loyalists who are guiding them, spiriting them to safety in new york. Where they finally reached british lines is in new york. How i know about these officers making their way to british lines is i found a few documents in the british headquarters papers. Its very likely new york where they finally get safe haven. Military justice system, or an expectation they would remain prisoners of warz . . How was that working . It was not working well at all. This is all in flux, all a big experiment. They are making a good bit of it up as they go along. It is strange for all the combatants involved. Americans only declare their independence during the summer of 1776. The momentum for independence is building a place like pennsylvania as early as early 1776, but not for everyone. It is an audit situation. In terms of military justice, i dont know. The officers were expected to behave as gentlemen. They were as good as their word. That expectation wasnt the same for enlisted prisoners. It is a very strange experiment. [inaudible] you would think you first even in todays time, you would have a preliminary hearing, what are the charges. You would be entitled to legal representation. What did those officers do other than being captured because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time . Am quite sure i understand your question. They are effectively prisoners of war. [inaudible] different set of principles . In part, the americans are trying to comply with conventions. The fact that they parole the officers is an indication of that. But some of the other practices are not in accordance with convention. I heard three drivers for the americans. There was a battle of conventions that europe was following. Maybe we can turn these people they can see our plight as well and they will become ours, and we want to be different we want to be better. How do you balance those . How do you look at that and say [inaudible] what really drove the Continental Congress . They are thinking in terms of [inaudible] in part, theyre thinking in terms of reconciliation. They are also probably thinking about how this is going to shake down internationally. Some members of congress are already thinking in terms of potential alliances. They want their hands to be clean. They want to look better. Better than their enemies. Thats part of it. Where that begins to unravel is when more and more of this evidence is arriving about how the americans are being treated who are being held by the british, what goes on in the prison ships is just those are atrocities. Yes. [inaudible] in the congress to this crazy scheme . Does everybody go along with it . There is opposition from one member of congress. His name is george ross. I think is opposition stems from the fact that hes also a resident from lancaster. Hes not wild about the idea from the start. He doesnt quite support it. The documentation is pretty thin on that question. I could not get that in terms of who supported it and who didnt. Congress had its hands full. It wasnt just a matter of them acquiring new prisoners. The prisoners didnt always get a lot of attention. Is george ross on the record as far as weighing in on this policy . Early on he wants to maintain the americans good reputatonion. On some level hes willing to give it a try. Washington is one of the first opponents of the policy. There is one source that indicates hes pushing hard. By may 1776, he wants the americans to adopt the british example of confinement because hes gotten word about things unraveling not just in lancaster but other detention sites like hartford, connecticut, for example. Hes one of the earlier advocates of confinement before congress is fully on board. This story has a lot to do with those local pressures and local complaints, and britains treatment of american prisoners, that looms large. Yes . Were prisoners ever given the opportunity to switch sides . Yeah, and they did. In naval battles when the sailors had been impressed by the other side, they often offered the chance. There is so much fluidity among the ranks. They are changing uniforms pretty frequently here. That is one of the most interesting parts of my research. That surprised me, the degree to which that went on, but the british are putting very early pressures on american captives who enlist in british ranks. The americans are not really keen about that. There are recruiting efforts. Some of them are recruiters in the american army. Congress and washington get word of it. The board of war and forms washington that some of the british officers are complaining that their men are now being enlisted in american ranks, and the board of war, they ask washington, is this ok . No, its not ok, because its going to validate these british efforts. They try to put a stop to it, but it goes on throughout the war. You have prisoners joining american ranks british prisoners joining american ranks, american prisoners joining the british. This is the sweet spot in research. It doesnt get any better than this. I found this one document. It was a particular soldier who was captured at saratoga. American regiments began recruiting among those prisoners. Beatty and listed in american ranks and several months later escaped and rejoined the british. Unfortunately, he rejoined he had joined one regiment called [indiscernible] he had joined that regiment and escaped. He rejoined a british regiment that was then taken years later at yorktown. He was then sent to lancaster as a prisoner, and who is guarding the prisoners . Some of the men recognized beatty as a defector and said, he was in our ranks so they reenlist him. They did not even punish him really. He rejoined the regiment, and then he escapes again. He whines about british headquarters ends up back at bridge headquarters and receives back wages. I found the document and shared it with my advisor. He said, that doesnt surprise me. A great deal of fluidity, and a lot of enlistment. Congress isnt always keen. Towards the end of the war, they actively recruit prisoners of war. [inaudible] officers and enlisted men were they permitted to write home . If so, has any of that survived . Are you aware of anything that might be particularly interesting or anecdotal . I have not found any of these actual letters but many of the officers are writing letters writing correspondence. Because of their misbehavior eventually some of that mail is being censored. The local committee is trying to lay eyes on it before it begins to circulate. They are trying to read those documents before the officers can send them anywhere. That doesnt always work. Some letters to survive. Do survive. John andres correspondence hes one of these british officers held in lancaster at this time. He lodges was one of the locals, and then hes eventually sent to carlisle. They just hate these officers. It is not fair pretty well there. Hes sending correspondence back to a germanamerican residents of lancaster and to a man named caleb with whom he had lodged in lancaster. Quakers often took in british officers. Other locals were afraid to. Even just launching a british officer who was on parole, that could tar you with loyal listener. Loyalists. The fed answer your question . Does that answer your question . Ok. Thank you very much. [applause] here are some of our feature programs for this weekend on the cspan networks. On cspan2s booktv tonight at