Excerpts from Mcclement' journal (an Irish surgeon with the Royal Navy in the 1860s):
Transcription[p 293][October 23 1865]
.....2.30. P.M. HM Troop Ship “Urgent” camein. Brings news that the negroes of Jamaica have risen against the whites and a pressing demand for all the troops that can be spared as well as all available ships of war. All the 2nd West India Regt present and twoCompanies of the 3rd Buffs are ordered to embark immediately. The Urgentis coaling with all despatch.Accounts from Jamaica show a longlist of “whites” cruelly butchered.We are to proceed to Dominico In the morningto meet Sir Leopold McClintockWent on shore to the Ice house in the Evg......[p 294][October 29 1865]
.....6.AM. entered and lay to under steam inMorant Bay – Jamaica – Found herethe Gun Boat “Onyx” Lieut. Brand incommand. This officer came on boardand reports the Insurrection crushed.....[p 295]He states that up to this time 1200 rebelshave been shot or hanged. He himself has hanged 83, being President of the local Drum head Court Martial, and, amongstthe number Mr Gordon, a member of Parliament Lieut. Brand is pretty well known as a person of a most curel disposition inall cases, but, has a particular aversionto the Black Race, therefore, those unfortunaterebels are still more unfortunate inthe judge appd to try them. He willhowever do good by striking a terror thata more humane man would fail to do. His usual programme is to flog theculprits first and hang them afterwardsThe very first case executed was atPort Morant and by Lt Brand personally. The Govr went down to this place in the Onyx with a few troops and soonafter landing discovered one of the ringleaders in the late massacre and made a prisoner of him. He then sent a message to Lt Brand to say that he had not rope on shore nor hadhe any means of disposing of theprisoners, but, if he would oblige him it would be well. The Lt no sooner gotthe message than he landed in a dingywith two boys and the gun boats signal halliards. He then forced the nigger to wheel a cart under the branch of a tree – made him stand on it – fastened“the noose” – threw the rope over the branch – made it fast – and – lastly dragged awaythe cart from beneath the wretch. Being a tall man and the branch yieldingto his weight his toes touched the ground His noble executioner seeing this walked up to him – put his Revolver to one eyeand shot a ball through his head;- a soldier present, then, unnecessarily,[p 296]put another bullet through his chest.Since this Execution from 8 to 14 or 20 areusually strung up together after gettingtheir flogging. I think all are treatedwith disgraceful and barbarous cruelty Surely hanging ought to be enough! Lt Brand has hanged two women (who no doubt deserve death from their acts: one of them disemboweled Baron Kepenfelt;) and holds the wedding ring of one (which has‘the names’ engraved inside) as a kind oftrophy....."
The McClement Project centers on the journal of McClement, an Irishman and assistant surgeon who served with the Royal Navy between 1857 and 1869. McClement’s 400 page journal is a tremendous historical resource for students, scholars and the general public. This project is interactive - it is about making history accessible and allowing people to participate in the development of an historical project.
You can read the diary of Richard Carr McClement at http://www.scottishcatholicarchives.org.uk/mcclement.
You can read more background information about the diary at http://www.heraldscotland.com/life-style/real-lives/unearthed-journal-gives-eye-witness-account-of-slavery-1.995613.
(fistbump2 Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter by Dick Eastman)
No comments:
Post a Comment