The Indelible Hulk
Prison hulks were a flawed system, but that was not what finished them off.
In three couplets, American revolutionary Philip Freneau lambasted a new type of prison:
The various horrors of these hulks to tell
These Prison Ships where pain and horror dwell
Where death in ten fold vengeance holds his reign,
And injur’d ghosts, yet unaveng’d complain;
This be my tale-ungenerous Britons, you
Conspire to murder those you can’t subdue—
A prison hulk – a ship not seaworthy enough for full-service – was Freneau’s accommodation for six weeks.
To continue reading this article you need to purchase a subscription, available from only £5.
Start my trial subscription now
If you have already purchased access, or are a print & archive subscriber, please ensure you are logged in.
Please email digital@historytoday.com if you have any problems.
