Friday, December 4, 2009

"More Brooklyn Stuff"







































A few posts down John asked about Revolution era stuff around Brooklyn. Here are some snapshots of the "Prison Ship Memorial" in Fort Greene Park.

The Brits put their P.O.W.'s in old hulks to rot, and die. This tower was put up in 1908 in memory of the terrible suffering endured by Continental Army prisoners, and various others the Crown had no use for.

We forget that we, and the Brits weren't always such pals.

(This below from the Fort Greene Conservancy site.)

http://fortgreenepark.org/pages/prisonship.htm

"The Prison Ship Martyrs Monument that stands today in the center of Fort Greene Park is a 1908 memorial to the 11,000 men and boys who died in horrid conditions on the British Prison Ships during the Revolutionary War. The Monument, which is sometimes referred to as the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, stands in the center of what was once called Fort Putnam, an actual Revolutionary War fort, named after Gernal Putnam. The Monument you see today is actually the third incarnation of this sacred shrine. The story of the horrid Prison Ships – and the ghastly conditions suffered by the men and boys imprisoned on them during the Revolutionary War – is one of the most disturbing chapters in American history."
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Besides War Crime sites Brooklyn lately has seen the return of it's raccoons. This after over a century of absence. Umm, I 'think' this is a good thing.

...maybe they'll eat the rats.

2 comments:

Zaek said...

Eleven thousand! I had no idea. That's disgusting. How come this never got in any of the history books I was taught from? Including at college.

I don't know about raccoons. I wouldn't want to tangle with any, but if they kill the rats I suppose that's bound to be good. Probably keeps down the risk of plague.

John said...

O`h wow these pictures are
breath taking !
So many payed the priece and so few know !
To really know about American
History you have to not read the history books in school ya gotta
get out there and read stuff !
Thanks for the pics and info !