The War of 1812 – Bristol’s American POWs

The fledgling United States of America declared war on Great Britain in June 1812. This war seems to be all but forgotten in this country despite our burning of the White House and possibly because we lost the last battle of the conflict at New Orleans in 1815, immortalised if that is the right word, in song by the one-time skiffle king, Lonnie Donegan, which would make me grit my teeth in rage. The war is of national significance in Canada, where the battle of Queenston Heights, October 13^th, 1812, is celebrated. US invasion attempts were repulsed, making it strangely relevant in 2025.

Stapleton Prison, (Courtesy of “Know Your Place” Bristol)

Bristol’s Prisoner of War establishment at Stapleton is often remembered for the French and Spanish prisoners but following the war of 1812 American combatants were imprisoned there too. These POWs are listed in the National Archives under reference ADM/103/465 by name, age, and place of origin. Black men are described as “black”, “negro”, “of colour” or “mulatto”, descriptions now offensive, and it is a sign of those times that such distinctions were thought necessary. About thirty years when my younger daughter Celia lived in London, we copied all the names of various nationalities for the period 21.1.1813 to 14.6.1814. I have yet to type up the full list, which has been in my “to-do” basket ever since. (One of these days I hope to rectify this situation.)

• John Healy, Boston, 30
• Benjamin Brown, New Orleans, 21
• John Bowen, Charleston, 24
• John Merritt, New York, 19
• Benjamin Burit, New Haven, 34
• John Wheeler, Connecticut, 26
• Joseph Gardner, Boston, negro
• Joseph Gabriel, New Orleans, negro, 30
• John Kellins, Boston, 40
• James Harris, New Orleans, 19, negro
• James Smith, Boston,25
• David Bassett, Baltimore, 43
• Alex. Lindsey, Baltimore, 16
• John Hill, Baltimore, 21
• Benjamin C. Hooper, alias Benjamin Eldridge, New York, 23
• William Armstrong, Philadelphia, 36, negro
• Thomas Jones, New York, 28
• Lewis Fisher, Pennsylvania, 25, “of colour”
• William Maine, Marblehead, 20.

Other nationalities who were presumed be serving on US ships can also be found in these registers. Among the group are two Portuguese, Joseph Maris, 22, and Francis Joseph, 23, both of Lisbon.

Following the Treaty of Paris, 1814, the POWs were released. The building eventually became Stapleton Workhouse and remained so until WW1.

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(This article first appeared in the Journal of the Bristol & Avon Family History Society, no.150, Dec 2012 entitled “The Bi-Centenary of the War of 1812.”)