Captain Hempsted and his crew are taken to Guadeloupe

On September 2, 1796, the American merchant vessel Patty was commandeered by the French privateer Iris near St. Bartholomew. Captain Hempsted and his crew were taken to Guadeloupe where they were confined in dreadful conditions in a French prison cell. The Patty Collection at the Custom House owns three letters that Hempsted wrote to Riley to inform him of the situation and they are displayed below. Sandra Ulbrich's article, Justus Riley and Justice for Patty, has an account of what took place during the weeks following the capture of Patty.

Text on the outside of the letter, identifying the letter from "Hempstead" probably written at a later date

First page of Captain Hempsted's letter to Riley, dated September 8, 1796 from "Bastar" [Basse Terre]

Page 2 of letter from Basse Terre

Identification of letter, probably written later

Close-up of address on letter sent by Hempsted to Riley in Wethersfield but "missent" to Hartford

Letter from Hempsted to Riley from St. Croix, September 17, 1796 after being released from detention

Address of September 17 letter with identification information upside down at the bottom

Close-up of identification information