Battle of New Orleans.

Sunday, July 3, 2022

Battle of Sodus Point: Three Americans Taken Prisoner (the Free Mason, the Idiot and the Black Man)

Three Americans were taken prisoner by the British during the confusion of the battle (well, more of a skirmish than battle).

They were Christopher Britton, Harry Skinner and Gilbert Saulter.

Of interest, Gilbert Saulter was a black man who had shouldered his musket to fight side by side with his white brothers.

The enemy put these men ashore before departing.  Tradition has it that Britton was released because he was a Free Mason and that Skinner convinced them that he was a drink or idiotic and carried on in such a manner that the British commander lost his patience and ordered his men to "put the damned fool on shore."

No one knows why Saulter was put ashore, but possibly because of his race.

--Brock-Perry


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