A Question re: Impressments
I'm currently writing an essay on the War of 1812, focusing on the impressment from 'neutral' American ships as a result of the Proclamation for recalling and prohibiting British seamen from serving foreign Princes and States, 16th October 1807.
Anyway, I've been chatting to Sharpie about it, and she swears she read somewhere that one of the ways British captains abused this order was to class American born before 1776 as British, the United States not having existed before this point - problem is she can't remember where she read it, and I can't find a reference for it either.
Has anybody else heard of this, or are we just imagining it? If anybody does know, could you possibly provide me with a quote and reference?
(Cross-posted to following_sea.)
Anyway, I've been chatting to Sharpie about it, and she swears she read somewhere that one of the ways British captains abused this order was to class American born before 1776 as British, the United States not having existed before this point - problem is she can't remember where she read it, and I can't find a reference for it either.
Has anybody else heard of this, or are we just imagining it? If anybody does know, could you possibly provide me with a quote and reference?
(Cross-posted to following_sea.)