April 29. 1778
The night before last William Carpenter and Alexander Fraser, both young men from the Charming Sally’s crew attempted to make their escape by tying together strips made from their hammocks and blankets and climbing over the wall but were both captured and committed to the Black Hole. They were suspected of being informants and thought it best to make their escape before they were found out.

Today the guards came in and separated all of the negroes from the rest of us and moved them into the itchy yard.

April 27.1778
Today Captain Boardman and Mr. Deal were released from the Black Hole after only 17 days.

April 26. 1778
Black Cuff and Caesar, two negroes, a man and a boy, were found out to be informing on those of us who attempted to escape from the prison. Before this another man had been blamed for this traitorous behavior. After examination Caesar was whipped by another boy and Black Cuff was given 3 dozen stripes by the wrongly accused man. Black Cuff later escaped over the prison wall to another yard to save his ears which had also been threatened. He and Caesar are now kept separated from us.

Joseph Shillaber has received a letter from a friend of his father’s in Portsmouth, one Captain Harris, stating that ships are under repair in that port making ready to sail for England to carry us home as part of an exchange. They expect to be underway within the month. We have no independent confirmation that the British will allow this to happen. We shall wait and see whether we are soon to be delivered from this place.

April 10.1778
Captain Boardman of our ship and Mr. Deal of the Lexington were returned to the prison this day after having made their escape on the 31st of January. Captains Henry Johnson and Eleazer Johnston are still at large and we presume they have successfully made their way clear of England.

April 8. 1778
Today we hear that the King of France officially recognizes the independence of the United States from Great Britain.

April 3. 1778
Today our clothes were inspected by Cowdry, his clerk, steward and doctor, to make sure we had our full due and that none of us had sold clothing to pay for extra food or drink

April 2. 1778
The two sentinels who aided our officers to escape on January 31 were punished yesterday. Bazely was flogged and Donnelly was shot. They both belonged to the Light Infantry. Today the weather was pleasant and a number of the men and boys played ball and quoits in the yard.