French Prisoners of War -- Repeal of the "Orders in Council" --
Rejoicings for the Victory of Salamanca -- Saturnalia thereat.
There was always more or less trouble with the French Prisoners of
War during the year--as we know, many escaped, and small blame to
them--whilst many officers deliberately and disgracefully broke
their parole and got away. Six Prisoners escaped from Edinburgh
Castle, made for the sea, found a boat, and, sailing up the Firth,
got as far as Hopetoun House, where they landed, intending to go to
Glasgow by land, but the Commandant of the Linlithgow Local Militia
had information that several men had been seen skulking about Lord
Hopetoun's plantations, and, after some trouble, they were caught,
lodged in Linlithgow gaol, and then sent back to Edinburgh.
One gained his freedom by an act of gallantry, early in February.
"François Goyette, a French Prisoner, lately employed as a servant
on board the hospital ship _Pegase_, has been released, and sent
to France by the Transport Board, as a reward for his exertions in
jumping overboard to the rescue of the Cook and boy of the _Hydra_
frigate, when upset in her boat on Porchester Lake."
We see, by the following, how systematic they became in their methods
of escaping:--
"Upwards of 1,000 French prisoners have escaped from this country
during the war, and so many persons have lately been detected in
assisting their escape, that those concerned have had a vehicle made
for the conveyance of Frenchmen, to avoid suspicion or detection,
exactly resembling a covered cart used by the Calico printers, with
strong doors at each end, but with seats inside to hold a number
of men. One of them was detected about a week since, in a very
extraordinary way. Some Revenue Officers went into a public house
near Canterbury, where two men were playing at cards, whom they
suspected to be Frenchmen on their way to escape from this country.
They communicated this suspicion to a magistrate, who informed them
that, at that hour of the night (about eight o'clock), the Constable
was generally intoxicated, and it would be of no use applying to him;
but advised them to procure the assistance of some of the Military in
the neighbourhood, which the officers accordingly did, and surrounded
the house.
"The landlord refused to open the door, saying it was too late.
The soldiers told him they were in search of deserters. A short
time afterwards two men came out of the back door, and the Revenue
Officers, suspecting they were two Frenchmen, secured them. Another
came out directly afterwards, whom the soldiers stopped; he, also,
was a Frenchman. They were conveyed away in Custody. This was a
mere chance detection, as the two men whom the Revenue Officers
had seen at Cards early in the evening proved, not Frenchmen, but
tradesmen of the neighbourhood; and, while the officers were gone
to the magistrate, and after the military, a cart, such as we have
described, arrived at the house with four Frenchmen.
"The fourth man, who was some time in coming out, after the others,
escaped into the London road, whither he knew the cart had returned,
and overtook it; but the driver would not, for a considerable
time, take him up, as he had only seen him in the night-time, till
he made him understand that he was connected with one Webb, the
driver's employer. It being ascertained that the three Frenchmen in
custody, had been brought there in a cart, pursuit was made, and
it was overtaken, and the driver and the Frenchman were taken into
custody. They were examined before a magistrate, when it appeared,
from the confession of the driver, &c., that the four Frenchmen were
officers, who had broken their parole from Ashby de la Zouche. The
Cart had been fitted up with a seat, to hold a number of Frenchmen.
He was employed by Mr. Webb to drive the cart. The Frenchmen only
got out of the cart at night to avoid observation. They stopped at
bye-places, and made fires under hedges. At a place near Brentford,
a woman connected with Webb made tea for them. They stopped on
Beckenham Common to rest the horse, about ten o'clock at night, when,
a horse-patrol passing at the time, suspected something to be wrong,
but could not ascertain what. He insisted on the driver moving off;
and when he was about putting the horse into the Cart, an accident
happened which nearly led to their discovery. The Frenchmen all being
at the back of the cart, the driver lost the balance, when he was
putting in the horse, and the cart fell backwards, which caused the
Frenchmen to scream violently; but it is supposed the patrol had gone
too far to hear the noise. Webb was apprehended, and examined before
a magistrate in Kent, but he discharged him. However, afterwards, the
magistrate meeting with Webb, in Maidstone, where he was attending
the assize on a similar charge, he took him into custody."
What was it made these French Officers so dishonour themselves by
breaking their parole? The very fact of their being on parole,
intimates a certain amount of freedom. It must have been either a
dull moral perception, and the utter want of all the feelings and
instincts of a gentleman, or else ungovernable _nostalgia_, which
blunted their sense of honour. Here is a pretty list, June 30, 1812:--
"The number of French commissioned Officers, and masters of
Privateers and Merchantmen, who have broken their parole in the last
three years ending 5 June is 692, of whom 242 have been retaken, and
450 escaped. A considerable number of officers have, besides, been
ordered into confinement, for various other breaches of their parole
engagements."
Something had to be done to stop this emigration, so the Government
gave orders to seize all galleys of a certain description carrying
eight oars: 17 were seized at Deal, and 10 at Folkestone, Sandgate,
&c. They must have been built for smuggling, and illicit purposes,
for they were painted so as to be perfectly invisible at night, and
were so slightly built, and swift, that in those days of no steamers,
no craft could catch them. However, the punishment, if caught, for
aiding their escape, was severe, as three men found to their cost.
They were sentenced to two years' imprisonment, and two of them "to
be placed in and upon the pillory on the sea-shore, near the town of
Rye, and, as near as could be, within sight of the French Coast, that
they might be viewed, as his lordship observed, by those enemies of
their country, whom they had, by their conduct, so much befriended."
The French papers had accused us of ill-treating our prisoners, so
that a disclaimer was necessary:--
"_French Prisoners._--As a proof of the good treatment of the
prisoners of war in this country, the following comparative statement
of those sick and in health will be the best answer to the calumnies
of the _Moniteur_:--
_Thursday, Aug. 20, 1812._
In health. Sick.
On board prison ships, Hamoaze 6100 61
In Dartmoor depôt 7500 74
"This small percentage of sick, is not the common average of persons
not confined as Prisoners of War. At Dartmoor 500 prisoners, such as
labourers, carpenters, smiths, &c., are allowed to work from sun-rise
to sun-set; they are paid fourpence and sixpence per day, according
to their abilities, and have each their daily rations of provisions,
viz., a pound and a half of bread, half a pound of boiled beef, half
a pound of cabbage, and a proportion of soup and small beer. They
wear a tin plate in their Caps, with the title of the trade they are
employed in, and return every evening to the depôt to be mustered."
They had a rough sense of justice among themselves, their punishments
to delinquents not quite coming up to the rigorous "_mort aux
voleurs_," but still very severe. Here is a case: The French
prisoners who were brought to the depôt at Perth, on August 13th,
from Dundee, were lodged, the preceding night, in the Church at
Inchture, where, it is said, they contrived to draw many of the nails
from the seats, and break a number of the panes of the windows; and
one of their number stole the two _mort-cloths_, or palls, belonging
to the Church. The beadle being sent after them to the depôt, the
theft was instantly discovered, which so incensed the prisoners
against the thief, that they called out to have him punished, and
asked permission to do so by a Court-martial. Having held this Court,
they ordered him a naval flogging of two dozen, with the end of a
hard rope. The Culprit was tied to a lamp-post, and, with the first
lash, the blood sprung. The punishment went on to 17 lashes, when the
poor man fainted away, but he had the other 7 at another time.
They kicked over the traces sometimes, as we learn by the _Annual
Register_, September 8th:--
"The French prisoners at Dartmoor depôt, on Sunday last, had worked
themselves up to the highest pitch of rage, at having a pound and a
half of biscuit, and not bread, per day. The use of biscuit, it is to
be observed, was to be discontinued as soon as the bakehouse had been
rebuilt; but the Frenchmen were absolutely deaf to remonstrances.
A detachment of the Cheshire militia, and of the South Gloucester
regiment, was drawn up on the walls surrounding the prison; and,
although they had loaded their pieces with ball, the prisoners
appeared undaunted, and insulted them in the grossest terms. A
sentinel on duty had the bayonet wrenched off his piece, yet nobly
reserved his fire; an officer, however, followed the Frenchman,
struck him over the shoulder with his sword, and brought off the
bayonet. The Frenchmen even bared their breasts to the troops, and
seemed regardless of danger.
"The number of prisoners is about 7,500; and so menacing was their
conduct, that an express was sent off to Plymouth Dock, at eleven
o'clock on Sunday night, soliciting immediate assistance. Three
pieces of Artillery were, in consequence, sent off early on Monday
morning; and, on their arrival, at the principal gate, the bars of
which, of immense size, had been previously broken by stones hurled
against them by the insurgents, they were placed in such directions
as to command the whole of the circle which the prison describes.
This had the desired effect, and order was restored. It is to be
noticed that the allowance of biscuit, at which these men had so
indignantly spurned, is precisely the same as that which is served
out to our own sailors and marines."
At another time (Sunday, October 11th) the _Ganges_ prison ship, at
Portsmouth, with 750 prisoners on board, was set on fire by one of
them, and had actually a great hole burned in her, before the fire
was discovered. The incendiary was soon detected, and put in irons;
he confessed his guilt, and declared it was his intention to destroy
himself and companions, who were tired of confinement. To the credit
of his compatriots, they all helped to extinguish the flames, and
were, with difficulty, restrained from lynching the offender.
One pretty little story anent them, and I have done. A prisoner,
located at Perth, was released, on account of his humanity. At the
storming of Badajoz, General Walker fell at the head of his brigade,
and was found by this young Frenchman lying wounded, and bleeding,
in the breach. In his arms he bore the General to a French Hospital,
where he was cured. General Walker gave him his address, and promised
to serve him, if ever it lay in his power. The fortune of war brought
the young man, a captive, to England, and, on his application to his
friend the General, the latter so used his influence as to procure
his release.
An act was done in this year which removed many restrictions from
our trade, and promoted the manufacturing industry of the Country.
It was all very well to be victorious in war, but the fact of being
at war, more especially with opponents whose great efforts were to
cripple the trade of the Nation, and thus wither the sinews by which
war is greatly maintained, was felt throughout all classes of the
Manufacturing Interest all over the Country, a power which was then
beginning to make itself felt. The Act of which I speak, was the
abolition of the Orders in Council which prohibited trade with any
port occupied by the French, being a reprisal for Napoleon's Berlin
and Milan Decrees, which interdicted commerce with England.
Petitions poured into Parliament in favour of their abrogation, and
on the 24th of April Lord Liverpool laid on the table of the House of
Lords, the following
"DECLARATION of THE COURT OF GREAT BRITAIN RESPECTING THE ORDERS
IN COUNCIL.
"At the Court at Carlton-house the 23rd day of April, 1812. Present
his Royal Highness the Prince Regent in Council.
"Whereas his Royal Highness the Prince Regent was pleased to declare,
in the name, and on the behalf of his Majesty, on the 21st day of
April, 1812: 'That if at any time hereafter, the Berlin and Milan
Decrees shall, by some authentic act of the French Government,
publicly promulgated, be absolutely and unconditionally repealed,
then, and from thenceforth, the Order in Council of the 7th of
January, 1807, and the Order in Council of the 26th of April, 1809,
shall without any further Order be, and the same are hereby declared
from thenceforth to be, wholly and absolutely revoked."
On this being known, there were great rejoicings throughout the
Country, especially at Sheffield, Leeds, and other manufacturing
towns; the beneficial effects of the alteration became immediately
apparent, there being more purchases made at the Cloth Hall at
Leeds, in one day, than had been known for many years. At Liverpool
1,500,000 yards of bounty goods were shipped in one week, worth
£125,000, and 2,500,000 were in progress of shipment. In the same
week £12,000 Convoy duty, at 4 per cent., was paid, indicating
further shipments to the amount of £300,000, at the same port. The
wages of Spinners, &c., advanced at once, in some cases as much as
2s. 3d. a week.
But all rejoicings were not so quiet--witness those which took place
in London in honour of the Victory of Salamanca, when Wellington
totally defeated the French Army under Marshal Marmont, July 22,
1812. The French left in the hands of the British 7,141 prisoners, 11
pieces of cannon, 6 stands of colours, and 2 eagles.
The Illuminations in London took place on August 17th and two
following days, but they seem to have been of the usual kind. If the
sightseers could not get hold of the hero of the day, they managed
to lay hands on the Marquis Wellesley, his brother, who was driving
about, looking at the illuminations; and, having taken the horses out
of his carriage, they dragged him about the streets; finally, and
luckily, depositing him at Apsley House. After this, they returned
down Piccadilly, calling out for lights, which had a little time
before been brilliant, but since had gone out. The inhabitants got
from their beds and showed candles, but this did not satisfy the mob,
who set to work demolishing the windows with sticks, brick-bats,
stones, &c., to the great danger of life and limb.
Some glass, in Mr. Coutts's house, which cost £4 10s. a square (for
plate glass was very dear then) was broken, as were also several
windows at Sir Francis Burdett's, and yet both had been well lighted
throughout the night. This disgraceful scene was kept up till past
three a.m., and damage was done, estimated at five or six hundred
pounds.
On the third and last night of their Saturnalia the outrages
were, perhaps, worse than before. Not only were fire-arms freely
discharged, and fireworks profusely scattered, but _balls of tow,
dipped in turpentine_, were thrown among crowds and into carriages;
horses ran away in affright--carriages were overturned--and many
deplorable accidents ensued in broken limbs and fractured skulls.
Here are a few accidents. In Bow Street, a well-dressed young lady
had her clothes set in a blaze. In the Strand, at one time, three
women were on fire, and one burned through all her clothes, to her
thigh. Likewise in the Strand, a hackney coach, containing two
ladies and two gentlemen, was forced open by the mob, who threw in a
number of fireworks, which, setting fire to the straw at the bottom
of the coach, burned an eye of one of the gentlemen, his coat, and
breeches; one of the ladies had her _pelisse_ burned, and the other
was burned across the breast. In St. Clement's Churchyard, a woman,
of respectable appearance, hearing a blunderbuss suddenly discharged
near her, instantly dropped down, and _expired_.
_Apropos_ of Salamanca, there was a little _jeu d'esprit_ worth
preserving.
"SALAMANCA LOBSTERS.
Though of Soldiers, by some in derision 'tis said,
They are Lobsters, because they are cloathed in red,
Yet the maxim our army admit to be true,
As part of their nature, as well as their hue;
A proof more decisive, the world never saw,
For every man in the Field had '_Eclat_.'"
On the 30th of September, there was a great military function, in
depositing the captured French Eagles in Whitehall Chapel. They were
five in number, two taken at Salamanca, two at Madrid, and one near
Ciudad Rodrigo.