Henry Raikes

THE REV. MR. WOLFE, ONE OF THE DETENUS.—HEARS OF THE STATE OF THE PRISONERS AT GIVET, AND RESOLVES ON GOING TO RESIDE AMONG THEM.—EXTRACTS FROM HIS WORK ENTITLED THE “BRITISH PRISONERS IN FRANCE.”

The name of Mr. Wolfe having been thus introduced, I feel it due to the memory of that faithful and devoted man, to leave for a moment the subject of the present memoir, in order to turn to the labours in which he was associated, and to a work which he voluntarily undertook, in conjunction with his friend, Captain Brenton. Mr. Wolfe, as has been stated, was arrested at Fontainbleau, where he was making a short stay in a tour subsequent to his marriage: and from thence was consigned with the other detenus to the depÔt at Verdun. His situation there admitted many alleviations in the captivity to which he was doomed. He found several valuable and agreeable men, the associates of his confinement. He had, as we have seen, opportunities for exercising his ministry; and he must have felt, that though the situation was not one which he would have chosen, it was still one in which he perhaps had less to regret, than the greater part of those around him. But while he was thus residing at Verdun, the reports which he continually received of the state of the British seamen who were confined at Givet, awoke such feelings of pity in Mr. Wolfe’s mind, that he determined in a spirit of self-devotion, as rare as it is admirable, to move with his family to Givet, to take up his residence among them, and to try to forward the means of their improvement by personal exertions. This sacrifice can hardly be appreciated as it ought to be, by those who are ignorant of the condition to which the men were reduced, through their own vices, and the oppression to which they were at the time subjected. Mr. Wolfe’s friends remonstrated with him seriously on the danger to which he was exposing himself, and the partner of his exile, by taking up his permanent abode among men, whom despair and suffering had rendered almost ferocious; and whose sole relief seemed to be, making others more wretched than themselves. But he had seen the need to which they were reduced. He had counted the cost, and he decided on a step, which if it involved great personal privation, and some personal danger, was followed by such an amount of blessing as few have been permitted to witness.

On first removing to Givet, he found his countrymen sunk in every kind of abomination, half starved by the dishonesty of the French Commissaries, destitute of every comfort, and in a state of mind which aggravated all their external sufferings. The cruel, and unfeeling policy of the French government at the time, led them to make the condition of the prisoners as wretched as possible, that they might be the more easily tempted, by the agents employed to seduce them from their allegiance; and the evils of captivity were studiously aggravated by the want of necessary food and covering, that the seamen might be induced to enlist in the French service. This species of treatment falling on minds ill prepared to resist it, had led to a degree of frightful demoralization. Some few were drawn away by the offers made to them, and justified their desertion by the cold and hunger they had suffered. The rest seeing no prospect of release, without employment, and without resource, sought for momentary forgetfulness in intoxication, when liquor could be procured; and then sunk into despondency, and sullen discontent. A more fearful exhibition of human nature it is hardly possible to conceive; and yet into this scene Mr. Wolfe resolved to throw himself; and among men, such as these, he asked, and with some difficulty obtained permission to reside. The result of this noble enterprise of Christian benevolence, of this work and labour of love, should only be given in his own words, and having asked, and obtained the kind permission of her who was his partner in this act of self-devotion, to make this use of his publication, I do not hesitate at borrowing from the work which Mr. Wolfe published in 1830, entitled the “British Prisoners in France,” the narrative of the experiment he made, and which from that moment connected him, while life lasted, in affectionate regard with the subject of the present memoir.

“On my arrival at Givet,” writes Mr. Wolfe, “I soon discovered that I had undertaken a task of much more difficulty and danger, than I had at all been willing to believe. I found the depÔt in the most deplorable state. Both in a moral and physical point of view, it would be difficult to conceive anything more degraded and miserable. And as regards religion, every appearance of it was confined to some twenty methodists, who were the objects of the most painful persecution, and often the innocent cause of the most dreadful blasphemies. For, not content with abusing, and sometimes ill-treating them, the drunken and vicious, more effectually to distress and grieve them, would blaspheme that sacred name by which we are called, and utter their contempt in the most extravagant, and offensive mockery. The bodily privations of the prisoners, and their want of the comforts, and common necessaries of life was equally distressing. The barracks were situated in a narrow pass, between the perpendicular rock of the fortress of Charlemont on the one side, and the river Meuse on the other; and all the space the men had for exercise, was between the building itself and the river, along the side of which was a wall. This slip of ground, not more than ten paces in width, and exposed to the southern sun, was in the heat of summer a complete oven. Yet here they were obliged to walk, except they should stay in a hot room, with sixteen persons crowded into it all the day. In the hospital, the sick were mixed with those of the prisoners of other nations, and were in a shocking state of neglect, and covered with vermin. Not a single prisoner was allowed to go out into the town; and even the interpreter was accompanied by a gens d’armes. It was almost impossible for any of them to get any thing from their friends, for there was no one to receive it for them; and the little that did come, was subjected to a deduction of five per cent by the marechal des logis. And so great was their distress at that moment, that unable to satisfy the cravings of hunger, they were seen to pick up the potato peelings that were thrown out into the court, and devour them.

“It appears to be the natural tendency of misery and want, to foster vice, and encourage the worst feelings of the human heart; and that effect, in its fullest sense, was produced on this occasion. The little money that was received by the prisoners, instead of being applied to the relief of their wants, and to make them more comfortable in food and clothing, was spent in riot and excess. On these occasions, sailors are, of all other men, most ready to communicate, and never think of to-morrow. And, left, as they were, entirely to themselves, no one caring for their souls, no one having the desire, or the power to restrain them, either by force or by persuasion, in the midst of the real distress which they experienced, the depÔt of Givet was, perhaps, at that moment, the most reprobate spot that can be imagined.

“In addition to these discouragements, connected with the field of labour which I had undertaken; I now found, that there were difficulties in my own situation, which would probably involve me in personal danger, of a very serious nature; or at least, cause me to be sent away to the dungeons of Bitche.

“The Commandant, and those that were under his orders, from the time I arrived at the depÔt, viewed me with a very evil eye. They had all a share in the spoil of the poor prisoners; and my interference on their behalf, and the opportunities which I had of detecting their extortions, enraged them exceedingly against me. Whenever I made an attempt, as I frequently did, to put a stop to the exactions upon the money which was sent in to the men; or when any complaint was made of the meat, or the bread, these officers were loud in their threats of denunciations, and of sending me off to Bitche. And for the first two years of my stay in that place, I never went to bed, without the impression upon my mind, that, ere the morning, I might probably be thus suddenly marched off.

“Before I left Verdun, I had been cautioned not to pay any money to the prisoners, which might be remitted to me, either from their friends in England, or from the charitable fund at Verdun, without express permission from the Commandant, a caution which proved most salutary. For, even though I obtained this permission, the marechal des logis came to me the next morning, in a great rage, reproached me with taking away his honest gains, and required me in future to send in the money through him. I complained to the Commandant, who inveighed against the avarice of this man; but I found that he was either unwilling, or afraid to redress this shameful abuse. And, although I subsequently made many attempts to pay the men their money without this abominable drawback, it was always without effect, and at the risk of being denounced, and sent away from the depÔt.

“The exertions which were made, during the long-continued detention of the English prisoners in France, for the relief of such among them as were in want, are known to every one. The sums so raised were contributed by benevolent individuals in London; to whom the collections made throughout the country, for the same charitable purpose, were also forwarded; and by them committed to the care of some of the most respectable persons in the depÔt of Verdun, who had formed themselves into a committee for that effect. These gentlemen, who were themselves liberal contributors, dispensed to the necessitous, and sent to the different depÔts such relief, as the exigencies of each required. And sometimes, in the hope of more effectually relieving the sufferings of those confined in distant places, individuals from this chief depÔt, went to visit them, and even took up their temporary or permanent abode among them.

“At the time these charitable contributions were received at Givet, and the payment to each prisoner was small, though the whole amount was considerable, I went to the commandant, and represented to him the charitable object of the money that was to be distributed; and said, I hoped he would not allow any deduction to be made from trifling sums, arising from such a source. He said, it would be altogether shameful, willingly gave me the permission to pay it, and granted my further request, that a certain number of the prisoners should be permitted to come into the town once a week, to lay out the money more advantageously, in necessaries for themselves and their fellow prisoners. This was very joyful to the poor men; but, unfortunately, they could not contain their triumph, and boasted, in not very measured terms, that they had at length overcome the marechal des logis. This was sufficient; the Commandant took this excuse for withdrawing the permission; and, before the next weekly pay-day arrived, I received a message from him, that he had a particular reason for desiring that I would not again pay the money myself. I said, that in that case, I would not pay it at all. And for a considerable time I resisted. But surrounded as I was with spies, I could not explain what I was doing to the men. And even if I had, the Commandant knew well, they were too impatient to receive their money, not to submit to the sacrifice, even of the half, if it were required, rather than wait.

“He, also, had his hired friends, not only among the gens d’armes, but among the men themselves, who insinuated to them that it was all my fault that it was not paid.[3] They sent in a specific message to the Commandant, that they were willing to pay the deduction as usual; and after resisting for, I think, two pay-days, I at length felt that it was wrong any longer to deprive the poor men of a charitable relief so necessary for them, and again submitted to this iniquitous tax.

“The great difficulty of my situation arose from hence. I knew that if I were found, directly or indirectly, opposing, or interfering with the business of the depÔt, otherwise than with the consent of the Commandant, and as I was able to work upon his moral feeling, or regard to his character, I should be immediately sent away. I was permitted to go there only as chaplain; and it was evident, from every one else, who could have done anything for the prisoners, having been sent away, that I should not be allowed to stay in any other capacity. Traps were constantly laid for me,[4] and I knew, by examples before my eyes, that if they could find any such interfering to allege against me, they would say to me, as they always did, that the thing I complained of was a shameful abuse. But they would have denounced me, as one of the Commandants afterwards did, as having done something, which they knew the minister of war, without any inquiry would punish by sending me away from the depÔt. And as they would be very angry, and their accusation be of a kind which he would consider serious, an order would come down, be put in execution, perhaps in the middle of the night; and without any explanation, or, probably, any one knowing it, till the following morning, I should have been marched from brigade to brigade, to the fortress of Bitche, subject to join company with deserters and criminals, and tied, it might be, hand to hand with them.[5] This might have been risked; but in what state would the poor fellows have been left? They would have been reduced to the same miserable condition in which I found them, with the additional oppression which would arise from the angry feeling left upon the minds of the officers who had charge of them. And thus, sound policy, and a conscientious regard to the object for which I was permitted to be at the depÔt, the religious instruction and consolation of the prisoners, perfectly coincided. Under any circumstances, I could not have thought a disingenuous conduct right, and must have given up any advantage, or even usefulness, rather than resort to it. But I found that a plain and straightforward course enabled me to be more serviceable to the prisoners. And though, sometimes, I could not help making strong representations to the Commandant, I never worked indirectly, or endeavoured to set the men’s minds against him. My general resource was persuasion, and a direct appeal to his conscience, and his amour propre, which was particularly his weak side. And with the aid of a very kind and influential French officer in the Engineers, who was always ready to assist me, and favour the prisoners, I was enabled to accomplish more, by this open conduct, than I could have done by means of a more indirect and inimical nature. But it will readily be conceived, that circumstanced as I was, this would often subject me to misrepresentation, and render extreme circumspection necessary.

“In the impossibility of knowing who were in the interest of the Commandant, even among the men themselves, I had but one resource, I suspected nobody, and I trusted nobody. I never explained my views or intentions to any one, and said nothing that required the least secrecy. At one time, therefore, the men, when they could not have what they wished, suspected all was not right; at another when they complained of tyranny and knavery, the agents and subalterns of the Commandant declared, that I was at the bottom of it, and they would soon have me at the dungeons of Bitche; and, at a third, the Commandant himself would be influenced by his people, and suspect me of underhand dealing.[6]

“In the end, however, what was done spoke for itself. The men saw that every means in the power of prisoners, like themselves, were used to prevent them from being oppressed. The Commandant felt that my being there was a great check upon the rapacity and avarice of his people; and they, and often he himself, were excessively enraged. But the moral and religious feeling which was manifested among the men, rendered them so much more peaceful and sober, more satisfied, and even cheerful in their conduct, and so much more faithful to their word and engagements, that I really think he felt it a sort of personal security to himself, and upon the whole, an advantage.

“Thus exposed to many difficulties and personal dangers, as to the temporal wants of the poor men; in their spiritual concerns, and those immediately connected with them, I had abundant cause of thankfulness. On my first application for a place of worship, the Commandant expressed his readiness to do every thing in his power. But he had no place at his disposal larger than the ordinary sized room, which would not hold more than two hundred persons. This I obtained for the moment. But the Colonel-director of engineers was then with the army in Germany; and the grenier, the only place sufficiently large for the purpose, could only be obtained by a direct application to him. For the present, therefore, a room perhaps a little larger than the others, where was an oven for the purpose of baking bread for the barracks, was converted into a chapel. A small plain desk was made by one of the men, which served also for a pulpit; and the clerk made use of a common table and stool. What was wanting however in accommodation, was abundantly made up by the spirit which soon was manifested among the prisoners; and the Lord wrought powerfully among them. The place was crowded to excess, and the oven, which reached so near the top of the room, that the men could not sit upright upon it, was always covered with them, lying in a most painful position from want of room.

“The Schools were also immediately established; and though the funds for all these objects were, at that early period of our captivity, but scantily, and with great difficulty obtained, we were yet able to carry on a system of education, which, for extent, usefulness, and the rapid progress made by those that were instructed, has perhaps seldom been equalled. It is indeed wonderful, at how small an expence, a number of persons, generally amounting to between four and five hundred, were taught to read, write, go through the highest rules in arithmetic, navigation in all its most difficult branches, construct charts and maps, and work at the practical part of their profession, as far as it can be learned from the form of a vessel, which had been admirably rigged for that purpose. Yet the small sums given to those among them, who were capable of instructing their fellow prisoners, as masters or assistants, were very useful.

“The immediate results arising from this employment of their time, were beneficial, in a degree, at least equal to the professional advantages, which they might hope to experience in their future prospects. While they were thus receiving instruction and edification, their thoughts were diverted from dwelling upon those misfortunes, which had the most pernicious effect and influence upon their minds, not only in a moral and religious point of view, but, often as it regarded their health and spirits. And thus the fear of God, and the influence of moral duty and instruction, even in those who were not decidedly religious, reciprocally acted upon their minds; preserved them from that mental debasement, and those habits of depravity and vice, which are ever contracted and induced by ignorance and want of employment.

“And in the midst of these useful occupations, the Lord opened the hearts of many, to receive that heavenly wisdom, the merchandize of which is better than silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold; without which, all our attainments are nothing worth, and with which all the things we can desire, are not to be compared. The number of boys was comparatively small; the greater number were men grown; and some of those that were advanced in years, were anxious not to lose this opportunity of learning to read, at least, their bibles; to be able to study for themselves those oracles of eternal truth, which are ‘able to make men wise unto salvation, through faith that is in Christ Jesus.’

“The hospital was another object of my immediate attention. It is remarkable that this abode of sickness and misery, was also the most abandoned portion of the depÔt. In this respect, the remark which I have before made is completely borne out. And here, where it might have been hoped that the afflicting hand of God, and the constant view of death, would have brought the most wicked to tremble at the thought of judgment, hardened impenitence kept pace with outward misery. And even after their wants were supplied, and every comfort was promised for them, which affliction is susceptible of, the hospital continued to be, with some exceptions, much less under the influence of religious improvement, than any other part of the depÔt.

“My first object was to obtain for my countrymen a ward to themselves, separate from the prisoners of other nations. One of the prisoners had already been employed in the joint capacity of interpreter and nurse. He was by birth a Portuguese, but had been many years in the English navy, and spoke English nearly as well as a native. He was however a person in whom I had not the least confidence, was hardened in all the callous and profligate practices of the French nurses, and was evidently in the pay of the Commandant. For the same reason, however, I knew it would be impossible for me to displace him. And, after a vain attempt to do so, I endeavoured to make him as useful as possible; and contented myself with employing another person, and a third, as they were wanted, whom I found best suited to attend the sick, and administer to their comforts.

“It was my anxious wish to find a pious person, who was fit for this affair, and was willing to take the charge, in which there were so many opportunities of usefulness. And at length I succeeded in obtaining the appointment of one, who would at all times be ready to speak a word in season, to those who might be induced to hear. From this time the poor men were as comfortable as in an English hospital. Extreme cleanliness succeeded to the state of filth in which I had found them; and as wine, and many other things of a cordial, or a nutritious nature, were there abundant, and very reasonable, they had even greater comforts than would have been provided for them at home. And the consequence was, that we had a smaller proportion of deaths, compared with the number of persons present, than is scarcely ever known.

“A better spirit also began to be manifested among the men. The absence of the French nurses, hackneyed in every vice, and hardened amidst the most appalling scenes of sickness, misery, and death, contributed to prevent, in some measure, the abandoned carelessness and unconcern which had been shewn, when those who perhaps had less reason to expect it than themselves, were called before them, to give an account of the things done in the body. At least, they whose sufferings God had sanctified, were not interrupted, as they had been, by the riot and blasphemy of the wicked and impenitent.

“In the mean time, a great sensation was created in the prison; and, as in old time, some mocked, while others, for the first time, saw before them an invisible and eternal world, compared with which all the things they could desire were less than nothing and vanity, where were many among them already, whose hearts the Lord opened, to attend to the things which have been declared by prophets, and apostles, and confirmed by God, manifest in the flesh. Many were enquiring into the things which accompany salvation; and in many the word of truth took deep root, and they continued seeking the grace of Christ. Nor have I the least reason to doubt, that the Lord fulfilled to many his gracious promise, ‘Seek and ye shall find,’ and that even now, some have entered into the rest that remaineth for the people of God; and others are still so running that they may obtain.

“The methodist congregation were regular attendants on the service of the Church, and had their meetings night and morning.[7] They were very useful in the work of God; and now their numbers increased. And soon after my arrival another meeting was formed, of those who from time to time were under the influence of conviction, arising out of, and more immediately connected with the congregation of the Church. As my own views, at the period of my arrival at Givet, were by no means clear, it will readily be understood, that these persons did not see at once all the riches of the grace of God. Still their hearts were opened, and they ‘followed on to know the Lord.’

“There were, as might be expected, discussions and disputes between the two classes, and among each other. These I endeavoured to allay, and encourage among them a single eye to Christ. The work of God proceeded more rapidly than my most sanguine hopes could have anticipated. And one or other of the men were frequently receiving letters from their fellow-prisoners in other depÔts, saying, that they heard the Lord was among them, and expressing a hope that the influence might be felt amongst themselves. The change was also soon visible in the lives and moral conduct of the men; and was recognized, as I have observed, by the Commandant and all who had to do with them. Formerly they could only be restrained by force, and bolts and bars were the only means of keeping them safely; and they constantly broke through them; but now, bolts and bars were unnecessary. The Commandant was persuaded, and acted entirely upon that persuasion, that the only thing that could bind them, was the moral obligation of their word; which, whether given or implied, they never broke, in any instance that came to my knowledge.

“Nor was this confined to them that feared God. The moral influence of Christianity spread through the whole body, and the most striking instances of faithfulness to their word, and a sense of the obligation of it, were given by the prisoners. And it was not officers or people of education who thus distinguished themselves; but common sailors, and youngsters, who might have been expected to view the breach of their parole only as a joke. So that it was considered as a national feeling, and raised the character of the English in that country extremely.[8]

“This conduct had also the happiest effect upon the comfort of the men. Previous to my arrival they had by degrees been all confined to the prison; those who had been permitted to come out, having conducted themselves ill, or run away. And at length, not one prisoner, without excepting even the interpreter, was permitted to come out without a guard, under any pretext.

“I began by getting one out, and then a second, and a third person, for my own service, and as interpreter; then some others in whom I had most confidence. The good behaviour of these men, encouraged the Commandant to give liberty to others. The number of those who had permission to reside in the town, or to work and walk out of the prison, increased daily; and at length, so complete was his confidence in them, that he allowed many of them to walk out into the country; and there were often as many as two hundred out of the prison at a time.

“And now, the director of engineers, who had also the fortifications under his direction, returned from the German campaign. I made immediate application to him for what was wanted for the comfort and accommodation of the depÔt; and on this occasion, as on all others, he willingly listened to our wishes, and did more than we asked.

“There was a part of the court which surrounded the barracks, about the size of that which lay between the building and the river. This was on the north side of the prison, and was comparatively cool, from the shade afforded by the building; when, on the other side, the heat from the southern sun, and the reflection from the walls, was almost intolerable. But there was no palisade, on the side of the road to prevent the escape of the prisoners. There was a sufficient number of these for the purpose, among the stores belonging to the fortification; and I offered, out of the funds sent me by the committee at Verdun, having previously consulted them, to defray an expence so essential to the health and comfort of the men, which was estimated at fifteen pounds.

“This proposal the director immediately forwarded to the Bureau de la guerre, and received an immediate permission to grant us this accommodation; which he lost no time in completing. But when I came to pay the expence, I was agreeably surprised to find, that he had represented to the minister the inconsistency that there would be in allowing this expence to be borne by individuals; and he would not hear of my paying a farthing. I then applied to him for a large grenier, which was the only place sufficiently capacious for the purpose of divine worship. This again required some expense, and was attended with some difficulties. The colonel, however, made none. He gave immediate orders to the person who supplied bread for the barracks, to whom he had given this place as a storehouse, to empty it of the stores which he had laid up in it, and give up the key. And now the only fault that we had to find, was the reverse of that which we had before complained of. The place would have held several thousand persons; and being very low and unceiled, the heat in the summer was excessive, and the winter’s cold was not less severe. The men, however, did not complain; they were seeking the glory that shall be revealed, to which the light afflictions of the present, which are but for a moment, are not to be compared.

“We were now enabled to meet together in as large numbers as would; and as many as were so inclined, had full power of seeking, in the ordinances of God, and the hearing of the word, the grace which bringeth salvation. And they were not backward in availing themselves of the means which were thus offered to them. I was very anxious that they should not come there under any feeling of constraint, or for filthy lucre’s sake; that they should understand that it would be no advantage to them, as to the loaves and fishes. Yet the congregation increased; and there were few instances of those that had begun to run well, looking back, or returning into the way of carelessness and sin.

“Some of those who had never been received by baptism into the church of Christ, were anxious to receive this pledge of their profession. It was an affecting sight, to see the jetty natives of the East desiring, like the Ethiopian convert of old, to profess their faith in a crucified Saviour; and while they manifested already in their lives the grace that sanctifieth, receiving with desire of heart, the outward sign and pledge of the faith that was in them. But the Lord’s Supper was a still more joyful proof and evidence of the work which He was carrying on amongst these people. I shall never forget the first sacrament, which I administered in the barracks. The number of communicants was about fourteen, most of them old men. The greater part had never before attended at the holy table. Some, perhaps, had never been in a place of worship in their lives, until my arrival at the depÔt. They could not contain their feelings, and most of them were in tears the whole of the time. It was a godly sorrow, working repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of.

“But the number of communicants did not long continue so small. It increased daily, as a sense of religion prevailed, and the seed of grace took root in their hearts. The spirit of enquiry was general, and hundreds were seeking. The table of the Lord was more numerously attended every month; and I was enabled there to attend to the instructions of the rubric in a way that is scarcely practicable in a large parish at home. In cases of baptism the sponsors were persons of decided piety.

“The persons who attended the Lord’s table, in the latter part of my stay at the depÔt, amounted to above two hundred; and it cannot but be supposed, that amongst so many, there were some who, to say the least of it, must be considered very weak christians. But they were all professing to be serious; and there were none among them, as I believed, of that formal description so common among the communicants in England, who attend this sacrament because they think it decent, or that they are doing some good thing, that they may have everlasting life.

“Still there are, no doubt, those who have flying convictions, even of a very lively description, for a moment; many of whom, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness, and when temptation or affliction cometh, are as immediately offended, and have no part nor lot with them that shall be saved. I therefore required them to give in their names beforehand, that I might enquire into the consistency of their lives, if there were any whom I did not know; and exhort those whom I had any doubt of, or refuse them, if I thought them altogether unfit.

“There was but a single instance of one coming, who had not given this previous notice. I observed the man amongst the rest, and was surprised. I had seen him very constant at church, but I had had no direct intimation of his seriousness, and was in doubt of him: I therefore went up to him, to ascertain, at least, whether he was prepared to receive the sacrament with consciousness, of the body and blood of Christ. He was a man of extreme simplicity of mind and manners; but answered in such a way, as immediately to convince me, that he was not only desirous of shewing the Lord’s death until he come, but instantly serving God day and night. And from that time, I know not that he was ever absent from any of the appointed means of grace, whether on the Lord’s day or any other; and in life, as in profession, was a decided and consistent Christian.

“Such was the state of this Christian community, and so changed in a few short months was this numerous depÔt, in which there were, sometimes, as many as 1500 prisoners. Formerly there was not a room, out of a number, sometimes exceeding ninety, where a man could have gone down on his knees to prayer. The consequences to him of such an attempt would have been profane abuse, or even serious personal violence. Now there was not one room, in which there were not pious men; and quiet and peace prevailed towards them, even on the part of those who did not themselves profess the truth.

“I remember an observation from Mr. Lee, when he went with me through the barracks, and into all or most of the rooms. ‘This,’ said he, ‘is a most extraordinary thing. I have been through a depÔt of 1500 sailors, and not seen one drunken man!’ And the influence of their example was felt more or less, in a religious point of view, throughout all the depÔts, in all which one or other of them had friends, with whom they were in habits of correspondence.

“But it may well be supposed that Satan did not view these things with indifference. The tares were soon sown among the wheat, and in time they grew up together. The first instrument in the hand of the enemy, was a defection among the men, by going over to the French; in which, however, those that professed religion distinguished themselves in a very honourable manner. I had found, that on two or three occasions, an Irish officer, who was in the French service, (whose name I do not mention, in the hope that he may have repented of a course so disgraceful, and that it may have been overlooked by a generous country,) had been in the prison; and by bribery, and by giving them liquor, had each time induced some of the men to go with him into the French service. To have interfered personally in this matter, it may well be supposed, would have been a sure way of my being removed from the depÔt. I, however, spoke to the Commandant on the subject of the youngsters; and, appealing to him as a father, requested that he would not allow any of them to take a step which would be their ruin; however much they might wish it, in order to recover their liberty. And this he readily promised, and shewed indeed a desire to do.

“Some time after this, I was preparing to go into the neighbourhood of Sedan, where Colonel D’Ivory, who commanded the engineers in the English army in Portugal, was then residing. I was very desirous of visiting a congregation of French Protestants in that town; and accepted an invitation from the Colonel to stay a few days with him. Before I set off I found that the Franco Irish officer had again appeared at the depÔt, and prevailed upon two or three of the men to go with him. I, therefore, went to the Commandant and said, that I waited upon him again, before I set off, to remind him of his promise respecting the youngsters. He assured me that none of them should go; and said, that there was not much to be apprehended, for the men took his liquor and laughed at him.

“My journey was not satisfactory, except as regarded the extreme hospitality and kindness of my host, and the pious and almost protestant conversation of Madame D’Ivory. Her health was exceedingly delicate, and she was unequal to exertion. And she spent her time in religious exercises and prayer; while she administered to the wants, and her maid even dressed the wounds of the poor around her. I could not but exclaim, ‘O si sic omnia!’ and lament the errors of her faith, and the almost ridiculous, if they had not been destructive, superstitions of persons about her.[9]

“How different was the case where I hoped to find religion in its purest simplicity! At the protestant temple I found the scriptures being read to literally empty benches; there was not one person present. At length the congregation began to come in, and the clergyman arrived. He preached a moral discourse; and seeing I was a stranger, and a minister, he very kindly asked me to dinner. I accepted, in hope of hearing something better in the evening. But the work of God was ended. I waited impatiently for evening service, but at length I found, that that rich and rather numerous congregation, was left to spend the rest of the Lord’s day in eating, drinking, and being merry. And I returned much disappointed and grieved.

“My kind host indeed had spoken slightly of this minister, and as the day was extremely bad, and the rain incessant, earnestly dissuaded me from riding four miles through very bad roads to Church. But I had attributed this partly to prejudice, and was determined at least to judge for myself. He however made particular enquiry, and afterwards wrote me word, that he thought it necessary to caution me against this minister, as he had had positive information, that he was deeply implicated in the revolution. I am indeed compelled to confess, that more than one of the protestant ministers whom I had met with, were not without some imputation, from the part they acted during that unhappy period. And a very general spirit of Socinianism, to say the least of it, prevailed at that time among the protestants of France. I have heard with much pleasure, that a great revival of religion has since taken place amongst them; and have been rejoiced to hear the decided sentiments which have been expressed by some of their ministers, at public meetings in this country.

“Returning to Givet, I was very much astonished to meet on the way, two or three considerable parties of our men. They passed me with downcast looks, and shame was strongly painted in their countenances; and I dared not speak to them, not doubting of the fact, and knowing that the consequence could only have been evil, without the least hope of good. When I arrived, I found that the men were so bent upon going into the French service, that it seemed as if a sort of infatuation had taken possession of them. And although I was persuaded that the object of the greater part of them was, to run away, and get home; yet they were in the mean time becoming traitors to their country, and exposing themselves, if they were taken, to capital punishment.

“In every point of view, therefore, it was most earnestly to be desired that this might be put a stop to. But how it was to be done was a far more difficult question. There were many reasons, both of right and policy, which engaged me to look on, as if I were totally indifferent; and the consequence of my not doing so, would probably have been, my being sent away; as a clergyman had already been, from one of the depÔts, for only speaking to the men on the subject. I however thought that this was a case in which every thing was to be risked. This officer, I found, had taken lodgings in the town, had got many men every day, and had declared, that Christmas was coming on, and he should then have half the barracks. I went up, therefore, the next morning, to church as usual; and after the service I spoke to the people on the subject. It was a remarkable thing, that not one of those who professed religion had thought of going, with the exception of one man; who, when I spoke to him, said, ‘that he was not an Englishman but an American;’ and though he would not do any thing inconsistent with his profession, he could not think that he was bound to remain in prison, for a cause which was not that of his country.

“I told them, therefore, that I had not the least apprehension of any of them entering into the service of the enemy; but that they were called to use their influence with their fellow prisoners, and it was their duty to employ every possible means to prevent others from doing a thing so wicked, and disgraceful to them as Englishmen. They said, that they had not only used persuasion, but force; but that the madness was so great, that whilst a party of them were standing at the gate to prevent desertion, one at a time would take the opportunity, when any one was coming in, and run past them, before they could stop them. They all, however, set to work in earnest; and from this time there were not more than one a day, for the two or three days before Christmas; and I believe two or three of the loose ones on Christmas day; and immediately after this the officer went away.[10]

“On this occasion, I ought to make honourable mention of the midshipmen who were at the depÔt. A number of them were sent thither some time previous to this circumstance; and they shewed an extraordinary zeal to prevent the men from betraying their country. Mr. B. then a youngster, about seventeen, full of zeal for the service in which he was engaged, copied, and put up in the prison, in spite of gens d’armes and spies, a dialogue which I wrote out, shewing them in their own quaint expressions, what they might expect from the enemy, into whose service they were enlisting; and the rest were very active and useful in preventing this defection. Of these young gentlemen I can say nothing in a religious point of view; except it be of Mr. T., who was very peculiar in his manner; but, I trusted, and yet believe, was decidedly serious. But their conduct, as regarded their service and profession, was so distinguished, and reflected so much credit upon them, that it ought not to pass unnoticed.

“They were so anxious to get home, and so ingenious and bold in facing every danger and difficulty, which stood in their way, that every expedient to prevent them was in vain. It was for this cause that some of them were sent from Verdun to Givet; and the Commandant took every precaution that he could think of, to inform himself of their plans, so as to prevent their escape. Amongst other things, he opened all their letters before he allowed them to be sent into the prison, where they were closely confined; while numbers of the common men had the liberty of the town. After eight of them had escaped, and been retaken; and at the moment when he was most alarmed, and on the qui vive; a letter arrived for Mr. B. from his mother. The Commandant had no doubt, from the natural affection of a mother, that it was to urge him to get home; and perhaps to point out and furnish him with the means, for himself at least, if not for others also. But when it was read to him, he could not contain his astonishment and admiration, and spoke of it to every body.

“Lady B., though I have not the honour of knowing her, and am ignorant if she be in this militant state, I have some reason to believe, was a person of decided piety. But however that be, for I did not myself see her letter, it shewed a strength of mind and principle, not common to the gentle nature and indulgent feelings of a mother. She had heard that in some of the depÔts, there had been midshipmen who had broken their parole, and come home. And she entreated her son not to let any personal suffering, or ill treatment, or example induce him to do what would disgrace himself, distress his family beyond measure, and cast a reflection upon his country. Young as he was however, no officer grown old in the career of British service, had less need of the pious and self-denying counsel of such a mother. He and some others afterwards escaped, in the most honourable manner, after having been once re-taken; though he himself might perhaps even then have succeeded, but that he would not leave behind him, a brother midshipman, who had lamed himself on the journey; and thus, after two attempts, and through dangers and difficulties which might have overcome the courage even of a British sailor, they arrived at home.

“But this letter, together with the strict observance of a given or even implied parole, on the part of all the prisoners, even to the lowest amongst them, so raised the character of the English at Givet, that the Commandant was quite persuaded, that they were most in safety when they were most in the enjoyment of liberty. Many of the men therefore were permitted to work in the town, and were much sought after by those who wanted workmen or servants; and a great number walked out into the town, and even into the country every day. But though they were constantly escaping from the prison, they never betrayed the confidence placed in them. The midshipmen were now all allowed their parole; and shewed themselves as worthy of it, as established officers.

“One circumstance, indeed, of a very lamentable description, ought not perhaps to be passed over. Two of these young gentlemen, Mr. H. and Mr. G. went out, accompanied by one of the gens d’armes, before they obtained their parole; and while the soldier was occupied, they got away and escaped. They were hid during the whole day in the souterrain of a fortified mountain, on the other side of the river. In the evening however they became alarmed. They thought they heard something like the noise of a horse shaking himself; and immediately after the name of Mr. H. called out loudly; and this repeated three times. They left the place, and in their fears wished, perhaps, rather to be retaken than not. An unhappy Englishman, in the pay of the Commandant, saw them coming down the hill, and instantly informed the gens d’armes from whom they had escaped. This man had been drinking all day; and setting out after them, filled with rage, he soon overtook them, and cut down Mr. H. who died immediately, and wounded Mr. G.

“This murder was savagely exulted in by the General, and shamelessly excused by the Commandant. The latter, however, was there only for a short time; but this circumstance, as may be supposed, made much ill feeling in the depÔt. The midshipmen wrote a spirited note to the Commandant. The prisoners would have taken summary vengeance upon the spy, had he not been taken out of their hands, and kept out of prison. I thought it my duty to withhold from him every assistance given to the rest of the prisoners. The Commandant insisted on its being paid, but I refused. He then denounced me to the Minister of War, as assisting the midshipmen to escape; but at that period, I was not unknown by character to the Minister, and it happened providentially, that the former Commandant, was at that moment in Paris, returning to Givet; and thought it for his interest, knowing that I was now zealously supported by Colonel Flayelle, and some other persons of influence, to assist me; and our treacherous Commandant was, to our great gratification, soon removed.

“Even here there was no breach of parole. But shortly after the return of the Commandant, three of the young gentlemen gave a proof of adherence to that pledge, which would reflect credit upon officers even of rank in the army or navy. Their friends had now been some time gone away, and had arrived at home, and they began to regret that they had not gone with them. They came to me, to ask me to give them money for their bills upon their friends, which I did, asking them of course no questions. The same evening they conducted themselves in such a manner, as, they were persuaded, would cause the Commandant to take away their parole. But he suspected what they were meditating, and refused to put them in prison. The next night they made a more determined attempt; but still in vain, he would not take away their parole. Precisely at that moment, as if to try their faith to the utmost, an order arrived from the Minister of War to send all the Midshipmen, under a double escort of gens d’armes, to Verdun. But in spite of this positive order, the Commandant took upon himself to send them upon their parole. And they walked all the day to that place without the least idea of escaping; although all the soldiers in France would scarcely have prevented them from making the attempt.

“We had now done with the midshipmen. On some occasions they gave us considerable anxiety, as might readily be expected by those who know what young persons of that age are, even under the restriction of a school. They were ready on every occasion to crowd every sail, which the ebullition of animal spirits, and elevated national feeling, and exalted notions of the British navy could give them, without the ballast of matured judgment and experience; when they felt that their enemies exulted over them, or oppressed the poor fellows. And their interference in behalf of the men was often calculated to do harm instead of good. But I feel it incumbent upon me to give this testimony to the distinguished conduct of these young persons in a point of view, in which they raised the British character in that place; and that they did what they could, to stir up in the minds of the men that sense of allegiance to their king and country, which time and absence had begun to extinguish.

“The sufferings which some of the midshipmen endured in their successful attempts to return and fight the battles of their country, have in some instances been published; but in many they might almost seem incredible, if we did not know what high professional feelings may effect, when combined with the ardor and enterprize of youth.

“It would give me exquisite pleasure, if I should hear that any of these young men who dared so much, and bore so much, to regain the opportunity of distinguishing themselves in their country’s cause, are now fighting with equal boldness the good fight of faith in the service of the Kings of Kings. In that case they will not go without their reward.

“I would not forego the hope, that though little notion can be formed on this side of the water of the situation of the prisoners in France; particularly when their sufferings were embittered by the sense that they were cut off from all opportunities of distinguishing themselves in their country’s service; many may have received marks of favor, specially on account of what they had to bear in their captivity. Of this however I am ignorant, as with the exception of a short letter of greeting from Mr. B. some time ago, and one from Mr. H. after his return, I have lost sight of these young men ever since they left the depÔt.”