French Prisoners. 269 



Account of the Formation of the W. Lodge of " Desired 

 Peace " at Sanquhar, in Scotland, by French officers, prisoners 

 of war, and particulars of the meetings from June 13, 1812, to 

 October 14, 1813. Folio Board. An important manuscript, 

 full of stamps and signatures.' And (2) (translation) ' Regu- 

 lations of the W. Lodge of St. John, under the distinctive 

 title of " Desired Peace " at Sanquhar, Scotland. Folio, 

 brochure. The manuscript is dated 1812.' Unfortunately, 

 all attempts to trace the present whereabouts of these books 

 have failed." 



A batch of five invalids — P. Corson, John Hareng, J. B. 

 Dodero, George Blom, and J. D. Saint — was sent to France 

 in December, 181 2, the last being " afflicted with a violent 

 asthma " and " badly wounded." He was certified as unfit 

 by the agent for the prisoners, the parish minister, and a 

 surgeon. When the officers arrived at Sanquhar there was 

 only one of their number a surgeon. He must have left, as 

 on the 27th October, 181 2, they petitioned that Mr Martine, 

 French surgeon at Biggar, might be allowed to come and 

 reside at Sanquhar, as they were in want of a surgeon and 

 there were two other surgeons at Biggar. Their request 

 being a reasonable one would no doubt be granted by the 

 Transport Board. 



It does not transpire what debts the officers incurred at 

 the various places of parole, though Peebles is in evidence as 

 to their credit raising propensities. From records in existence 

 at the French Ministry of Marine, those at Sanquhar appear 

 to have left behind them debts to the extent of about ;^i6o. 

 The strangest thing about it all is that payment of these 

 was ultimately made at the instance of the French Commis- 

 sioners charged with effecting the final exchanges in 1814. 



How this came about is worth telling. Amongst the 

 creditors of the prisoners was the firm of TurnbuU & Whig- 

 ham, merchants. Their debts were incurred on open accounts 

 for goods supplied and money lent. Before the prisoners 

 finally left a bright idea flashed on this firm — why not crystal- 

 lise these debts into the form of bills drawn on the Minister 

 of War at Paris? No sooner said than done. On the 13th 

 June, 181 4, Captain Wolfring drew a bill for ^^"4 3s and 



