272 French Prisoners. 



of handloom weaving so long as he was in Sanquhar." The 

 accuracy of this name was recently confirmed by the evidence 

 of a centenarian who was a field worker near Sanquhar when 

 the prisoners were stationed there. The name, however, does 

 not appear in the public register of names in the Public Record 

 Office. It is a pity to spoil the making of a good romance, 

 but truth is greater than Plato. Angus MacGregor was none 

 other than Auguste Gregoire, cabin boy of La Jeune Corneille 

 —a merchant ship captured off Dunkerque in June, 1803. 

 Angus was confined in Peebles, and afterwards in Sanquhar, 

 whither he was removed in March, 1812. He appears to have 

 married a native of Peebles. At first he was desirous to return 

 to France ; and with that object in view went with his wife 

 to Leith Pier, but nothing could induce her to go on board 

 the vessel which was to take them to France, and so he had 

 reluctantly to return with her. He took up his abode in 

 Peebles, where he became a teacher of dancing and deport- 

 ment. His name was corrupted from Auguste Gregoire to 

 Angus MacGregor. This changing of names seems to have 

 been indulged in to some extent. One Etienne Foulkes had 

 his name altered to Etney Fox ; Baptiste was turned into 

 Baptie ; and Walnec became Walden under the same process. 



On the nth of April, 181 3, says the Dumfries Courier: — 

 " There never could be more joy displayed than there was at 

 Sanquhar. No sooner did the news arrive of the abdication 

 of Bonaparte from the throne of France, than four flags were 

 displayed from the Steeple and our worthy Provost, James 

 Hamilton, Esq., with the consent of the other magistrates, 

 gave orders for an illumination, and in the evening the whole 

 town was in a blaze. The magistrates and Council, with a 

 number of the inhabitants, celebrated the glad tidings in the 

 Town Hall, where many loyal and patriotic toasts were 

 drunk. ' ' 



On the 14th of April, 1814, sixteen of the officers at 

 Sanquhar signed and despatched the following address to 

 Louis XVHL :— 



A Sa Majeste tres chretienne Louis XVHL Roi de 

 France et de Navarre. 



