“Lieutenants were allowed 56 francs a month from the French Government, which just paid their lodging. No cause to complain of indulgence, allowed to walk or ride 6 miles in every direction, provided they were in before the shutting of the town gates at 9 o’clock at night. Captains were obliged to sign their names every 5 days, Lieutenants once a day, all other prisoners twice a day. No other restrictions, could lodge where they pleased, and as they liked. There was a first class of society, very good, but very extravagant; they are chiefly people of fortune, who were detained when travelling at the commencement of the war. The senior naval English officer was Captain Gower, late of the _Shannon_, then Captain Woodriff and 5 others, besides 38 Lieutenants. “There were 2 clubs, where there were all the French, and sometimes the English newspapers: in short, if a prisoner has health, he may spend his time pleasantly enough. “There is no society between the English and French; the latter are a few Military, and tradesmen, who had made their fortunes by the extravagance of Englishmen since the war.” A fairly reliable picture of the life at Verdun may be gathered from a comedy in two acts, called _The Prisoner of War_, by Douglas Jerrold, produced at Drury Lane in 1812; the scene of the play is laid at Verdun. Making allowance for dramatic licence, the situations are probably fairly accurately described from the recollection of people known to the author. There is the competition among landlords for prisoner lodgers, there is the Jew money-lender who fattens on them, there are the breaches of regulations, the escapes and punishments at the Fortress of Bitche, the latter corresponding to the hulks at Chatham for delinquents in England. From various detached sources we obtain other fragmentary glances of Verdun, and learn that only British were confined there, the Austrians and Prussians being at Chalons. As late as 1805 ordinary sailors were also confined there, as it is recorded that a party managed to escape to England in May of that year. In the latter part of the same year a party of 150 were removed from Verdun to Valenciennes. “The march took eight days. The _real gentlemen_ were allowed on parole; the _négociants_, or merchants, were confined.” The best account is from the portfolio of a _détenu_, published in 1810. One quotation must suffice: