“Trois ans de séjour en Espagne eie.”, par J. Quantin, suivi d’un mémoire sur le sort des prisonniers français depuis 1798 jusq’en 1814 par St. Aubry. 2 tomes (1823)

translated by Geert van Uythoven

A contemporary German review of the above work.

“The author of the above work, NCO in the 121st Line Infantry Regiment, relates his experiences during the period 1808 – 14. The work has not much value in war historical or military respects, but can be best described as an entertaining read. beside a mass of frivol and irrelevant matters, it contains much that is characteristic for the nature of the French soldier, and has as such a certain liveliness and depiction.

The Division Vedel, to which the regiment of the author belonged, was part of Dupont’s Corps, and with this he became a prisoner with the capitulation of Baylen. The capture of Cordova (3 June 1808) and the combat of Jaen (30 June) are therefore the only military events the author was present in and which he described.

The second volume is a depiction dedicated to the faith of the French prisoners of war. The stay in Cadix, Cabrera and later in Portchester are depicted in the worst possible way, possibly rightly, then only half of everything he relates will suffice to judge the treatment of the prisoners as very harsh. The attached memoir of a French naval officer, who stayed on the prisoner hulks of Portsmouth during the years 1797 and 98, surpasses in its details everything that has already been described before, breathing from the first until the last word a glowing hatred against England.”

Source: ‘Militair-Wochenblatt’, 9. Jahrgang (Berlin 1824), No. 409, p.3002

© Geert van Uythoven