An angel’s arm can’t snatch me from the grave,
Legions of angels can’t confine me there.’
O, that this blessed, this most inestimable truth, could but be for ever on our minds! To what state of happiness should we be instantly transported, and upon how sure a foundation it would stand! We should smile at the worst efforts of the world, and we should weep with delight, as well as grief, at the translation of those dear to us, to a region of everlasting happiness. The measure of human faith is probably seldom suffered to arrive at such a height, lest it should deprive us of all interest in the world, and fill us with impatience for the next.”
On the 16th of January, 1806, Mrs. Brenton gave birth to a daughter, the one who is so constantly addressed in these notes. Of this period the following record is preserved. “By the blessing of God, my beloved companion’s health was soon restored, and the sweet addition to our little family, was a new source of gratitude, and happiness. How familiar to my recollection are the scenes of that delightful period. My own anxieties were now fast wearing away, or only intruded themselves as the unfavourable symptoms of ill health recurred, which was very seldom. The confirmed health of our darling boy was more apparent every day, and he now became peculiarly engaging, and interesting. Although but three years old, he gave evident signs of great capacity, and we rather checked, than stimulated the inclination towards learning, which he very decidedly possessed even at that early age.
“Tours lying on the great road from Bordeaux, Passage, and Rochefort, to the depôt of the prisoners, we had frequent detachments of our unfortunate countrymen marching through. Early in the year the officers and crews of H. M. ships the Calcutta, and Ranger, together with those of the Belle Packet, which had been captured by the Rochefort squadron, under Admiral Allemande, arrived at Tours, on their march to the depôt of Verdun and Arras, to which they were destined. They were all confined in the common prison, as they had been indiscriminately marched under the same escort, without any respect being paid to the rank of the officers, however high. The landlord of the principal inn at Tours, called upon me late in the evening, to inform me they had just reached the prison, concluding that I would make an application for the officers to be liberated on their parole. That mon hôte was not entirely disinterested, came out, upon our way to the General’s house together. ‘Monsieur,’ said he, ‘il ne faut pas seulement penser a soi. Il y’a d’autres Aubergistes à Tours, qui voudroient avoir de vos Messieurs chez eux. Je vous prie donc de me consigner vingt des plus riches, et que les autres soient partagés parmi mes confrères.’ The General immediately at my request gave an order to liberate the officers on parole. Joy resounded at once through the prison, nor were the seamen and marines without their share of it, as they were immediately supplied with a hot supper, and had their regular meals during the remainder of their stay at Tours. Although relief could not be officially given, in consequence of the prohibition of the French government, this was done by private contribution, and the expence attending it was subsequently defrayed by the Admiralty; and the liberality of their country by the remittances made for their relief, enabled us to procure for them many comforts at this dreary season of the year, during a winter that was felt very severely, even in that mild region. This was an additional alleviation to the sense of our captivity.”
On the 9th of April, 1806, Captain Brenton and his family removed to a country house near Tours, of which he thus speaks. “This was, indeed a little paradise to us; a most beautiful situation, on the right bank of the Loire, very near the bridge of Tours. The house was, in fact, an excavation made in the solid rock, upon a considerable elevation, the face and roof only being built with masonry. The approach to it was by a long flight of steps, ascending through four terraces, on each of which was a beautiful garden, and on the uppermost level, contiguous to the house, a delightful grove of trees; surrounding a spacious saloon distinct from the house. This singular and delightful retreat was called ‘Les petits Capucins.’ Nothing but the idea of captivity, and that restless anxiety for worldly prosperity, or to speak more plainly, that forgetfulness of the inexhaustible goodness of Divine Providence, and want of confidence in our Heavenly Father, could have prevented my enjoying perfect felicity there. But ungrateful, and impatient as I was, I can now recollect with feelings bordering on delight, the many instances in which I acknowledged my sense of the happiness I enjoyed. We were now most comfortably fixed in our delightful habitation, but our peaceful enjoyment was soon unsettled by the prospect of an exchange of prisoners. The death of Mr. Pitt, which had taken place in January, and the coalition of parties which had been the consequence, now excited in the breast of Buonaparte sanguine hopes of being able to negociate a peace, through the influence of Mr. Fox. For notwithstanding his rancorous hostility against Great Britain, this had long been his most anxious wish. England was the only enemy he dreaded. In order to conciliate Mr. Fox, such of his friends as were prisoners in France, were immediately released, as well as those, whose liberation was thought likely to be agreeable to him. Of this number were Lord Elgin, General Abercrombie, Captain Gower, and some others; and at the same time I received a letter from Captain Jurieu, a French captain in the navy, who had been sent over from England, three years before, in exchange for me, recommending me to make every possible effort to get this exchange ratified, which he had been unable to do, nor could he procure permission to return to his captivity in England agreeable to the pledge he had given. I of course followed his advice, but without success.” On the 11th of June, Captain Coote quitted Tours for England, and “this event,” Captain Brenton says, “we considered of very great importance. Captain Coote being a commander, and recently captured, I had every reason to be sanguine, in the hope that my own liberty was at hand.” On the 23rd of July, he says, “The fluctuations of hope and fear respecting our liberation from captivity, had now in a great measure subsided. The departure of Captain Coote, for England, who had so recently been made a prisoner, convinced me that the measure was not meant to be general, for had that been the case, priority of capture would have given me the preference.” Captain Brenton says, “It was even reported that Buonaparte had declared he would not consent to my exchange, which was probably the case. The people of France were as clamorous for peace as they dared to be, and when the municipality, in grand costume, were parading the streets, with military music, to announce some of the great victories gained in Germany, they would exclaim, ‘Eh! voila une autre victoire, et cela nous donnera une autre conscription.’ When the news of Lord Lauderdale’s departure from France reached Tours, it was announced in the theatre; when a person was heard distinctly to say, ‘Cette maudite guerre done ne finira jamais.’ Such, I believe, was a very general feeling amongst the inhabitants of France. An increased degree of economy was manifested by the French Government. The Milan and Berlin decrees were issued for the prohibition of all trade with Great Britain, and bankers were even forbidden to discount the prisoners’ bills. Messrs. Peregaux wrote to me with their usual liberality, informing me of this inhuman order; but they added, that although they could no longer discount my bills, yet they begged I would not scruple to draw upon them for whatever money I might require; and that they should be quite satisfied, that their account should be settled at the end of the war. The victory gained by Sir John Duckworth off San Domingo, in which he captured and destroyed the whole of the French squadron, did not at all contribute to allay the irritable feelings of the Emperor.
“I therefore felt convinced, from the selection that had been made of prisoners to be liberated, that Buonaparte had a particular object in view; that he was courting a party, instead of endeavouring to conciliate the British Government. This soon proved to be the case. The negociation was broken off, and the acrimony shewn towards the British prisoners was greater than ever; all communication with England, even the transfer of bills, was positively forbidden.” These restrictions do not seem to have extended to the prisoners at Tours, for, on the 6th of September Captain Brenton says, “This day was passed in great delight in rambling over the beautiful grounds of Chanteloup, and visiting the castle of Amboise. Our darling children were in high health, and my own health in a great measure restored. We were in possession of every thing to make us happy and grateful. The autumn was delightful, and we were under no restraint as prisoners, but permitted to make excursions to every part of the district. Our society was small but friendly. We had an addition to our friends by the arrival of Mr. Forbes (probably brother to the one before mentioned) and Sir H. Titchbourne, with their families, and had established a social intercourse, which was productive of much comfort and cheerfulness. In the beginning of November the approach of winter induced us to change our residence, from the beautiful place we inhabited, to a more commodious house in the city of Tours, where we had made up our minds to pass the winter contentedly. All hopes of an exchange had now subsided; mine were now directed towards a continuance of the indulgence of being allowed to live at a distance from a depôt; and from the increased ill humour of Buonaparte towards England, I had serious apprehensions of more vigorous measures being resorted to respecting the prisoners. I was under the influence of these feelings, when one morning returning home I found my beloved Isabella in tears, and much agitated; she told me a gens d’armes had been in pursuit of me, requiring my immediate attendance before the General. The visit of a gens d’armes rarely boded any thing favourable towards a prisoner. I however endeavoured to preserve my tranquillity, and soothe the anxiety of your dear mother. I hastened to the General expecting some unpleasant communication, but to my great surprize and joy, was received with great cordiality, and these unexpected words, ‘Monsieur, vous n’êtes plus prisonnier—Je vous en félicite.’ You may easily imagine the effect this information produced upon me. I ran home in an ecstacy of joy, which I concluded would have been equally great on the part of my darling companion. Joy did for a moment glisten in her eyes, for she always shared in my feelings. She felt a gleam of happiness because she saw me happy; but a moment’s reflection shewed her the certainty of our being separated upon our reaching England, by my being employed afloat. She immediately contrasted the felicity she had enjoyed in France, with the probability of a long absence from each other, and all its fertile sources of anxiety and misery. But she was too good and too grateful to our merciful Benefactor to indulge these feelings long. She soon became herself again, and sympathized sincerely in my joy. Of her own feelings on this occasion, the record left by her own pen seems worthy of insertion.”
“Monday, 25th December, 1806, Morlaix. Left Tours after a truly happy residence of twelve months. In the course of that time I had the satisfaction to observe the restoration of the health of two of the objects dearest to me in the world, and we have been surrounded with every comfort and blessing but liberty. I failed not to offer up my thanks to Almighty God daily, for the mercies he so bountifully bestowed upon me; and now, O heavenly Father, Thou hast called forth my gratitude on a new subject, by thy merciful goodness, for all good belongeth unto Thee alone. We have at length obtained the object we so much wished for. Our captivity has ceased, and through Thy mercy and protection, we have been enabled to perform a journey of upwards of two hundred miles, without the smallest accident or delay. My beloved husband and children have arrived in perfect health, and for myself I can truly say, that I never enjoyed a greater share. Now, then, O great and merciful Father, I implore again Thy protection, in the voyage we are about to take at the present season of the year. Great must be the perils and dangers, but under Thy Almighty care, I humbly hope and trust we shall be preserved from them all, and be enabled to reach our own country in health and safety, and once more enjoy the blessing of finding our friends in health and happiness. This I beg through Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen.” To this memorandum, Sir Jahleel Brenton subjoins, “Here my beloved children, is an example of pious gratitude and firm confidence in the protection of the same Almighty Being, who had always watched over us. To a common mind the idea of crossing the channel under all the circumstances in which she was placed, would have been full of terror, a few weeks only before your birth my dear Charles, in the depth of winter, and in a small French vessel of only eighty tons. But your mother never forgot in whose care she was placed. We had a most favourable journey from Tours to Morlaix, a constant succession of fine weather, and every comfort in our own possession to make up for the inconveniences on the road, which were sometimes very great. On our arrival at Morlaix we hired a small French brig for sixty louis d’ors to take us over. Many delays and difficulties occurred before we could embark, and when this point was gained, and we had reached the mouth of the Port, six miles from Morlaix, a foul wind was likely to detain us. But what seemed to promise an additional vexation, was a French privateer lying in readiness to take advantage of the first change; and had she sailed, we should not have been permitted to follow for the next twenty-four hours, lest we might convey intelligence respecting her. This circumstance gave me much anxiety, which I now feel to have been inexcusable considering the blessings I enjoyed. It kept me frequently on deck during the night; the wind having suddenly changed, we weighed at dawn of day, and were at sea before the privateer made any movement. I then considered myself out of captivity, and I humbly hope I felt the gratitude I so deeply owed to the Almighty, for His merciful protection of me and mine, during that part of my life, particularly when I was a prisoner; ‘Let them give thanks whom the Lord hath redeemed, and delivered them out of the hands of the enemy.’ Ps. cvii. I felt it worthy of recollection in every subsequent year, that this delightful Psalm should have been the first which I was called upon to read to my ship’s company, a very few weeks after my release, on the first Sunday after my appointment to the Spartan.”
Further particulars of the journey to Morlaix from Captain Brenton’s notes may here be added.
“Dr. and Mrs. Grey, and their daughter, were included with my own family in my passport (see the annexed letter from M. Decrés).[11] This most peculiar instance of kind attention and good feeling, was procured through the indulgence of the Minister of Marine: through whose kindness Dr. Grey’s family had been permitted to join us at Tours. Messrs. Peregaux also availed themselves of this opportunity, to shew that the kindness and liberality which had been so strikingly evinced at the early part of my captivity, were unabated. With my passport came a letter from those gentlemen, containing their warmest congratulations; and stating that in order to prevent any possibility of delay, they had sent me one hundred pounds for the expences of my journey, and wishing me all happiness and success.