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Can anyone help with the prisoner exchange mechanism?

I have been reading Fitz-Clarence’s Manual of Outpost Duties, and very interesting it is too. It includes a letter from William Napier, he of the Peninsular War history, in which he refers to his brother Charles, having his exchange certificate signed by Wellesley, and then going under a flag of truce to the French about it. Charles had been captured at Corunna, badly wounded, and allowed by Ney to go home. Does anyone have any idea how the exchange system worked, or where I can read about it? When he went to the French under a flag of truce it was while Ney was besieging Ciudad Rodrigo and he was with Crauford observing. I wonder if it was simply a courtesy call?

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tomholmberg

Jan 02, 2021

One source states that his release on parole was for a specific length of time, after which he was to return. So that seems like what happened.

tomholmberg

Dec 31, 2020

Yet another source

www.academia.edu

Prisoner of War Parole: Ancient Concept, Modern Utility

tomholmberg

Dec 31, 2020

More possible sources:

Boudon, Jacques-Olivier, « Napoléon et la question des prisonniers de guerre », Carnet de la Sabretache, juin 2014, n° 199, p. 37-43

Boudon, Jacques-Olivier, « Le retour des prisonniers de guerre dans l’Europe de 1814 », dans J.-Cl. Caron et J.-Ph. Luis (éd.), Rien appris, rien oublié ? Les Restaurations dans l’Europe postnapoléonienne (1814-1830), Rennes, Presses universitaires de Rennes, 2015, p. 183-197.

Boudon, Jacques-Olivier, « L’expérience de la captivité comme forme de contact. Les prisonniers prussiens en France après la campagne de 1806-1807 », dans J.-O. Boudon, G. Clemens et P. Horn (éd.), Erbfeinde im Empire ? Franzosen und Deutsche im Zeitalter Napoleons, Ostfildern, Thorbecke, 2016, p. 245-262.

Boudon, Jacques-Olivier, « Les prisonniers russes en France en 1814 » dans M.-P. Rey (éd.), Les Russes en France en 1814, (à paraître).

Boudon, Jacques-Olivier, « Les négociations sur la libération des prisonniers à l’issue des guerres de la seconde coalition », dans V. Martin (éd.), La paix de Lunéville, actes du colloque de juin 2015 (à paraître).

drdavidjblackmore

Dec 31, 2020

Replying to

Many thanks for all your thoughts. I still can't get a handle on why Napier would visit the French army after he had been exchanged, and why Wellesley signed his certificate, and what that was.

tomholmberg

Dec 31, 2020

Replying to

@drdavidjblackmore It seems like a "Gentlemen's Agreement" between officers. Since Napier had been badly wounded, letting him recuperate at home seems like a good deal for him. And since his parole was given on the condition he returned, as a gentlemen he was duty-bound to do so.

That's the best explanation I can come up with.

"On 16 January 1809, at Coruña, it behaved splendidly, with Napier leading it. Napier was five times wounded: his leg was broken by a musket shot, he received a sabre cut on the head, a bayonet wound in the back, severe contusions from the butt end of a musket, and his ribs were broken by a gunshot. Eventually he was taken prisoner; his name was returned among the killed, but his life was saved by a French drummer. He was taken to Marshal Soult's quarters, where he received every attention. Marshal Ney, who succeeded Soult in command at Coruña, was particularly kind, and on 20 March set him at liberty, on parole not to serve again until exchanged, it having been represented to Ney that Napier's mother was a widow, old and blind."

http://www.historyhome.co.uk/people/napier.htm

drdavidjblackmore

Jan 01, 2021

Replying to

@tomholmberg Yes, that's pretty much the conclusion I have come to.

David Hollins

Dec 03, 2020

There are regular references in Napoleon’s correspondence to prisoner exchanges, mainly because no-one was geared up for holding lots of prisoners. It was also handy cover for getting into the enemy HQ under a pretext of negotiating such exchanges. Savary was sent twice to Allied HQ prior to Austerlitz and Varnhagen von Ense notes that groups of senior French officers were seen on most days at Austrian HQ prior to Wagram. It seems to have been exchanges of approximately the same number of fit soldiers and others would be on parole not to fight again for the rest of the campaign (this was a bit of an issue at Jaffa).