This compelling and true story of adventure set at the time of the Napoleonic Wars is in the form of an original narrative belonging to the Hewson family, recently discovered and never before published.

In September 1803 Midshipman Maurice Hewson was captured near Brest and marched to the Fortress of Verdun, where some of Napoleon's British prisoners of war were held under a particularly odious and dishonest commandant. In March 1808 Hewson and a fellow midshipman made a daring escape and reached Aigues-Mortes in thirty days, only to be recaptured. and escorted back in chains, but this time to the dreaded Bitche — the Colditz of the Napoleonic Wars. However, with two others he managed to escape over the daunting ramparts, and eventually, after a dangerous journey through southern Germany, they reached the safety of Austria, overcoming illness, police and customs officers, and inquisitive strangers.

The illustrations, over sixty of them, have been specially researched, and include hand-drawn maps of his escape routes. The introduction, by Antony Brett-James, an authority on the Napoleonic period, describes Hewson's family background, and explains the historical context.

Escape from the French has all the ingredients of good escape stories: excitement, fear, frustration, bitter disappointments, hazardous encounters, ingenuity as well as the courage and the skill peculiar to men of the Royal Navy, who made up the majority of the prisoners during those eventful years of war long ago.

The Author

Maurice Hewson was born on 5 November 1786. On 27 May 1796 he entered the Royal Navy and served for twelve months. While returning to Ireland after an attack of fever he was captured by a French rowing boat and taken to Calais. The Prussian Consul managed to secure his release.

Returning to naval duty, Hewson served with some distinction on convoy and blockading duties when the war against the French was renewed. His actions during the blockade of the French port of Brest attracted the attention of Rear-Admiral Collingwood, who promised an early recommendation to the Admiralty.

While engaged in an intelligence-gathering operation at Brest, Hewson and the men who landed with him were deserted by their crew and were forced to surrender to the French. After five years as a prisoner of war, during which time he escaped from Verdun but was recaptured, he contrived to escape with three fellow-prisoners.

Hewson served gallantly with the Royal Navy during the rest of the Napoleonic Wars, and later returned to his native Ireland where his descendants still live.

The Editor

Antony Brett James, born in 1920, was educated at Mill Hill, in Paris, and at Cambridge University, where he read Modern Languages. This was interrupted by five years' war service, mainly with the Indian Army, in the Middle East, India, and Burma, where he was mentioned in despatches while a Captain. From 1947 to 1961 he worked in publishing, and then joined the staff of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to teach Military History. From 1970 until his retirement in 1980 he was head of the Department of War Studies and International Affairs.

He is the author of a dozen books, including Report my Signals, General Graham, Wellington at War, The Hundred Days, 1812 and Life in Wellington's Army. He has also worked for BBC television and radio.

ISBN 0 340 26240 0
Hodder & Stoughton
Webb & Bower

Contents

Introduction

1. Capture
2. Life as a Prisoner in Verdun
3. The First Escape
4. The Fortress of Bitche
5. The Second Escape
6. Arrival in Austria
7. The Voyage Home

Notes
Bibliography
Acknowledgements