The American Prisoners in Dartmoor 1813-1815

of Dartmoor. The prison was hailed as "probably the finest thing of its kind and worthy of the humanity and renown of Great Britain" in 1811, but was later described by Sir George McGrath (Medical Superintendent there 1814-16) as "that great tomb of the living". The prison was enclosed by an outer stone wall, one mile long and 14 feet high, surrounding a military road and an inner wall from which guards could command the enclosed area without mixing with the inmates. There were originally five main buildings but the French had completed two more by 1812: they