In the period before the Napoleonic Wars, it was common for armies to exchange prisoners at various periods during the campaign year. No country was particular to hang on to the prisoners it took, they were too much trouble. It was easier to swap them for any of one's own men held by the enemy.

The following valuation of prisoners is taken from Pelet and Vault's book "Memoires militaires relatifs a la succession d'Espagne sous Louis XIV," published in Paris, is 1836-1842. The information dates from the year 1703. I have added some notes and remarks which I thought pertinent.

GENERAL VALUES

2 infantry privates = 1 dragoon
5 infantry privates = 2 cavalry troopers

INFANTRY

2 privates = 1 sergeant
3 privates = 1 ensign, sub-lieutenant
3 privates = 1 reformed lieutenant
5 privates = 1 lieutenant
5 privates = 1 captain-lieutenant
12 privates = 1 captain
16 privates = 1 major
30 privates = 1 lt.colonel
48 privates = 1 colonel
70 privates = 1 brigadier
12 privates = 1 commissary

DRAGOONS

3 dragoons = 1 quartermaster
3 dragoons = 1 sergeant
6 dragoons = 1 comet
6 dragoons = 1 aide-major
8 dragoons = 1 lieutenant
18 dragoons = 1 captain
24 dragoons = 1 major
30 dragoons = 1 lt.colonel
48 dragoons = 1 colonel
70 dragoons = 1 brigadier

CAVALRY

3 troopers = 1 quartermaster
3 troopers = 1 vaguemestre ?
8 troopers = 1 cornet
8 troopers = 1 aide-major
12 troopers = 1 lieutenant
24 troopers = 1 captain
28 troopers = 1 major
30 troopers = 1 lt. colonel
48 troopers = 1 colonel
70 troopers = 1 brigadier

By using the various formulae, one can work out a numerical value for any rank. (Thus, a colonel of cavalry was worth 48 troopers, 60 dragoons or 120 infantry privates.)

Note.

A reformed lieutenant was one who held the commission of a lieutenant, but who was not part of a company within the regiment, a sort of supernumary officer to the regimental establishment.

Officers were sometimes paroled back to their own army, on condition that they did not fight until they were "officially exchanged" for an officer of the enemy.

Remarks.

As a general rule, it was normal to treat officer prisoners in a hospitable manner, allowing them all sorts of freedoms, as long as they gave their parole that they would not try to escape or otherwise act in an unfriendly manner until exchanged. Refusal to give one's parole usually meant close confinement and not very pleasant treatment.

The rank and file were often treated rather poorly. They were sometimes forced to join the army of their captives as unwilling conscripts. This might sound rather odd by modem standards, but it is important to remember that nationalism was still some time in the future, especially amongst the soldiers of various of the German and Italian states.

The word mercenary did not have its present day connotations and soldiers of many different countries were to be found in foreign armies. The Dutch, Irish, Swiss, French Huguenots and many Germans were serving in many of the different European ammies. This was not only true of the rank and file, but of many officers too. Maurice de Saxe was a German commanding the French, Eugene of Savoy was originally a French subject commanding the armies of the Emperor, Blucher, hero of the Prussian army, was a Swedish subject in his youth and the number of generals with Scots, French or Irish names in the Spanish, Imperial or even Russian armies, was quite extraordinary.

Other Notes

Short and Snappy Epitaphs of the 18th Century