Detractors of Napoleon have insinuated that his Indian project was a fantasy of St Helena. There is evidence, however, to suggest there was a possibility that he contemplated such an expedition in 1798 or 1799. Certainly Nelson regarded it seriously enough to send Lieutenant Duval overland to Bombay after his victory at the Nile, and as late as November 1798 the dissembling Talleyrand suggested it.
The British attack on Kosseir is rather obscure. Even that most partial of historians, William James, admits that Daedalus and Fox shot off three quarters of their ammunition to little effect. He finds it less easy to explain how about a hundred diseased French soldiers, the remnants of two companies of the 21st Demi-brigade under Donzelot, could drive off a British squadron of overwhelming power. Perhaps this is why he makes no mention of Hellebore’s presence, since Captain Ball did not do so in his report, thus saving a little credit for the British.
The senior officers who appear in these pages actually existed. Rear Admiral Blankett commanded the Red Sea squadron at this time, though his character is my own invention. So too is Mr Wrinch, though a British ‘agent’ appears to have resided at Mocha at about his period.
The part played by Edouard Santhonax is not verified by history, but the consequences of his daring are the only testimony we have to Nathaniel Drinkwater’s part in this small campaign. Napoleon later complained that the British had a ship wherever there was water to float one. The brig Hellebore was one such ship.
As to sources of other parts of the story, the mutiny on the Mistress Shore is based on the near contemporary uprising on the transport Lady Shore, while the presence of women on British men-of-war was not unknown.
For proof of drunkenness and homosexuality in the navy of this time I refer the curious to the contemporary evidence of Hall, Gardner and Beaufort amongst others. Much may also be inferred from other diarists.