Captain Foote's vindication
of his conduct in the Bay of Naples
in the Summer of 1799
In 1807, Captain (later Vice Admiral Sir) Edward James Foote (1767 - 1833) published a vindication of his own conduct during the events of 1799 when he was the senior officer on the Seahorse in the Bay of Naples.
Nelson's treatment of the Neapolitan prisoners after the capitulation was the darkest episode of his career. At the time, Foote did not present any remonstrance against the capitulation being annulled.
After Nelson's death, however, he published this little book which strongly criticized Nelson's actions.
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