Rue Allyn joins us today to share her research into the British army commissariat, and the opportunities for villainy she found there.
I’m currently working on a novella for a Bluestocking Belles group project. My novella is scheduled to launch in September of 2026. I had some difficulty coming up with story conflicts, until I realized that my Army Captain hero had—during the Napoleonic wars—witnessed a Commissariat officer selling Army supplies for personal gain then replacing the original supplies with sub-standard rations and gear.
My hero and I instantly despised this villain. However, to understand how this heinous crime could occur, I needed to know how Britain’s army was supplied.
I first learned that each brigade would have a quartermaster, responsible for issuing supplies and gear to smaller units and individual solders. That quartermaster was part of the regular army unit.
I wondered; how did the quartermaster get the supplies?
Enter the British Commissariat Corps. Robert Burnham & Gareth Glover provide this description of that civilian unit. “The Commissary Department of the army consisted of the Commissary General, Deputy Commissary Generals, Assistant Commissary Generals, Deputy Assistant Commissary Generals, and clerks. Each division was authorized an Assistant Commissary General, at least two Deputy Assistant Commissary Generals, and clerks. A brigade was authorized a Deputy Assistant Commissary General and clerks.”*
I highlighted the last sentence of that quote because my villain acted at the brigade level. So, why did my hero, when he witnessed this crime, not report it to his superiors? One reason is that the villain was technically a superior officer, and culturally, officers of a given rank tended to ‘stick together.’ The second reason is that he had no physical proof. My hero was the only witness, he was unable to track down the men who purchased the original supplies, and none of the few subordinates who helped the commissary officer were willing to confess. They feared the villain’s retribution more than the punishment that they knew they would suffer, even after providing evidence.
*https://www.napoleon-series.org/resources/bibliographies/british-memoirs-of-the-napoleonic-wars/commissary-department/, accessed 03/5/26
Image taken from https://weltseele.miraheze.org/wiki/Commissariat_(Britain) is of the first Commissary-in-Chief, Sir James Willoughby Gordon.
About the story
I can’t tell you very much about What the Heart Knows, as I’m still in the process of writing the story. I can tell you that our hero, Captain Charles Ellis Copefort aka Breakneck Charlie, is a renowned soldier. Having left the army after Waterloo, Charlie is now on half-pay and at loose ends. Having no specific plans or goals, he travels to Fenwick on Sea with his batman turned valet, Sergeant Henry Brewster who wished to visit with his family in that small village
While there, Charlie encounters a charming young lady named Constance (that may change). They flirt, both believing nothing serious will come of it. Affection is beginning to grow when Charlie learns that Constance is the daughter of the villainous commissariat officer. Does she know of her father’s perfidy? Is she complicit? If so to what degree. The tenor of their emerging affection changes, and Constance is baffled by the changes. Yet she does not feel close enough to Charlie to share her confusion. Their lives will get much worse before it gets better, of course. However, it will get better, and their HEA is fated, even if it is a tad bittersweet.
About the Author
Award winning romance author, Rue Allyn has a lifelong passion for happy ever after. She lives south of the border with her husband of more than fifty years and their cat, Tanto. She has two sons and is a proud veteran of the US Navy. She writes heart melting romance in all sub-genres, but her favorite is historical romance, especially medieval. Subscribe to Rue’s News where you may learn more about Rue and receive a FREE download. https://www.rueallyn.com/subscriber-entered-from-online-profile/