Israel Potter (1744-1826) was born in Cranston, Rhode Island. Potter was a veteran of the Battle of Bunker Hill, a sailor in the Revolutionary navy, a prisoner of the British, an escapee in England, a secret agent and courier in France. He spent 45 years in exile from his native land. Melville's plot combines some Potter's actual encounters - King George III, Horne Tooke, and Benjamin Franklin - with some he never had - Ethan Allen and John Paul Jones.