Book Description
An epic story of one man’s devotion to the American cause
In October 1776, four years before Benedict Arnold’s treasonous attempt to hand control of the Hudson River to the British, his patch-work fleet on Lake Champlain was all that stood between British forces and a swift end to the American rebellion.
Benedict Arnold’s Navy is the dramatic chronicle of that desperate battle and of the extraordinary events that occurred on the American Revolution’s critical northern front. Written with captivating narrative vitality, this landmark book shows how Benedict Arnold’s fearless leadership against staggering odds in a northern wilderness secured for America the independence that he would later try to betray.
Praise for James L. Nelson:
"James Nelson is a master both of his period and of the English language."
--Patrick O'Brian, author of Master and Commander
"James L. Nelson tells this story with clarity and literary skill and with such ease and order that the reader feels he is attending a dissertation on history given by a consummate lecturer."
--Ron Berthel, Associated Press, on Reign of Iron: The Story of the First Battling Ironclads, winner of the American Library Association’s 2004 Award for Best Military History
"It is, by far, the best Civil War novel I’ve read; reeking of battle, duty, heroism and tragedy. It’s a triumph of imagination and good, taut writing . . . "
--Bernard Cornwell on Glory in the Name, winner of the W. Y. Boyd Literary Award
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding - A Must Read!!.......2007-08-12
This outstanding narrative documents the Battle of Valcour island but it is much more. My 9 year old recently asked about Benedict Arnold and I replied with the standard dogma of "Arnold the traitor". This book has caused me to revise that narrow view. Benedict Arnold was one of the greatest military commanders of his day. Had he remained true to the Cause, history would have remembered Arnold in the same breath as George Washington. I was amazed by Arnold's heroic determination to defend and establish the American ideal - even as the Continental Congress seemed determined to let the dream slip away. Congrats to James L. Nelson for an outstanding book that is a must read for Revolutionary era fans!!
Nelson is the Master.......2007-08-11
I met James Nelson two years ago at a book signing at Colonial Williamsburg. I purchased one of his books on that occasion and have since read everything he has written to date. He is a master weaver of stories and a master historian. His work is refreshing and spellbiinding. I heartily recommend Benedict Arnold's Navy. It offers an eye-opening look at the Revolutionary War era from both land and sea (or lake, as the case may be).
Much Much More than the title implies.......2007-06-14
I had the pleasure of purchasing the book from the author while taking part in the 225th Yorktown Reenactment last year. I thought the these of the book was interesting and unique. As a result, i felt it should be worth adding to my collection. What i got, was much more than I could have ever hoped.
The book provides one of the best and detailed accounts of the initial taking of Fort Ticonderoga by Arnold and Allen. The book details the make up of the men that were present and not just centering on the leaders themselves.
The work goes into detail regarding the invasion of Canada in 1775, the portion on the western attack may be the best and most in debth coverage ever given. While the book is not the first to cover Arnold's march to Quebec, it may be one of the first to so detail the other half of the invasion and the fights that took place there.
In the end, the book does cover the retreat from Canada and the building of the Navies on the lake. The detailed descriptions of the ships involved was very well worth the read.
The great dramatic detail in the work gives you the feel of reading a novel, but for the notes detailing the sources betraying it as a non-fiction book. Of course, this simply means that a work of non-fiction can be every bit as exciting as a work of fiction...that is what sets Nelson a part.
If you are greatly interested in filling your shelf with an easy read that would give you plenty of information on a part of the war most histories forget (1776 outside of Washington v Howe) this is the book to do it. Buy the book, read the book and keep it. This will be the main source on the subject matter for years to come.
Read Kenneth Roberts for the novels on this topic.......2007-05-17
Anyone who wants to read classics on Arnolds exploits during this period should read Kenneth Roberts' Arundel and Rabble in Arms.
A History.......2007-05-15
Unlike many other novels by James L. Nelson, "Benedict Arnold's Navy" is truly a history, not an historical novel. It seems well written but lacks the excitement of his other novels.
Book Description
This fresh look at America's first sea warrior avoids both the hero worship of the past and the recent, inaccurate deconstructionist views of John Paul Jones's astonishing life. The author goes beyond a narrow naval context to establish Jones as a key player in the American Revolution, something not done by previous biographers, and explains what drove him to his achievements. At the same time, Admiral Joseph Callo fully examines Jones's dramatic military achievements—including his improbable victory off Flamborough Head in the Continental ship Bonhomme Richard—but in the context of the times rather than as stand-alone events.
The book also looks at some interesting but lesser-known aspects of Jones's naval career, including his relationships with such civilian leaders as Benjamin Franklin. How Jones handled those often-difficult dealings, Callo maintains, contributed to the nation's concept of civilian control of the military. Suggesting that Jones might well be the first U.S. apostle of sea power, the author also focuses on the fact that Jones was the first serving American naval officer who emphasized the role naval power would play in the rise of the United States as a global power. Another neglected aspect of Jones's career that gets attention and analysis is his brief tour in the Russian navy, a revealing chapter of his life that has been underreported in the two hundred years since Jones's death.
Rather than looking at Jones in a rearview mirror, Callo illuminates how this unique naval hero is linked to the nation's present and future. As a result, he gives us a sea saga that tells much about our own lives and times.
Customer Reviews:
navy historian's view.......2006-11-03
Mr. Callo is an excellent writer who analyzes Jones' carrer with many of the special insights of a naval officer. Dealing with his men, tactics in battle and the interface between the navy and the political bosses. Quite a contrast to Evan Thomas' portrayal of Jones attacks on England in a political context.
Naval History.......2006-06-26
I enjoyed this book. Admiral Callo presented a balanced history that placed the strategic, operational and tactical achievements of John Paul Jones' career in perspective. Admiral Callo, for example, discusses both the strengths and weaknesses of Jones' naval leadership, the fortitious circumstances of the tactical victory over the HMS Serapis (i.e. the role of chance and friction in war), the effect of tactical wins against the British in the larger strategic context of the American Revolution, and the joint operations involving the Russian fleet actions at the Liman of the Dnieper. All said, Admiral Callo avoids the hero-worship of some writers, providing a solidly researched, well-written biography of John Paul Jones' life. I recommend this book for Soldiers, Sailors, Airman and Marines - all members of the Armed Forces should know something about the life of an important patriot who established many traditions for the sea service.
The real story of a naval hero.......2006-05-15
Callo's book, many of the other recent historical novels of the same period, helped me better understand the difficulties faced by our new nation and it's leaders. John Paul Jones, like his peers Franklin, Jefferson and Washington, was not a hero but rather became one because of the challenges he faced both on the sea and in the politics of the new nation. The values and traditions we still follow today are well described and as a retired Navy Officer I better understand the origins of our Navy and Jones' contributions. I strongly recommend this book.
Well researched, well balanced.......2006-04-26
John Paul Jones was a most interesting character, filled with contradictions. He was a fighting captain of the nascent American Navy. He had the foresight to look at the future of America as a world power. At the same time he was a difficult man. He was difficult to put up with if he were your friend, he was disparaging of the poor performance of his fellow captains, he was self-promoting to an extreme. But he was not one you wanted to have an an opponent in battle. His failings prevented him from reaching high rank, among them was his relationship with women. He never married and was accused from time to time of rape, molesting a ten year old girl and numerous affairs with married women. He died in Paris, 45 years old.
This book, written by a Navy Admiral is perhaps the most carefully researched, most balanced of the biographies of John Paul Jones. It has neither the adoration, nor the snide condemnation of some other recent biographies.
An even-handed and meticulously accurate examination of Jones' life and legacy.......2006-04-08
Rear Admiral Joseph F. Callo, USNR (Ret.) presents John Paul Jones: America's First Sea Warrior, a biography that eschews both the blind idolization of past accounts and the inaccurately deconstructionist present accounts of Jones' amazing life. Scrutinizing both the well-known aspects of Jones' life, such as his stunning military victories and his tireless advocacy of naval power, and lesser-known aspects such as his relationship with civilian leaders like Benjamin Franklin, which in turn set precedents for a fledgling nation's concept of civilian control of the military. A glossary and an index round out this even-handed and meticulously accurate examination of Jones' life and legacy.
Book Description
Charles Stewart’s life of sailing and combat on the high seas rivals that of Patrick O’Brien’s fictional hero, Jack Aubrey. Stewart held more sea commands (11) than any other U.S. Navy captain and served longer (63 years) than any officer in American naval history. He commanded every type of warship, from sloop to ship-of-the-line, and served every president from John Adams to Abraham Lincoln.
Born in Philadelphia during the American Revolution, Stewart met President Washington and went to sea as a cabin boy on a merchantman before age thirteen. In March 1798, at age nineteen, he received a naval commission one month before the Department of the Navy was established. Stewart went on to an illustrious naval career: Thomas Jefferson recognized his Mediterranean exploits during the Barbary Wars, Stewart advised James Madison at the outset of the War of 1812, and Stewart trained many future senior naval officers—including David Porter, David Dixon Porter, and David G. Farragut—in three wars. He served as a pallbearer at President Lincoln’s funeral.
Stewart cemented his reputation as commander of the Navy’s most powerful frigate, the USS Constitution. No other captain commanded this ship for a longer wartime period or through more naval engagements. Undefeated in battle, including defeating the British warships Cyane and Levant simultaneously, both ship and captain came to be known as “Old Ironsides.â€
Customer Reviews:
The Story of a Fascinating man........2007-02-14
Carefully researched and written by two Naval officers, this book is a biography of one man, Charles Stewart, but it tells you almost as much about the Navy as it existed in the early years of our country.
Stewart served in the navy for sixty-three years, from age 19 to 83. He commanded eleven United States Navy ships, more than any other person.
There have been three ships in the navy named for Capt. Stewart. The first USS Stewart (DD-13) was a Bainbridge-class destroyer which served from 1902 until 1919.
The second USS Stewart (DD-224) was a Clemson-class destroyer which was commissioned in 1920. In early 1942 she was damaged by an Japanese air attack. She was further damaged while in dry dock for repairs. Demolition charges were then set off inside the ship and she was hit by another Japanese bomb. She and the drydock sank. The Japanese Navy raised her, repaired her and renamed her Patrol Boat No. 102. She served through the rest of the war, and re-entered the US Navy after the war, at which time there were two USS Stewarts in the Navy. DD-224 was later used as a target ship for aircraft and was sunk in 1946.
The third Stewart (DE-238) was an Edsall-class destroyer escort that served from 1943 to 1947 - She later became a museum ship and was in Galveston, Texas, where she still may be.
But back to the book. These authors have written this book so well that it almost reads like a novel. The thing to keep in mind, however, is that this story is true.
Review.......2007-02-04
Fair, somewhat interesting but rather dull. Not well written, reads like it was patched together, same information restated numerous times.
"A Call to the Sea" is a Good Read.......2006-05-08
I finally read this book that had been a Christmas present from my son. I was hesitant to read something marketed as a "real life Jack Aubrey" since I'm a fan of that series, but I was pleasantly surprised that it lived up to the book jacket.
I found three minor faults with the work. First, as another reviewer mentioned, there were a few name/date inaccuracies; for example, in a discussion of the gunboat battle of the Barbary War, the book has 1803 instead of 1804. There were a few occasions in the book when the authors actually discuss various sources and their merits and they actually argue through why some sources and dates don't seem right. That leads me to believe it was either minor oversights or a failure in editing. Second, the authors overused the term "old schoolyard friends" when referring to Stewart, Decatur or Somers. Once or twice would have sufficed. Third, in the narratives about Stewart's facing off against two British fleets (Warren's and Collier's), it would have been helpful to have researched and explored the British perspectives more.
That said, I thought this was a very strong biography in a traditional sense. As a retired Navy officer, I also found it refreshing for a naval biography to be written by two naval officers. They used extensive primary sources and they tell a great story. I had only barely heard of Stewart before reading this, but he led an incredible life. I was familiar with the Barbary Wars and War of 1812, but their telling of his time in the Pacific was entirely new to me - in fact I have not seen it told elsewhere except tangentially by Nathaniel Philbrick in "the Tale of the Whaleship Essex" - and the problems Stewart had with a State Department agent and his wife were almost hilarious had they not been so bad.
If you want to read about the first six decades of the U.S. Navy told through the eyes of one officer's career, this book is it.
Delia Tudor Parnell (Nee Stewart) & Charles Stewart.......2006-04-28
Delia Tudor Parnell, nee Stewart, did not die in 1892 or in Bordentown, New Jersey at Montpelier. She died at Avondale, Wicklow, Ireland (the Parnell home) in 1898 in a terrible accident; her dress caught fire and she died an extremely painful death.
Charles Stewart, son of Admiral Charles Stewart, did not die in Paris in 1874. He died in Rome, Italy in 1872.
These factual discrepencies do not give me much comfort that this biography is trustworthy.
Reads Like A Hornblower Novel- But It's True.......2006-03-29
This book reads like an age of sail novel- but it's all true. It's a very informative and very exciting biography. You'll also learn alot about early U.S. Naval history. It amazes me that we have known so little about Charles Stewart!! The auhors have done a great job. I agree with the other Amazon reviewers- you won't be able to put this one down. Extraordinary!!
Book Description
By 1805 the 44-gun frigate was probably viewed as a failed experiment whilst the 38-gun frigate was viewed as the vessel of the future. Ten years later every navy was building 44-gun frigates and today it is viewed as the symbol of the Napoleonic-era cruiser. This remarkable transformation resulted from the performance of three ships – the Constitution, United States, and President – 44-gun frigates built for the United States Navy between 1794 and 1799. Their victories in the naval War of 1812, as well as their performance against the Barbary Pirates, caught the imagination of the world – and spurred all navies into re-examining the class.
Customer Reviews:
Concise but comprehensive history of a great ship type.......2003-08-30
"American Heavy Frigates, 1794-1826" by Mark Lardas is one of the innumerable Osprey paperbacks, packed with illustrations and aimed at presenting a study of one particular slice of military history. In this case, it is part of the New Vanguard series about "The design, development, operation and history in the machinery of warfare through the ages," and the weapons system presented in Lardas's book is epitomized by arguably the most famous American warship of all time: the USS Constitution, Old Ironsides. But "American Heavy Frigates" goes well beyond that single vessel or even the War of 1812. Instead, we are treated to concise although comprehensive survey history of the design and development of the ship type, including a discussion of foreign influences, from Joshua Humphreys' proposal in 1793 that "as our navy for a considerable time will be inferior in numbers we must consider what size ships will be an overmatch for those of an enemy ..." until the last American sailing heavy frigates (USS Santee and Sabine) were launched in 1855. Too often we forget that this ship type in the US Navy was not limited to the Constitution and her two sister ships (President and United States) but included over a dozen other vessels of similar design, the backbone of the American navy through the Mexican War and beyond. Lardas discusses the origin, operational history, and eventual fate of each heavy frigate. Most of the illustrations are black-and-white reproductions of contemporary paintings or engravings of the ships, although the color section includes an excellent detailed three-dimensional cutaway drawing of Old Ironsides. "American Heavy Frigates" is a slender volume (only 48 pages) but a worthy addition to any library of books about the Age of Fighting Sail.
OK but No Value-Added Material.......2003-08-27
The role of the three "heavy" 44 gun frigates - USS Constitution, United States and President - is crucial in early American naval history. Indeed, lacking a large battle fleet, the heavy frigate was the backbone of the US Navy until the onset of the Civil War. Mark Lardas, with degrees in naval architecture and marine engineering, is well qualified to outline the design, development and history of America's heavy frigates. Overall, the volume is adequate and gives a good perspective on the role of these sailing warships.
Lardas has sections on the design and development, operational history and the ships themselves. The American frigates in this period are classified as the three original Humphreys' frigates (built 1794-1800), the three war expansion frigates (built 1813-1815), the nine "gradual increase" frigates (built 1819-1861) and the three final frigates (1813-1842). The color plates depict the sail plan of the USS United States; the USS Constitution evading the British fleet; the gun deck on a Humphreys' frigate; a cutaway diagram of the USS Constitution; the mast arrangement of the USS Brandywine; the capture of the USS President; and flags and weapons.
American Heavy Frigates 1794-1826 will give readers a basic overview of most of the ships in this period, although some readers will wonder why this book excludes 36-gun frigates like the USS Constellation. Why not just cover all US frigates in the period 1798-1815, rather than covering a number of warships, such as the USS Hudson, that were historical non-entities. I was also disappointed that the author failed to provide any comparative data on the naval guns mounted on these frigates, since superior firepower was one of their main advantages he notes. Nor is there any information on tactics, training, cost of construction, materials used, maintenance (how often did they need their copper plates replaced?), etc. Thus, the author provides a bare-bones summary of the ships, without much else to add value. Quite frankly, much of the material here is merely summarized from other secondary sources, with little sign of fresh research.
Average customer rating:
- A Proud Marylander Joshua Barney
- A lost navl hero comes alive
- Joshua Barney: Hero of the Revoltion and 1812
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Joshua Barney: Hero of the Revolution and 1812 (Library of Naval Biography)
Louis Arthur Norton
Manufacturer: US Naval Institute Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1557504903 |
Book Description
General Series Editor: James C. Bradford
Little has been published about the life of Baltimore's Commodore Joshua Barney, a man who earned a commission in the nascent Continental Navy, sailed as a privateer, and served as a commodore in both the French and American navies. Louis Norton's biography scrutinizes Barney's colorful life and critically analyzes events that forged his character. Although largely forgotten, he was one of the most clever, competent officers of the American sailing navy. Based on primary and secondary sources, this biography contains many of Barney's quotes and some charming contemporaneous verse written about him that describes the changing fortunes of his life.
A natural seaman and leader with extraordinary courage, Barney took part in thirty-five Revolutionary War naval engagements and was imprisoned three times, but escaped twice using resourceful disguises. In his later years Barney became a national hero defending the Chesapeake during the War of 1812. Author Norton elaborates on Barney's remarkable history with the American flag: he was among the first to use it for naval recruitment, sailed under the banner on the first American vessel to receive a cannon salute from a foreign nation, and carried the stars and stripes into the French National Assembly as the new republic received American diplomatic recognition. Finally the commodore served on the committee that ordered the Fort McHenry flag which became the "Star Spangled Banner." With this fascinating biography, Norton has polished Joshua Barney's image to the brighter luster that many historians believe it deserves.
Customer Reviews:
A Proud Marylander Joshua Barney.......2001-02-17
I was born in Maryland and spent a good part of my life in and around Baltimore. Unitl I read this biography I was not aware of Joshua Barney. He makes me proud to be a Marylander. The book is very well written, fast moving and gives a overview of maritime warfare plus the history of the time in which the commodore lived. I would especially recommend the book to anyone from the tidewater area who is interested what happened, particularly at sea, during of the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and times in between.
A lost navl hero comes alive.......2001-02-01
This is a thoughtful, intelligent, yet unsentimental biography of one of the most fascinating American naval officers of the Revolutionary War as well as the War of 1812. The author's depiction of Barney is one of maritime adventure and he couples it with the the contemporary history of of the time. Barney's incredible bravery and resourcefulness are balanced by problems of ego and vulnerability. I found the book engrossing and excellent reading.
Joshua Barney: Hero of the Revoltion and 1812.......2001-01-03
This is a well written and organized book about one of the most fascinating naval officers to serve America during the crucial years of the formation of our nation. His biography involves crossing the paths of many of the great figures of the Revolution, including Washington, Franklin, Morris, Adams, Napoleon, Madison, Monroe, and John Paul Jones among others. Norton has brought the long neglected history of the Continental Navy to life in this work. The adventures of Barney as a yong seaman, lieutenant, privateer and ultimately captain and commodore from captive of the British to clever businessman make for fascinating reading. It is a story that is so exciting, it is difficult to put down. I highly recommend it those who are interested in naval history, Revolutionary War history and those who simply like a good adventure story. It is remarkable that is a work of non-fiction. It reads as well as the best of the Hornblower novels.
Product Description
Forgetting the set backs of the American Revolutionary War, in 1793 the Royal Navy embarked on an almost unprecedented era of victories at sea, producing a considerable appetite for pictures of every incident, great or small. A thriving trade in prints and engravings grew up, supplemented by watercolors and oils by celebrated artists. Besides these ‘public’ works, many officers--and indeed members of the lower deck--kept personal journals and sketchbooks, illustrated with surprisingly accomplished drawings and watercolors, often depicting the everyday aspects of wartime life at sea that were ignored in the more celebratory artistic media. These sources form a rich vein that have been barely touched in previous publications, but which this book uses to full effect. Despite numerous defeats, the French navy continued to dispute command of the sea in the period 1793-1797, and the early years of the war abound with fleet engagements, including dramatic victories against the Spanish at St. Vincent and the Dutch at Camperdown, between which the navy endured the shocking events of the Great Mutiny, potentially the most dangerous moment of the whole war.
Customer Reviews:
Wish there was some color.......2007-07-14
Excellent book, with a good blend of art and history. Each picture is explained in text with associated historical and artistic caveats. For the price I guess you couldn't expect color pictures though I think a few would add to the quality of the book and perhaps add to the cost. With color it would have been 5 stars and a bargan. Mr. Gardiner's books have never disappointed me, and I have a few.
A must have book for Naval historians.......2003-12-04
An excellent Naval History. Well written easy reading. A great array of period pictures, blueprints, and sketches. Concisely organized and well presented. What I enjoyed most about this book was that it not only covers the chronology and naval actions of the period, it also discusses life at sea and how the fleets and ships operated. Particularly interesting are the essays on The ship of the line, 36 and 28 gun frigates and smaller craft with line drawings and pictures of the class of vessel. An excellent book for Naval Historians, ship modellers, and Naval war gamers.
Average customer rating:
- A read as fast as the ship itself
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Truxtun of the Constellation: The Life of Commodore Thomas Truxtun, U.S. Navy, 1755-1822
Eugene S. Ferguson
Manufacturer: The Johns Hopkins University Press
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Binding: Paperback
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Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy
ASIN: 0801865972 |
Book Description
Thomas Truxtun was one of the first six captains President Washington appointed to the United States Navy in 1794. Although Truxtun therefore ranks with men like John Paul Jones in the development of the navy, this biography by Eugene Ferguson supplies the only full account of his eventful life and career.
In Truxtun of the Constellation, Ferguson tells the exciting story of a patriot who started as a teenaged merchant seaman, won command of his own ship, and became a privateer in the Revolutionary War. After the Revolution, he made four voyages to the Far East in the burgeoning China trade. He commanded the ship that brought Benjamin Franklin home to America from his ambassadorship to France. The greatest period of Truxton's career--and the source of his importance as a historical figure--came when he served as captain of the original Constellation, whose construction he oversaw in Baltimore. He commanded this historic frigate from the time she was launched in 1797 until her return from the undeclared naval war with France and the defeat of the heavier-armed La Vengeance in 1800.
First published by the Johns Hopkins University Press in 1956, Ferguson's lively account describes the early problems and triumphs in the fledgling navy, the battle glories, and the professional and personal squabbles that helped to explain Truxtun's resignation in 1802.
Customer Reviews:
A read as fast as the ship itself.......2005-04-06
During the beginning stages of research for a novel I'm writing related to the War of 1812, I searched for and bought this book to get a look into Commodore Thomas Truxtun as one of the forefathers of the U.S. Navy and one of the principal architects of its tradition. I figured the book would give me a good insight into Truxtun as naval commander and man, and I largely got exactly what I was expecting.
Eugene Ferguson did an outstanding job with exhaustive research and writing in a fair, objective style that doesn't overly glorify Truxtun's triumphs or gloss over his failings. He did an excellent job of outlining faults that included his impatience during the construction of Constellation and his tendency to be overbearing while helping to oversee the construction of the ship.
One thing that the book could have done a bit more of was to give a better sense of the strategies involved in naval combat along with the tactics of wearing to avoid a broadside. Ferguson gave some good mention of books Truxtun wrote as they related to ship signals and other matters, but could have delved more into the tactical and day-to-day reasons Truxtun was successful in two engagements against French warships.
As important as writing a balanced account of Truxtun, including his business failings and his poor ability to judge character was a writing style that made his 260 page book a comfortable read. His writing is not so technical as to intimidate the land lubber or person with only a passing interest in the history of the period and is well-versed enough in the vernacular of the period as to satisfy those with a much more avid fascination with wooden walls and raking fire.
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The Penobscot Expedition: Commodore Saltonstall and the Massachusetts Conspiracy of 1779
George E. Buker
Manufacturer: Naval Institute Press
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1557502129 |
Book Description
As the largest American naval fleet assembled during the Revolutionary War, the vessels comprising the Penobscot expedition were expected to swiftly defeat the British at Fort George on Maine's Penobscot Bay. During the ensuing battle, however, the armada took a dramatic turn toward the disastrous and some forty ships were lost. The result was a defeat the magnitude of which would not be seen again until Pearl Harbor. Blame was placed on the suspected cowardice of Commodore Dudley Saltonstall.
But was Saltonstall to blame? In his defense George Buker bypasses historical speculation and gives a detailed analysis of concrete factors that may have caused the defeat, including the limitations of square-rigged ships in restricted waters, geography, and the British defensive alignment. In the only such study to date, his conclusions are startling: There was a Massachusetts conspiracy against the commodore and the Massachusetts committee of inquiry and general court interfered with the proper proceedings of Saltonstall's court-martial. Buker is both thorough in his research and convincing in his arguments, making this a work of historical significance as well as a true and compelling mystery.
Book Description
The title of this book refers to the toast "millions for defense, not a cent for tribute" that became popular in America during the late 1790s as the country teetered towards open war with France. Incensed by demands for bribes from French diplomats and France's galling seizures of U.S. merchant ships, Americans were provoked to action, as this book recounts so vividly. The United States had no fleet in the 1790s, Congress having sold off the last Continental Navy warships more than ten years earlier. As war with France seemed imminent, private U.S. citizens decided to help build a Navy. Merchants from Newburyport, Massachusetts, took the lead by opening a subscription to fund a 20-gun warship to be built in ninety days, and they persuaded Congress to pass a statute that gave them government "stock" bearing six percent interest in exchange for their money. Their example set off a chain reaction down the coast with more than a thousand subscribers in ten port towns pledging money and actually beginning to build nine warships with little government oversight. Among the subscription ships were the frigates Philadelphia, later lost on the rocks off Tripoli; Essex, the first American warship to round the Cape of Good Hope; and Boston, which captured the French corvette Le Berceau but whose captain's career was destroyed in the aftermath.
This book explores--for the first time in any depth--the subject of subscribing for warships. Frederick Leiner explains how the idea materialized, who the people were who subscribed and built the ships, how the ships were built, and what contributions these ships made to the Quasi-War against France. Along the way, he offers significant insights into the politics of what is arguably the most critical period in American history.
Book Description
The tragic story of the last Royalist attempt to overthrow the French revolution. The British-led attempt to overthrow the French revolution is a cautionary tale for all attempts at 'regime change'.
In the summer of 1793 the surviving French Royalists surrendered the great naval base at Toulon to the British, intending this to be the springboard for a full-scale counter-revolution. A multi-national taskforce led by the British, but including Spanish, Austrian and Italian forces landed in the city. But the Royalists' hopes were dashed: the revolutionaries reacted with great speed and violence. Instead of striking into France the Royalists and their foreign allies are besieged in Toulon. Among the republican forces is a young artillery officer who soon makes a name for himself: Napoleon Bonaparte. The Allied forces botch their withdrawal, a chaotic flight that made the last days of Saigon look orderly. Only a fraction of the Royalists escape with the ships, thousands are massacred in the fall of the city or face the guillotine afterwards.
Bernard Ireland's popular and accessible account of the fall of Toulon brings to life a savage episode in European history.
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