Cindy Vallar's Blog - Posts Tagged "naval-intelligence"

The Trafalgar Chronicle: Dedicated to Naval History in the Nelson Era: New Series 9 by John A Rodgaard

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Gathering information on the enemy is nothing new, but during the Georgian Era, a formal system to collect, evaluate, and disseminate acquired data doesn’t exist. So how do the Admiralty and its naval commanders acquire what they need to successfully complete their missions? This is the theme of this year’s 1805 Club’s annual journal. Steven E. Maffeo opens with “Secret Intelligence in the Age of Nelson,” an excerpt from his book (Most Secret and Confidential: Intelligence in the Age of Nelson), which provides an overview of naval intelligence between 1754 and 1815.

Officers who wish to succeed and advance through the ranks understand how important it is to be seen as gentlemen. Some are born to this; others must acquire the culture and sophistication in ways that do not exceed their financial means. Evan Wilson shows how such young officers devise their own grand tours of the continent by combining work with pleasure during times of peace in “A Grand Tour on a Budget: Naval Officers and Intelligence Gathering in the Age of Sail.” In the process, they also acquire information that may be of potential use in times of wars.

Intelligence and what can be inferred from it influences how commanders react, as Andrew Venn Nelson demonstrates in “Cat and Mouse, Misinformation, Thwarted Plans and the Victory that Never Was: Nelson and Villeneuve’s Atlantic Chase, 1805.” Other times, intelligence plays a role in the planning and carrying out of specific operations as Anthony Bruce shows in “‘A Great and Signal Service’: Admiral Vernon at Porto Bello, November 1739.” On the other hand, intelligence can mislead and have unexpected outcomes as we discover in Nicholas James Kaizer’s “The Unwanted Coup: James Callander, Spiridon Foresti, and British Espionage in the Ionian Islands during the War of the Second Coalition.”

The final two entries that address this annual’s theme are more biographical and demonstrative in nature. Tom Fremantle introduces us to “Admiral Arthur Phillip, 1738-1814: Naval Officer, Explorer, Spy, Mercenary, Administrator.” Natacha Abriat’s featured monograph investigates “The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Baron d’Imbert, 1763-1844: French Naval Officer and Royalist Agent,” which provides a unique perspective on French espionage and counterespionage.

In addition to this year’s main topic, the editors include three biographic portraits and five articles of general interest that pertain to the Georgian Era. David Rothwell shows how Sir John Thomas Duckworth considers his orders, his men’s health, and gaining honor and wealth in “The Evolution of British Naval Leadership and Decision-Making in the Face of Sickness.”

American Joshua Penny is pressed into the Royal Navy several times during his lifetime. William S. Dudley discusses this merchant sailor and why he spends eighteen months in a South African cave in “The Seafaring Saga of Joshua Penny, 1788-1815.”

In the last biographical entry, “Trafalgar’s Last Survivors,” Hilary L. Rubenstein investigates who can and cannot lay claim to having fought and survived the Battle of Trafalgar.

The remaining articles showcase Parliament’s reaction to the loss of single ships to the young United States Navy; the demise of USS Essex in Valpariso, Chile; the aftereffects of the Earl of Sandwich’s decision to sheath warships’ hulls with copper; the significance of the name of Admiral Villeneuve’s flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar; and a Spanish princess who believes she is the rightful ruler of Spain’s American possessions while her father is imprisoned and her husband rules Portugal from afar.

Black-&-white illustrations are found throughout the essays with a center section of color plates, all of which complement and enrich the text. Biographies of the contributors and endnotes are included, but there is no index.

As always, reading The Trafalgar Chronicle is a treat. The articles provide a wealth of information that enlightens and enhances our understanding of this period in naval history. This is one of the few places where you will find a collection of offerings dealing with naval intelligence. Even if you think you know a particular subject, you discover tidbits you aren’t aware of. Some articles will confirm what you already know; others will have you rethinking assumptions and seeing topics in new lights. All of which makes this edition a robust treasure indeed.


(This review was originally published at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/TrafalgarC...)



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