Cindy Vallar's Blog, page 15

A Pirate Christmas

A Pirate Christmas! by Random House

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


On Nochebuena (Christmas Eve), Santiago Montes, his sister Tina, his cousin Tómas, friend Lorelai, and Kiko (Santiago’s pet frog) have a campout to await Santa’s arrival. All should go well, but Santiago’s magic compass warns that Santa needs their help.

Enrique Réal de Palacios has had enough. He’s tired of being on Santa’s naughty list. He wants to get presents just like the other children. And this Christmas Eve, he makes that wish come true. He stops Santa’s sleigh and steals all the presents, taking them back to his ice castle.

Santiago and his friends must intervene and save Christmas. At the same time, perhaps Enrique will discover the true meaning of the holiday.

This is a sturdy board book for children, that serves either as an introduction to Nickelodeon’s Santiago of the Seas animated series or as a treasure for when fans can’t get enough. The pictures are boldly colorful and expressive. They easily encapsulate the tale even if young pirates haven’t yet mastered reading on their own. The text combines English and Spanish, as well as Hispanic culture. Unfortunately, the story is told more than shown, but for young pirates this won’t matter much. It includes many of the tropes from the show, although this time their vehicle is Santa’s magic sleigh rather than a pirate ship. A Pirate Christmas is a simple tale that teaches valuable lessons in a fun way.


(This review originally appeared at Pirates & Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/childrens1...)



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(This review originally appeared at Pirates & Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/childrens1...)

Review of Jamie Goodall's Pirates & Privateers from Long Island Sound to Delaware Bay

Pirates & Privateers from Long Island Sound to Delaware Bay by Jamie L H Goodall

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In the late seventeenth century, if a pirate needed protection, one official was happy to oblige. His name was Colonel Benjamin Fletcher, and he was the governor of New York. One pirate who sought his assistance was Samuel Burgess, who originally served under Captain William Kidd until William Mason absconded with the Blessed William and turned to piracy. Burgess went along for the ride, but circumstances didn’t turn out exactly as he hoped, so he jumped ship in Madagascar, where he stayed until sailing to New York in 1693 to seek Fletcher’s help. And the governor willingly complied, but Burgess eventually returned to pirating.

One might think that Fletcher’s collaboration with pirates was unusual. The fact is, as Goodall shows, the opposite was true. A number of governors and colonists associated with these scoundrels, because they supplied necessities and luxuries that lined pockets and coffers with money. As a result, piracy became a major element in the colonies’ economy during the golden age of piracy. This is what Goodall examines in the first half of this book. She discusses New York history, Kidd’s ties to the colony, his association with Frederick Philipse (the richest man in New York and a prominent merchant), Adam Baldridge (Philipse’s storekeeper in Madagascar who bartered with pirates), the slave trade, Fletcher’s collusion with pirates as well as that of Governor Markham of Pennsylvania, the antipiracy efforts of the Earl of Bellomont and Jeremiah Basse, and colonial ties with Blackbeard and Thomas Tew, as well as supposed associations with Bartholomew Roberts.

As piracy declined and wars erupted in Europe, privateers take center stage in the second half of the book. Of particular interest here are those associated with King George’s War (1744-48) and the French and Indian War (1754-1763). Privateering successes bring abundance to the colonies, especially New York. As a result, the booming economy leads to job growth. Among the topics Goodall covers in this section are what happened to the privateers who were captured, effects on maritime insurance rates and prices of imports, and the impact on Black privateers. Two privateers whom she highlights are the audacious William Reen and persevering Patrick Dennis, who was captured and enslaved, but escaped only to sign aboard another privateering venture.

Corruption, of course, is a main theme throughout the book, and while some information can be found elsewhere, much of it is not only particular to the regions of Long Island Sound and Delaware Bay, but is also rarely discussed in other volumes. For example, one place where pirated goods were resold in legitimate markets was Hamburg, Germany. In the six years in which Governor Fletcher served, his income amounted to £30,000, an amount far beyond his yearly salary. Also, the great influx of money brought to the colonies by the pirates resulted in silversmiths being more plentiful than lawyers, in part because the silversmiths served as the sea marauders’ fences. In addition to notes, a bibliography, and an index, Goodall includes maps and illustrations as well as quotes from period documents. This is a worthwhile addition to pirate history and incorporates a lot of information in a small volume at a reasonable price.

(Review originally published at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Goodall.ht...)




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Review of Lauren Smith's In Like Flynn

In Like Flynn by Lauren Smith

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


1721. A shipwrecked galleon on the brink of sinking. An honorable pirate, Thomas Buck and his men go aboard to rescue survivors and claim any treasure. What he finds is unexpected. A newborn babe and a signet ring, the only clue to her parents’ identity. Captivated by the little girl, he vows to raise her as his own and protect her always.

(Fade to black)

1741. Brianna Holland walks the streets of Port Royal, Jamaica, dressed as a man. The disguise is a necessity in a town rife with Royal Marines and Navy men. After all she is a pirate captain and daughter of the most-wanted man in the Caribbean, the Shadow King. Getting supplies should be simple, until she spots a wanted poster bearing the likeness of her companion and a British patrol. Her diversion plan that allows him to escape leads to her own capture by a cruel captain whose eyes promise she will rue the day their paths crossed. Her only saving grace is that he thinks her a young lad named Bryan Holland, but all pirates, regardless of age, face only one outcome when caught – the hangman’s noose.

Since Holland was seen in the company of one of the Shadow King’s men, there’s a good chance the lad can lead the navy to the nefarious pirate’s lair and who better to achieve this goal than Lieutenant Nicholas Flynn? A trusted man. An honest man. A man who knows pirates since his best friend used to be one. Tossed into Holland’s cell as a fellow pirate, Nicholas is on the brink of connecting with the lad when the Marine captain appears, intent on getting information from Holland. Instinct warns Nicholas to protect the lad, which leads to a flogging that even the admiral can’t prevent unless they want their plan to go awry.

During his recovery, Nicholas realizes that Bryan isn’t really a lad, which only strengthens his resolve to protect her. With the admiral’s help, he devises a convincing plan that will allow them to escape. And put as much distance as possible between the Marine captain and Brianna. The only problem is that the more time Nicholas spends in her company the more he questions the wisdom of his assignment.

Brianna owes Flynn her life, but already the gallows awaits them. She nurses him back to health while trying to come up with an escape plan. She can get off the island, but not out of the fortress. Nicholas’s suggestion may work, if she’s willing to trust him. He did sacrifice himself for her, an act few others have done. Perhaps it’s a small enough risk that she can take a chance. After all, once she’s back aboard the Sea Serpent, she can always toss him overboard if he lies.

This second installment in the Pirates of King’s Landing series reunites characters from book one with new characters that further flesh out the Shadow King’s pirate realm. Smith skillfully interlaces humor with solemnity. Unexpected twists, including a mutiny stoked by jealousy and a merciless villain, provide a riveting roller-coaster of love versus duty and trust versus betrayal. Equally compelling is the underlying subplot that explores the enduring bonds between a parent and child. In Like Flynn is a true pirate treasure that combines seductive romance and the pragmatic realities of pirate life.*



*In the interest of full disclosure, I read and commented on an early draft of the manuscript. My review, however, is based on the published book, which I did not see or read until after publication.




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Review of Jane Glatt's Captains & Conspiracies

Captains & Conspiracies by Jane Glatt

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Trouble brews in Nurmi. Clan Freeholder Timonis has his own agenda. Instead of truly looking out for his people, he abets the pirates who freely plunder and wreak havoc throughout the town and he’s shifted the town’s food supplies to an unknown location. There are still a few months left of winter. The townspeople fear they will starve.

The Intelligencers are spread thin, working in pairs to help keep the citizens of the Fair Seas Treaty Alliance alive. Food has been carefully rationed and evenly distributed. Ice fishing supplements their stores and, occasionally, Dagrun Lund manages to bring additional items from distant lands, but danger lies in navigating frozen and treacherous waters. If not for her trait of being able to detect unseen danger, these voyages would be impossible.

This means, however, that she and Calder Rahmson rarely see each other, because he seeks one of the fiends who have caused problems not only for the Alliance but also other places. Pinho is a ruthless tyrant who has one goal – to amass an army to attack Calder’s mother’s land in order to control the timber trade. The wood is extremely precious now because it is needed to rebuild the shipping fleets that pirates destroyed during their rampage against the Alliance. Luck – Calder’s trait – leads him to Zelesso, where Pinho and his pirates are engaged in terrorizing the town into allying with him. Calder, with the help of family and townspeople, is determined to stop them.

Master Intelligencer Nadez has her own worries. Someone meticulous and organized has been stealing the food supplies from the warehouses. Not small bits from each one, but the entire contents of whole buildings. So far three have been emptied and, this time, four guards are missing. She’s certain she knows who is behind the thefts, but she can neither prove who is guilty nor find the missing foodstuffs. Her suspicious are confirmed when he miraculously finds and returns the goods. But why?

Pia, a novice Intelligencer, travels here and there gathering information. She is able to sift out the important details from what she learns and concentrate on how these fit together. She and Gustav Gunnarson are working together when they cross paths with a stranger who calls himself Hakon. Her trait of concentration warns her that he is a dangerous man, perhaps one who shouldn’t be trusted, but they need each other’s help. Hakon will take care of the pirates in Nurmi if Pia and Gustav will take him to the Intelligencer who unmakes things. Who Hakon really is and what his true intentions are remain a mystery – one that Pia is determined to decipher even if it jeopardizes her newfound acceptance as an Intelligencer.

The battle pitting Calder against Pinho is an action-packed confrontation on water. How the pirates, at least the fiendish ones, are defeated is unexpected but provocative. Once in a while the tension doesn’t quite measure up to expectations, and readers new to the series may have trouble following what’s happening and who’s who. Fans familiar with the series will enjoy the satisfying conclusion of this fifth and final book in The Intelligencer series. Loose ends are tied up with some unexpected twists and turns that are sure to please.



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Review of Nicholas Guyatt's The Hated Cage

The Hated Cage: An American Tragedy in Britain's Most Terrifying Prison by Nicholas Guyatt

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


6 April 1815. The War of 1812 is over, yet many American prisoners of war remain confined within the granite walls of Dartmoor Prison. The POWs are in the yard when a fight breaks out. Eventually, British guards open fire. Those who attempt to flee inside the prison blocks find the doors locked. When peace returns, nine are dead and more than thirty suffer from serious wounds.

This incident, which opens The Hated Cage, is perhaps the only aspect of the most feared prison in the world that is remembered today. Like the war itself, few Americans know much about this enormous detention facility or the 6,553 Americans who lived within its confines between 1813 and 1815. The few remnants of their memory are either vague references in history books, or the 271 graves where bodies of these citizens are buried. All this is in spite of the fact that indelible records of these people, the majority of whom were privateers, do exist and Guyatt delved into archival records about and personal memoirs and journals from these POWs to change these deficits. He also shines a light on the men of color, of which there were nearly 1,000 yet not one left a written account of his time spent in America’s first racially segregated prison. One of these, a man history remembers as King Dick, serves as the nucleus around which the POW experience unfolds, because much of what has been written about him is steeped in mythology. Within these pages, the truth about Richard Crafus, the prison, life as a POW, and the massacre are explored.

Prior to 1809, the British incarcerated POWs in prison hulks (ships) and repurposed buildings. A change in social thinking and the large numbers of prisoners – a result of fighting with the French and the Americans in two separate conflicts – necessitated a change. Thomas Tyrwhitt, private secretary to the prince, decided to build a purpose-built prison and received permission to do so on a foggy, barren moor in the middle of nowhere. Dartmoor was designed by Daniel Asher Alexander. Bordered by a granite wall nearly a mile round, the northern portion of the prison consisted of large dormitories arrayed like wheel spokes where the POWs would reside. South of these structures were the other buildings needed to care for the captives and house those who oversaw and guarded them.

The most notorious of the blocks was Prison Four. It became the domain of the men of color, although all prisoners spent time there, spending money and whiling away idle time in pursuits such as staging plays or gaming. Supposedly, this was where King Dick reigned.

To reach Dartmoor, POWs walked from Plymouth in all types of weather. Once inside, each man had to dress in a yellow uniform sporting a diagonal arrow. The first man to enter its gates, over which was chiselled “Spare the Vanquished,” was a Frenchman named Etienne Pagert on 22 May 1809. The oldest prisoner was born in England in 1745; his name was Edward Johnstone. The youngest Black POW was James Johnson, a lad of thirteen who was aboard a privateer when it was taken by the British in February 1814. The first agent (warden) to oversee these men was Isaac Cotgrave; when he retired, Thomas Shortland took his place and oversaw the refurbishing of the prison before it began to house only American POWs beginning halfway through 1814. Frank Palmer, who wrote about his captivity, served aboard a privateer for less than a day before he was taken prisoner; he remained such for 545 days, some of which were spent in this prison.

Throughout the pages of this book, readers learn what it was like to be a POW both physically and emotionally. Also discussed are the problems encountered by both the POWs and the agents. This includes the original inhabitants of Prison Four who were collectively known as Romans, feral men who never wore clothes except a blanket if they went elsewhere in the prison. Daily life, prejudices, published narratives, escape attempts, the massacre and its aftermath, reasons as to why the POWs remained incarcerated for so long, and how some individuals came to be residents of Dartmoor are discussed, as are what became of these people after they returned home and how the prison was repurposed to house hardened criminals, which it continues to do until it closes in 2023.

The Hated Cage is an eye-opening and absorbing history of Dartmoor and the POWs, both French and American, who resided within its walls. Guyatt provides a wealth of details that clearly show the differences between expectations and realities. Although he includes the surprising detail that women and children (camp followers and captives) lived within Dartmoor’s walls, he doesn’t share much about these people. He does provide vivid imagery about what it was like to live within the prison blocks without many of the creature comforts we’ve come to expect. This is a must read for anyone with a general interest in the War of 1812 and those with a specific interest in privateering. It is not only a compelling account of what happened to those men who didn’t return from successful ventures, but it provides a more comprehensive and detailed experience than recent titles on privateering.



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Review of Barbary Captives edited by Mario Klarer

Barbary Captives: An Anthology of Early Modern Slave Memoirs by Europeans in North Africa by Mario Klarer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Imagine you travel on the sea, bound for home, when the lookout spots strange sails scudding across the water directly toward you. Perhaps you live on the coast, going about your daily tasks, when armed raiders rush ashore. These scenarios are all too familiar to Europeans living between 1500 and the early 1800s. Their attackers are Barbary pirates who come from North Africa and range from as close as the Iberian Peninsula to as far away as Iceland. Their sallies have one goal: to capture whoever crosses their path. Regardless of age or sex, be it you, your family, or your neighbors, this may well be the last time you see your homeland. Now you will journey to Algiers, Morocco, Tripoli, or Tunis to be separated and sold into slavery.

Such was the fate of several hundred thousand Europeans. Those who survived the voyage suffered the indignities and torments of slavery, and many never reunited with loved ones. The lucky ones regained their freedom – through ransom, by escaping, or in converting to Islam – and wrote narratives about their experiences. This anthology brings together, for the first time, thirteen of these eyewitness accounts in which they discussed a variety of topics: the pirates who captured these individuals; different tasks they were forced to do; the treatments they suffered; renegades; exotic customs and locales; religion, and more.

Whether complete texts or excerpts from longer works, the narratives contained within this collection include the following:

Sturmer, son of a German merchant, decided to try his hand at pirating, only to find himself the victim of pirates in 1534. After his capture, he became a galley slave in Hayreddin Barbarossa’s fleet, and he describes what that experience was like and some of the historical events he witnessed. His Accounts of the Travels of Mister Balthsar Sturmer is the earliest recorded slave narrative.

Antonio de Sosa, himself a slave at one time, published a multi-volume work in 1612 entitled Topography of Algiers. In this excerpt he recounts one of Miguel de Cervantes’s attempts to escape his enslavement during his five years of captivity. De Sosa’s books proved important for those who sought information that helped to enlighten military and diplomatic efforts in this region of North Africa.

The Travels of Reverend Ólafur Egilsson recounts how pirates from Morocco and Algiers raided Iceland in 1627. They captured Egilsson, his family, and about 400 others. His is one of the few accounts that discuss in detail Barbary raids on land – an attack that left an indelible impression on the psyche of the Icelandic people that remains even today.

This translation of Emanuel d’Aranda’s Short Story of My Unfortunate Journey comes from a handwritten account recently sold at auction. Although a nobleman, he attempted to pass himself off as an ordinary soldier in an attempt to reduce how much ransom those back home had to pay for his release. What makes this autobiographical manuscript unique is that it allows researchers to compare his original version with edited versions that actually made it into print. These published editions were extremely popular in many different countries and appeared in a variety of languages, which made it available to readers in all levels of society.

Antoine Quartier spent eight years as a slave in Tripoli, making The Religious Slave and His Adventures a rarity among captivity narratives. Not only is the setting unusual, but so is his description of grueling agricultural labor. He also talks about the plague that ravaged the city. Upon his release, he joined the Mercedarians, a religious order that devoted themselves to ransoming Barbary slaves.

What sets Andreas Matthäus and Johann Georg Wolffgang’s Travels and Wonderful Fortunes of Two Brothers in Algerian Bondage apart from other slave narratives is twofold. They spent their four years of enslavement together, rather than apart, and since they were copper engravers, pictures (created by one of the brothers) were included when their account was published nearly a century after their release in 1688.

Isaac Brassard gained his freedom that same year, but his account wasn’t published in France until 1878. The Tale of Mr. Brassard’s Captivity in Algiers incorporates religion into his account, but not the differences between Islam and Christianity. He was a Huguenot (French Protestant), which made him ineligible for ransom since these were only paid for those captives who practiced the Catholic faith.

Thomas Pellow was eleven years old when he was captured, and he spent twenty-three years in Morocco before returning to England in 1738. The History of the Long Captivity and Adventures of Thomas Pellow is a chronicle that delves into the physical and psychological aspects of his experience, for he did convert to Islam, became an officer in the sultan’s army, and had difficulties re-entering English society once he gained his freedom.

At fifteen, Hark Olufs experienced similar difficulties, which he discusses in The Remarkable Adventures of Hark Olufs. He rose through the ranks until he became a trusted commander within the Algerian bey of Constantine’s military. His loyalty earned him his freedom in 1735 after serving his master for fourteen years.

Maria ten Meetelen’s Miraculous and Remarkable Events of Twelve Years of Slavery is another rarity because it is one of the earliest authentic accounts written by a woman. She recounts her daily life as a slave; instead of being relegated to doing whatever her master required, she had to earn her own living in order to survive. Equally remarkable is that she managed to keep herself and her family alive in spite of the frequent regime changes during her twelve years of captivity, beginning in 1731.

Descriptions of the Barbaric Slavery in the Kingdom of Fez and Morocco appeared in print the year after Marcus Berg was ransomed in 1756. Not only does he provide intimate glimpses into the sadist who ruled Morocco with an iron fist, but he also describes a deadly earthquake that affected both that country and Europe. No other authentic Swedish narrative has been found.

The Narrative of Elizabeth Marsh’s Captivity in Barbary relates the four months she spent in Morocco in 1756, and the lengths she went to elude the sultan’s advances. Marsh is one of the few women who wrote openly about the subtle, derogatory comments made by others about her chastity. Of the other British slave narratives that women wrote, hers is the oldest known one.

One of the few surviving Italian narratives, The Account of an Amateur Antiquarian’s Short Journey takes place shortly before European and American navies brought an end to Barbary corsairing in the first half of the nineteenth century. As a citizen of a nation that had a peace treaty with Tunis, Father Felice Caronni never should have been taken as a slave, but during the attack on his vessel, his passport was lost. This excerpt focuses on his time as a captive, while the work from which it comes shares his abiding interest in the heritage and culture of this region.

Arranged chronologically by dates of captivity, these narratives have all been verified as authentic. Each includes a short preface to set the stage and shed light on who, what, when, where, and why, as well as how it differs from other narratives and/or what it has in common with them. Also included is a note about the translations. Footnotes are provided where necessary to explain terms, names, and historical details. Illustrations are provided where appropriate.

Klarer opens with a fascinating introduction that is divided into several sections: Captivity Narratives as an Early Modern Genre, Piracy in the Mediterranean, North African Slavery, The Ransom of Slaves, Female Slaves, and Captivity Narratives and World Literature. Here, he highlights how the early accounts influenced novels like Cervantes’s Don Quixote and Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe, which in turn impacted later narratives. Klarer also discusses how these narratives influenced other works, such as Native American captivity narratives and African American slave narratives. He ends the anthology with a Selection of European and American Barbary Captivity Narratives; a List of Works Cited and General Works on North African Piracy and Captivity; and an Index of Persons and Locations.

Little known today, these slave narratives were popular among readers of the early modern period, so much so that they can be likened to a genre of their own. Klarer deftly demonstrates their influence on novels and autobiographies, which eventually affected how later authors of slave narratives wrote their accounts. This compelling anthology re-introduces readers to this “genre” in a diverse way that is certain to elicit further study. It incorporates details of how Barbary corsairs worked and what it was like to be captured by them that are absent from other histories and English-language narratives. It provides a wealth of information from a variety of perspectives in ways that capture readers’ attention and at a reasonable price, making Barbary Captives a treasure for any collection.




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Review of Keith Thomson's Born to Be Hanged

Born to Be Hanged: The Epic Story of the Gentlemen Pirates Who Raided the South Seas, Rescued a Princess, and Stole a Fortune by Keith Thomson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In 1680, buccaneers ally themselves with the Kuna. Their enemy is the same, but their goals differ. The Kuna wish to rescue their leader’s granddaughter, a captive of the Spanish, and the buccaneers seek Spanish treasure. If successful, each pirate may acquire 12,000 pieces of eight. Quite a sum compared to the annual wages of a common laborer on a plantation, 100 pieces of eight per annum. Two impediments block their achievement of this fantastic goal: more soldiers than buccaneers and an impermeable jungle that is totally unknown to them. This is why they seek assistance from the Kuna.

One of the buccaneers records the meeting between Andreas, head of the Kuna, and the pirates. His name is Basil Ringrose, a navigator, a mathematician, and a first-time gentleman of fortune. Six others also write of their exploits: Lionel Wafer (surgeon and Ringrose’s friend), Bartholomew Sharp (veteran buccaneer adept at ferreting out prizes and devising tactical plans), John Cox (who has misgivings about the raid), William Dampier (naturalist), Edward Povey, and William Dick. Born to Be Hanged recounts their adventure from the onset of this raid through the end of their adventure together. Some buccaneers die, some live, and some give up before they ever reach their destination. In addition to the scriveners, readers meet other men, such as Richard Sawkins, who escaped from Port Royal’s jail to join the expedition; Peter Harris, another veteran who loses a limb in the expedition; and John Watling, a religious man who tossed gambling dice into the ocean.

Interlaced throughout this journey are captains ousted because of no-confidence votes, a Spaniard who testifies in favor of the buccaneers, a bloody sea battle pitting thirty-six gentlemen of fortune against three Spanish warships, raids on other Spanish settlements, scurvy, a sea serpent, sabotage, irreconcilable differences, an accident that alters Wafer’s life, the capture of treasure more valuable than gold, and arrest warrants for several buccaneers upon their return to England. Maps, illustrations, a bibliography, end notes, and an index enhance the text and make the information easily accessible. Readers also discover what happened to these men after the expedition ended.


Those familiar with pirate history know of Henry Morgan’s raid on Panama, but this attack is relatively unfamiliar. Relying on historical archives and the seven accounts of this expedition, Thomson adeptly weaves together details that make for a most intriguing seventeenth-century journey fraught with untold danger and intrepid courage. It is essential reading for anyone interested in the Buccaneering Era and a worthy addition to any pirate collection.

(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/KThomson.html)



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Review of Eric Jay Dolin's Rebels at Sea

Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution by Eric Jay Dolin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Off the coast of Bilboa, Spain, Captain Jonathan Haraden decided that 3 June 1780 was a perfect day to again test the mettle of his crew of thirty-eight. They had already captured an enemy privateer; taking on another was a risk, but Haraden wasn’t one to back down from a fight. Even when his opponent had 130 men and more than twice the number of his guns, the majority of which were heavier and more powerful armament than his. For more than two hours the American Pickering and the British Achilles fought. The British took back the captured privateer, but broke off the engagement and fled the scene once the Americans loaded their inferior cannons with bar shot. The Spaniards celebrated the Pickering’s victory, and once she set sail for home, the privateersmen snared three more prizes before arriving in Salem.

This is but one encounter between private enemy vessels during the American Revolution. Other books have covered the war from many different perspectives, but only a few spend time on privateering. Of these, even fewer delve into the role they played in winning the war and, when these volumes do, the view is more negative than positive. Dolin sets out to right this wrong, providing a more inclusive study of revolutionary privateers and their significance in the conflict to gain American independence from Britain. “Rebels at Sea places privateersmen, most of whom were not famous or even well-known individuals, at the very center of the war effort. It demonstrates that, when the United States was only a tenuous idea, they stepped forward and risked their lives to help make it a reality.” (xxiv)

Dolin shows successes and failures, as well as the impacts colonial privateers had on the British economy, which compelled the enemy to redirect critical military and naval resources from land and sea campaigns to protect commercial shipping. Prizes taken helped supply the rebels with much-needed resources, raised colonists’ spirits, and assisted in the efforts to bring France and Spain into the conflict on the American side. He also includes notes that cite consulted sources, a select bibliography, an index, footnotes to explain terminology or provide further explanations, and illustrations.

This is not, however, just a one-sided presentation of facts. Dolin also delves into negative issues and people critical of the use of privateers. Some felt it was a less savory way to fight, one that bordered on piracy. Others believed the men and weaponry should be saved for use by the Continental Army and Navy. There were also those who decried profit making over patriotism.

Within the nine chapters, readers meet people from various walks of life who supported privateering, denigrated privateering, and sometimes flipflopped on the issue. The legality of privateering is discussed, with Massachusetts leading the way months before Congress passed the necessary laws to address the issue. The cast of characters include privateersmen – Offin Boardman, James Forten, David Ropes, Luke Ryan, and Andrew Sherburne to name a few beside Haraden – and Founding Fathers – John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and Robert Morris – and involved citizens, such as Elbridge Gerry, Elias Hasket Derby, Blair McClenachan, Nathaniel Greene, and John Paul Jones. Dolin also explores how the British viewed American privateers and what happened to those who became prisoners of war whether they were incarcerated in English prisons and on prison ships closer to home.

Even readers familiar with privateering history and/or privateers during the American Revolution will learn fascinating facts not previously found in other books. Examples include two American privateers named for Benedict Arnold when he was still seen as a hero rather than a traitor; or John Greenwood, a privateer and a militiaman better-known as the dentist who made George Washington’s false teeth.

Rebels at Sea may not be as engrossing as other Dolin titles, but it is an important, compelling, and comprehensive examination of privateers in the thirteen colonies’ struggle to gain their independence. This volume will appeal to a general audience, be they well-versed in privateer or revolutionary history or newcomers to the subject. When paired with the more academic volume, The Untold War at Sea written by Kylie A. Hulbert, Rebels at Sea provides readers with a well-rounded and enlightening understanding from all perspectives about privateers and their importance to American freedom.


(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Dolin.html...



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Arne Bialuschewski's Raiders and Natives

Raiders and Natives: Cross-Cultural Relations in the Age of Buccaneers by Arne Bialuschewski

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Writing an account about buccaneers from a new perspective isn’t an easy task after centuries of books published on the subject. Yet this is exactly what Bialuschewski achieves in Raiders and Natives. From first page to last, this engrossing and unique examination shines an illuminating light on European gentlemen of fortune and native peoples they encountered in their search for riches.

Illustrations and maps are shared throughout seven chapters: The Rise of the Buccaneers, Mayas Besieged, The Granada Raid, Natives and Intruders in Central America, Intercultural Alliances on the Mosquito Coast, Shifting Alliances on Panamá’s Darién Frontier, and South Sea Incursions. Also included are an explanation on terminology used, end notes, and an index.

This study on cross-cultural interactions begins with the 1676 visit to Nicaragua’s Mosquito Coast by English and French buccaneers under the command of William Wright, Jean Tristan, and Bartholomew Sharpe. They sought indigenous people willing to guide them 450 miles into the interior to attack Nueva Segovia. These guides would also be instrumental in providing food and assistance with other natives encountered along the way.

Among the other events discussed within the book are Piet Hein’s 1536 attack on the Spanish treasure fleet off the coast of Cuba, Jan Janszoon van Hoorn’s raid on Campeche in 1633, an attack on Granada in 1665 in which nine local men took part, and a march across the Isthmus of Panama in 1680. Named buccaneers and natives include David Maarten, Juan Galliardo, François L’Olonnais, Laurens Prins, Joseph Bannister, Lionel Wafer, André de Ibarra, and Richard Sawkins. Also covered are explanations of how the Spanish established their authority over indigenous people.

Trade played an integral role in these interactions, as did the ability to communicate with each other. The buccaneers sought not only riches through robbery, but also the means to survive in a hostile and alien environment. The natives could provide the latter in exchange for better tools that improved their ways of life or enhanced their prestige within their communities.

Time and again, Bialuschewski demonstrates the crucial roles indigenous people played in the buccaneering raids, whether they were allies or sided with the Spanish. Some raids were successful, others not so much. What cannot be denied is that without these cross-cultural dealings, the buccaneers might have been swallowed up in the large swaths of uninhabited jungle and lost to history forever. Equally compelling is how the author demonstrates that these encounters were both beneficial and life changing. He provides an insightful and fascinating account of the complexity of each interaction in this part of the seventeenth-century world.

(Review originally published at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Bialuschew...)



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Kylie A. Hulbert's The Untold War at Sea

The Untold War at Sea: America’s Revolutionary Privateers by Kylie A. Hulbert

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Once the thirteen original colonies had enough of a king’s tyranny, they declared war and fought for independence. Much has been written about the American Revolution on land and at sea, but the members of the colonial army, militias, and navy weren’t the only ones to fight. Some chose to fight an economic war. These privateers held legal commissions that permitted them to attack enemy ships during times of war. History books may or may not mention them, even though they played an integral part in the war. This book corrects this dearth of information; Hulbert recounts their stories from financing and building the ships, to recruiting crews and setting sail, through navigating the admiralty courts that decided whether a prize was legally or illegally captured. Once deemed heroes, they came to be treated as pariahs and Hulbert shows how and why this happened.

The story of privateering unfolds in five chapters, each titled after a line from a popular song of 1776 about a privateer named Manly. Chapter one, “Hardy Sons of Mars,” focuses on how privateering came to be one of the avenues that the colonies and Continental Congress pursued as a means of fighting the war. It also concerns the steps in acquiring a ship, manning it, and acquiring the necessary legal documents for a privateering venture. The second chapter, “A Privateering We Will Go,” shares what life at sea was like, from the mundane to the exciting, while chapter three discusses actual engagements from the sighting of a potential prize to pursuit and capture. “Make Your Fortunes Now, My Lads,” the fourth chapter, examines the prize court system and how it could be as perilous or as rewarding to privateers as the actual captures were. The final chapter, “To Glory Let Us Run,” scrutinizes how privateers were viewed during and after the conflict.

Those who participated in privateering, either in actual combat or behind the scenes, came from different walks of life. Some were prosperous. Some dreamt of becoming so. The gamut of motivations ranged from patriotism to self-interest. What cannot be denied is that the privateers and their deeds impacted the war effort. Initially, they were hailed as heroes, especially when most reports of the conflict were grim. Later, their reputations became tarnished and didn’t fit the persona of how the fledgling nation wished to be portrayed.

Declaring independence was a bold deed, especially when the new nation had no navy to speak of. Privateers filled that void and took the war directly to the British. Among the events discussed in the book are the Rhode Islanders’ attack on HMS Gaspee before the war, Massachusetts’s determination to lead the way in authorizing privateering, and case studies from the prize courts. Many individuals are introduced, some of whom are unknown to most readers, such as Elbridge Gerry, Thomas Willing, John Langdon, Josiah Bartlett, and Gustavus Conyngham. Others – John Adams, Edward Rutledge, Elias Hasket Derby, Captain Jonathan Haraden, and Benjamin Franklin to name a few – are more familiar. End notes provide source citations and additional information, while the bibliography provides additional avenues to explore, and the index permits readers to locate information directly. In addition, occasional illustrations enhance the reading experience.

One of Hulbert’s goals in writing The Untold War at Sea is to show the complexity of privateering and how it was viewed. In doing so, she demonstrates that the American Revolution was far more complex than we think and that privateers played a pivotal part in helping the colonies win their independence from Great Britain. This facet of maritime history and culture needs to be better understood and integrated into the historical narrative, and she does an excellent job in laying the groundwork for this. Even readers knowledgeable about privateering and the War of Independence will be surprised by what she has unearthed. All readers come away with a better understanding of who the privateers were, how they did what they did, and why it’s taken so long for their stories to be shared.

(Review originally published at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/adultpirat...)




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