Cindy Vallar's Blog, page 24

Review of Frank Jastrzembski's Admiral Albert Hastings Markham

Admiral Albert Hastings Markham: A Victorian Tale of Triumph, Tragedy and Exploration by Frank Jastrzembski

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


His career in the Royal Navy spanned five decades, nearly as long as his monarch, Queen Victoria, sat on the British throne. During his lifetime, he fought pirates and rebels, explored the Arctic and America’s Western frontier, studied flora and fauna wherever his journeys took him, and penned numerous accounts of his adventures and explorations. He entered the navy as a raw recruit and retired as an admiral. Yet, today, few know of him. (Not surprising given that the last biography of his life was published nearly a hundred years ago.) His name was Albert Hastings Markham.

Markham thrived on adventure, and those experiences showed him to be a man of courage and self-discipline. He possessed both moral fiber and a strong Christian ethic. He combined all of these to follow a career path that was initially chosen for him by his father, who felt that at least one of his sons should serve his country as so many of his ancestors had.

His bold undertakings began with his assignment to the China Station, where he participated in numerous engagements to suppress piracy and rebels during the Taiping Rebellion and the Second Opium War. He also spent time in Australian waters, aiding the navy’s attempts to stop blackbirders – men who kidnapped and sold Polynesians into slavery. In preparation for a potential voyage of exploration, Markham took a leave of absence to serve aboard a whaling ship. The experience and knowledge that he acquired made him one of the chosen few who once again took up Britain’s attempts to reach the North Pole in 1875, an activity that had abruptly stopped after the loss of the Franklin Expedition thirty years earlier. In fact, Markham reached the most northern latitude of any explorer – a record that stood for two decades – in spite of suffering from snow blindness and scurvy. He also journeyed to the American West to visit his family, who had moved there, and his inquisitiveness spurred him to visit with the Kiowa, Comanche, and Wichita tribes and to hunt buffalo.

During his career, he commanded the navy’s Training Squadron, where he impacted the lives of many young men, including Robert Falcon Scott, who would one day explore Antarctica. He did have critics and a few thought him a strict disciplinarian, but he also cared for those who served under him. The one incident that left a profound mark on him was the tragic loss of more than 300 men when the flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet, HMS Victoria, sank.

This book is comprised of eight chapters that follow Markham’s life and career. Each begins with a quotation, either from his own writings or from someone whose life he touched. Forty-one illustrations, contained in a center section, provide glimpses into his life and the world in which he lived, as well as artifacts pertaining to him. Also included is a collection of maps relevant to his numerous assignments around the word. Two appendices accompany the narrative: A Complete List of the Officers and Men of the British Arctic Expedition of 1875-76, and Albert Hastings Markham’s Books and Articles. A bibliography and an index round out the narrative.

Jastrzembski loves history and specializes in writing about nineteenth-century heroes and wars that few readers know about. He breathes new life into Admiral Markham in an account that is both entertaining and informative. The inclusion of Markham’s own words further enhances the experience and provides a closer glimpse into this man. Anyone with an interest in naval history, especially that of the Victorian Era, will find this a rewarding and highly readable volume.




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Review of Mark Bois's Captain James Lockwood

Captain James Lockwood by Mark Bois

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The new recruits to the Inniskilling Regiment aren’t yet soldiers in Captain James Lockwood’s estimation. Having served for twenty years in His Majesty’s army, he should know. And it is his duty to make certain each becomes the type of soldier who will do his duty and make the rest of the regiment proud. James himself might be English, but he’s served with the Irish regiment a long time and has been married to the lovely Brigid O’Brian Lockwood, herself an Irish Catholic, for twenty-three years.

Brigid came close to losing James five years ago, when he suffered a wound that nearly killed him at Waterloo. She feels he’s given enough for his country, but inevitably duty rears its ugly head and calls him back to service. After six years together, that day arrives with orders for the immediate departure of James and his men for Guyana, where rumors of a slave rebellion mean it will be years before she and James are reunited . . . if he survives. After all, such an assignment is akin to a death sentence. She’s all too aware of how many British soldiers have died because of the diseases that decimate troops assigned to the Caribbean. Still, she is an officer’s wife and a role model for the other regimental wives. Only a few women and children will be permitted to accompany their men overseas, and to show that she understands, she participates in the lottery to decide who goes and who must remain in Ireland.

Her willingness to show kindness and self-sacrifice endears her to the women, and when their hard-earned savings are stolen and they are turned out with nowhere to go, the women and children left behind seek out Brigid. She and her daughter, Cissy, devise a plan that takes advantage of a small hamlet of houses whose inhabitants were turned out for nonpayment of rent. Here the families will reside and work while they wait for their husbands to return. But this is Ireland, a land divided by loyalties and religion. The law and Protestant ministers would punish these indigent families, consigning them to workhouses, which Cissy equates to dens of misery. Some Catholics don’t want them around either. Their husbands are no better than traitors because they wear the red uniforms of English oppressors, and as far as the militant Catholics are concerned, that makes these men’s families traitors too. The White Boys, led by a priest no less, are just the ones to make certain these women and children, including the Lockwoods, pay the price for turning against their own kind.

In the meantime, James must deal with his own struggles. One of his men is a thief. The waters near Guyana are infested with pirates, including a particularly vicious man who adheres to the philosophy that the only good Englishman is a dead one. The colonial governor is accustomed to getting what he wants when he wants it. His fear of reprisals from the slaves, who seek only what the law has promised them, makes him lash out at James. When James refuses to bend to the governor’s will, he earns the lasting enmity of a man determined to destroy James any way he can. The abuse James witnesses and the slaves he meets also make him confront his own conscience.

This immersive third book in the Lockwood series is a tale of prejudice, betrayal, justice, and bigotry. Bois provides stark contrasts of slavery and oppression in ways that make readers react to the injustice meted out to the characters. At the same time, he deftly shows that not all people think and act the same, that there are good and bad people on both sides of the coin. Although soldiers normally fight on land, Lockwood and his men finds themselves waging war on water more than once. The first encounter demonstrates the wiliness necessary to thwart an enemy that is better armed and has larger numbers. The second is an edge-of-your-seat final showdown with a pirate who consummately portrays the viciousness inherent to those who preyed during the nineteenth century.




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Review of Angus Konstam's American Privateers of the Revolutionary War

American Privateers of the Revolutionary War by Angus Konstam

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Any examination of the colonies’ war for independence usually focuses on the land battles. Although the naval war, at least as regards the Continental Navy, is negligible, it is an important aspect of the conflict that should not be overlooked. Konstam attempts to examine this aspect of the war since both sides were dependent on the sea for supplies and reinforcements, as well as maritime commerce. This vulnerability gave rise to privateers, privately armed ships that preyed on enemy shipping.

Since the Continental Congress lacked sufficient funds and vessels to create a full-fledged navy, especially one that could match the manpower and armament of the Royal Navy, individual colonies and the Congress relied on private citizens willing to risk their lives and fortunes to acquire, man, and arm a maritime fleet to strike at the enemy. In exchange for this private funding, both colonial governments and the Congress granted these vessels licenses called “letters of marque” to go out on legal “pirating” ventures. In return, the governments asked for a portion of the proceeds garnered from whatever prizes were brought back and declared legitimate. Nor was this solely an American practice. Loyalists in the colonies and Canada, as well as England itself, participated in such cruises.

The word “privateer” can refer to a ship, her captain, or her crew. In the case of this book, it is the first definition that is the principal concern here. This isn’t necessarily evident from the table of contents: Design and Development (design and shipbuilding, vessel types and rigs, and purpose-built privateer); Business of Privateering (owners and captains; letters of marque and instructions); Life on Board; and Privateers in Action. Only in reading the narrative and viewing the illustrations is this fact made abundantly clear.

In combination with an introduction, a background summary, a bibliography, and an index, volume #279 of Osprey’s New Vanguard series serves as an introduction to privateering ships of this period. The majority of illustrations pertain to the vessels and the original artwork depicts side views of a number of privateers: Tyrannicide, Hope, Rhodes, King George, Fair American, Washington, Mohawk, Berbice, and General Pickering. There is also a two-page spread showing a cutaway view of Rattlesnake, as well as one of Saucy Jack in action against HMS Observer. The artwork is a vital part of this work and, when combined with the captions, provides glimpses into the compelling world of privateering.

The narrative itself is a somewhat dry recitation of facts and figures that merely skim the surface of the Revolution’s privateering history. Individuals are mentioned, but the text doesn’t go into any great detail on the daring escapades of the more legendary men. One such example mentions Captain Jonathan Haraden who captures the Golden Eagle after threatening to deliver a broadside at night if she doesn’t surrender. There is more to the story than these simple facts, but rather than treat readers to the whole story, only a few facts are shared. Although some attempt is made to explain nautical vocabulary, readers with more than a rudimentary knowledge of ships and sailing will better comprehend what is discussed. For those seeking the adventure and dangers associated with privateering, you might want to look elsewhere. For readers seeking knowledge about privateering ships, this serves as a good introduction to the topic.




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Review of Emilio Salgari's Captain Tempesta

Captain Tempesta by Emilio Salgari

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


For thirteen long months, the Venetians have endured and staved off the Ottoman army of Sultan Selim II. But there is only so much that 700 can do against 80,000. The blockade of the port has cut off supplies and reinforcements, making it only a matter of time before Famagusta falls. Yet no one thinks of surrendering. Even if they did, they know the fate that awaits them, for the Turkish general is well-known for his cruelty.

One evening before the end comes, Sir Perpignan gambles with Captain Lazinski, a Polish mercenary. To Perpignan, the sell-sword is merely an adventurer who spends more time drinking and throwing dice than fighting. The game devolves into an argument about Perpignan’s commander, Captain Tempesta, a true warrior who is an expert swordsman. Lazinski thinks Tempesta is far too feminine to be an accomplished warrior and has an exaggerated reputation. Before they come to blows, the subject of their discussion appears and dares Lazinski to a contest to decide which of them is the better swordsman. Each day, before the shelling begins, a Turk rides out from the enemy camp to challenge his enemy to a duel. Tomorrow, Tempesta and Lazinski will both accept and may the better man win.

There is more to this contest than a simple demonstration of swordsmanship. Lazinski knows Tempesta’s secret. Captain Tempesta is a woman of noble birth, and the sell-sword will accept the challenge on the condition that she becomes his wife if he wins. She prefers to slit his throat so the truth remains a secret. Angered by the refusal, Lazinski still agrees so that he finally has the chance to unmask her before others.

Muley-el-Kadel, known as the Lion of Damascus, is an expert with the blade. No one can match him. Nor have any of the infidels taken up his challenge, so he is pleasantly surprised to find two adversaries who wish to fight him. He defeats one, but is defeated by the other. The one who bests him spares his life, and he vows never to forget such generosity.

Being a warrior was never Eleanora Eboli’s goal in life. She desires only to wed the man she loves, Viscount Gaston Le Hussière. When he was captured by the Turks, she becomes Captain Tempesta in order to rescue Gaston so they can marry and live their lives together. First, she must find him. El-Kadur, a devoted family friend and servant, infiltrates the Ottoman camp for her. He knows Gaston lives, but cannot find out where. During the final bombardment, Captain Tempesta is wounded and he hides her from the brutal slaughter that follows. Although he would rather slit the Lion of Damascus’s throat, he also knows that he is the only man who can help Tempesta escape the fallen city. The questions are will the Lion help Tempesta flee Famagusta and find Gaston, and can he do so before her secret is revealed?

Originally published in 1905 in Italian, Captain Tempesta is a rousing swashbuckler of the past that still ensnares those brave enough to venture within its pages. Each time the reader thinks all is well, a new twist raises the stakes and puts the characters in greater danger on land and at sea. The siege of Famagusta, which occurred between 1570 and 1571, is vividly depicted. The tale itself demonstrates the fine line separating love from jealousy and hate. The characters are larger than life, but realistically portrayed. The villains – and yes, there is more than one – arouse loathing in readers, but they compel you to turn pages to see what happens. While there is a happily-ever-after ending, it isn’t the one you expect. Salgari is a master storyteller, unknown to many readers of English, and he knows exactly how to capture your imagination and take you on high adventure rife with sword fights and daring deeds reminiscent of more familiar authors, such as Rafael Sabatini, Alexander Dumas, or Baroness Orczy. Captain Tempesta can easily stand alongside Captain Blood, the Musketeers, or the Scarlet Pimpernel, and be worthy of the honor.




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Review of John M. Danielski's Bellerophon's Champion

Bellerophon’s Champion: Pennywhistle at Trafalgar by John Danielski

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Distraught over being jilted by her fiancé, Pennywhistle’s beloved cousin kills herself. Thomas, a medical student, misread the signs and blames himself, which is why he intervenes when he witnesses a gentleman thrashing a woman. The cascade of events that follow forever alter his life. Instead of becoming a doctor, he joins the Royal Marines.

Three years later, on 21 October 1805, First Lieutenant Thomas Pennywhistle finds himself aboard HMS Bellerophon, a ship of the line more commonly referred to by her crew as the “Billy Ruffian.” The vessel is one of twenty-seven, approaching Cape Trafalgar and the combined fleets of France and Spain. Before long, the two enemies will engage in the battle Admiral Nelson has long sought. It will pit his ships against thirty-three ships of the line, armed with 2,636 guns and manned by 26,000 men. Nelson’s warships carry only 2,200 guns and 18,400 seamen and marines.

Since his commander suffers from consumption, Thomas is responsible for the men serving under him. He is an excellent marksman and hunter, but has never applied either talent in fighting. The coming conflict will provide the perfect opportunity to test his skills in actual battle. He has also provided some of the crew with sword-fighting instruction, so they might better defend the ship if boarded. The two second lieutenants serving with him are Luke Higgins and Peter Wilson.

Higgins is an Irishman, the youngest officer aboard, and only joined the marines eight weeks earlier. From Thomas’s perspective, Higgins likens “the great conflict ahead [to] a giant version of some schoolyard tussle.” (30) Yet he has the determination and passion to be a hero, and he wants to emulate Pennywhistle, who he sees as an older brother.

Wilson may have gentlemanly manners and a sharp mind, but few trust him. Nor does it help that he’s particularly adept at playing cards and is owed money by many of the officers. Joining the marines wasn’t his preferred option, but it was the only way that he could disappear before becoming embroiled in a legal suit. The last thing he wishes to become is a hero and he’s not particularly keen to stand in harm’s way during the forthcoming battle. Thomas finds him disturbing, and the ring Wilson wears also niggles at Thomas’s memory, but he hasn’t a clue why that might be.

The story unfolds from the perspectives of a variety of characters, including those mentioned above and the Bellerophon’s captain, schoolmaster, several crewmen and marines, the surgeon, and two women – Mary Stevenson, the gunner’s pregnant wife, and Nancy Overton, whose husband is the sailing master. This diversity allows readers to experience the breadth of battle in all its horror and glory. There are also a number of animals aboard, whose antics before, during, and after the battle provide humorous interludes and grim reality that contrasts with the experiences of the men and women.

The battle commences at noon, and the twenty-six chapters depicting it provide more than enough evidence to prove it was a “long and bloody affray,” as one character foresees. But the first fourteen chapters show how each character prepares and what he or she thinks prior to the first shot being fired. These pages may not pass quickly, yet they allow readers to get a feel for the slow passage of time that the participants experience, or as the author writes “the minutes were moving at the pace of crippled turtles traversing fields of molasses” – a passage that vividly describes the battle when the wind slackens as much as it does the long wait for the engagement to begin. (147)

Although this is the fourth Pennywhistle book to be published, it actually takes place prior to the previous books in the series and it explains how Thomas comes to join the Royal Marines. The only drawback to the story is the lack of proofreading. There are too many misspellings, missing words, duplicated words, and misplaced apostrophes to go unnoticed. Yet the author has a gift of crafting phrases that vividly get the point across, as when he compares an amputation to peeling an onion.

Danielski expertly depicts the battle in a way that compels readers to keep reading in spite of the gruesome and brutal realities of war. He makes readers care about the characters, which makes for poignant, gut-wrenching scenes, while at the same time portrays the determination and self-sacrifice the participants willingly made to protect others. He also commendably demonstrates that war cares little for who and what a man is or does. A man might overcome a personal struggle only to be removed from the action without rhyme or reason.




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Review of The Trafalgar Chronicle New Series 4

The Trafalgar Chronicle: New Series 4: Dedicated to Naval History in the Nelson Era by Peter Hore

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The annual journal of The 1805 Club shares the latest research into Vice Admiral Horatio Lord Viscount Nelson and his era. Each issue has a central theme, and this, the twenty-ninth such offering, focuses on his friends and contemporaries. The majority of those depicted in this volume come from families that remained loyal to the British Crown, during and after the American Revolution, even though their members lived in the American colonies at the outbreak of hostilities. Others opted to follow the road toward independence. These twenty-one essays also cover a breadth of distance, extending from Honduran islands to Australian shores and several places in between.

John Lehman’s “The Decaturs, the Lehmans and the Privateers” examines the American privateers during the Revolutionary War with particular emphasis on Captain Stephen Decatur, Senior of the Fair American, and his ship’s surgeon, George Lehman.

“The Summer Before Trafalgar” is Susan K. Smith’s survey of Benjamin Silliman, a college professor from America, who visited England in 1805. He kept a journal of his travels and special events, such as his opportunity to see Admiral Nelson and what happened when news of his final victory and death reached London.

With numerous connections to Irish officers, some of whom were mentors and others who were friends and colleagues, one might almost claim “Nelson Was an Irishman,” as Des Grant explains in his essay.

Since seamen faced many perils, it is no wonder that religion played a role in the everyday lives of the crew. Not all naval chaplains adhered to the stereotypical preacher, as The Reverend Lynda Sebbage discusses in “Sin Bo’suns in Nelson’s Ships.” One of her atypical examples is a chaplain who often found himself one step ahead of the authorities.

While men fought the conflicts, women also played their parts. Derek Morris and Kenneth Cozens look at what women of this era could and did do in “The Role of Women in London’s Sailortown in the Eighteenth Century.”

Harold E. ‘Pete’ Stark discusses “North America’s Seafaring Cities” in his essay of ports and how they evolved in North America, the Atlantic, and the Caribbean. Not all served the same purpose. Nor were they equal in importance to the Royal Navy. But all played a role in Britain’s maritime economy.

“Loyalist Mariners during the American Revolution” is Thomas B. Allen’s offering. He covers the often-neglected Whaleboat War and includes the perspective of the common sailors – such as Jacob Nagle, one of the few sailors who shared their experiences – who fought.

Tom S. Iampietro shares the story of “Admiral George Augustus Westphal,” who lived longer than any other officer who served with Nelson at Trafalgar. Wounded himself in the battle, he was with the admiral when he died. T. Jeremy Waters, on the other hand, looks at Westphal’s brother, “Admiral Philip Westphal,” whose career was overshadowed by his younger sibling.

The man who holds the record for longest naval service is “Admiral of the Fleet Sir Provo William Parry Wallis.” Jeremy B. Utt outlines this man’s career from when Wallis’s name first appeared in a muster book when he was four years old to his time as Queen Victoria’s naval aide-de-camp.

Present at Nelson’s death, “Lieutenant Richard Bulkeley” was immortalized in Benjamin’s West’s depiction of the admiral’s death, as discussed in John R. Satterfield’s essay. He was a midshipman aboard Victory, where he spoke with Nelson before he died. His own life was cut short at the age of twenty-five.

Andrew A. Zellers-Frederick contributes two offerings in this volume. The first is about one of Nelson’s Canadian friends, “Admiral Sir Manley Dixon, KCB.” The second discusses “Rear-Admiral Thomas Tudor Tucker” of Bermuda, who survived the wreck of HMS Sceptre, participated in the navy’s experiment of adding citrus to grog rations, and was present when the Royal Navy captured the USS Essex, during the War of 1812.

Anna Kiefer reviews the career of “Captain William Gordon Rutherford, CB” of North Carolina, who enlisted in the Royal Navy more than once and also served with the Honourable East India Company. Barry Jolly reconsiders the career and life of “Rear-Admiral John Peyton” since he has often been confused with other family members. Rui Ribolhos Filipe’s “The Beach of the English Dead” considers the actions of Captain Conway Shipley, the first British officer to die in action during the Peninsular War. Rather than focus on a particular person, Mark West delves into the “Russians on the Tagus” and their connection to Portsmouth and the naval hospital at Haslar.

Anthony Cross analyzes the development of hot air balloons and their use during times of war in “Bringing Up Franklin’s Baby.” Anthony Bruce assesses another weapon in warfare, the navy’s use of “The Carronade.”

The final two essays return to the Caribbean. Rear-Admiral Michael Harris investigates the “Battle of St. George’s Cay, 10 September 1798,” which also has ties to British seafarers and buccaneers. Douglas Hamilton probes the extraordinary career of “Captain John Perkins,” a black officer and former slave assigned to protect British colonies involved in slavery.

In addition to these articles, black-and-white illustrations, tables, and maps are found throughout the book. There is also a section of color plates depicting ships, campaigns, and commentary involving the Royal Navy. While notes are included, no index is provided.

This latest offering of The Trafalgar Chronicles educates, clarifies, and demystifies the Nelson Era. Its focus is broader than some previous issues, but this serves to immerse readers in a wider swath of topics that might otherwise be missed. The fourth volume in the new series is a compelling review of the variety and depth of research being conducted and readers will meet people and visit places that are more often than not forgotten in history books.




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Review of James L. Nelson's Kings and Pawns

Kings and Pawns: A Novel of Viking Age England by James L. Nelson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


No matter how hard he tries, the gods refuse to allow Thorgrim “Night Wolf” Ulfsson to return home to Norway. He and his men, numbering between three and four hundred, as well as their seven ships, are now in Engla-land, where they have captured a rich monastery and many English soldiers. Night Wolf prefers to ransom them and be on his way, but the conniving machinations of two locals vying to be proclaimed ealdorman interfere his plans. Cynwise, who would pay the Danegeld and secure her claim to the title, must contend with a father who would usurp her rights and her brother-in-law who feels he should inherit his brother’s position. Nothwulf, allied with the influential and wealthy thegn Leofric, has no intention of paying the ransom. He plans to decimate the Norsemen through slyness and trickery, thus proving he is the best candidate for ealdorman.

Night Wolf has two sons: Harold Broadarm, who accompanies him on this long raiding journey, and Odd Thorgrimson, who remains at home taking care of both his own farm and his father’s. In spite of being clever and good at what he does, a small part of Odd also resents being left behind, unable to prove himself as a true Norse warrior. But news of unexpected visitors to Night Wolf’s farm and King Halfdan’s insistence that Night Wolf owes back taxes, even though Odd has diligently paid them, stir unwanted trouble that finally provide him with the chance to prove his mettle to both himself and the other hauldar, prosperous landowners like himself. They are reluctant allies until they realize that what Halfdan proposes for Odd could well be their own fates as well.

Kings and Pawns is the ninth book in The Norsemen Saga and has all the hallmarks of the previous titles – intrigue, betrayal, courage and bravery, cleverness and brawn, and fickle nemeses – to guarantee that readers find themselves on a whirlwind adventure where expectations and actualities don’t necessarily coincide. Starri Deathless epitomizes the berserker of history in a way that illuminates how these warriors must have appeared as they fought their enemies. Failend’s soul-searching seems an important component at the beginning of this tale, but as it unfolds, both she and her struggle fade away unresolved. The introduction of Odd and his conflict with the power-hungry and jealous Halfdan promises a new and compelling dynamic to the saga. Odd’s surprise attack makes for interesting comparisons to those that his father endures.

Nelson’s expertise lies in his portrayal of battles, whether they take place on land or water – and this tale incorporates both. Nothwulf’s snare and Halfdan’s ambush are equally harrowing but in different ways. Nelson interweaves the various threads of this epic tapestry of nail-biting drama in a way that leaves readers clamoring for more tales of Night Wolf and his family.




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Reviw of John McKay's Sovereign of the Seas 1637

Sovereign of the Seas 1637: A Reconstruction of the Most Powerful Warship of Its Day by John McKay

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Charles I ascended the English throne in 1625 to discover a navy in desperate need of revitalization. For an island nation, dependent on the protection afforded by armed ships capable of navigating the surrounding oceans, he needed to build England into a maritime power. This meant building new, more powerful ships that demonstrated not only his nation’s dominance of the sea, but also its prestige to other countries. One outcome of this goal was the construction of the Sovereign of the Seas, the largest warship of her time and the first to be armed with 100 guns.

She was a “ship of many superlatives,” and John McKay set out to show why she deserved this description. (9) An architectural draftsman and an expert on the design and building of historical ships, McKay consulted contemporary resources to craft the many different facets that make up a warship. Where primary materials didn’t exist, he consulted others and relied on knowledge of what is known about wooden ships of the period and somewhat later. There are aspects of the vessel that remain unknown, so his drawings include conjecture, but his plans are based on his expertise and experience to recreate the Sovereign in as much detail and as closely as possible to the actual seventeenth-century ship.

The historical summary covers how she came to be built, how people – especially the ship masters of Trinity House, who safeguarded sailors and shipping – reacted to the idea of such a large vessel, the effect her building had on subsequent events in English history, and what happened to her during and after the Civil War and Restoration. Costs are also shared, from the initial estimate of £13,860 to her actual price tag of £65,586 16s 9½d (or in more digestible terms, the aggregate cost of ten average newly-built ships of war).

The coffee-table-sized book is divided into fifteen chapters, the first three serving as an introduction to and a historical summary of the ship and those who had a hand in her design and construction, as well as a recap of the sources McKay consulted. The remaining twelve chapters pertain to specific aspects of the ship: hull design and construction, pumps, steering, ground tackle, deck arrangements and accommodation, decoration, masts and yards, sails, rigging, ordnance, and boats. There are a host of illustrations, including a color section detailing the ship’s decoration, period portraits and paintings, and an extensive array of plates rendering all aspects of the vessel detailed above. Two appendices discuss Trinity House’s Protest and Sovereign’s Sail Carrying Capacity. Tables highlight specific details throughout the text. Unfamiliar nautical terms are discussed. A bibliography and index are included, while the endpapers portray overhead and side views of Sovereign without her masts and her outboard profile. The author also provides information on how to obtain large scale copies of the renderings.

From her launch in 1637 to her demise sixty years later, Sovereign of the Seas was a ship worthy of this unique study. The book’s beautiful design and McKay’s artful renderings provide a fitting tribute to this amazing vessel and those who participated in her planning and construction.




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Review of William C. Davis's The Greatest Fury

The Greatest Fury: The Battle of New Orleans and the Rebirth of America by William C. Davis

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


It was a war few wanted, but President Madison’s declaration, with Congress’s stamp of approval, in June 1812, brought the fledging nation into conflict with its former overlord. It was the culmination of a number of grievances, not least of which was the forcible seizure of seamen from American ships. Becoming embroiled in war with the United States wasn’t high on Britain’s want list; it was already mired in a conflict with a greater foe, Napoleon, and would fight on whatever front threatened to upend its efforts to cripple the French emperor once and for all.

By 1814, both sides were tired of fighting, but neither was willing to give up. Negotiations for peace were ongoing in Ghent, Belgium. The United States still had not taken Canada – one of its major objectives – but it met with some success on both land and sea. As the year unfolded, key events set the stage for what would become the last major conflict of the war. In March, Andrew Jackson and his army won the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. In April, Napoleon abdicated and went into exile. In August, the British invaded Washington and burned the White House and other public buildings. The following month, the Americans prevented the enemy from taking Baltimore and killed Major General Robert Ross, whose loss was greatly felt by the British and impacted the outcome of a battle still to come.

No longer focused on fighting its primary foe, Britain turned its full attention on the United States in an effort to bring a resounding defeat on its former colonies. There was one weak spot that would confine the United States within a relatively small area, preventing further westward expansion. At the same time, Britain would gain control of the mighty Mississippi, connecting the northern realm of its empire to its islands in the Caribbean, and the wealth that flowed into New Orleans as people and product traversed the river. Thus, the British focused their attention and resources on Louisiana’s Gulf Coast. What they didn’t factor into their equation was a wily, imperious general determined to stop the British no matter the cost; a motley group of people willing to set aside their differences to protect what they held dear; and a weather pattern bringing an unusual amount of precipitation and subnormal temperatures to a land ill-suited for traversing with heavy ordnance and supplies or typical combat strategies.

Davis skillfully lays the groundwork for the series of skirmishes collectively known as the Battle of New Orleans. Readers see events unfold from both American and British perspectives, predominantly from people present at the time of the fighting. The narrative is intricately interwoven with these firsthand accounts to provide insights not included in other histories on this topic. Davis also deftly strips away the myths from the action, choosing to address them near the end of the book and providing a clearer picture of what happened when.

Within the twenty-two chapters, readers become familiar with well-known and lesser-known participants. Among the former are Major General Andrew Jackson, Governor William C. C. Claiborne, Jean and Pierre Laffite, Vice Admiral of the Red Sir Alexander Cochrane, and Major General Sir Edward Pakenham. The latter include Master Commandant Daniel Todd Patterson, Edward Livingston, Major General Sir John Lambert, Brigadier General John Coffee, Brigadier General John Adair, Brigadier General David Bannister Morgan, Ensign George Gleig, and Major Robert Rennie. A center section of black-and-white plates showcase portraits of people and illustrations of places pertaining to the Battle of New Orleans, or the war in general. Twenty-six pages of primary resources and only six of secondary appear in the bibliography, demonstrating the depth of Davis’s research and effort to strip away myth from reality. Additional details, as well as source citations, are found in the endnotes, while a comprehensive index provides quick access to material within the text.

Aside from summarizing events leading up to the final confrontation, Davis describes New Orleans, the sixth largest city in the United States at the time and a melting pot of 25,000 people with disparate traditions and cultures, where language identified a person’s politics and loyalties. From the opening salvos of the gun battle on 13 December 1814, seventy-five miles from New Orleans, to the British capture of the garrison at Mobile Bay in February 1815, to the weeks and months afterward, readers come away with a better understanding of what happened and why, as well as why the Battle of New Orleans was so important to Americans and how they saw themselves in decades to follow.

For readers thinking to pass up this book because they read The Pirates Laffite, don’t. The role of the Baratarians and Laffite brothers is shown here, but isn’t as strongly detailed. This book gives another perspective of the battle, but with heavier and more detailed emphasis on the British, Jackson and his army, and the locals who defended their city and homes. Davis also shares the ineptness of some, the mistakes of others, and the egos that interfered with the successful carry through of orders, and those who were left to suffer as a result.

Davis shares what happens to individuals, many of whom were everyday people, and what they endured. At the same time, he incorporates statistics and details of what transpires, but personalizes the events and shows what occurs from all perspectives. The inclusion of so many quotes from contemporary sources makes the events more real and vivid descriptions allow readers to feel, for example, as if they walk alongside British forces, slogging through bayous, swamps, and cypress forests, or enduring hunger and cold while sleeping in frigid temperatures and soggy clothing.

What makes The Greatest Fury a valuable addition to any collection on this historical event is its reliance on contemporary accounts to convey what happened and why. Equally compelling are the many components with which readers today will readily identify – business at a standstill, a legislature that refuses to work together, people coming together to support one another, fear and panic.





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Review of Helaine Becker's Pirate Queen

Pirate Queen: A Story of Zheng Yi Sao by Helaine Becker

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Dreams and reality are very different, and fate cares little for a person’s hopes. When pirates attack a village, they take the usual plunder, as well as girls. So it is that one of these finds herself desired by the pirate captain. But she refuses to marry Zheng Yi unless he gives her an equal share. Her boldness pleases him and they wed, but six years later he dies. Since fate has dealt her a path she didn’t expect, she assumes control of the pirates with the help of a lieutenant named Zhang Bao. Together they forge a pirate confederation that is invincible.

This first-person narrative recounts the story of the most successful pirate, a woman whose name is unknown, but is known as Zheng Yi Sao (“wife of Zheng Yi”). Although this is a picture book, it is geared toward young pirates who can read. Yet it is also a tale that will engage adult pirates as well. Becker does a commendable job keeping the narrative g-rated, historically accurate, and on an even keel. The combination of subtle text and expressive pictures weaves a convincing tale filled with emotion and conveys a sense of place that transports readers back to China at the turn of the nineteenth century. For readers who wish to know more about the real Zheng Yi Sao, Becker summarizes what we know of her and includes resources where additional information can be found. Pirate Queen is a wonderful introduction to a successful pirate who never forgot she was a woman and who forged a second life once she retired from the sea.




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