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Most Secret and Confidential: Intelligence in the Age of Nelson
In today's world of satellites and electronic eavesdropping it is hard to appreciate the difficulties involved two centuries ago in collecting and disseminating secret intelligence in time of war. This book treats readers to a close-up look at the ingenious methods used to obtain and analyze secret material and deliver it to operational forces at sea. It brings together information from a variety of sources to provide the first concise analysis of the use and development of intelligence in the days of fighting sail. The British experience from 1793 to 1815 is the book's main focus, but it also includes French and American activity. In addition the book examines how commanders used the information to develop strategy and tactics and win--or sometime lose--battles. A naval intelligence officer himself, author Steven Maffeo illustrates the role of this "dark craft" by concentrating on the experiences of Lord Nelson and his contemporaries. A profoundly complex figure, Nelson epitomized the active acquisition of intelligence and the bold execution of decisions based on an understanding of the material, and Maffeo offers fresh and illuminating information that supports the admiral's high regard for intelligence work. Reading at times like a cloak-and-dagger mystery, the story is filled with examples of how Nelson and his associates dealt with intelligence obstacles and how the outcomes affected their own futures, and, in some cases, the history of the modern world. Maffeo's anecdotes give marvelous insight into the thoughts of the era's important figures, Bonaparte, Pitt, Spencer, and Cochrane--not to mention C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey and Maturin. The author's winning combination of vibrant narrative and zeal for accuracy assures this book a place in the libraries of military and intelligence professionals, historians, and Forester and O'Brian aficionados.
355 pages, Hardcover
First published May 27, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 9, 2022
A sound piece of scholarship. The information is presented clearly and derives a dash of unexpected charm from references to works of naval fiction – Patrick O'Brian, C.S. Forrester. If you're looking for a thrilling read comparable to Stephen Taylor's Commander: The Life and Exploits of Britain's Greatest Frigate Captain, then this is not the book for you, but if, like Anne Shirley, you "want to know", then it is.
February 24, 2013
If you've ever read Patrick O' Brian's novels and wondered about how Dr. Maturin and Sir Jos. Blaine fit in to the world of intelligence and secret services in Napoleon's day, or if you've wondered how the Royal Navy conducted its own intelligence operations...well...Steven Maffeo's "Most Secret and Confidential" gives you a clear, concise, and well-researched account of how intelligence operations were conducted in a world where information was sparse and slowly distributed. Maffeo explains how the Royal Navy slowly and painfully developed its signal and coding abilities, how agents were paid and recruited, how information was processed at the Admiralty and in the Cabinet, and how inventions like the semaphore telegraph tried to overcome distance in a world where a courier vessel at sea making twelve or thirteen knots was very nearly the fastest thing in the world. Maffeo reminds his readers that in Napoleonic times, the Royal Navy's commanders in Indian waters were six months either way removed from London's orders, and that ships on the North American and West Indies stations might be, depending on weather and seas, six weeks away from diplomatic or military developments at home. For readers accustomed to a world of global satellite links, GPS, and the web, "Most Secret" is a reminder of how large the world once was, and how diplomacy and warfare had to be conducted when time and space had a wholly different quality...and of tenuous intelligence can be.
did-not-finish
November 2, 2021I read about 40% of this book before I lost it.
It is a very esoteric topic and I was enjoying the book, but the audience was very focused.
If you like naval history AND military intelligence, then this book might be for you.
It was heading for a 3-4 star review before I lost it.
If I find the book I might resume it... but I'm in no rush to do so.
The material is dry and the book is dense---but (for me) it is very interesting and focused.
If the subjects interest you, then I definitely think it is worth considering.
But if you don't instantly see the title and think, "This is a must read", then it is probably too dense.
It is a very esoteric topic and I was enjoying the book, but the audience was very focused.
If you like naval history AND military intelligence, then this book might be for you.
It was heading for a 3-4 star review before I lost it.
If I find the book I might resume it... but I'm in no rush to do so.
The material is dry and the book is dense---but (for me) it is very interesting and focused.
If the subjects interest you, then I definitely think it is worth considering.
But if you don't instantly see the title and think, "This is a must read", then it is probably too dense.
December 3, 2021
Author Steven Maffeo writes Most Secret and Confidential in an effective style mixing fact and historic fiction as I had never seen before. That I can remember. This is one book that read and felt unique and direct to me. I could probably reread it in a few years and come away with still new perspectives.
Maffeo tackled military intel in its early formative stages as it transitioned from an extra duty for a unit commander or ship's captain, climbing toward the institutionalized spy business we all know so well now through James Bond. If you remember, Bond often wore a Royal Navy uniform when not out on a dangerous 007 mission. That was probably no accident. Nelson had a great deal to do with information gathering, organizing, and communicating important information to the Admiralty, vital ambassadors, and various sea captains. He often questioned merchantmen for intel when he could. He also wrote messages to those concerns and sent messenger ships with those letters to faraway destinations. Some got there in time to be effective. Some didn't.
Obviously, Nelson would be blown away by today's communications, and likely know these inventions could have saved many British lives in the Napoleonic era.
A sniper's bullet at the Battle of Trafalgar ended Nelson's brilliant run in 1805, and others have only learned from it since. There have been no other Horatio Nelsons.
"Above all, Horatio Nelson was a superb intelligence officer," Maffeo notes in his conclusion. "And even if there had been another admiral as good at it as he was, there truly was no one else on his level regarding the translation of intelligence information into at-sea command decisions."
Maffeo's content cuts swiftly along with strong transition, taking you from one chapter to another, from one campaign to another. Another reason for a possible later reread.
As a graduate student in London in 2001-2002, I occasionally walked past Nelson's statue high above the pigeons in Trafalgar Square. I wanted to know more about him but had other direct assignments at the time. Some good things take time.
Maffeo tackled military intel in its early formative stages as it transitioned from an extra duty for a unit commander or ship's captain, climbing toward the institutionalized spy business we all know so well now through James Bond. If you remember, Bond often wore a Royal Navy uniform when not out on a dangerous 007 mission. That was probably no accident. Nelson had a great deal to do with information gathering, organizing, and communicating important information to the Admiralty, vital ambassadors, and various sea captains. He often questioned merchantmen for intel when he could. He also wrote messages to those concerns and sent messenger ships with those letters to faraway destinations. Some got there in time to be effective. Some didn't.
Obviously, Nelson would be blown away by today's communications, and likely know these inventions could have saved many British lives in the Napoleonic era.
A sniper's bullet at the Battle of Trafalgar ended Nelson's brilliant run in 1805, and others have only learned from it since. There have been no other Horatio Nelsons.
"Above all, Horatio Nelson was a superb intelligence officer," Maffeo notes in his conclusion. "And even if there had been another admiral as good at it as he was, there truly was no one else on his level regarding the translation of intelligence information into at-sea command decisions."
Maffeo's content cuts swiftly along with strong transition, taking you from one chapter to another, from one campaign to another. Another reason for a possible later reread.
As a graduate student in London in 2001-2002, I occasionally walked past Nelson's statue high above the pigeons in Trafalgar Square. I wanted to know more about him but had other direct assignments at the time. Some good things take time.
September 9, 2021
An interesting twist on warfare in earlier centuries is that while some aspects of the combat itself might be conducted under rigid rules demanded by the limited technology available, other things common to modern warfare were much more haphazard. The use of intelligence at sea during the Napoleonic wars offers a good example, as outlined by Steven Maffeo in Most Secret and Confidential.
Maffeo, who has served in the United States Navy in different intelligence-related fields, begins by sketching the role of intelligence in military and government policy work during the late 1700s and early 1800s, the time frame of Great Britain's conflict with France. What we find is that the practice of intelligence-gathering was not well-defined and, outside of battlefield information, not particularly emphasized. Different government agencies had responsibilities connected to the gathering of information about rivals and enemies and their activities, but it was rarely coordinated unless some high-ranking government minister had that mindset. Military intelligence was often in the same situation: Commanders who appreciated its value would invest in developing information networks and sources and put what they learned to use. Others would not.
Even for commanders who realized the importance of information-gathering were hampered by 18th and early 19th-century communication technology, and Maffeo devotes a section of the book to showing how the limited communications made it hard to actually use some of the intelligence that agents had gathered. The commanders of individual ships, detached from large fleets or squadrons, were the most likely to be able to make effective use of information since they could act immediately on what they had learned. A fleet admiral might be able to do so, but often information he gathered would be outdated by the time he could bring it to the attention of government ministers.
Maffeo concentrates on the English side of the war, with some attention paid to French intelligence work, and also focuses on the ways that naval commanders handled the discipline of intelligence more than land-based forces. He includes episodes from well-known Napoleonic naval fiction such as the stories of Horatio Hornblower and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturn series as examples of what his research uncovers. The book concludes with three case studies of how intelligence gathering informed (or didn't) three major battles of the era, offering examples of his earlier explanations.
Maffeo's style is clear and not overly academic. Most Secret suffers a little because Maffeo is not always clear when he's discussing a fictional character and the description of the autonomy of a ship-captain on detached duty stretches a little longer than it needs to. The book does not seem to be intended as a deep historical study of Napoleonic-era intelligence but is a well-written and well-researched aid that can bring welcome context to readers interested in learning the basics of the field in the era under consideration.
Maffeo, who has served in the United States Navy in different intelligence-related fields, begins by sketching the role of intelligence in military and government policy work during the late 1700s and early 1800s, the time frame of Great Britain's conflict with France. What we find is that the practice of intelligence-gathering was not well-defined and, outside of battlefield information, not particularly emphasized. Different government agencies had responsibilities connected to the gathering of information about rivals and enemies and their activities, but it was rarely coordinated unless some high-ranking government minister had that mindset. Military intelligence was often in the same situation: Commanders who appreciated its value would invest in developing information networks and sources and put what they learned to use. Others would not.
Even for commanders who realized the importance of information-gathering were hampered by 18th and early 19th-century communication technology, and Maffeo devotes a section of the book to showing how the limited communications made it hard to actually use some of the intelligence that agents had gathered. The commanders of individual ships, detached from large fleets or squadrons, were the most likely to be able to make effective use of information since they could act immediately on what they had learned. A fleet admiral might be able to do so, but often information he gathered would be outdated by the time he could bring it to the attention of government ministers.
Maffeo concentrates on the English side of the war, with some attention paid to French intelligence work, and also focuses on the ways that naval commanders handled the discipline of intelligence more than land-based forces. He includes episodes from well-known Napoleonic naval fiction such as the stories of Horatio Hornblower and Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturn series as examples of what his research uncovers. The book concludes with three case studies of how intelligence gathering informed (or didn't) three major battles of the era, offering examples of his earlier explanations.
Maffeo's style is clear and not overly academic. Most Secret suffers a little because Maffeo is not always clear when he's discussing a fictional character and the description of the autonomy of a ship-captain on detached duty stretches a little longer than it needs to. The book does not seem to be intended as a deep historical study of Napoleonic-era intelligence but is a well-written and well-researched aid that can bring welcome context to readers interested in learning the basics of the field in the era under consideration.
January 30, 2020
This book does a decent job of conveying issues involving intelligence during the Age of Sail, especially considering the paucity of primary sources one could ever pull from on clandestine activity centuries ago. The two final substantive chapters are particularly informative, though not necessarily new, within the context of some of the prior discussions in the difficulties of intelligence collection and analysis during the time.
That said, I had some issues: first, the book paid some service early on to issues of positive foreign intelligence and espionage-style activities, but the primary focus of the book was on naval intelligence. That’s fine, but the title and what the book purportedly sets out to accomplish should have reflected that more narrow focus. There’s also a large chunk of the book dedicated to discussing a captain’s life and responsibilities at sea; while a small portion of that is nice context to understanding the difficulties of communication (and therefore intelligence) during the period and the role of captain/admiral as intelligence officer, having an entire section of the book dedicated to such a broad discussion was really tangential at best. The author also has a habit of using fictional references to demonstrate various points he’s making, which is not something I can ever recall seeing in a serious historical work (especially with such frequency) and, frankly, would be more appropriate in a work discussing the accuracy of fictional seafaring accounts.
That said, I had some issues: first, the book paid some service early on to issues of positive foreign intelligence and espionage-style activities, but the primary focus of the book was on naval intelligence. That’s fine, but the title and what the book purportedly sets out to accomplish should have reflected that more narrow focus. There’s also a large chunk of the book dedicated to discussing a captain’s life and responsibilities at sea; while a small portion of that is nice context to understanding the difficulties of communication (and therefore intelligence) during the period and the role of captain/admiral as intelligence officer, having an entire section of the book dedicated to such a broad discussion was really tangential at best. The author also has a habit of using fictional references to demonstrate various points he’s making, which is not something I can ever recall seeing in a serious historical work (especially with such frequency) and, frankly, would be more appropriate in a work discussing the accuracy of fictional seafaring accounts.
June 5, 2013
An excellent work of careful and thorough research, written with the more studious in mind but an easy history for the casual reader. Thoroughly commended.
February 17, 2021
All hardbacks are special, but this one is wonderful with cloth-board covers and beautiful, creamy pages.
Most Secret and Confidential is an in-depth look at the limited use of naval intelligence during the Napoleonic era. The technological and staffing limitations placed a heavy burden upon Captains and Admirals, who typically operated with restricted communications. Maffeo contrasts this situation with modern naval intelligence procedures. The final three chapters are extended case studies show-casing the historic use of intelligence.
The bulk of my Napoleonic collection focuses on the French army, so this book did not feature my speciality topic. Thus, I learned a lot about naval warfare. Maffeo wrote in an easy style, making his complex subject easily understood.
Most Secret and Confidential is an in-depth look at the limited use of naval intelligence during the Napoleonic era. The technological and staffing limitations placed a heavy burden upon Captains and Admirals, who typically operated with restricted communications. Maffeo contrasts this situation with modern naval intelligence procedures. The final three chapters are extended case studies show-casing the historic use of intelligence.
The bulk of my Napoleonic collection focuses on the French army, so this book did not feature my speciality topic. Thus, I learned a lot about naval warfare. Maffeo wrote in an easy style, making his complex subject easily understood.
November 8, 2014
More research. Love this stuff - the "age of fighting sail", Nelson, Trafalgar and all that. A well-written, deep dive into codes, code-breaking and the perils of lousy communications on ships of the line, the days of Patrick O'Brien's Master and Commander series. Got a terribly important message for London? How does a 3 month lag time sound? Carry on, sir.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews