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The Adventures of John Wetherell
The Adventures of John C. S. Forester (Editor) The Adventures of John Michael FIRST First Edition Thus, First Printing. Not price-clipped. Published by Michael Joseph, 1994. Octavo. Paperback. Book is like new with light shelf wear. Seller 412248 Biography & Letters
- GenresHistory
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1954
About the author
C.S. Forester
238 books1,030 followersCecil Scott Forester was the pen name of Cecil Louis Troughton Smith, an English novelist who rose to fame with tales of adventure and military crusades. His most notable works were the 11-book Horatio Hornblower series, about naval warfare during the Napoleonic era, and The African Queen (1935; filmed in 1951 by John Huston). His novels A Ship of the Line and Flying Colours were jointly awarded the 1938 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 23, 2021
John Wetherell was a sailor in the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars...maybe. He is an unreliable narrator, clearly embellishing some incidents and making others up from whole cloth. But even if he is compiling a bunch of stories under one name or actually lived the life of a 19th century Forrest Gump he still writes a fascinating story.
Wetherell has the misfortune to be impressed into the British Navy at the start of the Napoleonic Wars. His time aboard the HMS Hussar gives a taste of what life was like in the Navy during the days of tall sails, and it's not all fun and games. The Hussar's captain is a petty tyrant and hated by his men, and Wetherell gives a detailed account of the man's brutality. One might think that Wetherell is just a whiner and the discipline aboard the Hussar is not out of the ordinary, but the way the captain is treated by his superiors speaks otherwise. As do Wetherell's own words. At one time, he proclaims a day at sea as particularly ordinary, with nothing of consequence happening with the exception of a man falling from the mast and breaking his thigh bone which resulted in an amputation. When an amputation is of no consequence then it speaks volumes on how bad the treatment by the captain must have been.
Wetherell's time at sea occupies the first quarter of the book, as a shipwreck ends his Navy career rather quickly. The rest of the book follows his life as a prisoner of war in France. Beginning with a march across the breadth of France from Brest to the border of Belgium. In the early 19th century, before automobiles and even trains, all travel involved walking as only the aristocracy could afford riding horses. That means the men walked some 550 miles at about 20 miles per day on unpaved roads. Except when it was driving rain or snowing Wetherell doesn't consider the trip too difficult, complaining mostly about the food. I once went on a 17 mile hike, thought I was in good shape, and ended the day with my boots full of blood and a pain in the hip joints that has stayed with me to this day. Men were men in those days.
Wetherell spends 11 years in Givet prison. In my experience most POW stories are like King Rat or Stalag 17. Wetherell's experience is altogether different. The French treat the English very well, and over time the men are given the run of the city, get jobs, take wives, and are even tearful when they eventually leave. There are some unpleasant occurrences, including a great loss from disease and the rare murder, but otherwise things go rather well. The POWs set up a college, teaching navigation and seamanship, languages, and especially music. The prison band becomes so popular that many French join in and the band is in high demand around town and on the road when they finally leave Givet.
After 11 years the POWs are evacuated from Givet on the approach of the Russian army, but not before meeting Napoleon and his wife. Such is the discipline among the British that when their guards are called away to defend the Empire they continue their journey unsupervised. Many adventures befall Wetherell, including a love affair, and an entertaining bit of mischief. While billeting in a French town a small boy happens upon the band's bassoon and asks what it is. The British react with alarm and tell him to put it down immediately lest he kill them all as the instrument is loaded. They menace the French with their dangerous bassoon throughout the night and the locals are glad to see the rear of these frightful creatures when they finally leave.
Some might find he daily details of the long marches across France and back again tedious, but the insight into how life was in 1803 is invaluable. Really quite entertaining and edifying.
Wetherell has the misfortune to be impressed into the British Navy at the start of the Napoleonic Wars. His time aboard the HMS Hussar gives a taste of what life was like in the Navy during the days of tall sails, and it's not all fun and games. The Hussar's captain is a petty tyrant and hated by his men, and Wetherell gives a detailed account of the man's brutality. One might think that Wetherell is just a whiner and the discipline aboard the Hussar is not out of the ordinary, but the way the captain is treated by his superiors speaks otherwise. As do Wetherell's own words. At one time, he proclaims a day at sea as particularly ordinary, with nothing of consequence happening with the exception of a man falling from the mast and breaking his thigh bone which resulted in an amputation. When an amputation is of no consequence then it speaks volumes on how bad the treatment by the captain must have been.
Wetherell's time at sea occupies the first quarter of the book, as a shipwreck ends his Navy career rather quickly. The rest of the book follows his life as a prisoner of war in France. Beginning with a march across the breadth of France from Brest to the border of Belgium. In the early 19th century, before automobiles and even trains, all travel involved walking as only the aristocracy could afford riding horses. That means the men walked some 550 miles at about 20 miles per day on unpaved roads. Except when it was driving rain or snowing Wetherell doesn't consider the trip too difficult, complaining mostly about the food. I once went on a 17 mile hike, thought I was in good shape, and ended the day with my boots full of blood and a pain in the hip joints that has stayed with me to this day. Men were men in those days.
Wetherell spends 11 years in Givet prison. In my experience most POW stories are like King Rat or Stalag 17. Wetherell's experience is altogether different. The French treat the English very well, and over time the men are given the run of the city, get jobs, take wives, and are even tearful when they eventually leave. There are some unpleasant occurrences, including a great loss from disease and the rare murder, but otherwise things go rather well. The POWs set up a college, teaching navigation and seamanship, languages, and especially music. The prison band becomes so popular that many French join in and the band is in high demand around town and on the road when they finally leave Givet.
After 11 years the POWs are evacuated from Givet on the approach of the Russian army, but not before meeting Napoleon and his wife. Such is the discipline among the British that when their guards are called away to defend the Empire they continue their journey unsupervised. Many adventures befall Wetherell, including a love affair, and an entertaining bit of mischief. While billeting in a French town a small boy happens upon the band's bassoon and asks what it is. The British react with alarm and tell him to put it down immediately lest he kill them all as the instrument is loaded. They menace the French with their dangerous bassoon throughout the night and the locals are glad to see the rear of these frightful creatures when they finally leave.
Some might find he daily details of the long marches across France and back again tedious, but the insight into how life was in 1803 is invaluable. Really quite entertaining and edifying.
April 10, 2025
I've never really read a primary history text before. An interesting combination of fascination and tedious repetition.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews