An adventured-packed ride into a mesmerizing period of naval historyNo era in naval history has captured the imagination of readers so completely as the forty-year period from 1775 to 1815. And there are few historians as well qualified to bring that era to life as Nathan Miller. The first full-scale popular history of that epoch-making time, Broadsides covers the major naval operations of the European powers and the United States, as well as the tumultuous political and social forces that drove them. Filled with descriptions of naval battles rivaling those found in the bestselling novels of Patrick O'Brian and C. S. Forester for heart-pounding excitement and colorful detail, the book covers the naval operations of the American Revolution and the War of 1812; the epic struggle between Great Britain and France; and the British and American campaigns to end piracy in the Mediterranean. Broadsides also provides a richly textured look at the lives of the gallant men who fought on the ships of war, along with many fascinating details about the vessels themselves.Nathan Miller (Washington, DC), historian and biographer, is the critically acclaimed author of seven books, including such bestsellers as The US Navy: A History and Theodore Roosevelt: A Life.
Table of Contents
Preface. Prologue. "Attack, Take, or Destroy". Uncombined Operations. Revolution Becomes World War. Sea Fights--Classic Style. "The World...Turned Upside Down". Sea Fight--New Style. "Heart of Oak". "To Glory We Steer". "Engage the Enemy Closer". "Nelson's Patent Bridge". "A Breeze at Spithead". Proud New Frigates. "A Band of Brothers". "Naples Is a Dangerous Place". Of Nelson and the North. "To the Shores of Tripoli". "...He Will Not Come by Water". The Long Watch. "England Expects..." "...The Beautiful Precision of Our Fire". Free Trade and Sailors' Rights. Tattered Ensigns. Epilogue. Appendix I: The Composition of the Royal Navy, 1793-1816. Appendix II: Nelson's Trafalgar Memorandum. Maps. Bibliography. Index.
Author Biography
NATHAN MILLER is the author of thirteen books, including the critically acclaimed Theodore Roosevelt: A Life and War at Sea: A Naval History of World War II. He has been named five times forthe Pulitzer Prize in history and biography, and his books have been assigned reading at the U.S. Naval Academy, the U. S. Naval War College, and the Naval Post-Graduate School. He lives in Washington, D.C.
