The 'wooden walls' of the Royal Navy formed the country's most important line of defence during the Napoleonic Wars, protecting Britain from Napoleon's intended invasion. Vice Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson, perhaps Britain's most popular hero, instilled unswerving confidence in his men and led them to great success in battle, never more so than in the Battle of Trafalgar. This book examines the experiences of the average British sailor on board a ship-of-the-line during the age of Nelson, including the infamous press ganging, alcoholism and squalid conditions. These were brave men, thrown into the thick of battle, held together by a belief and a cause - to prevent Napoleon and his men from invading their homeland.

Author Biography

Gregory Fremont-Barnes holds degrees in history from the University of California, Berkeley (BA), the University of Chicago (MA) and the University of Oxford (D. Phil.). He is the author of 'The French Revolutionary Wars', 'The Peninsular War' and 'The Fail of the French Empire, 1813-1815'. He is currently co-editing the four-volume 'Encyclopedia of the American Revolutionary War'. Steve Noon was born in Kent, UK, and attended art college in Cornwall. He has had a life-long passion for illustration, and since 1985 has worked as a professional artist. Steve has provided award-winning illustrations for renowned publishers Dorling Kindersley, where his interest in historical illustration began.