Age of Sail Naval Non-Fiction Section
AOS Naval Non-Fiction - Battles
Non-Fiction books which discuss particular fleet battles or ship engagements during the Age of Sail.
If you are interested in purchasing any, and direct links are not provided from the book, please visit and search the online stores.
Nelson and the Nile: The Naval War Against Bonaparte 1798
- Details
- By Brian Lavery
The Battle of the Nile, fought on 1 August 1798, was Nelson's first great victory and dealt a fatal blow to Napoleon Bonaparte's ambitious in the Middle East. But the battle itself was only the decisive event in a campaign of many months, upon the outcome of which depended the domination of the Mediterranean and the whole strategic situation in Europe.
The Final Invasion: Plattsburgh, the War of 1812's Most Decisive Battle
- Details
- By David G. Fitz-enz
On September 1, 1814, under the command of Lieutenant General Sir George Prevost (1767-1816) nearly 15,000 veteran British troops, fresh from their victory over Napoleon, crossed the Canadian-American border...the largest foreign army ever to invade the United States. Neither Wolfe nor Amherst, neither Burgoyne nor Cornwallis, had led so formidable an army. Captain George Downie (1781-1814), who considered his flagship, the Confiance, alone a match for the paltry American fleet, led the equally impressive British naval squadron.
The plan was simple: Prevost's troops would capture Plattsburgh while Downie's ships seized control of the strategically crucial Lake Champlain. Prevost's successful land and naval offensive would stike the main blow against the United States, decimating its ability to continue to resist.
Sea Battles in Close-up: The Age of Nelson
- Details
- By David Lyon
This book covers the most significant naval actions of the second half of the 18th century, including major engagements from Quiberon Bay in 1759 to Lissa in 1811 and Trafalgar. It also describes single-ship actions, such as Quebec and Surveillante as well as Constitution and Java.
The Great Gamble: Nelson at Copenhagen
- Details
- By Dudley Pope
Simply the best account of the battle of Copenhagen, published to celebrate the bicentenary of one of Nelson's great victories. On 2nd April, 1801, the Royal Navy anchored a few hundred yards off the Copenhagen waterfront and engaged the Danes in a brief but bloody battle. Earlier, inspired by Paul I of Russia, the northern powers began to form an armed coalition which could become a serious threat to British interests, and the arrival of a British fleet in the Baltic was in answer to this perceived threat. To Nelson, the battle of Copenhagen was more than a great gamble: it was unnecessary.
England Expects
- Details
- By Dudley Pope
This book has been released under the following alternate titles:-
Decision at Trafalgar
The story of the greatest British naval battle of the Age of Nelson.Renowned historian and novelist Dudley Pope explores the defining moment of the Age of Nelson. His compelling descriptions of the battle itself are backed by a wealth of historical detail, including a chronicle of the preceding year, revealing both the British and the French political motives, and explaining Nelson's strategy and Napoleon's response. Pope creates an intimate portrait of the life in the Royal Navy at its finest hour.
The Four Days' Battle of 1666: The Greatest Sea Fight of the Age of Sail
- Details
- By Frank L. Fox
This book has been released under the following alternate titles:-
A Distant Storm: The Four Days' Battle of 1666
On 1 June 1666 a large but outnumbered English fleet engaged the Dutch off the mouth of the Thames in a colossal battle that was to involve nearly 200 ships and last four days. False intelligence had led the English to divide their fleet to meet a phantom threat from France and although the errant squadron rejoined on the final day of the battle, it was not enough to redress the balance. Like many a defeat, it sparked controversy at the time, and has been the subject of speculation and debate ever since.The battle was an event of such overwhelming complexity that for centuries it defied description and deterred study but this superbly researched (revised) book is now recognised as the definitive account. Published in a limited edition in 1996 (as A Distant Storm), it provides the first clear exposition of the opposing forces, fills many holes in the narrative and answers most of the questions raised by the actions of the English commanders.It makes for a thoroughly engrossing story, and one worthy of the greatest battle of the age of sail.