Age of Sail Naval Non-Fiction Section
AOS Naval Non-Fiction - General
General Non-Fiction books about the Navies of the world during the Age of Sail.
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The Navy of the Republic of Texas, 1835-1845
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- By Alex Dienst
Everyone has heard of the USS Constitution and the USS Constellation. They were the first two ships commissioned into the United States Navy. But have you ever heard of the Liberty and the Invincible? They were the first two ships commissioned into the Navy of the Republic of Texas.
Between 1835 and 1845 the Republic of Texas had their own fleet. In between court martialing each other, suppressing mutinies, legalizing piracy and getting stone drunk in New Orleans-they actually found the time to beat the British and Spanish- trained Mexican navy.
The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783
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- By Alfred Thayer Mahan
The history of Sea Power is largely, though by no means solely, a narrative of contests between nations, of mutual rivalries, of violence frequently culminating in war. Therefore the history of sea power, while embracing in its broad sweep all that tends to make a people great upon the sea or by the sea, is largely a military history; and it is in this aspect that it will be mainly, though not exclusively, regarded in the following pages.
In 1859 Alfred Thayer Mahan graduated second in his class from the U.S. Naval Academy. In 1885 he was appointed to the Naval War College to teach naval history and tactics, and he was an absolute genius as a naval historian and theoretician. HIs books were avidly read by naval officers the world over. They shaped the way modern navies would be organized—and, more importantly, revolutionized the way ships would fight.
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Major Operations of the Navies in the Wars of American Independence
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- By Alfred Thayer Mahan
The American Revolutionary War was fought mainly on land and won mainly on the water" Jack Coggins - Ships and Seamen of the American Revolution. In 1775, the Continental Navy numbered around 100 ships. In contrast, the British Navy had 270 ships and by 1783 had increased the number to 468. Despite this disparity, the Royal Navy suffered severely, largely through the actions of privateers, losing through sinking or capture nearly 200 ships. After 1778, when the British also had to face the fleets of France and Spain, American privateers multiplied. They inflicted severe damage on British ships and trade, costing Britain about 2,000 ships, GBP18 million, and 12,000 men captured. For the American Revolution to succeed, sea-borne trade with the rest of the world had to be maintained. Should this fail, then vital supplies of guns, the powder to fire them and not least men and ships to fight the British could not be relied upon. Mahan's masterly account of this neglected aspect of the wars brings to the fore the importance of the often ferocious engagements in the struggle for mastery of the sea, on the outcome of which hung the prospects of an Empire and the very course of history.
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War at Sea in the Age of Sail 1650-1850
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- By Andrew D. Lambert
Our fascination with the drama of war at sea is as strong today as it was in the heyday of the sailing ship.This book, written by one of the world's foremost authors on naval warfare, describes the dramatic battles of an age when sail was supreme. Andrew Lambert's comprehensive history examines key naval conflicts from the highest strategic level right down to the experience of the ordinary sailor. Fully illustrated throughout, this book incorporates computer-generated cartography that brings the sea battles to life.
- An in-depth look at ship design and the "floating culture" onboard
- The Anglo-Dutch Wars of 1650-74, when English commanders challenged Dutch sea power with superior speed, close quarters fighting, and fireships
- The rise and fall of the French Navy under the Sun King, Louis XIV
- The Napoleonic Wars, the defeat of the French fleet, and the rise of British Royal Navy hero Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson
The Challenge: Britain Against America in the Naval War of 1812
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- By Andrew D. Lambert
In the summer of 1812 Britain stood alone, fighting for her very survival against a vast European Empire. Only the Royal Navy stood between Napoleon's legions and ultimate victory. In that dark hour America saw its chance to challenge British dominance: her troops invaded Canada and American frigates attacked British merchant shipping, the lifeblood of British defence. War polarised America. The south and west wanted land, the north wanted peace and trade. But America had to choose between the oceans and the continent.
Within weeks the land invasion had stalled, but American warships and privateers did rather better, and astonished the world by besting the Royal Navy in a series of battles. Then in three titanic single ship actions the challenge was decisively met. British frigates closed with the Chesapeake, the Essex and the President, flagship of American naval ambition. Both sides found new heroes but none could equal Captain Philip Broke, champion of history's greatest frigate battle, when HMS Shannon captured the USS Chesapeake in thirteen blood-soaked minutes. Broke's victory secured British control of the Atlantic, and within a year Washington, D.C. had been taken and burnt by British troops.
Andrew Lambert, Laughton Professor of Naval History in the Department of War Studies at King's College London, brings all his mastery of the subject and narrative brilliance to throw new light on a war which until now has been much mythologised, little understood.
Tudor Warships (1): Henry VIII's Navy
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- By Angus Konstam
In this book, maritime expert Angus Konstam explores the fledging Tudor Navy, tracing its history from its origins as a merchant fleet under Henry VII through to its emergence as a powerful force under Henry VIII. Examining the operational use of Henry VIII's warships the author analyses the battle of the Solent in 1545, in which Henry's fleet took on a French fleet of 200 ships - much larger than the Spanish Armada decades later. Despite the well-documented loss of his flagship, the Mary Rose, Henry's smaller force succeeded in preventing a French victory. Although many people will have heard of the mighty Mary Rose, this book will tell the story of more than just the tragic sinking of Henry's flagship, describing how one of history's most dynamic kings grew the navy from the five warships that were his father's legacy to 53 deadly gunships at the forefront of his empire-building strategy. Through contemporary illustrations and intricate artwork, the author traces the changing face of warship design during the Renaissance as Henry paved the way for English dominance of the sea.