Pirates & Privateers: Ryan Starrett's Books

Andrew Jackson vows to burn New Orleans rather than allow the enemy to enter the city. His determination and loathing of the British begin in his youth, when he loses much that he holds dear.

An immigrant and civil engineer, Arsène Lacarrière-Latour settles in New Orleans where he offers his skills to any who seek them. His expertise and knowledge will prove invaluable to the American general during the upcoming battle between the British and his adopted country.

Peter Ellis Bean comes to Mexico in search of adventure. Instead, he spends much of his early adult years in solitary confinement. His final escape attempt from incarceration succeeds and he joins the revolutionaries fighting for Mexican independence. He goes to New Orleans seeking assistance but finds himself embroiled in a different war.

The Barbary corsairs pose a real danger to the fledgling United States. Aboard USS Philadelphia, Daniel Todd Patterson watches in horror as Tripolitan pirates swarm over the ship. At seventeen, he and every other Philadelphian become prisoners and slaves. The experience leaves a bitter taste in his mouth and makes him determined to fight piracy wherever the navy sends him. In New Orleans, circumstances eventually force him to work with those he hunts to protect the United States against a more dangerous foe.

Reuben Kemper owns lands on both sides of the border between the United States and Spain. Time and again he finds himself forced to fight for the property in Spanish territory. He wants all of the land to be part of the United States. He and his brothers are determined to make that happen and to make those pay who try to take away what is his.

The Laffite brothers engage in smuggling, slave trading, and privateering. Residents of New Orleans appreciate the wares the men sell at reduced prices because customs are avoided, but officials want the “hellish banditti” stopped until Jean and Pierre offer valuable assistance against the British.

When the Duke of Wellington declines to fight Americans, the task falls to his brother-in-law. Edward Pakenham is a hero in his own right, but odds are stacked against him from the moment he lands in the environs of New Orleans.

George Robert Gleig fights in multiple engagements on the Continent against the emperor. Orders eventually send him to America where he sees battle in Bladensburg, Baltimore, and New Orleans. The last is particularly harsh and cruel; later, he records what he experiences and witnesses.

An abolitionist and a supporter of the rights of all mankind, Lieutenant Colonel Edward Nicolls of the Royal Marines rallies the disenfranchised to help the British cause. Native warriors and escaped slaves answer his call in hope of regaining homelands and freedom.

Each of these men follow different paths and have different experiences that forge their perspectives. All find themselves in one place at the same time facing each other on the battlefield at a pivotal moment in history. The War of 1812 may be over by the time the Battle of New Orleans is fought, but each is willing to sacrifice it all to defend their countries. This book tells their stories and how their nine roads converge outside a vital city on a crucial waterway, as well as the fates that await them.

This book is divided into two sections: The Prelude and The Final Act. The former spans 1779 through 8-14 December 1814; the latter focuses on 22 December 1814 (the eve of the first engagement) through 13 February 1815 (the end of the War of 1812). The epilogue discusses what happens to the major players that meet on opposite sides of the battlefield. Maps and illustrations are spread throughout the book, as are several firsthand accounts.

Much has been written about the Battle of the New Orleans, a series of skirmishes between experienced veterans who had defeated the ambitious, charismatic, and egotistical Napoleon Bonaparte and an amalgamation of different people and cultures determined to protect their city from invasion. Nine Roads is unique in its presentation. It is highly readable and easy to keep the main players straight and follow how they come to meet south of the city and what parts they play in the battle. For anyone wishing a stimulating and succinct overview, Nine Roads to the Battle of New Orleans is highly recommended.

Meet the author