Pirates and Privateers
The History of Maritime Piracy

Cindy Vallar, Editor & Reviewer
P.O. Box 425, Keller, TX  76244-0425

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Wolf of the Deep

Wolf of the Deep: Raphael Semmes and the Notorious Confederate Raider CSS Alabama
By Stephen Fox
Alfred A. Knopf, 2007, ISBN 978-1-4000-4429-0, US $25.95, CAN $34.00

Semmes has been a wolf of the deep
For many a day to harmless sheep;
Ships he scuttled and robbed and burned,
Watches pilfered and pockets burned.

George H. Boker wrote these words in 1864 about the most successful commander of a notorious Confederate raider during the American Civil War. This verse, written by a Northerner, captures Union sentiments towards Semmes, whom they deemed a pirate, and his menacing vessel. Wolf of the Deep is the story of this Confederate captain and his vessel, and the impact they had on Union shipping and morale. It also showcases the opposite sentiments expressed by Southerners, as Edward C. Bruce did when he penned:

She bears the name of a noble State, and sooth she bears it well.
To us she hath made it a word of pride, to the Northern ear a knell.
To the Puritan in the busy mart, the Puritan on his deck,
With “Alabama” visions start of ruin, woe, and wreck.

Stephen Fox opens the story in July 1862 as Semmes awaits a ship that will take him to England, for that is where vessel 290 is being built. Although not a die-hard southerner – he lived in the border state of Maryland – Semmes eventually moved his family to Alabama. During one of the long separations from his wife, Anne – who came from an upstanding Northern family – he wrote, “But whatever may betide them [their sons] or me, my dear wife, you must keep ever present to your mind, that we are engaged in a holy cause, fighting for all that is dear to man.” When strangers met the captain, they were disappointed, for he never measured up to their images of an infamous pirate or dedicated officer.

Built in the Laird shipyard, the 290 was designed to remain at sea for long periods and carried sufficient armament for her to successfully attack Union merchantmen. She was powered by both sail and steam. When Semmes first saw her, he compared her to the “lightness and grace of a swan.” He named her CSS Alabama and convinced some of the British sailors to join him and his officers in their raids in exchange for shares of the plunder. In the first two months of their cruise, they burned twenty vessels and released three others because too many passengers were aboard or their holds carried cargo of neutral nations. To the North, the cruiser couldn’t be caught and was ghostlike, for she seemed to strike everywhere. His success impacted northern morale and disrupted Union commerce so much that many ship owners sold their vessels to foreign entities.

Semmes didn’t immediately resign his commission in the American navy, but he eventually embraced the war. Although principally a story of the man and his vessel, this book also tells the tale of American efforts (both for and against the Union) in Britain and how devastating his raids were on the Union. Fox also shows the differences in which Northerners and Southerners viewed the commerce raider’s actions and how Semmes’ success led to problems aboard his vessel. These would eventually cause her downfall at the hands of the USS Kearsage, but not before the Alabama had captured sixty-five vessels and traveled 75,000 miles all in the space of twenty-two months.

Wolf of the Deep is a fascinating examination of a man maligned in Union newspapers and heralded in Confederate ones. Quotes from primary and contemporary sources compel the reader to see the people and events from various viewpoints, rather than providing a narrow glimpse that is one-sided and prejudicial. Fox demonstrates that Semmes understood that to defeat the enemy, the Confederacy needed to strike where the Union was most vulnerable – its commercial shipping. The author dares to show how Semmes adapted to the changing times by depicting him as a person with foibles, strengths, weaknesses, and quirks, rather than as either a hero or a villain. This book is a must read for fans of Civil War history and maritime history as steam began to replace sail.

Read an Excerpt

Review copyrighted © 2008 Cindy Vallar

The Pirate Queen

The Pirate Queen: Queen Elizabeth I, Her Pirate Adventurers, and the Dawn of Empire
By Susan Ronald
HarperCollins, 2007, ISBN 978-0-06-082066-4, US $26.95, CAN $33.95

Divided into four parts, The Pirate Queen begins with Elizabeth’s ascent to the English throne on the death of Bloody Mary. She soon learns that her half-sister has bankrupted the royal treasury and with the kingdom in peril from outsiders – in particular the Catholic Philip, King of Spain – Elizabeth sets in motion policies to defend her country and people and to replenish her coffers. This book is primarily about the relationship between the queen and her Sea Dogs, and how she successfully “fuse[d] the colossal and diverging egos of her gentlemen and merchant adventurers while enforcing her personal will for the protection and security of England.” Within its pages the reader meets Richard Hawkins, Martin Frobisher, Francis Drake, and Walter Raleigh, among others. There are two appendices – Doctor John Dee’s essay on “The Petty Navy Royal” and a typical report on the “Flotilla of New Spain” – a glossary, bibliographical essay and suggested readings, and a substantial index.

Those readers seeking a biography of the Virgin Queen should look elsewhere, for there are only brief mentions of her life in this book. Those desiring to learn more about the Sea Dogs and their rise to power need look no further, for this is a comprehensive introduction to them and their adventures. It is also a rare, yet readable, look at the chess moves, failures, and successes that laid the foundation for England to become an empire and eventually rule the seas. Ronald’s source material for the book includes a myriad of primary and secondary resources, as well as thousands of letters that Elizabeth and her pirates exchanged.

Visit The Pirate Queen
Meet Susan Ronald

Review copyrighted © 2008 Cindy Vallar

Caribbean Pirates

Caribbean Pirates: A Treasure Chest of Fact, Fiction, and Folklore
By George Beahm
Hampton Roads, 2007, ISBN 978-1-57174-541-5, US $16.95

Concentrating on pirates from the Golden Age, this book explores the myths and realities of piracy using the trilogy of Pirates of the Caribbean movies to introduce the various topics the author explores. Section I comprises forty-one points of fact and fiction and highlights the articles of agreement crafted by John Phillips’ men. Section II covers the finer points of being a pirate and places where pirates can go to have fun on land and at sea. At the end of this section is a quiz to test your pirate I. Q. The final section, also called the appendix, features various ports of call in print, the media, and online.

The layout is easy on the eyes. The book is a fast read. Color photographs and black-and-white illustrations delight the eye and exemplify what the text explains. The I. Q. test is well conceived and tests a vast array of knowledge, although a few subjects aren’t really covered in the text. Sometimes the wording of questions is a bit hazy, but anyone who reads before he/she answers the questions can easily earn the rank of captain or quartermaster. The author is to be commended for including great explanations of the right answers, rather than just listing whether they’re true or false.

When you open a treasure chest, you never know what’s inside. You hope to find riches beyond your imagination, but sometimes the booty is a hodgepodge. This is the case with Caribbean Pirates. For me, it was a breath of fresh air because it’s unlike the usual historical pirate books I read. On the other hand, Wikipedia is not a reliable source for quoting information from, and I came across some factual errors that someone unfamiliar with pirates won’t realize are falsehoods.

• Although flogging was incorporated into pirate articles, this punishment was not routine among pirates because many suffered the lash when legitimate sailors.
• The only crew member not required to sign the articles, whether forced or not, was the surgeon. All others, including forced artisans, either signed or faced whatever fate the pirates decreed for those who refused to join them.
• The man who buried treasure on Gardner’s island was William Kidd, not Thomas Kidd.
• I was also puzzled by the statement, “Port Royal…had a very unsavory reputation prior to the establishment of English rule.” While the government in England spent more time ignoring the islands, they did send men to rule there during the time that it developed its unsavory reputation.
• If pirates waited until a ship was level to fire their guns, their prey would be long gone. The constant movement of the waves prevents the ship from being level, and ropes were used to keep the guns from rolling around the deck.
• If there wasn’t a surgeon on board, it was the carpenter who performed amputations, not the cook.

In spite of these mistakes, Caribbean Pirates does a superb job in pointing out where Hollywood and reality differ. I often get asked by those who see one of the POTC movies whether something really happened. This book is a ready reference for answering those questions. It also contains some priceless lines, such as in the definition of a cooper:

He made casks and maintained them at sea to insure their integrity, since they were the principal means to store water, rum, food, and gunpowder. (Think Tupperware without its sealing advantages.)

The last sentence vividly creates an image that anyone today can readily understand. Something not covered in most compendia on pirates is cruises you and/or your family can take to get just a wee taste of life at sea. While the list of festivals, books, and films is by no means inclusive, I was surprised to see the omission of one movie classic, Captain Blood, starring Errol Flynn. The annotated list of websites is fairly extensive, and even includes Thistles & Pirates, for which I thank the author.

Caribbean Pirates is not for everyone. Those looking for histories should seek other resources. Those who are seriously considering taking on a pirate persona or are intrigued with the reality versus the myth in piratical movies will find a treasure chest full of information that will prove valuable for years to come.

Review copyrighted © 2008 Cindy Vallar

The Spanish Main 1492-1800

The Spanish Main 1492-1800
by René Chartrand
illustrated by Donato Spedaliere
Osprey, 2006, ISBN 1-84603-005-6, US $16.95, CAN $23.95

The wealth Spain discovered in the New World brought pirates to the Caribbean. The buccaneers didn’t confine their attacks to the treasure galleons. They also raided land bases. This threat impacted how the Spanish protected their towns and citizens. The Spanish Main examines the fortresses, some of which can be visited today, and how they evolved over the centuries.

“Administrative organization” covers the viceroys, captains-general, and king’s engineers. “Castles in America” concentrates on the establishment of the various fortresses and town planning. “Corsairs, pirates and convoys” examines the treasure fleet convoy system, defense squadrons, the French Huguenots, and English pirates. Subsequent chapters look at the fortification plan of 1588, the Spanish Main in the 17th century, defense of the territory in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the garrisons that manned the defenses. Also included are a chronology, a brief look at the forts today, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index. Diagrams, maps, and pictures accompany the text throughout.

This book isn’t for those searching for information on life in colonial Spain, but rather a concise examination of Spain’s defenses – design, technology, and history – in the New World. While pirates are not the primary focus, their activities greatly impacted how she protected her towns, people, and treasure, and they are examined in this context. The Spanish Main presents Latin American history from a different perspective than that usually found in books focusing on pirates. The colorful diagrams provide excellent glimpses into places lost or changed over time. This is a worthy read for those interested in the “other side.”

Book Review Copyright © 2007 Cindy Vallar

Quelch’s Gold

Quelch’s Gold: Piracy, Greed, and Betrayal in Colonial New England
By Clifford Beal
Praeger, 2007, ISBN 978-0-275-99407-5, US $44.95, UK £25.95

In 1703 the Charles, a brigantine, mysteriously set sail from Marblehead, Massachusetts. She returned ten months later, and her captain and most of her crew found themselves under arrest for piracy. Within the pages of this book, Clifford Beal explores the case of John Quelch and the government officials involved in his arrest and trial, for some consider what happened to be “the first case of judicial murder in America.”

Divided into three sections, the book explores the crime, the pursuit, and the punishment and reward. The account is absorbing and well-researched, but at times the author interrupts the flow to provide important information to help place the events into their proper time and place. Perhaps a different rendering might have enabled readers to better follow the story. In spite of this, Beal deftly weaves a tale of intrigue and abuse by authorities to prosecute Quelch for piracy.

Book review copyrighted © 2007 Cindy Vallar

The Government Manual for New Pirates

The Government Manual for New Pirates
By Matthew David Brozik and Jacob Sager Weinstein
Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2007, ISBN 978-0-7407-6790-6, US $10.95

When you first pick up this book, you might ask yourself why the government would publish a how-to book for pirates? After all, pirates detest government – it goes against most of what they believe. It isn’t long before the scurvy dogs who penned this book explain that while “[t]he radish-eatin’ land Government don’t dare publish no manual for us, no, but the Pirate Government got no such qualms.” Of course, you’re off to a bad start in learning how to be a pirate if buy this book – true pirates only acquire treasure through stealing.*

Slightly larger than a pocket guidebook, this manual is divided into eight chapters of information every pirate-in-training needs to learn. Chapter 1 helps you locate pirates, including ways to avoid the land and where to find the best hot spots in Tortuga, Hispaniola, and other Caribbean islands. Chapter 2 addresses appropriate attire from heads to pegs, as well as accessories and what not to wear. Chapter 3 provides instruction in how to talk like a pirate, while the next one discusses pirate ships, covering such information as good and bad names, parts of the vessel, and dangers that lurk in the oceans’ depths. Chapters 5 and 6 recount the guidelines pirates should abide by and how to fight in true piratical style. The final two chapters explain how pirates amuse themselves and how they locate buried treasure. There are also four appendices – lyrics to popular pirate chanteys, a nontraditional chantey attributed to Po’beard, a favorite pirate recipe, and an eye patch. The book is indexed.

If you’ve not guessed by now, this manual is a tongue-in-cheek look at the world of pirates. Many sections will have you smiling or laughing. A few might make you groan. There’s a fair amount of truth interwoven into the text, but the information about tricorne and bicorne hats is backward. (Golden age pirates would have worn the former, while Napoleon and Admiral Nelson sported the latter.) There are a few sections where it’s wise to stay alert, especially if the text starts to bore you, for that’s when you may discover a hidden message. My two favorite sections are “Speak in the Manner of a Pirate,” which includes “A Very Complex and Intimidating Statistical Equation,” and Appendix A, which has a new version of “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall.” (If you thought the old one was mind-numbing, wait until you sing this one!) Even the book’s cover contains important information for readers. Great for learning a bit more about true pirattitude – as long as you don’t take the advice too seriously.

Visit the Salt-Soaked Brotherhood o’ Pirates

*Disclaimer: As an author, I recommend purchasing this book or borrowing it from your library, rather than pilfering it. This paragraph merely recounts what the authors of the book wrote.

Book review copyrighted © 2007 Cindy Vallar

Pirates? The Politics of Plunder, 1550-1650

Pirates? The Politics of Plunder, 1550-1650
edited by Claire Jowitt
Palgrave Macmillan, 2007, ISBN 0-230-00327-3, US $65.00

This book is not your ordinary exploration of piracy. Rather it attempts to put pirates into the context of their time period so we understand how people of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries saw them. Were they political or sexual radicals? Did they disrupt trade and culture as much as history says? Or were they mere players in a changing world where religion and politics were often inseparable? The ten scholarly essays also explore how one country’s privateers were another country’s pirates. These questions are answered by examining primary literary documents and books. Not only is the cultural phenomenon explored, but so are the pirates in different regions, including Ireland, the Americas, the Barbary States, Spain, and England. The essays also discuss how national politics and particular interest groups shaped how people saw pirates.

Divided into three sections, this collection first defines piracy then examines various perspectives with particular emphasis on politics and cultural works, and how pirates impacted society after they died.

1. ‘Hostis Humani Generis’ – The Pirate as Outlaw in the Early Modern Law of the Sea. Christopher Harding, a law professor at the University of Wales, examines the legal perception of piracy between 1550 and 1650. He compares how we define piracy today with how it was defined in the past, before pirates were seen as criminals against all mankind.

2. The Problem of Piracy in Ireland, 1570-1630. John C. Appleby, who lectures in history at Liverpool Hope University College, discusses the upsurge in piracy in Ireland, including social and economic aspects, and how England responded to the problem.

3. Piracy and Captivity in the Early Modern Mediterranean: The Perspective from Barbary. Nabil Matar, an English professor and head of the Humanities and Communication Department at Florida Institute of Technology, provides a unique look at Barbary piracy – not from the perspective of Christian victims, but through the eyes of Muslim victims. He explains who the Muslim captives were and how their accounts have survived.

4. Crusading Piracy? The Curious Case of the Spanish in the Channel, 1590-95. Matthew Dimmock, a Lecturer in English at the University of Sussex, takes a little-known narrative and looks at methods of plundering as well as issues dealing with holy war and religious and national identities. In doing so he offers insights into politics, mercantilism, theology, and national concerns in England, Spain, and the Ottoman Empire.

5. Acting Pirates: Converting A Christian Turned Turk. A lecturer at the University of Reading, March Hutchings specializes in early modern theatre and drama in performance. His essay discusses the connection between piracy and religion by looking at a play about John Ward, a Christian who “turned Turk” and became a successful Barbary corsair. His focus is on the staging of the play and how acting and conversion helps us understand the play.

6. ‘We are not pirates’: Piracy and Navigation in The Lusiads. Bernhard Klein, a Reader in Literature at the University of Essex, sheds light on the charges and denials of piracy in an epic poem from Portugal about Vasco da Gama as he explored the African and Indian coasts.

7. Virolet and Martia the Pirate’s Daughter: Gender and Genre in Fletcher and Massinger’s The Double Marriage. Lucy Munro, a Lecturer in English at Keele University, on the other hand, looks at the links between gender and piracy in a play that incorporates a female pirate and involves her in issues dealing with politics and tyranny.

8. Sir Francis Drake’s Ghost: Piracy, Cultural Memory, and Spectral Nationhood. Mark Netzloff, Associate Professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, explores the various images of Drake that existed during his lifetime and how these conflicting images were used for competing political ends.

9. Scaffold Performances: The Politics of Pirate Execution. Claire Jowitt is an English professor at Nottingham Trent University, who explores the behavior of and words spoken by pirates prior to their executions as they pertain to politics, either supporting or undermining the government.

10. Of Pirates, Slaves, and Diplomats: Anglo-American Writing about the Maghrib in the Age of Empire. An English Professor at the University of York, Gerald MacLean goes beyond the time parameters of this book to discuss how American literature, written soon after independence, appropriated Elizabethan images of piracy and attitudes toward Barbary Corsairs to influence America’s foreign policy with Algiers.

There is much to learn here, although the scholarliness of the essays at time makes it difficult to comprehend what the authors are saying. Many of the documents examined and the accounts related aren’t found in other works. It is an excellent examination into how the world viewed piracy from a variety of perspectives from 1550 to 1650. The weakest chapter, as regards inclusion within this tome, is the last because it strays outside the historical framework of the book. Readers with either a particular interest in this time period or literature will find much to satisfy them, as long as they understand this is a scholarly work. The notes and selected bibliography allow readers to further explore varying aspects of piracy and early literature.

Book review copyrighted © 2007 Cindy Vallar

The Brutal Seas

The Brutal Seas: Organised Crime at Work
by Douglas Stewart
AuthorHouse, 2006, ISBN 978-1-4259-8710-7, $14.50
(Also available in German under the title Piraten)

A solicitor and author, Douglas Stewart explores the world of maritime piracy and organized crime in this non-fiction book that begins:

Even as you read this book, mariners somewhere are being attacked by armed pirates, their faces masked and the weapons deadly. Some may be murdered, tortured, seized as a hostage or simply dumped overboard to sink or swim. Attacks have become increasingly violent, the profits of crime ever greater. International law enforcement has yet to show sufficient concerted will to beat organized crime at sea.

The idea for this book came about as he was researching a novel. It is one of the few books on maritime crime that explores piracy, terrorism, and organized crime syndicates in a single volume.

The book is divided into ten chapters:

• “Organised Crime, Corruption and Murder: Pirates at Work” examines the attack on the mv Baltimar Zephyr, Chinese triads, and the mysterious world of Mr. Wong.
• “Mass Murder? The Loss of Car Ferry mv Estonia” explores what is known and not known about the sinking of this boat with a high loss of life.
• “Swimming with Sharks: The Tragedy of the Lisa Marie” is about a maritime fraud case involving a cargo of cigarettes.
• “Piracy in Port: A Tale of Two Guns” looks at several instances of piracy, including the raid that resulted in the death of Peter Blake, and whether guns should be carried on ships and boats as a defense against attacks.
• “Shipping Fraud of the Century? The Salem Scam Unravelled” discusses a crime arranged by Greek shippers in an attempt to profit from a cargo of oil.
• “Death Doesn’t Matter: The mv Lucona” details how an Austrian arranged for a vessel and her cargo to be blown up at sea without regard to the crew aboard.
• “The Chinese Enigma” examines two pirate attacks on cargo vessels and China’s role in abetting and curbing maritime piracy.
• “People-Smuggling and the Shame of Rape Island” discusses the trafficking of humans, piratical attacks on boat people, and the wanton rape of innocent women enslaved for the pirates’ pleasure.
• “Bodies in the Fridge: The Phantom Journeys of Erria Inge” explores the hijacking of a cargo vessel and the mystery of the bodies found in her hold once she finally resurfaced.
• “Terrorism at Sea: When and Not If” attempts to assess the danger, evaluate the safety of maritime trade and travel since September 11th, and discusses reforms to curb terrorism.

To gather background and information about this topic, Stewart spoke at length with Eric Ellen (retired Chief Constable of the Port of London Police Authority and the founder the International Maritime Bureau), Shiao Lin (a former Taiwanese Police Inspector and a key investigator for the IMB), and Captain Pottengal Mukundan (current Director of the IMB).

The weakest part of the book is the inclusion of mv Estonia because there is no solid evidence to categorize the sinking of the car ferry as a criminal act. I discussed this with the author and he says, “I remain of the view that this ship was sunk for commercial or political reasons by a serious conspiracy and was therefore mass murder at sea.” It remains an interesting case and some decisions that were made certainly seem to indicate that somebody didn’t want the facts to become known, but because it appears as the second chapter, it slowed the pace and made me wonder constantly whether I should keep reading. I did, and subsequent chapters proved to be on point and quite interesting.

Since the author is British, there are occasions when a word or the spelling of a word may seem strange to Americans, but most readers will have no problem understanding the text. There are instances, however, where the text would have benefited from a copyeditor’s proofing. Acronyms are not spelled out the first time they are used, which makes it difficult for the uninitiated to know what they mean.

In spite of these drawbacks, The Brutal Seas is an intriguing glimpse into piracy, organized crime, and terrorism in the maritime world. It also examines how the criminals are pursued and punished, when possible. Perhaps best of all, though, it demonstrates the difficulties law enforcement encounters when pursuing and prosecuting these people.

Learn more about the author and read an excerpt from the book

Book review copyrighted © 2007 Cindy Vallar

Pirate Fever!

Pirate Fever!
by Eleyne Austen Sharp
Austen Sharp, 2007, ISBN 978-0-9652589-5-5, $10.95

Subtitled “The Buccaneer’s Guide to Tales, Trails, and Treasure in North America,” this book is a compendium of pirate biographies, films and books on piracy, hosting a buccaneer bash, and ports of call. The author does warn that “While e’ery attempt has been made t’ ensure accurate information…dealin’ wi’ pirates means yer bloody likely t’ get some exaggerated tales, due t’ thar legendary consumption o’ rum.” She also provides readers with a glossary of contractions she uses throughout the text, for it has a definite piratical flavoring to it.

After a brief introduction to piracy, she introduces readers to sixteen of the more infamous rogues. Among these are Henry Avery, Samuel Bellamy, Cheng I Sao, Jean Laffite, Grace O’Malley, and Thomas Tew. The usual felons of the Golden Age are also included. “The Fever Spreads” includes lists of films and books, as well as the actors who have played famous swashbucklers, such as Captain Blood and Captain Jack Sparrow. There are also articles on pirates in cyberspace* and shipwrecks and treasure. Often forgotten, but equally important, are those who entertain us – re-enactors, tour guides, DJs, ship modelers, singers, historians – and an interview with Ol’ Chumbucket and Cap’n Slappy who made September 19th famous.

“Buccaneer Bash” explains how to throw the best pirate party. One begins with the outfit and the language. Next come recipes for grog, hard tack, salmagundi, and Mother Bluebeard’s famous scurvy meat pie. For entertainment Sharp provides the words to several sea shanties and some dreadful pirate jokes. The final section of the book provides regional information for American and Canadian piratical attractions, events, organizations, and treasure quests. Each grouping begins with real pirates of the region. Black-and-white photographs abound and a list of resources and an index complete the book.

Once you get the hang of pirate speak, this is an entertaining book. What sets this book apart from others is the ingredients for a swashbuckling party and where to go for pirate fun. There are a few errors – such as Stede Bonnet’s death date (December, not 10 November 1718), William Kidd never confessed to any wrongdoing, a fair portion of Laffite’s biography, and Mary Read wed a soldier rather than a sailor – one must remember that Pirate Fever! is written in a somewhat tongue-in-cheek way to amuse and fascinate the reader. Nor is it a history book. Rather it is a fast-paced and rousing introduction to the Golden Age of Piracy with information for anyone who wants to become a pirate or wants to learn where other pirates can be found.

Learn more about the author and the book

*It was an honor to discover Pirates and Privateers among the sites and references listed.

Book review copyrighted © 2007 Cindy Vallar

The Sack of Panama

The Sack of Panama: Captain Morgan and the Battle for the Caribbean
By Peter Earle
St. Martin’s, 2007, ISBN 978-0-312-36142-6, US $25.95; CAN $31.95

Legendary and auspicious, the sack of Panama was a pivotal moment in history. Over 2,000 privateers and buccaneers under the leadership of Henry Morgan sailed aboard thirty-eight ships. These daring men made the arduous trek across the Isthmus of Panama to attack one of Spain’s colonial cities. In spite of hunger and disease they defied the odds, but the success of the venture did not begin in 1671. Five years of struggle between Spain and England preceded this daring raid, and had Morgan not succeeded in the endeavor, the future of the Caribbean might well have evolved differently.

What makes Earle’s account unique is that he examines the raid from two perspectives –the privateers who defended Jamaica and the Spanish victims – to give readers a well-rounded examination of the historical events that transpired and the people responsible for them. He vividly recounts what happened before the sack of Panama to ground the reader in the time, the place, and the political situation and provide him/her with a better understanding of what happened. The author’s intent is to not only retell a story often told, but also provide a new perspective to it, and he succeeds admirably in this attempt.

Read an excerpt from The Sack of Panama

Book Review Copyright © 2007 Cindy Vallar

Create Your Own Pirate Ship

Create Your Own Pirate Ship
By Jim Litchko
Know Book Publishing, 2006, ISBN 978-0-9748845-4-7, US $34.95

Ever want to jazz up your lawn at Halloween with a spooky pirate ship, but didn’t know how? Jim Litchko has solved your problems. Using PVC pipes and fittings, some tools, and glue, he shows you step-by-step how to build a collapsible pirate ship measuring 10 feet high by 12 feet long by 3 feet wide, for $200 to $300 with just 24 hours of labor.

The book is spiral-bound, so it lays flat for easy reference while working. The contents are arranged in a logical order, beginning with tools, building components, building techniques, and ship’s plans, and ending with assemblage instructions and how to accessorize your pirate ship. There are warnings and cautions, as well as recommendations throughout. What makes the design worthwhile is that you can reuse the ship over and over again whenever you want.

Since the instructions seem a bit daunting at times, this project is geared more toward people who like to build things from scratch, rather than rookies with no experience. I suspect those with less experience will actually take longer to construct the ship. Although there is some humor, for the most part the writing style is dry and technical. Some errant word choices and misspellings point to the need for a copyeditor. The combination of blueprints, diagrams, and illustrations enhance the written directions, making them easier to follow and understand. There is a complete list of needed materials (459 parts and 500 feet of covering), which allows you to see the full scope of the project from the start. The author frequently reminds the reader that this ship is for display purposes only. It’s neither a toy nor something children can climb. The inclusion of websites on plastic pipes and knot-tying are helpful. The price is a bit steep, but for those with a hankering to build a pirate ship or who like to create displays different from the rest of the neighborhood’s, Create Your Own Pirate Ship may be just the thing!

View video clip of ship
I.C.E. Guy Special Agent Workbook
(teaches children about handling emergencies)

Book Review Copyright © 2007 Cindy Vallar

Seafarers, Merchants and Pirates in the Middle Ages

Seafarers, Merchants and Pirates in the Middle Ages
by Dirk Meier
translated by Angus McGeoch
Boydell Press, 2006, ISBN 1843832372, US $37.95 / £19.99

Books abound on buccaneers and pirates of the Golden Age, but what about those of other time periods? Seafarers, Merchants and Pirates in the Middle Ages explores the maritime world several centuries earlier, particularly from the 10th through the early 15th century. While the British Isles are included to some extent, especially in the chapter on Vikings, primary emphasis is on northern Europe. One strength of this scholarly work is that it explores this time period in a more rounded fashion than most books because it looks at how sailors, merchants, cities and towns, and pirates interacted and how they impacted history. Through primary documents, illustrations, and information from archaeological finds, Dr. Meier presents a logical and easily understood explanation of the medieval seafaring world.

Divided into eleven chapters, this book explores early navigation and how advances in navigation during this time allowed people to venture farther from shore. Readers will also learn about shipbuilding and its development. Dr. Meier next explores the various trading ports on the North and Baltic Seas and the rivers of Russia. Two chapters discuss the Viking pillaging expeditions and explorations in the North Atlantic. The history and power of the Hanseatic League is detailed, as are the pirates who plagued the region in the later Middle Ages. Also included are a glossary, reading list, and index.

While I would have liked more information on the pirates, this book is a good introduction to the maritime world and developments in it during medieval times. Headings and subheadings provide easy access to what’s covered in the chapters. Captioned black-and-white illustrations and maps, interspersed with ones in vivid color, complement the narrative and provide readers with excellent visuals for points of reference. The inclusion of primary documents allows readers to see how people of the time period saw their world. The only drawbacks to the book, and they are minor ones, are misspelled words and a few translated sentences that required me to reread them once or twice until I understood what was written. Some information on ships, sailing, and navigation is the best presented and easiest to understand that I’ve encountered in researching maritime history. Those interested in the Middles Ages, particularly those concerned with trade and piracy, will find this a worthy addition to their collections.

Book Review Copyright © 2007 Cindy Vallar

Maritime Museums of North America

Maritime Museums of North America
by Robert H. Smith
C Books, 2006, ISBN 978-0-941786-07-2, US $19.95 / Can $22.50

Unless a museum has a famous ship or other noteworthy item of historic maritime importance, it often is overlooked in national visitors’ guides. Most of us aren’t even aware of this oversight. I discovered it because of a summer trip I needed to plan. A conference takes me to Albany, New York in June 2007 and when I’m in new regions of the country, I like to visit maritime museums and explore sailing ships, as well as see places of historical and piratical importance. Neither the AAA Tourbook or the sights-to-see information the conference organizers provided made mention of the Half Moon Visitor Center and New Netherland Museum. Smith’s guide did, and since the Half Moon is a replica of Henry Hudson’s ship, I felt it should have been mentioned. Another example of what you’ll find within Maritime Museums of North America that is sadly missing in other guides is the Expedition Whydah in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Any self-respecting pirate knows about this museum, sea lab, and learning center, for this exhibit relates the story of Black Sam Bellamy, the fateful night when his pirate ship sank in a storm, and Barry Clifford’s discovery of the wreck of the Whydah.

So what’s in this guidebook? The main portion is divided into two sections: United States museums and Canadian museums. These are subdivided by states/provinces and cities. Using the entry of Expedition Whydah as an example, Smith provides the address, phone number, and e-mail address for the museum, and gives information on its location (in this case MacMillan Wharf, Provincetown, MA), the highlights of the museum, and its website URL. What follows is a more-detailed explanation of what’s in the museum (as it pertains to the maritime world), including history and special features (such as videos with Walter Cronkite and National Geographic). Some entries (for example, Plimoth Plantation, Plymouth, MA) provide information on activities – educational programs, library collections, visitor centers, and cafeterias. All entries include admission data (whether there is an entry fee or not and days and hours of operation).

An added bonus to this edition of the guidebook is the inclusion of a CD that contains more than 400 pictures of the 600 plus ships, museums, and lighthouses detailed in the entries. Also of importance are indices, which provide access to the listings alphabetically by name and according to subject classifications: bed and breakfasts and overnight encampments, boat and ship building, gift shops and book stores, halls of fame, libraries, lighthouses, locks and canals, navy yards, collections of newsletters and periodicals, pirate museums, scrimshaw, ship chandlers, ship models, specific ships and boats (and general information on these types of vessels), and whaling. There is also an index to the photographs on the CD*, which is organized by state/province. Robert Smith also gives readers the chance to add a museum or correct an entry.

I found Maritime Museums of North America an invaluable resource for planning my trip this summer. Now, I know what museums are in each state or province and what I’ll find there. I suspect that I shall be consulting this resource often, and I highly recommend it for inclusion in any mariner’s (or pirate’s) collection. It doesn’t matter whether your preferences are sailing ships, iron clads, tugboats, racing yachts, submarines, fishing boats, or any vessel in between from colonial times through the 20th century. This book provides access to them all.

Purchasing Information:
C Books
P. O. Box 76
Del Mar, CA  92014-0176
(858) 755-7753
rhs2@ix.netcom.com
(Discounts available when 4 or more copies are purchased.)

Visit Smith’s Master Index of Maritime Museum Websites

* One note about the CD, there were a couple of pictures that I couldn’t access because my computer didn’t know what program to use.

Book Review Copyright © 2007 Cindy Vallar

Pirates, Patriots, and Princesses

Pirates, Patriots, and Princesses: The Art of Howard Pyle
Edited by Jeff A. Menges
Dover, 2006, ISBN 0-486-44832-0, US $15.95 / CAN $23.95

Born to a Quaker family in Delaware in 1853, Howard Pyle became an accomplished artist whose works continue to inspire and astound. He also wrote and illustrated historical novels and stories. Eventually, he opened his own school of art, and some of his students achieved equal success. Some of his most revealing paintings are of pirates, whom he portrayed with realism and authenticity rarely achieved before. Howard Pyle’s Book of Pirates, first published in 1921, is still in print, and many children are first introduced to buccaneers when they read this book. Pyle drew many other pictures of historical subjects, medieval knights, and creatures from fantasy and myth.

This book, which provides a brief introduction to the artist and each group of paintings, gathers some of Pyle’s most famous and lesser-known works into one book. Jeff Menges is particularly adept at succinctly showing why Pyle was so skilled at drawing what he did. The text makes fascinating reading, but the pictures in this collection will entertain the reader for hours. This worthy addition to any piratical collection will soon become cherished like treasure itself.

Fans of pirate art will enjoy these works of art:

Walking the Plank, 1887
The Combatants Cut and Slashed with Savage Fury, 1894
How the Buccaneers Kept Christmas, 1899
Kidd on the Deck of the “Adventure Galley,” 1902
Extorting Tribute from the Citizens, 1905
The Buccaneer Was a Picturesque Fellow, 1905
So the Treasure Was Divided, 1905
An Attack on a Galleon, 1905
Captain Keitt, 1907
Marooned, 1887 and 1909

Learn more about Howard Pyle

Book Review Copyright © 2006 Cindy Vallar

Trimming Yankee Sails

Trimming Yankee Sails: Pirates and Privateers of New Brunswick
by Faye Kert
Goose Lane Editions, 2005, ISBN 0-86492-442-9, US $12.95 / Can $14.95

Volume six of the New Brunswick Military Heritage series examines the Canadian privateers of the War of 1812. This maritime port played an important role in nineteenth-century history, and the information here covers “[m]istaken identity, collaborating with the enemy, false colours, phony captures, smuggling, blockade running and profitable prize making”. This was the only war in which New Brunswick played an active role in privateering. Although the United States declared war in June 1812, Britain didn’t do so until mid-October. This presented problems for the seamen and fishermen on both sides of the border since New England traded a lot with Canada.

Chapter one deals with New Brunswick during 1812 prior to Britain’s declaration of war. Chapter two examines the privateering ventures during the next two years, with particular emphasis on the Dart (their best-known privateer), because that vessel’s log still exists, and Caleb Seeley, the town’s most successful privateer captain. Chapter three covers the Cheaspeake Affair, during the American Civil War.

This is a much needed resource, for few books cover Canadian privateering, especially during the War of 1812. The glossary and index make the information easily understood and accessible. The pictures help to clarify points in the text or identify who’s who. The inclusion of the chapter on Confederate privateers/pirates is of particular interst since this topic is rarely covered. This book serves as a comprehensive introduction to a particular place’s maritime history where privateering played a vital role in maintaining commerce during war time.

Book Review Copyright © 2006 Cindy Vallar

Command at Sea

Command at Sea: Naval Command and Control Since the Sixteenth Century
by Michael A. Palmer
Harvard University Press, 2005, ISBN 0-674-01681-5, $29.95 / £19.95 / E 27.70

Naval commanders, like most leaders, have a natural tendency to control via centralization. Yet many naval engagements, most famously Nelson’s at Trafalgar, are won through the commander’s willingness to decentralize command and trust the instincts of his subordinates. Decentralization succeeds when the commander thoroughly educates his subordinates before each engagement so they can act instinctively carry out his intentions, rather than await orders that may be impossible to see or hear during the “fog of war.”

History professor Michael Palmer examines the processes and technologies of more than four centuries of naval command, as well as the key leaders and battles of each period. Whether wind or nuclear fuel power a fleet, the universal constraints of warfare remain to be tamed by how the leader chooses to command that fleet. Written fighting instructions lay out the recommended techniques in several possible situations. Yet battles have been lost when subordinates missed, misinterpreted, or misunderstood signals from the flagship; at their worst, situations might call for a signal not conceived of in the fighting instructions.

Rapid advances in communications have had several contradictory results in naval command. While officially espousing decentralized control, the U. S. Navy since World War II has used radio and satellites to monitor war progress from headquarters and effectively micro-manage both tactics and operations. U-boat captains during World War I received wireless telegraph messages from central German commanders who coordinated their movements, but such signals were subject to enemy interception. Thus the very technology that could give them superiority over their foes became unreliable or even dangerous at crucial mission times.

Those commanders who were slaves to the classical centralized model utilized the well-ordered line-ahead formation, executed only pre-planned maneuvers, and deviated only upon one of several discrete flag signals communicating the commander’s wishes to the fleet. In contrast, decentralizers, such as Horatio Nelson, imparted their tactical wishes to their subordinates and were able to yield control during even a pell-mell mêlée and expect success.

Ship captains and pirate captains both have the same goal: using the unique talents of their crews to best advantage to achieve victory at sea. Command decisions are critical whether the prize is booty or an enemy nation.

Professor Palmer’s thorough research and extensive footnotes do not get in the way of telling a spellbinding history through the eyes of those who stood on the decks of some of the most famous ships of the past. A dozen battle maps and an extensive index enhance the text’s usability.

Table of Contents

Book Review Copyright © 2006 Thomas Vallar

Seawolves

Seawolves: Pirates & the Scots
by Eric J. Graham
Birlinn, 2005, ISBN 1-84158-388-X, £16.99

At first glance one might think this book is about Scottish pirates, and the reader meets a number of them here, but this is a mistaken impression. Rather Seawolves is about pirates, their attacks on Scottish ships, and how the Scots dealt with pirates found near their country’s shores. What sets this book apart from other pirate books is that much of the information comes from the records of the Scottish Admiralty Court, an overlooked resource in the study of maritime piracy. While major emphasis is placed on the Golden Age of Piracy (1690-1730), this account includes information on the last pirates in Scottish waters in 1822.

Table of Contents:

1. Captain Macrae and the Pirates
2. Lord Archibald Hamilton and the Pirates of New Providence
3. Robert Louis Stevenson and the Pirates
4. The Pirates of Craignish Loch
5. The Scottish Slavers and the Pirates
6. John Gow: the Orcadian Pirate
7. The Scots and the Pirate Crews
8. Daniel Defoe, Sir Walter Scott and the Pirates
9. The Company of Scotland and the Madagascan Pirates
10. The Piracy Trial of Captain Green
11. Heaman and Gautier: the Last Pirates in Scottish Waters
12. Conclusion

In addition to this information, Seawolves includes numerous illustrations, a glossary of 17th- and 18th-century maritime vocabulary, a who’s who of pirate captains that includes their ships, and an index.There is a selected bibliography, but the book lacks footnotes citing the sources used.

This is a rousing account of piracy that reads like a novel. The inclusion of materials from eyewitnesses and primary documents enriches the experience.

Book Review Copyright © 2006 Cindy Vallar

Drake by Stephen Coote

Drake: the Life and Legend of an Elizabethan Hero
by Stephen Coote
St. Martin’s, 2003, ISBN 0-312-34165-2, US $27.95 / Can $40.95

Francis Drake, “a man of no particular distinction of birth or ancestry”, became a legend in his own time--feared by the Spanish, a favorite of his queen, Elizabeth I. He learned from his mentor and kinsman, John Hawkins, the ropes of sailing and the requirements to be a leader of men. Drake’s exploits earned him social standing, wealth, and fame. Stephen Coote recounts the many sides of this extraordinary man, who lived his motto: from small beginnings great things may come.

Within the pages of this compelling biography, Coote introduces readers to a young Drake, the events in his life that affected him, and the decisions he made. Divided into chronological chapters, the book discusses Drake’s piracy, circumnavigation of the world, privateering, and defense of his country and his faith. To complement the story, the author incorporates explanations of world events, politics, and discoveries provide the reader with a better understanding of Drake’s motives and actions.

Book Review Copyright © 2006 Cindy Vallar

A Mariner’s Miscellany by Peter H. Spectre

A Mariner’s Miscellany
by Peter H. Spectre
Sheridan House, 2005, ISBN 1-57409-195-6 USA, $19.95
ISBN 0-9547062-1-8 UK, £12.95

This compendium is a collection of folklore, writings, poems, drawings, and advice for mariners and those with a love of the sea. As the author explains, it is “a combination of the tangible and the intangible – practical information about boats, anchors, rope, and ballast, cheek by jowl with poetry, legend, lore, superstitions, language of the sea, art, thoughts about literature, and more.” The “more” includes life at sea, sea songs, salty advice, sailors’ food and drink, navigation, communication, the weather, the captain, the naming of vessels, and historical events and ships.

Although pirates are absent from this book, it’s a wonderful collection of information that will educate and remind readers of many aspects of the sailing world both past and present. If you enjoy Mr. Spectre’s annual desk diary The Mariner’s Book of Days, you’ll enjoy this book even more.

Book Review Copyright © 2006 Cindy Vallar

Victory in Tripoli by Joshua E. London

Victory in Tripoli: How America’s War with the Barbary Pirates
Established the U.S. Navy and Shaped a Nation
by Joshua E. London
John Wiley & Sons, 2005, ISBN 0-471-44415-4, US $24.95 / Can $31.99 / £15.99

In the fall of 1800, Dey Mustafa of Algiers asked Captain William Bainbridge to ferry the Algerine tribute to the sultan of the Ottoman Empire in Constantinople. Bainbridge, as well as Consul General Richard O’Brien, vehemently refused the request, but the Dey made it clear that not acceding to his “request” would be tantamount to declaring war. To further humiliate the fledgling American navy, Alergine naval personnel boarded the USS George Washington on 9 October 1800, took down the American flag, and replaced it with the flag of Algiers. This incident, the capture of American merchantmen sailing the Mediterranean Sea, and the enslavement of their crews initiated a long conflict between the United States and the Barbary States. It also resulted in the establishment of the United States Navy and the Marine Corps.

According to Mr. London, “The story of America’s struggle against the terror of piracy in the Mediterranean stands as testament to the essential American attributes that have given rise to American exceptionalism: the problem-solving mind-set of the individual overcoming life’s difficulties through brains and talent, faith and strength of purpose, and guts and perseverance.” Yet, this story doesn’t unfold in a vacuum. At the same time, the United States found itself struggling to maintain its independence and vying with Old World nations to be recognized as a new country with a right to trade freely, while confronting the political problems facing Europe.

While 2005 saw the publication of three books on this topic, each sheds light on different aspects of the Barbary Wars. Richard Zacks’ The Pirate Coast concerns the covert operation William Eaton led against Tripoli and the role American Marines played in that battle. Frank Lambert’s Barbary Wars covers the entire period of the Barbary Wars with particular emphasis on Algiers. Joshua London covers these topics, but his primary emphasis is on the naval aspects of the period and the early history of the U.S. Navy. Victory in Tripoli is a concise and understandable retelling of the political battles waged between presidents and Congress over the need for a navy and the cost of having one, the failures and successes of the naval war against the Barbary States, and the naval heroes who emerged to renew honor and pride in this young country. It is an inspiring account of America’s first attempt to end the paying of tribute and to deter terrorism.

See the Table of Contents
Pirate Coast Campaign Was U.S.'s First War on Terror, Authors Say
Willie Drye's interview with Richard Zacks and Joshua E. London
National Geographic News, 2 December 2005

Book Review Copyright © 2006 Cindy Vallar

Young Men and the Sea by Daniel Vickers with Vince Walsh

Young Men and the Sea: Yankee Seafarers in the Age of Sail
by Daniel Vickers with Vince Walsh
Yale University Press, 2005, ISBN 0-300-10067-1, US $35

There is an element of romanticism to sailors and life at sea during the Age of Sail. But why did boys and men really go to sea, and what was life for them like both aboard ship and in port, especially for those who grew up and lived near the coastline of American shores? These are the questions Daniel Vickers sets out to answer in this book, concentrating on seafaring life and changes in maritime commerce in Salem, Massachusetts from 1620 through the nineteenth century. When people hear of Salem, they tend to think only of the witchcraft trials that took place there, but this village seaport was involved in various types of shipping throughout its history. Also, it was small enough to allow historians to use local records to trace individual mariners and what they did over long periods of time.

This scholarly work is not for readers looking for details of colonists who turned to piracy or abetted pirates. Nor does it dwell much on privateering. Rather Young Men and the Sea examines how a coastal village founded by landsmen developed into a vital seaport and how its inhabitants chose to go to sea rather than work the fields. In addition to the analysis of seafaring careers, Dr. Vickers also looks at maritime life ashore, including sailors’ wives, and the laws that regulated life at sea. Appendices include primary sources, graphs, and ship’s logs. Maps and black-and-white drawings illustrate the text, and a detailed index and notes accompany the book.

Book Review Copyright © 2006 Cindy Vallar

Piracy and Privateering in the Golden Age Netherlands by Virginia W. Lunsford

Piracy and Privateering in the Golden Age Netherlands
by Virginia W. Lunsford
Palgrave Macmillan, 2005, ISBN 1-4039-6692-3, US $65.00

The sea was an integral part of Dutch history and culture, especially from the late sixteenth century through the seventeenth. Those who waged war against other countries, such as Spain, in defense of the Dutch Republic played a vital role in establishing the country’s independence. Although laws existed to draw the line between piracy and privateering, reality wasn’t always so clear cut. The Sea Beggars--“a ragtag assemblage of Dutch aristocrats, ultra-Calvinists, and riffraff”--were a prime example of those warrior mariners who strayed between legal and illegal seizures of ships.

Divided into three parts, this book examines the complexity and ambiguity of how the Dutch treated pirates and privateers from their country as well as those from other countries. The first section examines the laws and activities defining plundering and what society thought of these men and what they did. Part II examines the cultural aspects of national identity, the economic effects of piracy and privateering, and the importance of maritime life and trade to the survival of the Netherlands. The interpretation of maritime laws and the disparity in meting out punishment are analyzed in the final section of the book. Also of value are the glossary, chapter notes, and appendices, which include privateer instructions, income earned, privateer captures, and sailors captured by Algerian corsairs.

This comprehensive and scholarly examination sheds light on a topic long neglected, in part because of a devastating fire in 1844 that destroyed much of the archives of the Dutch Admiralty. As in other countries, the Netherlands enacted stringent laws that defined what constituted piracy and privateering, but their implementation strayed into murky waters. Lunsford expertly navigates what documentation still exists to provide readers with a better understanding of how men who skirted the law could become heroes rather than villains. She captures the essence of this dilemma from the outset with the tale of Claes Compaen, a privateer who became an infamous pirate, then rejoined society and became a law-abiding citizen. She also introduces readers to naval heroes, privateers, and pirates of the Netherlands, including the infamous Rock Brasiliano.

Book Review Copyright © 2005 Cindy Vallar

Saint-Malo Cap Horn by Peter Meazey

Saint-Malo Cap Horn: La Route de l’Argent
by Peter Meazey
Astoure, 2005, ISBN 2-84583-108-0
8 Euros

Pirates and privateers from England are most often discussed in books dealing with marauding adventures around South America. Peter Meazey’s book covers the French privateers, in particular those from Saint Malo, who also ventured around Cape Horn to seek their fortunes. The opening chapters explain why this city was a haven for corsairs; the historical and legal framework within which they sailed during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries; and the difference between them and pirates. Few outside of France may know their names, but Meazey introduces readers to Jack Walsh, René Duguay-Trouin, François Massertie, and Jacques Gouin de Beauchesne. Several English pirates--Thomas Stradling, William Dampier, and Alexander Selkirk--are also included in the narrative. The author incorporates information about French ships, trade between Saint Malo and Cadiz, England’s attempts to destroy this vital port, and how trade via the Cape of Good Hope led to the demise of this vital maritime center.

Rather than being a scholarly work, this book is written for the general public. The short chapters include many black-and-white illustrations and maps, as well as passages from first-hand accounts. The inclusion of what happened to who ties up loose ends. For those who can read French, Saint-Malo Cap Horn is a captivating introduction to one facet of privateering history.

Book Review Copyright © 2005 Cindy Vallar

The Pirate Coast by Richard Zacks

The Pirate Coast: Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines, and the Secret Mission of 1805
by Richard Zacks
Hyperion, 2005, ISBN 1-4013-0003-0, $25.95
Hyperion, 2006, ISBN 1-4013-0849-X, $15.95

When the United States gains its independence from England, American sailing vessels become vulnerable to seizure by the Barbary corsairs. For a time the government negotiates treaties and pays tribute money to the rulers of the countries of North Africa to protect trade in the Mediterranean. Then in 1801 Tripoli declares war against the United States. When the USS Philadelphia runs aground and her officers and men become slaves, President Thomas Jefferson enlists William Eaton and a small contingent of Marines to undertake a daring secret mission that results in the American flag being planted in foreign soil for the first time. The details of what happened are long forgotten, but the deed itself is forever immortalized in the Marine Hymn.

The Pirate Coast details the events that led up to the secret mission and the arduous journey to see it through, the diplomatic negotiations that endangered Eaton and his men, the details and effect of the new peace treaty, and the eventual downfall of the Barbary corsairs. At the same time Zacks interweaves accounts from the men of the Philadelphia during their captivity in Tripoli.

Zacks presents a readable and intricate tale of America’s first covert mission on foreign soil. Readers experience Eaton’s frustration and anger at ineptitude and duplicity, as well as the hope and joy of the men from the Philadelphia after Stephan Decatur and his team blow up the ship.

Book Review Copyright © 2005 Cindy Vallar

Hitler’s Secret Pirate Fleet by James P. Duffy

Hitler’s Secret Pirate Fleet
by James P. Duffy
University of Nebraska Press, 2005, ISBN 0-8032-6652-9, US $15.95

During World War II, Hitler used two types of vessels in an attempt to cripple Britain. Most people know about U-boats, but Auxiliary Cruisers, also known as surface raiders, disrupted maritime trade and diverted the Royal Navy with false radio reports of enemy raider activity. Converted cargo vessels, the raiders hid various weapons to seize and destroy any vessel except a large warship. They sailed under flags of neutral or friendly nations, while those aboard altered the ship’s profile and repainted her to maintain the vessel’s disguise. After capturing a prize, they confiscated what they could use and, if circumstances allowed, sent her to a German port with a prize crew aboard. If not, they sank her. Prisoners were housed aboard the raider and treated well.

Although the tactics of these raiders mirrored those of pirates, Duffy points out that those who served aboard these vessels were neither pirates nor privateers, but loyal members of the German navy. Before firing the first shot, they revealed their true identities as German warships. These accounts of nine raiders include Atlantis, the first and most successful raider; Orion, whose travels equated to five circumnavigations of the world; Widder, whose captain was only one of two naval commanders convicted of war crimes; Thor, the only raider to complete two tours of duty; Komet, which attacked an enemy land base; and Michel, the last German warship in operation.

This book is not for pirate fans per se, but for those who want to see how others took the tactics pirates used and implemented them during a war. Those interested in World War II naval operations will also want to read these accounts. Each chapter includes a map showing the locations of where prizes were taken and short sidebars that relate events elsewhere related to the war. Appendices provide the raiders’ original names and German identities, technical data (length, beam, tonnage, etc.), and their armament and war records. Also included is a photo essay, information on a controversy regarding the Kormoran and the HMAS Sydney, a bibliography, and index. The only drawbacks to the narrative are the tendency to repeat Japanese treatment of prisoners turned over by the surface raiders in and near the Pacific and the inclusion of the same sidebar in different chapters. The book does end on a high note, though, with a recounting of the sea battle between the Stier, Stephen Hopkins, and Tannenfels.

Book Review Copyright © 2005 Cindy Vallar

Admiral Sir Henry Morgan by Terry Breverton

Admiral Sir Henry Morgan: King of the Buccaneers
by Terry Breverton
Pelican, 2005, ISBN 9781589802773, US $14.95

During the seventeenth century, Spain rules the Caribbean and Latin America, but other countries, particularly England, also wish to partake of the treasures these lands offered. In 1655 twenty-year-old Henry Morgan, a Welshman, arrives in Barbados as an ensign in Cromwell’s army. Their orders are to invade Cuba or Hispaniola. While they fail to carry out this task, they do seize Jamaica, where Morgan settles and eventually marries. The island also serves as his base of operation, from which he launches numerous attacks on Spanish towns and ships. In time he becomes the lieutenant-governor and commander of the naval forces that protect Jamaica and British interests in the Caribbean.

Breverton clearly warns readers from the start that he is biased in Morgan’s favor--that he was “the most famous buccaneer of all time…a superb tactician and strategist” who succeeded in campaigns “against massive odds.” Breverton also demonstrates how Esquemeling sometimes got his facts wrong when he wrote Buccaneers of America, against whom Morgan sued for libel and won.

While Morgan “was a saint” compared to L’Olonnais, the author refers to Morgan as a buccaneer. This contradicts what Breverton steadfastly denies: Morgan was not a pirate. A buccaneer, however, was a term that referred specifically to Caribbean pirates of this time period. For the most part Morgan sailed under a legitimate letter of marque, which made him a privateer, yet peace negated such documents and any acts he committed thereafter were acts of piracy. This book provides a good introduction to Sir Henry Morgan and his life, but it is neither a definitive study of the man nor does it provide the reader with an unbiased account.

Book Review Copyright © 2005 Cindy Vallar

The Riddle of the Caswell Mutiny by Séamus Breathnach

The Riddle of the Caswell Mutiny
by Séamus Breathnach
Universal Publishers, 2003, ISBN 1581125771, $25.95 / E-book $9.00

In July 1876, two men face each other in a courtroom in County Cork, Ireland. Both have served aboard a merchant ship named the Caswell. James Carrick, an Englishman, testifies that Christos Bombos, a Greek, participated in a mutiny that results in the deaths of five men.

When the Caswell sets sail from Glasgow in July 1875, sixteen men are aboard. What happens on the trip to South America is unknown, but once the ship docks in Buenos Aires in September, most of the crew opt to find other berths for the return journey. George Best, the captain of the Caswell, has to find a new crew, and strives to find men of various nationalities--English, Greeks, Maltese, Irish, and German. On December 4th, they set sail to search for a cargo before returning home. Even before they depart for Queenstown on January 1, 1876, the German and the Irishman jump ship, never to be seen or heard from again.

Three days later, the Greeks and Maltese mutiny. Big George Peno stabs the captain twice before Guiseppe Pistoria shoots Best twice in the head. Next, Peno shoots the second mate, Allan McLean, in the arm, then Cristos Bombos stabs him twice in the back and Gaspari Pistoria stabs him while singing. Nicholas Morellos and Big George stab first mate William Wilson, after which Giuseppe shoots him. Giuseppe next shoots the eighteen-year-old steward, Emmanuel Griffiths, then “cut[s] out his left breast.” Gaspari Pistoria shoots him in the ear. After the killings, they weight the bodies with anchors and toss them overboard.

The surviving crewmembers, including two young apprentices, are British, and they bide their time. After the Pistoria brothers take one of the boats and sail away in February, the British stage a mutiny of their own, killing Big George Peno and Nicholas Morellos, but sparing Cristos Bombos. Under the command of James Carrick, the Caswell sets sail for Queenstown, arriving on May 13th.  Bombos is tried for murder twice--the first trial ending in a hung jury. The second time the jury convicts him. Only one other mutineer ever stands trial for his crimes, Giuseppe Pistoria, but not until three years later.

The author begins the book with the intent of trying “to piece together…the events, which led to the mutiny--and to shed some light on its antecedents as well as its awful consequences.” While he fails to achieve that goal, he does hypothesize as to why the foreigners mutinied rather than the British sailors. Breathnach’s research and knowledge of the case, the law, the time period, and life at sea aboard a sailing ship are quite evident, but in attempting to explain what happens and why, he sometimes spends too much time examining peripheral points, as he does when he devotes an entire chapter to the man who hangs with Bombos, or when explaining the business of hanging. At times, too, the author’s opinions on terrorism and jurisprudence intrude in the telling of the story. Those interested in mutinies, the legal system in Ireland, and unsolved mysteries will find this an intriguing puzzle of a mutiny rarely heard about in the annals of maritime history.

View Documents, Table of Contents, and Introduction
Irish Criminology, the author's web site

Book Review Copyright © 2005 Cindy Vallar

The Cruise of the Sea Eagle by Blaine Pardoe

The Cruise of the Sea Eagle: the Amazing True Story of Imperial Germany’s Gentleman Pirate
by Blaine Pardoe
Lyons Press, 2005, ISBN 1-59228-694-1, US $22.95 / CAN $31.95

The Pass of Balmaha set sail from New York with a cargo of cotton destined for Russia. She was a “ghost from another century,” for the start of World War I in 1914 brought a quick end to the age of sailing ships. Captain Scott believed America’s neutrality would protect him through the British blockade of the North Sea, but he was wrong. A cruiser of the Royal Navy ordered her to put in at Kirkwall and installed an officer and six marines aboard the Pass of Balmaha to see that she did. The British officer insisted she fly the Union Jack rather than the American flag.  Doing so negated her neutrality and made her a target. The next day the U-36 captured her and sailed her to Germany where she was refitted and armed as a sea raider -- one that could stay at sea for long periods of time and didn’t require constant restocking of her coal supplies as the steamship raiders did.

Rechristened the Seeadler (Sea Eagle), she slipped through the British blockade in late December 1916 under the command of Count Felix von Luckner, a mariner skilled in the ways of sailing ships. Rather than keep captured prizes, as was the custom among privateers of the past, supplies and valuables were seized and the crews imprisoned aboard the Seeadler before the Germans sank the prize. Through a combination of luck, skill, and daring, she maintained anonymity while becoming a legendary sea raider of the war. Once her identity and that of her captain became known, she also became the most hunted vessel on the sea.

Blaine Pardoe does a commendable job separating the facts from the legends about the Seeadler. His riveting recounting of her adventures is also a story of her captain, and the extraordinary means he took to protect his ship, his crew, and the prisoners forced to endure captivity in the midst of their enemy. Few today may have heard of either the Sea Eagle or Count von Luckner, but none will be disappointed in this tale of a gentleman pirate and a windjammer turned privateer.

**Note to reader: Technically, Count von Luckner was neither a pirate nor a privateer. He was an officer in the German Navy.

Book Review Copyright ©2005 Year Cindy Vallar

Blunders & Disasters at Sea by David Blackmore

by David Blackmore
Pen & Sword Maritime, 2004, ISBN 1-84415-117-4, £19.99, $38.18

Throughout history those who travel the seas have faced a multitude of hazards. Some weren’t avoidable, as we lack the ability to control Mother Nature. Others resulted from countries warring against each other. Human error and bad luck account for more mishaps. This anthology examines the more notable incidents around the world from ancient times to present day. Each entry includes background information, what happened, the causes, and the consequences of the tragedy. Although this book doesn’t concern pirates, one entry discusses the Barbary corsairs in 1803.

The depth and amount of research the author has done is apparent from the start. His presentation is straightforward and easy to read, and the appendices provide additional information regarding certain incidents. The subdivisions and index provide quick access for those who know what they seek. Any reader will find the entries interesting and thought provoking, and will learn something in the process about the dangers inherent in sailing. For writers seeking story ideas for maritime works, this is a treasure trove.

Book Review Copyright ©2005 Year Cindy Vallar

Black Bart Roberts: the Greatest Pirate of Them All by Terry Breverton

By Terry Breverton
Pelican Publishing, 2004, ISBN 1-58980-233-0, $16.95

Perhaps the most successful pirate during the Golden Age of Piracy, Bartholomew Roberts never achieved the lasting infamy of Blackbeard and few people today would recognize his name. Yet, he seized more ships than any other pirate and his hunting grounds ranged from the Caribbean and South American coast to Canada to Africa. For three years (1719-1722) he terrorized mariners from England, France, Holland, Portugal, and Spain. Rough estimates put the total worth of ships and goods he confiscated at £100,000,000 in today’s currency.

Black Bart Roberts is the story of Bartholomew Roberts. The first two chapters are devoted to Howell Davis, the pirate who introduced Roberts to the brotherhood. Of particular interest is the reprint of Captain Snelgrave’s account of his capture by Davis, which was published in 1734, for it provides a telling portrait of life as a pirate and how they treated prisoners. Four of the seven chapters concentrate on Roberts’ life, his voyages, and his demise and that of his crew. The final chapter is about John Phillips, a pirate aboard one of Roberts’ ships.

Too much emphasis is placed on Howell Davis, however, and the chapter on John Phillips seems out of place. The level of inconsistency is also disturbing. Sometimes sources are cited, while other times they are lacking. Discrepancies about factual details on ships surface. For example, thirty-two ships make up the Lisbon fleet in one paragraph and in the next the count is forty-two. The Royal Fortune, one of Roberts’ ships, has forty-eight guns, then two sentences later it has forty-four. At times the author draws conclusions without verifying facts. The most glaring of these is when he states that Roberts’ “red silk outfit, with the large diamond cross, gave him the epithet by French merchants and pirates of Le Joli Rouge, probably the origin of The Jolly Roger.” Le joli rouge predates Roberts and, while “Jolly Roger” may stem from this French phrase, the first occurrence of pirates flying the Jolly Roger dates to 1701, almost two decades before Roberts became a pirate. Even so, this is an interesting introduction to a pirate that writers often neglected .

Book Review Copyright ©2004 Cindy Vallar

A Pirate of Exquisite Mind by Diana and Michael Preston

by Diana and Michael Preston
Walker & Co., 2004, ISBN 0-8027-1425-0, $27

Published in 1697, A New Voyage Round the World, caused a sensation in England. Within nine months it went into three printings, and was translated into several foreign languages. This travel book was the first of several volumes William Dampier wrote. His observations of nature and indigenous peoples and their cultures influenced the writings of Daniel Defoe and Jonathan Swift, the studies of Charles Darwin, and the maritime education of Lord Nelson and Captain Cook.

In spite of his achievements and his influence on others, Dampier remains a relatively obscure individual. Much of what is known of his life comes from his books, which are based on his journals, the originals of which are lost. The Prestons sifted through early copies of his works, legal documents, and letters to recreate William Dampier, the man. They also visited the places he explored to gain a better understanding of what he saw and experienced during his twelve-year voyage around the world. To complete the picture, they consulted the journals of fellow buccaneers and privateers, as well as the writings of men he influenced long after his death.

This well-rounded biography provides a detailed portrait of a man who did extraordinary things fraught with danger and survived to share his experiences with others. The Prestons succinctly explore the complexities and contradictions of a man who was an adventurer, buccaneer, traveler, celebrity, and sailor. In the process they have written a compelling narrative that allows the reader to experience the excitement and perils of life during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, while learning about a man whose writings made a profound impression on writers, mariners, and scientists who came after him.

Book Review Copyright ©2004 Cindy Vallar

Pirates and Buccaneers of the Atlantic Coast by Edward Rowe Snow

by Edward Rowe Snow
Commonwealth Editions, 2004, ISBN 1-889833-71-1, $21.95

Edward Snow, a consummate storyteller, combines his knowledge of New England’s maritime history with tales of pirates who visited these shores. This particular volume, originally published in 1944, chronicles their exciting exploits while attempting to show their true nature, which was often cruel and violent. The author includes such well-known pirates as Bellamy, Tew, Lowther, Roberts, Kidd, and Blackbeard. He also writes of lesser-known pirates and women pirates, including Anne Bonny, Mary Read, and Cheng I Sao. The book concludes with several chapters on buried treasure, and is illustrated with more than thirty photographs and maps.

Jeremy D’Entremont, the editor, provides notes and summaries to clarify erroneous facts, including information unearthed through recent investigations. The new detailed index allows readers to more easily access the wealth of information found within these pages. While Snow sometimes obscures the facts in favor of writing a rousing adventure, this book remains a good introduction to pirates for readers who might not otherwise read a history book.

Book Review Copyright ©2004 Cindy Vallar

Ahoy Mates! Leadership Lessons from Successful Pirates by Robert G. Garrow

By Robert G. Garrow
Book Coach Press, 2003, ISBN 0-9680347-3-X, $13.95 USA and $18.95 CAN

Ed Mast, President of Applied Technology Incorporated, has a problem. Some of his divisions are profitable and others aren’t. Something needs to change, but Ed isn’t sure how to go about making those changes. While he waits for his top executives to arrive for a board meeting, he looks through an old logbook, which he recently received from his dearly departed uncle Charlie. The log belonged to an ancestor named Captain Bob, a successful pirate. As Ed listens to his people talk about sales, he wonders how Captain Bob would handle the situation--and the pirate instantly appears!

This book is for managers who want to implement change through innovation and employee participation. Robert Garrow, who conducts workshops in management and leadership development and strategic thinking and planning, utilizes the world of pirates to explore three classic management themes: mission and strategy; quality, excellence, and productivity; and creativity and innovation. The twist that separates his book from all the others is a time-traveling pirate who uses his knowledge of what makes a successful pirate operation to help a company become more profitable and productive.

While I read this book, I couldn’t help but think how much more interesting all those staff meetings I endured would have been. I definitely would have paid more attention, and perhaps my employers wouldn’t have had to rehash the same topics year after year. My husband, who reads books like this all the time, enjoyed Ahoy Mates! He particularly liked the highlighting of tasks in boxes and the chapter summaries, or anchor points, which were concise and to the point. A good selection of references on creativity are included in an appendix, but my husband would have liked more references on leadership. Something I particularly liked was the presentation of pirate tactics to insure a successful attack!

Visit the Author's Web Site

Book Review Copyright ©2004 Cindy Vallar

Jefferson's War: America’s First War on Terror, 1801-1805 by Joseph Wheelan

By Joseph Wheelan
Carroll & Graf, 2003, ISBN 0-7867-1232-5, $27.00

After centuries of warfare, privateering, and piracy, the Barbary States along the coast of North Africa imposed a national policy on all nations trading in the Mediterranean. Unless a country paid tribute to each state’s ruler, the Barbary corsairs attacked and plundered that nation’s maritime trade. Any crew and passengers aboard such vessels found themselves sold into slavery. As a fledgling nation, the United States had to decide whether to abide by these rules or cease trading in the region. In the waning years of the eighteenth century, many Americans were tired of war, and while the treasury could ill afford to negotiate and pay such demands, America paid the tributes. Thomas Jefferson felt the only way to deal with the Barbary States was to fight, and when he became President of the United States, that’s exactly what he did.

Jefferson felt war was the only way to deal with such blatant blackmail and terrorism. Although the country lacked much of a navy and few men experienced in waging war at sea and on hostile soil, he vowed America had not thrown off one tyrant only to submit to a lesser one. The ensuing Barbary War led to the establishment of the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps. It made men like Stephen Decatur national heroes, and proved to more powerful nations that America was a force to be reckoned with and respected.

Joseph Wheelan writes a compelling and keen account about a period in American history rarely studied in history books. He concisely lays out the framework that resulted in war, from introducing the key players, the history behind the war, the steps needed to defend the nation and her honor, and the warts that kept the war going far longer than it should have. He breathes life into the men who fought the war and those who suffered enslavement. They do not remain mere names on a page. Wheelan does all this without digressing into a diatribe on religion or cultural differences. Readers will go away with a better understanding of why fighting terrorism is necessary and why one country’s forefathers dared to take on the struggle against all odds.

Book Review Copyright ©2004 Cindy Vallar

Treasure and Intrigue by Graham Harris

By Graham Harris
Dundurn Press, 2002, ISBN 1-55002-409-4, $15.99 US, $22.99 Can

On 23 May 1701, Captain William Kidd was hanged for murder and piracy at Execution Dock in London. Prior to his death, he claimed to have buried treasure from the Queddah Merchant in the Indies, but that treasure has never been found. Or has it? Mr. Harris puts forth this thesis in this book, believing that the noblemen who backed Kidd's antipiracy venture retrieved the treasure several years after his death with the assistance of some of his crew, who bargained their knowledge in exchange for their lives.

At times the book seems like a collection of essays rather than having a natural progression from start to finish. The author discusses Kidd’s hanging, piracy in the Indian Ocean, the Adventure Galley, the seizure of the Queddah Merchant and her treasure, Kidd’s association with Robert Culliford (a pirate who was pardoned), seventeenth-century navigation, the Kidd-Palmer Charts (maps denoting where Kidd buried the treasure), William Dampier, Captain Charles Johnson, Kidd’s testimony and letters, and who recovered the treasure. Additional details can be found in the appendix, list of references, and index.

While Treasure and Intrigue is an interesting proposal about the whereabouts of Kidd’s treasure, and readily acknowledged as the author’s speculation, there are several points that may make the reader wary as to the veracity of the author’s thesis. First, he treats Captain Misson as a real person, even though no evidence exists that this pirate ever existed. Second, his claims clearly show his bias on the subject rather than keeping to the facts. Third, minor facts are omitted or inaccurate, such as when he lists how mariners died. He mentions that some were shipwrecked, swept overboard in storms, sunk in battle, or slain by pirates. What he doesn’t include is that the majority of mariners died from disease. An example of inaccuracy involves Kidd, who didn’t hang from a gallows with a trap door. Readers with a passion for treasure hunting and an interest in piracy, though, will enjoy this treasure hunt.

Book Review Copyright ©2004 Cindy Vallar

The Barbary Corsairs: Warfare in the Mediterranean, 1480-1580

By Jacques Heers
Translated by Jonathan North
Greenhill Books (UK) / Stackpole Books (US), 2003, ISBN 1-85367-552-0, $34.95

Although we refer to the pirates of the Barbary Coast as the Barbary Corsairs, 16th-century Christians never used those words. Instead they were Moors, Saracens, or on rare occasions, Africans. The Italians first coined the word “Barbary” around 1500, but used it to refer to any barbarian – a word that didn’t describe the Barbary Corsairs. Eventually, writers popularized the word and it became synonymous with the Barbary Corsairs, pirates who played a pivotal role in the holy war between Christians and Muslims.

The focus of the book is on the century in which the corsairs were at the height of their power. Six chapters unveil the story of the Barbary Corsairs: Before the Barbarossa Brothers, Lepanto, The Barbarossas and the Turks, The Africa of the Corsairs, Slavery, and War and Propaganda. The two most interesting chapters are the third, which provides eyewitness accounts of the cities and people, and the last, which discusses the myths and realities of the corsairs in literature. Throughout this insightful book, which is well researched and provides abundant resources for further study, the author incorporates anecdotes from primary sources to bring the past alive. Maps, black-and-white illustrations, and chronologies further assist the reader in understanding this important aspect of medieval history.

Book Review Copyright ©2004 Cindy Vallar

The Billy Ruffian: the Bellerophon and the Downfall of Napoleon, the Biography of a Ship of the Line, 1782-1836

By David Cordingly
Bloomsbury, 2003, ISBN 1-58234-193-1, $25.95

Sailors referred to this 74-gun Royal Navy ship of the line as the Billy Ruffian, but her actual name was Bellerophon, the hero who tamed Pegasus in Greek mythology. After her launch in 1786, she was the first to engage the French Navy in the Battle of the Glorious First of June.  She helped destroy the enemy fleet at the Battle of the Nile and fought in the Battle of Trafalgar. She blockaded the coast of France, and escorted convoys to and from North America, the Caribbean, and the Baltic. She brought Napoleon Bonaparte to England, then transferred him to the ship that took him into exile on St. Helena. In spite of such glorious honors, she served her final duty to her country as a prison hulk for murderers and thieves until her demise in 1836.

Sir Thomas Slade designed the plans upon which the Bellerophon was built at the shipyard owned by Edward Greaves on the River Medway in England. Wood from more than 3,000 oaks formed her hull and 2,700 sheets of copper protected that hull from the ravages of being at sea for long periods of time. When she put to sea, 550 officers and crew sailed aboard.  She proved to be one of the fastest ships in the navy.

What makes this biography so fascinating is that David Cordingly provides an intriguing look into the Age of Wooden Sail. This is not simply a recounting of a ship’s life--from the laying of the keel, to the battles she fought in, to the breaking up of her hull. Interspersed between birth and death, he examines the shipbuilding industry, the care and feeding of wooden ships, a seaman’s life, Lord Horatio Nelson, Napoleon’s rise and fall, and the monotony of a prisoner’s life.  Combined with the illustrations and extensive bibliography, The Billy Ruffian presents a compelling look into the British Navy during the Napoleonic Era.

Learn about Vice Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson KB
Learn about Nelson and his Navy

Book Review Copyright ©2003 Cindy Vallar

Splintering the Wooden Wall: The British Blockade of the United States, 1812-1815

By Wade G. Dudley
Naval Institute Press, 2003, ISBN 1-55750-167-X, $32.95

The wooden wall refers to the ships that patrol the coasts of a country to curtail maritime commerce, the lifeblood of any nation. In 1812, the Royal Navy has mastered this strategy to perfection, having blockaded French ports in two wars. The fledgling nation, These United States, dares to declare war against the mightiest nation on sea and land. At the time the American Navy consists of a few ships. Those of the Royal Navy total 607. To bring a swift conclusion to the war, the British Admiralty institutes a blockade of the American coast from New England to the Gulf of Mexico.

The purpose of the blockade is to isolate American naval and commercial ports. The loss of trade will cause severe shortages among the populace. Also, the Royal Navy preys on enemy merchant vessels, seizing both the ship and the cargo, which impacts America’s imports and exports. According to Dudley, “The actual mechanics for blockading seem simple--sail back and forth off the port, watch for enemy naval activity, and seize all legal prey in sight.” Theory and reality collide, however. The logistics of carrying out the blockade and the geography of the United States make a simple order extremely complicated. Even so, naval historians have long believed that the British blockade “proved highly effective, pinning American naval forces in their ports, destroying virtually all American commerce.”

Wade Dudley, however, challenges that interpretation in this scholarly work about the blockade from its inception until after the Battle of New Orleans. He provides a comparative analysis of the naval blockade in theory and practice. Through the use of charts, maps, and illustrations developed from primary documentation, he demonstrates that the blockade was anything but successful.

Aside from providing an overview of blockading strategies and how they developed, Dudley examines each year of the war and how the Royal Navy accomplished or failed to accomplish its orders to erect a wooden wall. He also compares this blockade to two other British blockades, both against France. Sources are cited throughout the text and a substantial bibliography of primary and secondary resources are included.

While primarily a work that concentrates on the problems and effectiveness of this particular naval stratagem, the book looks at the privateers who play a significant role in the war, particularly on the side of the Americans. Readers will also find significant information about life at sea in the Royal Navy and during the Age of Sail.

Book Review Copyright ©2003 Cindy Vallar

Sink or Be Sunk!

By Paul Estronza La Violette
Annabelle Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-9673936-3-9, $24.95

Most people think of the Battle of New Orleans as a single battle, but in reality it consisted of a number of skirmishes that preceded the final battle on 8 January 1815. One that receives short shrift, but was of strategic and tactical importance to Andrew Jackson's victory, was a naval battle at St. Joe Pass on 14 December 1814.

Lieutenant Thomas Ap Catesby Jones, of the fledgling United States Navy, commands a fleet of gunboats patrolling the coastal waters from Mobile Bay to New Orleans. His primary mission is to observe, delay, and prevent any attempt by the Royal Navy to land troops in Louisiana. Whichever side controls New Orleans controls the Mississippi River, and will determine the outcome of the War of 1812. In late 1814, Jackson arrives in the city intent on preventing it from falling into enemy hands, even if he has to burn the city to do so.

Commander Nicholas Lockyer of His Majesty's Royal Navy receives orders from the fleet admiral to destroy the American gunboats no matter the cost. Previous attempts to control the region have come to naught and this is the British forces' last chance to gain the upper hand. Having played a role in those unsuccessful endeavors, Lockyer is keen to win this time around.

This retelling of the events leading up to and including this unusual naval engagement reads like a well-paced maritime novel. All primary players are introduced in such a way that they become three-dimensional beings and La Violette has done painstaking research to learn the details of these men's lives--before, during, and after the battle. Although the lack of a good copyedit is evident throughout the book, these minor flaws fail to detract from the engaging account of what transpired.

Piracy plays no part in this story, but those interested in Jean Laffite should take particular note of this book. The principal players crossed paths with Laffite and the Baratarians. Lockyer delivered the packet of letters to Laffite, offering him a captaincy in the Royal Navy and promising him other perks if he aided the British in their attempt to capture New Orleans. Jones participated in the destruction of Barataria after some New Orleanians doubted the authenticity of the British letters and Laffite's offer to aid the Americans. Commandant Daniel Todd Patterson, Jones' commanding officer, engineered the attack on Barataria and also enlisted Laffite's men to help crew the Carolina and the Louisiana prior to and during the Battle of New Orleans.

Read an Excerpt
View the Table of Contents

Book Review Copyright ©2003 Cindy Vallar

Selkirk's Island: the True and Strange Adventures of the Real Robinson Crusoe

By Diana Souhami
Harcourt, 2001, ISBN 0-15-100526-5

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