Review: Frigates of the Napoleonic Wars by Robert Gardner

[LapsedPacifist]

I reading the O'Brien Master and Commander novels a little over a year ago which led to a real interest in the ships, particularly frigates, of the Period.(I'll also admit to owning Regency House on DVD)

This book by Robert Gardner is the best $30 I have ever spent on either history or entertainment. I saw it in the bookstore and thought it was a coffee table picture book, but as I read more I was really impressed by the research and scholarship that went into this book.

It starts with the design considerations that went into the ships at the turn of the 19th century, and if the book has a fault it’s that it seems to start in the middle of a thought. It continues onto sections on design specifics, and finally into performance evaluations of British frigates, both domestic and captured. The author manages to demonstrate the way the ships were changed over time to accommodate the conflicting demands place on British cruisers (Big American frigates, manpower shortages, other mission priorities, etc).

There's almost a draft on every page, with every illustration being contemporary and some pictures of the Trincomalee(A Bombay built teak Leda class).

EDIT: I know this really reflects my opinion and doesn't constitute a real review. Far better reviews from people far more qualified than I are available on the internet, and I'm assuming that people interested in the book can check those out if they would like to before spending their own money or time at the library.

[Raesene]

I recently read Henderson's "Frigates" and "Sloops and Brigs". The author descibes a lot of small ship actions, and IMO is worth its price if you like O'Brian's work (the writing style is of course different).

An interesting book (and one I'm rereading these days) is "Six Frigates", about the origin of the US navy. Starting from the discussion about the need for one until the end of the war of 1812, the book provides also a (focused on a specific topic, the navy) view into the political landscape of the time and is in my opinion also wrth its price.

PS: the author is spelled Gardiner

[Brother-Captain Gaius]

While we're on the topic... what are some good books concerning slightly earlier frigates (and other smaller ships and sloops)? Early-mid 18th century, or even late 17th? The 19th century stuff just doesn't interest me as much, personally, but I'm looking for a good way to expand my knowledge of earlier sail-related stuff without getting into the big ships-of-the-line stuff.

[Edi]

Moved to History forum, as the topic is more appropriate there.

[Simplicius]

While we're on the topic... what are some good books concerning slightly earlier frigates (and other smaller ships and sloops)? Early-mid 18th century, or even late 17th? The 19th century stuff just doesn't interest me as much, personally, but I'm looking for a good way to expand my knowledge of earlier sail-related stuff without getting into the big ships-of-the-line stuff.

Howard I. Chapelle wrote a number of books detailing the history and development of sail in the United States, and both The History of American Sailing Ships and The History of the American Sailing Navy cover the period mid-1700s to 1850s. Since American naval units in the colonial and revolutionary periods were predominantly smaller vessels, such types as the schooners, sloops, brigs, and the various galley and scow gunboat types get fair coverage. Sailing Ships also includes information on privateering, slaving, and revenue vessels, generally of small (and fast) types. Both books are loaded with lines and arrangements recreated by the author, and although they are out of print, they are by no means obscure books and should be obtainable through the library system.

These are books on the history of naval architecture, mind, so while there is a great deal of discussion of the ships and their construction and procurement there is little operational history. Additionally, they were written in the 1940s and reflect the weaknesses of historical writing of the time, especially in citation. For that, Donald Canney wrote Sailing Warships of the US Navy, with the same scope as Chapelle's work but with a greater emphasis on documenting and interpreting primary sources and providing original drafts (opposed to Chapelle's re-creations from original drafts.)

[Brother-Captain Gaius]

Interesting, thanks. I'll look into those. Anything with more of a focus on British or French vessels, though?

[Thanas]

Yes, I have read several, but do you know how to read french?

[Brother-Captain Gaius]

Heh. Conversational French maybe, but certainly not the kind of technical language involved in something like this.

[Thanas]

Well, then we'll have a problem. The books I meant are:

Les Vaisseaux 74 Ã 120 canons, by Jean Boudriot, a 440 page book full of excellent information.

You can check their books out here. They are damm expensive, but well worth it. They answer about any question you may have.

[An Ancient]

The Conway's History of the Ship series is quite good, not frigate specific, but they do have several entire frigate related chapters (as well as chapters for the ships 'either side' of frigates) in their The Line of Battle Ship edition.