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The period of the French Wars (1793–1815), known as the golden age of fighting sail in Great Britain because of the extraordinary victories won by the Royal Navy, produced an impressive roster of brilliant flag officers. To date, however, these naval leaders have been overshadowed by the legendary status of their contemporary Admiral Lord Nelson. This book corrects the oversight ...

This is a vivid, minute-by-minute account of one of the worst shipwrecks in naval history. Edward Beach's father commanded the Memphis, one of the largest battle cruisers built by the U.S. Navy up to that time—bigger and faster than a battleship. The Memphis (originally Tennessee) was demolished by monstrous tsunami waves in Santo Domingo Harbor in August 1916 ...

Every aspect of the common sailor's life in the Union navy—from recruiting, clothing, training, shipboard routine, entertainment, and wages to diet, health, and combat experience—is addressed in this study, the first to examine the subject in rich detail. The wealth of new facts it provides allows the reader to take a fresh look at nineteenth-century social history, including issues like ...