A Brief History of Fighting Ships

Surveying the turbulent years of the Napoleonic wars, 1793 to 1815, this masterly chronicle tells the stirring story of the Ship of the Line—the vast, beautiful, and deadly battleships that played a vital role in that titanic conflict. The text adeptly explains the ships' construction and armaments, the daily life of the men who served, and the problems faced by commanders of the time, in battles that include the Glorious First of June, the Battle of the Nile, and, of course, Trafalgar. "An excellent book ... clearly and simply written ... action-packed with many of the great sea battles."—Nautical Magazine