Book Review: Nelson's Fleet at Trafalgar by Brian Lavery
Book Review: Nelson’s Fleet at Trafalgar by Brian Lavery
Two-hundred and two years ago on this day, the British Navy gained one of the most crushing and decisive naval victories in the history of warfare. This victory was the Battle of Trafalgar. Since the two-hundredth anniversary came and went two years ago, a lot of people decided to write about the Battle of Trafalgar as well as its architect and most famous casualty, Admiral Nelson. So in honour of that battle I’m reviewing one the books that came from that upswing of publishing surrounding the two-hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.
by Brian Lavery. As of late Brian Lavery has been a favourite author of mine. I’ve previously reviewed his Arming and Fitting of English Warships (my review here.) which, while a little dry and definitely for an interested audience, was a fine book and it’s easy to respect a person for having such an awesome command of such an expansive and complicated topic.
Nelson’s Fleet at Trafalgar is, much in the Lavery mould, a relatively wide-ranging look at the Battle of Trafalgar, particularly the ships of Nelson's fleet. From a frigate and third through first rate ships of the line Lavery examines the ships’ histories as well as the experiences and compositions of the crews. Some of the more notable ships examined range from the obvious, HMS Victory, somewhat less obvious, HMS Bellerophon, and to relatively obscure ships like HMS Mars and HMS Defence.
As a bit of a side note the chapter on HMS Bellerophon shows how capricious history can be sometimes as the ship saw much combat, but probably gained the majority of its fame by picking up Napoleon at Brest after Waterloo and transporting him to England. As well Edward Rotherham, a post-Trafalgar captain of the Bellerophon, contributed to historians’ interest in the HMS Bellerophon with his detailed lists on the crew, including such details as height and complexion.
How Lavery gives these ships and their crews a voice demonstrate his great command of primary sources, using contemporary memoirs to great effect, including Rotherham’s lists. Though this also exposes a great weakness of this book and its more popular leanings as it lacks a bibliography and the endnotes could have been more extensive.
Popular leanings aside Lavery spends much time giving context the encounter at Trafalgar starting from the mobilization of the Navy after the Peace of Amiens to how the Mediterranean Fleet ended up in the Caribbean chasing the French. In fact Lavery only spends a handful of chapters on the Battle of Trafalgar and still manages to be original and thoughtful. For example he gives some noted criticism of Admiral Collingwood for his management of his division and for the aftermath of the battle. Lavery also spends much time in comparing the performance of the British gunners versus their French and Spanish counterparts. A necessary thesis as it’s the only way to explain the British victory.
Overall, Nelson’s Fleet at Trafalgar promises and delivers a wide ranging examination of the Battle of Trafalgar and its context if a little light on the significance of the Battle of Trafalgar. As well Lavery delivers an excellent social history of the officers and seaman present at Trafalgar. The more popular leanings of this book as make it much more accessible to the casual reader in terms of prose and technical language, and generally doesn’t take for granted a readers prior knowledge of events.
All told, 9/10.
Two-hundred and two years ago on this day, the British Navy gained one of the most crushing and decisive naval victories in the history of warfare. This victory was the Battle of Trafalgar. Since the two-hundredth anniversary came and went two years ago, a lot of people decided to write about the Battle of Trafalgar as well as its architect and most famous casualty, Admiral Nelson. So in honour of that battle I’m reviewing one the books that came from that upswing of publishing surrounding the two-hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.
by Brian Lavery. As of late Brian Lavery has been a favourite author of mine. I’ve previously reviewed his Arming and Fitting of English Warships (my review here.) which, while a little dry and definitely for an interested audience, was a fine book and it’s easy to respect a person for having such an awesome command of such an expansive and complicated topic.
Nelson’s Fleet at Trafalgar is, much in the Lavery mould, a relatively wide-ranging look at the Battle of Trafalgar, particularly the ships of Nelson's fleet. From a frigate and third through first rate ships of the line Lavery examines the ships’ histories as well as the experiences and compositions of the crews. Some of the more notable ships examined range from the obvious, HMS Victory, somewhat less obvious, HMS Bellerophon, and to relatively obscure ships like HMS Mars and HMS Defence.
As a bit of a side note the chapter on HMS Bellerophon shows how capricious history can be sometimes as the ship saw much combat, but probably gained the majority of its fame by picking up Napoleon at Brest after Waterloo and transporting him to England. As well Edward Rotherham, a post-Trafalgar captain of the Bellerophon, contributed to historians’ interest in the HMS Bellerophon with his detailed lists on the crew, including such details as height and complexion.
How Lavery gives these ships and their crews a voice demonstrate his great command of primary sources, using contemporary memoirs to great effect, including Rotherham’s lists. Though this also exposes a great weakness of this book and its more popular leanings as it lacks a bibliography and the endnotes could have been more extensive.
Popular leanings aside Lavery spends much time giving context the encounter at Trafalgar starting from the mobilization of the Navy after the Peace of Amiens to how the Mediterranean Fleet ended up in the Caribbean chasing the French. In fact Lavery only spends a handful of chapters on the Battle of Trafalgar and still manages to be original and thoughtful. For example he gives some noted criticism of Admiral Collingwood for his management of his division and for the aftermath of the battle. Lavery also spends much time in comparing the performance of the British gunners versus their French and Spanish counterparts. A necessary thesis as it’s the only way to explain the British victory.
Overall, Nelson’s Fleet at Trafalgar promises and delivers a wide ranging examination of the Battle of Trafalgar and its context if a little light on the significance of the Battle of Trafalgar. As well Lavery delivers an excellent social history of the officers and seaman present at Trafalgar. The more popular leanings of this book as make it much more accessible to the casual reader in terms of prose and technical language, and generally doesn’t take for granted a readers prior knowledge of events.
All told, 9/10.