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Johns Hopkins Books on the War of 1812
Privateering: Patriots and Profits in the War of 1812
During the War of 1812, most clashes on the high seas involved privately owned merchant ships, not official naval vessels. Licensed by their home governments and considered key weapons of maritime warfare, these ships were authorized to attack and seize enemy traders. Once the prizes were legally condemned by a prize court, the privateers could sell off ships and cargo and pocket the proceeds. Because only a handful of ship-to-ship engagements occurred between the Royal Navy and the United States Navy, it was really the privateers who fought—and won—the war at sea.
In Privateering, Faye M. Kert introduces readers to U.S. and Atlantic Canadian privateers who sailed those skirmishing ships, describing both the rare captains who made money and the more common ones who lost it. Some privateers survived numerous engagements and returned to their pre-war lives; others perished under violent circumstances. Kert demonstrates how the romantic image of pirates and privateers came to obscure the dangerous and bloody reality of private armed warfare.
Building on two decades of research, Privateering places the story of private armed warfare within the overall context of the War of 1812. Kert highlights the economic, strategic, social, and political impact of privateering on both sides and explains why its toll on normal shipping helped convince the British that the war had grown too costly. Fascinating, unfamiliar, and full of surprises, this book will appeal to historians and general readers alike.
In Privateering, Faye M. Kert introduces readers to U.S. and Atlantic Canadian privateers who sailed those skirmishing ships, describing both the rare captains who made money and the more common ones who lost it. Some privateers survived numerous engagements and returned to their pre-war lives; others perished under violent circumstances. Kert demonstrates how the romantic image of pirates and privateers came to obscure the dangerous and bloody reality of private armed warfare.
Building on two decades of research, Privateering places the story of private armed warfare within the overall context of the War of 1812. Kert highlights the economic, strategic, social, and political impact of privateering on both sides and explains why its toll on normal shipping helped convince the British that the war had grown too costly. Fascinating, unfamiliar, and full of surprises, this book will appeal to historians and general readers alike.
216 pages, Hardcover
First published August 20, 2015
24 people want to read
About the author
Faye M. Kert
3 books1 followerFaye M. Kert is an independent historian who earned her PhD from the University of Leiden.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 6, 2017
This is an excellent book on the business of privateering during the War of 1812. The text is very informative and well written. Supported by a number of footnotes which are easy to locate after the narrative, it is clear that this material has been thoroughly researched and includes facts that are not presented elsewhere.
The opening chapter provides an overview of privateering during the war. This covers the reasons it benefitted the American war effort; the American and Canadian owners and privateersmen involved; the extent to which it was prosecuted against the enemy; the impact these merchant-ships-turned-warships had on the British economy; and the efforts of the Royal Navy to combat this menace.
Unlike most authors on privateering who provide an obligatory history in a few introductory pages, Dr. Kert provides an entire chapter which traces the early development of privateering, the creations of and refinements in prize law, and the separate establishment of admiralty and prize courts in Great Britain and the United States.
Next we read how, in the years leading up to the war, American vessels were licensed by the British to carry supplies for their country and armies fighting the French in Spain. Others were engaged in the smuggling trade, supplying French, British, and even American citizens with duty-free and hard-to-obtain goods. All of these activities ended or declined with the declaration of war.
Conversely, building or fitting-out merchant ships as privateers and manning them for a voyage created new business and opportunities for everyone connected to the maritime industry. The hopes of obtaining prizes of valuable ships and cargoes motivated all. But only if a prize made it back to a friendly port was there a chance for that to occur. The convoy system made taking a prize difficult and an increasingly tighter blockade by the Royal Navy made sending out privateers and the safe return of prizes almost impossible. From a cabin boy to an entrepreneurial shipowner the business was “No prey, no pay!”
There is information on the misfortunes of war a privateer might encounter. The dangers of wind and sea, shipboard accidents, and confrontations with an enemy vessel were all risks the ships and crews faced. Interesting anecdotes of occurrences on vessels, such as a lightning strike on the Saucy Jack that killed two men and wounded four, or the way three men were injured during a training session aboard Perry serve to illustrate the various dangers presented.
In a chapter on “Prizewinners” each vessel discussed made at least forty captures with at least half of the captures making it into a port for adjudication. These include both American and Canadian privateers. With names of Liverpool Packet, Yankee, Comet, and Retaliation, their individual stories are presented to the reader in an enjoyable fashion.
As is fitting for a book on the business side of privateering, the author concludes with “The Final Tally.” A summary of the value of prizes taken, merchant vessels lost, and intangible values gained helps explain why the subject has had such a long-lasting interest.
Anyone interested in knowing why there was privateering would do well to read this book. I found it to be an excellent and appropriate addition to Johns Hopkins’ books on the War of 1812.
Review Copyright 2016 by Irwin Bryan
Pirates & Privateers www.cindyvallar.com/pirates.html
The opening chapter provides an overview of privateering during the war. This covers the reasons it benefitted the American war effort; the American and Canadian owners and privateersmen involved; the extent to which it was prosecuted against the enemy; the impact these merchant-ships-turned-warships had on the British economy; and the efforts of the Royal Navy to combat this menace.
Unlike most authors on privateering who provide an obligatory history in a few introductory pages, Dr. Kert provides an entire chapter which traces the early development of privateering, the creations of and refinements in prize law, and the separate establishment of admiralty and prize courts in Great Britain and the United States.
Next we read how, in the years leading up to the war, American vessels were licensed by the British to carry supplies for their country and armies fighting the French in Spain. Others were engaged in the smuggling trade, supplying French, British, and even American citizens with duty-free and hard-to-obtain goods. All of these activities ended or declined with the declaration of war.
Conversely, building or fitting-out merchant ships as privateers and manning them for a voyage created new business and opportunities for everyone connected to the maritime industry. The hopes of obtaining prizes of valuable ships and cargoes motivated all. But only if a prize made it back to a friendly port was there a chance for that to occur. The convoy system made taking a prize difficult and an increasingly tighter blockade by the Royal Navy made sending out privateers and the safe return of prizes almost impossible. From a cabin boy to an entrepreneurial shipowner the business was “No prey, no pay!”
There is information on the misfortunes of war a privateer might encounter. The dangers of wind and sea, shipboard accidents, and confrontations with an enemy vessel were all risks the ships and crews faced. Interesting anecdotes of occurrences on vessels, such as a lightning strike on the Saucy Jack that killed two men and wounded four, or the way three men were injured during a training session aboard Perry serve to illustrate the various dangers presented.
In a chapter on “Prizewinners” each vessel discussed made at least forty captures with at least half of the captures making it into a port for adjudication. These include both American and Canadian privateers. With names of Liverpool Packet, Yankee, Comet, and Retaliation, their individual stories are presented to the reader in an enjoyable fashion.
As is fitting for a book on the business side of privateering, the author concludes with “The Final Tally.” A summary of the value of prizes taken, merchant vessels lost, and intangible values gained helps explain why the subject has had such a long-lasting interest.
Anyone interested in knowing why there was privateering would do well to read this book. I found it to be an excellent and appropriate addition to Johns Hopkins’ books on the War of 1812.
Review Copyright 2016 by Irwin Bryan
Pirates & Privateers www.cindyvallar.com/pirates.html
January 1, 2017
A concise, well-researched and well-written work.
Most of the work deals with American and Canadian privateers.Kert describes the dangers faced by privateers, the difference between “cruise” and voyage” privateers, and how both sides utilized them. She approaches the subject from a number of angles, describing it as a business venture, and covering the owners, captains and crews of the vessels. She also concludes that privateering was rarely profitable.
Kert describes how unique individual privateers could be, depending on the captain and crew. She also covers the longshot odds faced by many privateers, and how many of them returned without prizes or were captured (and recaptured). Her description of the sea battles is also vivid.
A lively book, although a glossary and bibliography may have helped.
Most of the work deals with American and Canadian privateers.Kert describes the dangers faced by privateers, the difference between “cruise” and voyage” privateers, and how both sides utilized them. She approaches the subject from a number of angles, describing it as a business venture, and covering the owners, captains and crews of the vessels. She also concludes that privateering was rarely profitable.
Kert describes how unique individual privateers could be, depending on the captain and crew. She also covers the longshot odds faced by many privateers, and how many of them returned without prizes or were captured (and recaptured). Her description of the sea battles is also vivid.
A lively book, although a glossary and bibliography may have helped.
January 20, 2016
Privateering during the War of 1812 is Dr. Kert’s specialty and this volume is a welcome and much-needed addition to the body of knowledge published on this conflict. The depth of her research is evident in her well-written and fascinating account of the privateers and what they faced when they sailed from home. Her comparison between the two sides provides a dynamic and well-rounded picture of privately armed vessels and their contributions to the war. Privateering is an essential resource for any collection whose focus is on American, Canadian, and British history and maritime history. It is also an excellent book for any lay reader seeking a clear understanding of privateers and the role they played during the War of 1812.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews