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In Nelson's Wake: The Navy and the Napoleonic Wars
Horatio Nelson’s celebrated victory over the French at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 presented Britain with an unprecedented command of the seas. Yet the Royal Navy’s role in the struggle against Napoleonic France was far from over. This groundbreaking book asserts that, contrary to the accepted notion that the Battle of Trafalgar essentially completed the Navy’s task, the war at sea actually intensified over the next decade, ceasing only with Napoleon’s final surrender.
In this dramatic account of naval contributions between 1803 and 1815, James Davey offers original and exciting insights into the Napoleonic wars and Britain’s maritime history. Encompassing Trafalgar, the Peninsular War, the War of 1812, the final campaign against Napoleon, and many lesser known but likewise crucial moments, the book sheds light on the experiences of individuals high and low, from admiral and captain to sailor and cabin boy. The cast of characters also includes others from across Britain—dockyard workers, politicians, civilians—who made fundamental contributions to the war effort and in so doing, both saved the nation and shaped Britain’s history.
In this dramatic account of naval contributions between 1803 and 1815, James Davey offers original and exciting insights into the Napoleonic wars and Britain’s maritime history. Encompassing Trafalgar, the Peninsular War, the War of 1812, the final campaign against Napoleon, and many lesser known but likewise crucial moments, the book sheds light on the experiences of individuals high and low, from admiral and captain to sailor and cabin boy. The cast of characters also includes others from across Britain—dockyard workers, politicians, civilians—who made fundamental contributions to the war effort and in so doing, both saved the nation and shaped Britain’s history.
418 pages, Hardcover
First published March 17, 2016
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About the author
James Davey
32 books1 followerJames Davey is curator of naval history at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 9, 2019
This book is a great study of the Royal Navy in the period with a focus on the importance of the events after Trafalgar.
It goes over the actions, organisation and the significance of the Royal Navy, analysing its military and cultural impact in the period. It stresses the need to acknowledge the importance of the naval war after Trafalgar and analyses it quite well. It contains a reasonable amount of statistics and is very readable. However some parts of the book are overly simplified, so much so that it can read like a popular history.
It covers a lot of ground, 12 years of naval warfare all over the world in some 400 odd pages (Appendix and bibliography included.) so it is not in depth, so much so that some battles and events are either glossed over or highly simplified.
As a naval history and an introduction to the naval warfare in the period the book is great, it can also be useful as a reference book and good for experienced Napoleonic buffs due to some niche statistics and information appearing in the book, however it can lose its value due to it oversimplifying some areas it covers.
Final Rating: 8.5/10
It goes over the actions, organisation and the significance of the Royal Navy, analysing its military and cultural impact in the period. It stresses the need to acknowledge the importance of the naval war after Trafalgar and analyses it quite well. It contains a reasonable amount of statistics and is very readable. However some parts of the book are overly simplified, so much so that it can read like a popular history.
It covers a lot of ground, 12 years of naval warfare all over the world in some 400 odd pages (Appendix and bibliography included.) so it is not in depth, so much so that some battles and events are either glossed over or highly simplified.
As a naval history and an introduction to the naval warfare in the period the book is great, it can also be useful as a reference book and good for experienced Napoleonic buffs due to some niche statistics and information appearing in the book, however it can lose its value due to it oversimplifying some areas it covers.
Final Rating: 8.5/10
January 14, 2016
An excellent, readable, high level (but well footnoted) study of the navy after Nelson:
"Trafalgar did not end the naval war -- in fact it grew in scale and intensity -- and in 1812 and 1813 the navy was larger in terms of both ships and manpower than it ever had been before."
"[T]he Royal Navy's most important contribution to Napoleon's defeat came in its continuous and tenacious blockade of the French Empire."
"Trafalgar did not end the naval war -- in fact it grew in scale and intensity -- and in 1812 and 1813 the navy was larger in terms of both ships and manpower than it ever had been before."
"[T]he Royal Navy's most important contribution to Napoleon's defeat came in its continuous and tenacious blockade of the French Empire."
December 21, 2022
Good research, the book is informative and makes the point that the Royal navy was for the period from 1800 to 1814 the only major force capable of standing up to Napoleonic plans. The inner workings of the Navy are well documented, including the infamous impressment actions which forced many non volunteers to serve. This was also a period when corsairs, privateers played a major role in disrupting lines of commerce and communications. Strategy and tactics of the sailing navies were of course quite different in those days: one has only to compare the admiral ships of Nelson at Trafalgar in 1805 to Jellicoe at Jutland in 1916 to see the profound effects of the Industrial Revolution on navies. A wooden ship powered by sails and carrying 100 fixed guns which fired in close proximity of its targets vs a steel ship driven by steam turbines with powered turrets able to shoot at distances up to twenty nautical miles; so much happened in only one hundred years. In 1800 admirals had to make decisions without the benefit of clear information from the Admiralty, communications could take months before recipient of instructions could be reached. The author is very adept at providing a clear picture of all numerous engagements including Trafalgar and the war 0f 1812. The author chose to present actions by theme so that we are jumping from 1806 t0 1813 and back to 1810 which makes the narration a bit confusing at times. Despite this small criticism I found the book worthwhile and enjoyable.
December 12, 2020
Good book and easy to read. It
was organized based on theme, so in same part it's overlapped (repetitive). It has extensive bibliography, maps, and index of characters and their respective position over time. It helps to make sense of think, but to be honest, I often still confused of who was who (e.g., there were two men named cochrane, nephew and uncle) and what he had done previously.
was organized based on theme, so in same part it's overlapped (repetitive). It has extensive bibliography, maps, and index of characters and their respective position over time. It helps to make sense of think, but to be honest, I often still confused of who was who (e.g., there were two men named cochrane, nephew and uncle) and what he had done previously.
April 22, 2023
I was introduced to this book while studying at the Naval War College, and decided I needed to give the entire book a careful read. Covering the history of the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, this book addressed a critical gap in the historiography on the subject.
Historians have traditionally treated the naval Battle of Trafalgar as a decisive battle. That is understandable, since the French fleet was battered (but not annihilated) and Britain publicized the battle as an important victory primarily to make sense of the loss of its famed Admiral Horatio Nelson. However, the battle occurred in 1805, and the wars against Napoleon did not terminate until ten years later. The author, James Davey, argues that naval campaigns post-Trafalgar were just as significant in bringing the wars to a victorious end.
The Napoleonic Wars were a classic tale of the Whale versus the Elephant, a stalemate that naturally ensues as neither giant is particularly suited to meaningfully afflict the other. Davey tells this story masterfully. It has enough detail for the serious historian (end notes and bibliography total 66 pages!), but is accessible for the everyday historically curious. It is also important that he does not neglect the War of 1812, to which he impressively explains in just one chapter, since many modern Americans tend to forget that our “Second War for Independence” occurred within this context. Highly recommended reading for anyone who wants to understand the incredible story of the rise of the man who conquered Europe, and the leaders and events that followed in Nelson’s wake to bring about Napoleon’s fall.
Historians have traditionally treated the naval Battle of Trafalgar as a decisive battle. That is understandable, since the French fleet was battered (but not annihilated) and Britain publicized the battle as an important victory primarily to make sense of the loss of its famed Admiral Horatio Nelson. However, the battle occurred in 1805, and the wars against Napoleon did not terminate until ten years later. The author, James Davey, argues that naval campaigns post-Trafalgar were just as significant in bringing the wars to a victorious end.
The Napoleonic Wars were a classic tale of the Whale versus the Elephant, a stalemate that naturally ensues as neither giant is particularly suited to meaningfully afflict the other. Davey tells this story masterfully. It has enough detail for the serious historian (end notes and bibliography total 66 pages!), but is accessible for the everyday historically curious. It is also important that he does not neglect the War of 1812, to which he impressively explains in just one chapter, since many modern Americans tend to forget that our “Second War for Independence” occurred within this context. Highly recommended reading for anyone who wants to understand the incredible story of the rise of the man who conquered Europe, and the leaders and events that followed in Nelson’s wake to bring about Napoleon’s fall.
October 22, 2023
This book is about the role of the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. There were some great naval battles such as the Nile, Copenhagen, and of course Trafalgar, but the author has a different slant on the contribution of the Royal Navy: "Rather than winning naval battles, the Royal Navy's most important contribution to Napoleon's defeat came in its continuous and tenacious blockade of the French Empire, and its role in convoying and protecting British merchant ships."
Napoleon underestimated what a 'nation of shopkeepers,' could do with a small but resolute army and an implacable navy.
Napoleon underestimated what a 'nation of shopkeepers,' could do with a small but resolute army and an implacable navy.
July 29, 2025
An absolutely essential read for any people trying to learn about the Napoleonic wars! This book provides much needed context and insight on the Royal Navy of the 18th and 19th centuries
December 5, 2022
Excellent description of the naval aspects of the Napoleonic wars after Trafalgar. Impressment of sailors from U.S. naval ships isn't mention when discussing the war of 1812
February 17, 2025
This is a thorough single-volume account of the latter part of the naval war against Napoleon, concentrating on the period after Trafalgar, though in fact the first four chapters, comprising well over a quarter of the book, are about the years 1803-5.
Davey's intention is to emphasise that the naval war did not end with Trafalgar, as some superficial commentators have supposed, but for me he is pushing at an open door. I am less convinced by his argument that there was still a credible threat that Napoleon could invade Britain after Trafalgar. He bases this on the Emperor's massive ship-building programme but the fact remains that France didn't have the officers and men to sail and fight these ships and that the morale of the French fleet remained extremely low. Nevertheless, it is worth being reminded that for contemporaries the continuing threat of invasion seemed very real and that the Government had to continue to guard against it.
Davey's intention is to emphasise that the naval war did not end with Trafalgar, as some superficial commentators have supposed, but for me he is pushing at an open door. I am less convinced by his argument that there was still a credible threat that Napoleon could invade Britain after Trafalgar. He bases this on the Emperor's massive ship-building programme but the fact remains that France didn't have the officers and men to sail and fight these ships and that the morale of the French fleet remained extremely low. Nevertheless, it is worth being reminded that for contemporaries the continuing threat of invasion seemed very real and that the Government had to continue to guard against it.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews