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Hearts of Oak Trilogy #2
The Admiral Benbow: The Life and Times of a Naval Legend
Admiral John Benbow was an English naval hero, a fighting sailor of ruthless methods but indomitable courage. Benbow was a man to be reckoned with. In 1702, however, when Benbow engaged a French squadron off the Spanish main, other ships in his squadron failed to support him. His leg shattered by a cannon-ball, Benbow fought on - but to no the French escaped and the stricken Benbow succumbed to his wounds. When the story of his 'Last Fight' reached England, there was an outcry. Two of the captains who had abandoned him were court-martialled and shot; 'Brave Benbow' was elevated from national hero to national legend, his valour immortalized in broadsheet and ships were named after him; Tennyson later feted him in verse; in Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, the tavern where Jim Hawkins and his mother live is called 'The Admiral Benbow'. For the very first time, Sam Willis tells the extraordinary story of Admiral Benbow through an age of dramatic change, from his birth under Cromwell's Commonwealth; to service under the restored Stuart monarchy; to the Glorious Revolution of 1688; to the French wars of Louis XIV; and finally to the bitter betrayal of 1702. The Admiral Benbow covers all aspects of seventeenth century naval life in richly vivid detail, from strategy and tactics to health and discipline. But Benbow also worked in the Royal Dockyards, lived in Samuel Evelyn's House, knew Peter the Great, helped to found the first naval hospital, and helped to build the first offshore lighthouse. The second volume in the Hearts of Oak trilogy, from one of Britain's most exciting young historians, The Admiral Benbow is a gripping and detailed account of the making of a naval legend.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published September 30, 2010
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129 people want to read
About the author
Sam Willis
50 books55 followersDr Sam Willis is a maritime historian and archaeologist and is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
He is the author of the best-selling Hearts of Oak Trilogy and the Fighting Ships Series. He has consulted on maritime history for many clients including the BBC, Channel 4, NBC America and Christie's.
Sam's work is coloured by his knowledge and experience of seamanship. Sam's unique approach to maritime history and his vivid style of writing has led to him being described as 'A Nautical Tour de Force'.
He is the author of the best-selling Hearts of Oak Trilogy and the Fighting Ships Series. He has consulted on maritime history for many clients including the BBC, Channel 4, NBC America and Christie's.
Sam's work is coloured by his knowledge and experience of seamanship. Sam's unique approach to maritime history and his vivid style of writing has led to him being described as 'A Nautical Tour de Force'.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 13, 2015
The second of Sam Willis' 'Hearts of Oak' trilogy, in which he sets out to profile a ship, a man, and a battle, The Admiral Benbow: The Life And Times Of A Naval Legend is a fascinating study of a man whose influence on the Royal Navy sits at odds with his relative obscurity, Admiral John Benbow (1653-1702).
Unlike the subject of Willis' previous book (The Fighting Temeraire: The Battle of Trafalgar and the Ship that Inspired J. M. W. Turner's Most Beloved Painting), Benbow has failed to capture the popular imagination and remains a figure of niche interest. This is undoubtedly a product of the times in which he lived, when records were far more likely to be lost or destroyed or simply not kept at all. The result is that Benbow is an obscure figure, unlike great nautical figures of a century later such as Lord Horatio Nelson or Lord Exmouth about whom we know virtually every aspect of both public and private life.
To produce a biography of the man is therefore a daunting challenge. It is one which Willis, with the same or perhaps a greater degree of scholarly rigor that he displayed in the previous book, answers admirably. The Admiral Benbow is a historical treasure hunt, in which Willis has to piece together the facts of the life of his subject from naval records, rumours, some dubious early biography, and (of course) the writing of Samuel Pepys. In doing so he produces what must be the most authoritative biography of Benbow, and debunks several long-held myths about the admiral (the greatest and most controversial being that he was present at Barfleur in 1692, when Willis claims with good reason that he was at that time running the Royal Dockyard at Deptford).
As with the previous book in the Hearts of Oak trilogy, the book is broken up into short chapters which deal with distinct episodes in the career of the subject. Given the length and diversity of Benbow's career, this allows for a wide variety of subjects. The reader is treated to chapters on the battle of Beachy Head, the war against the corsairs of Algiers, Benbow's pioneering use of mortars against land-based targets, his custodianship of the Deptford dockyards and role in constructing the Greenwich Naval Hospital, and his deployment to the West Indies (and death there) in the War of the Spanish Succession. There is also - and I cannot stress enough how much I enjoyed this chapter - a hilarious anecdote about history's worst tenant, Czar Peter the Great.
Benbow remains an elusive figure, but the picture Willis paints of him - hot tempered, a remarkable seaman, a fierce fighter and a skilled administrator - is consistent with the evidence. More important is that Benbow was present for great changes in the Royal Navy, the true star of the 'Hearts of Oak' trilogy. Benbow's lifetime huge advances in ship-building and tactics, increasing professionalism and great political upheaval both in Britain and on the Continent. It's a fascinating story, and well told.
Unlike the subject of Willis' previous book (The Fighting Temeraire: The Battle of Trafalgar and the Ship that Inspired J. M. W. Turner's Most Beloved Painting), Benbow has failed to capture the popular imagination and remains a figure of niche interest. This is undoubtedly a product of the times in which he lived, when records were far more likely to be lost or destroyed or simply not kept at all. The result is that Benbow is an obscure figure, unlike great nautical figures of a century later such as Lord Horatio Nelson or Lord Exmouth about whom we know virtually every aspect of both public and private life.
To produce a biography of the man is therefore a daunting challenge. It is one which Willis, with the same or perhaps a greater degree of scholarly rigor that he displayed in the previous book, answers admirably. The Admiral Benbow is a historical treasure hunt, in which Willis has to piece together the facts of the life of his subject from naval records, rumours, some dubious early biography, and (of course) the writing of Samuel Pepys. In doing so he produces what must be the most authoritative biography of Benbow, and debunks several long-held myths about the admiral (the greatest and most controversial being that he was present at Barfleur in 1692, when Willis claims with good reason that he was at that time running the Royal Dockyard at Deptford).
As with the previous book in the Hearts of Oak trilogy, the book is broken up into short chapters which deal with distinct episodes in the career of the subject. Given the length and diversity of Benbow's career, this allows for a wide variety of subjects. The reader is treated to chapters on the battle of Beachy Head, the war against the corsairs of Algiers, Benbow's pioneering use of mortars against land-based targets, his custodianship of the Deptford dockyards and role in constructing the Greenwich Naval Hospital, and his deployment to the West Indies (and death there) in the War of the Spanish Succession. There is also - and I cannot stress enough how much I enjoyed this chapter - a hilarious anecdote about history's worst tenant, Czar Peter the Great.
Benbow remains an elusive figure, but the picture Willis paints of him - hot tempered, a remarkable seaman, a fierce fighter and a skilled administrator - is consistent with the evidence. More important is that Benbow was present for great changes in the Royal Navy, the true star of the 'Hearts of Oak' trilogy. Benbow's lifetime huge advances in ship-building and tactics, increasing professionalism and great political upheaval both in Britain and on the Continent. It's a fascinating story, and well told.
November 16, 2021
How I wish I knew more of 17th Century history! The Admiral Benbow reaches into naval accounts rather than the affairs of state (civil war, republicans & restoration of monarchy). Unfortunately a fire in the 18th Century leaves many blanks, this leaves only parliamentary & admirably records to build the story around. Intriguing but so much follow up to do!
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February 11, 2021Good on ya sam
One author whose every book I enjoy reading ,who never seems to be biased to one theory or another.the next purchase the fighting temperature.
One author whose every book I enjoy reading ,who never seems to be biased to one theory or another.the next purchase the fighting temperature.
August 3, 2018
Sam Willis is an excellent author. A wonderful book. This book is a masterpiece of historical narrative.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews