The Star Captains: Frigate Command in the Napoleonic Wars

by Tom Wareham

Novelists from C. S. Forester to Patrick O'Brian have glorified Nelson's dashing frigate captains, but how much of their story is true? The author of this new volume on the nature of frigate command argues that the legend was very close to reality. Based on detailed studies of the appointments, training, and promotion of the Royal Navy's officer corps, he contends that frigate commanders were an elite group whose careers followed separate paths from their contemporaries. They exhibited specific and highly prized skills that were rewarded with fast-track promotions and resulted in the creation of one of the most successful military cadres in history. Often facing daunting odds, these frigate captains won the vast majority of their battles and a place in maritime lore. This book is a fascinating contribution to the broader understanding of the workings of Nelson's navy and will appeal to enthusiasts and historians alike.

Genres: History

Hardcover

Published January 1, 2001

About the author

AKA Richard Thomas (The Wapping Conspiracy) - now reissued under Tom Wareham's name.

Reviews

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished reading The Star Captains by Tom Wareham. Great book that combines qualitative commentary with quantitative analysis of Royal Navy Frigate Captains from 1793-1814. The author used a large number of resources to develop a suitable data set for comparative analysis of the Captains. He looked at their assignments, promotion rates, battle success and command style, creating a picture of the 'average' CO. The author showed that as the war(s) progressed, the Navy managed to continually find and assign top performing officers and that 'influence,' though ever present, was perhaps as not prevalent as is commonly believed. The book is a good example of quantitative historical analysis.