Subtitled "The Epic History of the Founding of the US Navy", this book was published in 2006. I came across this book by way of a loan from one of my long time patients who is familiar with my interest in military history. He was given the book himself, and enjoyed it, and thought I might as well. He had served in the US Navy in the 1950's and 1960's, much of it in the Mediterranean, and has made some interesting notations in the book for his grandchildren, where the narrative touched places he had served; knowing the man in question fairly well, I rather enjoyed these added personal vignettes.
I found the book quite fascinating and a very enjoyable read. It is not primarily an account of naval actions, although it includes plenty of them. The main focus is on the process of creating and developing the Navy, including the politics of the early days of the Republic and the varying roles of the first four Presidents of the US (Washington, Jefferson, John Adams, and Madison), the political parties, congress, the various shipyards, naval architects, naval officers and sailors. Rather than being dry, I found it very interesting, although non Americans might find it less so. The design and construction of of the six original Frigates authorized by Congress is covered in detail, including the difficult task of procuring the famous Southern "Live Oak" used in their construction. The Frigates in question were the (nominally rated as ) 44 gun United States, President, Congress, and of course "Old Ironsides" herself, the USS Constitution, plus the 36 gun Constellation and Chesapeake.
Some forty or so years ago I wrote a paper for 9th grade Government class on the evolution of the Russian Navy, starting with the hiring of Revolutionary War naval hero John Paul Jones by Catherine the Great, and continuing through to the Soviet era, so I have a small amount of additional appreciation for the challenges of tracing the evolution of the Navy as an institution, as opposed to simply an accounting of the actions it fought. In any event, I'd heartily recommend the book to anyone with an interest in the subject. If nothing else, it was somewhat reassuring that politics were even worse back then, and somehow the nation survived and prospered despite it!
The (paperback) book, 560 pages (of which the last 80 pages consist of index, notes, and bibliography) is in print and available from Amazon,com for a little over $13 US.
I found the book quite fascinating and a very enjoyable read. It is not primarily an account of naval actions, although it includes plenty of them. The main focus is on the process of creating and developing the Navy, including the politics of the early days of the Republic and the varying roles of the first four Presidents of the US (Washington, Jefferson, John Adams, and Madison), the political parties, congress, the various shipyards, naval architects, naval officers and sailors. Rather than being dry, I found it very interesting, although non Americans might find it less so. The design and construction of of the six original Frigates authorized by Congress is covered in detail, including the difficult task of procuring the famous Southern "Live Oak" used in their construction. The Frigates in question were the (nominally rated as ) 44 gun United States, President, Congress, and of course "Old Ironsides" herself, the USS Constitution, plus the 36 gun Constellation and Chesapeake.
Some forty or so years ago I wrote a paper for 9th grade Government class on the evolution of the Russian Navy, starting with the hiring of Revolutionary War naval hero John Paul Jones by Catherine the Great, and continuing through to the Soviet era, so I have a small amount of additional appreciation for the challenges of tracing the evolution of the Navy as an institution, as opposed to simply an accounting of the actions it fought. In any event, I'd heartily recommend the book to anyone with an interest in the subject. If nothing else, it was somewhat reassuring that politics were even worse back then, and somehow the nation survived and prospered despite it!
The (paperback) book, 560 pages (of which the last 80 pages consist of index, notes, and bibliography) is in print and available from Amazon,com for a little over $13 US.
I have had many a pint and a bar meal at the John Paul Jones hotel close to where he was brought up.
ReplyDeleteTotally useless bit of information but thought I would throw it out there Peter ;0)
Cheers
Paul
Interesting to see a pub in England named after an American Naval hero... but we have things amed after Howe, Clinton, Cornwallis, etc@!
DeleteGreat book! I like the way it goes behind the politics of the decision to build the fleet and also to the level of detail of finding the right trees to build the various parts of the ships.
ReplyDeleteYes, I really enjoyed the non action bits, of which there are many, for the insight it gave into the enormity of the project.
DeleteTop review Peter of what sounds like a fascinating book about, as you note, oft-ignored territory. What a great "find"!
ReplyDeleteIn the last few pages of the book, Toll devotes a fair amount of space to TYeodore Roosevelt and his naval history of the War of 1812 (to 1815!), as we know the conflict here. He cites the influence of the lessons learned in studying that conflict to his later major push to construct a modern fleet for the US as Secretary of the Navy, and later President.
DeleteHi Peter,
ReplyDeleteI think JPJ was Scottish born, near kirkcudbright? I am also Scottish.
Cheers
Paul
Hi Paul,
DeleteWell *that* explains it! Naming a Scottish pub after an American who was born a Scott, and who rubbed the noses of the English in it; perfectly logical, LOL!
I recall in school days reading about US Nval operations in the Mediterranean Sea - North African coast during the 1790s, I think, or maybe the early 1800s. The USA has undertaken the task signally ignored (it seemed) by European powers to deal with piracy along the Barbary Coast - a rather rare early instance of American Government's adopting a global role, and on the whole rather a successful one, if memory serves.
ReplyDeleteThe book covers the events in the Mediterranean in a lot of detail, as these were really the first serious sustained actions of the new Navy; they were less than spectacularly successful initially; indeed, it was only after the War of 1812 ended and a fresh expedition was sent that the US stopped paying any kind of tribute.
DeletePlus you are forgiven for putting me down as an English man! :-P lol
ReplyDeleteBest
Paul
Hanks; that is quite magnanimous, Paul! :-)
DeleteAnderson can be a Scottish name itself, of course... although in my case it is not. Our church had a visiting minister from the Church of Scotland for a summer about 15 years ago, whilst ours took his Parrish in an exchange. After struggling through the various Polish, German, Spanish and whatever names in the Congregation as he greeted the exiting parishioners, he heaved sigh of relief upon hearing "Anderson"; "Now THAT'S a name I have no trouble remembering!"
Great book. It really explains why the Americans were so upset when they lost one of their frigates to the Barbary pirates.
ReplyDeleteYes it spends quite a lot of space on the initial failures against the pirates of the Mediterranean... much more than on the later successes that we "remember" collectively.
Delete