Book Description

With the hindsight of a century, Julian S Corbett argues that the 1805 Trafalgar campaign was 'the crowning chapter in the history of naval warfare'. He takes it beyond merely using it as a valedictory encomium of Admiral Nelson, who died at Trafalgar; instead he explains the military side of the campaign and the decrees from Parliament which shaped the war. Corbett contrasts first-hand correspondence from Napoleon and other commanders with the rational orders of Pitt, Castlereagh and the English commanders. Before the account of the battle at Trafalgar, Corbett analyses the memorandum sent by Nelson that laid out what was to be done and by whom. The battle reinvigorated the British navy and gave them confidence in their superiority, yet Napoleon became 'dictator' of Europe in spite of the destruction of his own naval power. Corbett, the English narrator of the story, is partisan, using "our" and "us" frequently, and the tone is patriotic and proud of the naval and military might of what was then the bastion of the British Empire, which was beginning its century of subjugation to other European powers. The prose is full of florid phrases and emotional recollections of the past. Especially impressive are the descriptions of the campaign's key characters, including Barham, Allemand, Cornwallis, Ganteaume, Rochefort, Villeneuve, Gourdon, Calder, Gravina and Decrès. Corbett also illustrates the perils of seafaring in the early nineteenth century: scurvy, surprise counter-attacks and ships burning at sea all feature in the campaign. Above all, the discipline and daring of the campaign is evident in a masterful history of a conflict that is a key moment in European history, Julian S Corbett (1854-1922) was a naval historian and geo-strategist. He qualified as a lawyer and also wrote historical fiction before becoming a lecturer at the Royal Naval College. His works on naval history include a biography on Francis Drake and England in the Seven Years' War. Albion Press is an imprint of Endeavour Press, the UK's leading independent digital publisher. For more information on our titles please sign up to our newsletter at www.endeavourpress.com. Each week you will receive updates on free and discounted ebooks. Follow us on Twitter: @EndeavourPress and on Facebook via http://on.fb.me/1HweQV7. We are always interested in hearing from our readers. Endeavour Press believes that the future is now.