Blue Water Patriots

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Overview

In 1775, it was inconceivable that the American colonists could have overcome the overwhelming military superiority of Great Britain. Yet the belligerent colonists seemed certain that they could defeat the British army they so despised. On the other hand, the one great fear shared by all colonists was that they would not be able to overcome the presence of the Royal Navy. From as early as 1764 until the French joined the world-wide naval conflict, the colonists contended with British naval might alone and against...
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More About This Book

Overview

In 1775, it was inconceivable that the American colonists could have overcome the overwhelming military superiority of Great Britain. Yet the belligerent colonists seemed certain that they could defeat the British army they so despised. On the other hand, the one great fear shared by all colonists was that they would not be able to overcome the presence of the Royal Navy. From as early as 1764 until the French joined the world-wide naval conflict, the colonists contended with British naval might alone and against formidable odds. These Blue Water Patriots fought the first battles on the road to American independence. This is their story. The 1700s were a period in which the armed merchantmen of the age of trade were replaced by genuine warships whose task was to control the sea lanes. The American Revolution was a watershed in that it marked the advent of improved warship designs, new technologies, improved gunpowder and communications, and innovative tactics. Volo provides readers with the historical context for understanding the fascinating technological and strategic innovations occurring in the Atlantic and in the Caribbean. Rich in detail and broad in historical scope, Blue Water Patriots takes readers from the firing on the Royal Navy cutter St. John in 1764 to Cornwallis's surrender trapped by the French fleet at Yorktown in 1781.
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Editorial Reviews

Strategy Page
A comprehensive overview of the naval aspects of the American Revolution from the Patriot's perspective. While this story has been told before, few accounts have matched the breadth of Blue Water Patriots. . . . Very readable, although Blue Water Patriots is likely to be of particular value to students of the Revolutionary War, it can also serve as an introduction to naval warfare in the eighteenth century.
CHOICE
It is the rare book that aims at giving a comprehensive view of any historical event and actually delivers what it promises, but . . . Volo's Blue Water Patriots does just that. In this single volume, readers will find every element that they could ever want of the Revolutionary War at sea. The author summarizes the problems of creating a national navy, discusses the men who served on the ships, and describes the outcomes of their battles. . . . The author does an especially good job of tying the causes of the war to the naval and maritime development of the Colonies, thus demonstrating that naval elements of the war were central to the conflict, not just a peripheral concern. . . . Highly recommended.
Heldref Publications: Reviews Of New Books - Thomas Sheppard
An excellent complement to recent scholarship on naval and maritime issues. . . . Broad range and overall readability. . . . Offers something for nearly every historian of the period.
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780742561205
  • Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
  • Publication date: 8/1/2008
  • Pages: 320
  • Sales rank: 1,338,732
  • Product dimensions: 5.80 (w) x 8.90 (h) x 0.80 (d)

Meet the Author

James M. Volo is a teacher, lecturer, and historian. He has served as a consultant for documentary television and movie projects dealing with the American Revolution and the Civil War. He is the author or coauthor of more than a half-dozen historical reference works dealing with American history. He is coauthor of Daily Life in Civil War America, Daily Life during the American Revolution, and Daily Life during the Old Colonial Frontier.
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Table of Contents

Introduction Chapter 1: The Enforcement Crisis Chapter 2: The Rebels Under Sail Chapter 3: Naval Administration Chapter 4: The Art of War at Sea Chapter 5: Sea Officers Chapter 6: The Continental Navy Chapter 7: Warships Chapter 8: Cannon and Powder Chapter 9: George Washington's Private Navy Chapter 10: The Invasion of New York Chapter 11: Whaleboat Warriors and Bateaux Battalions Chapter 12: Invoking Poseidon Chapter 13: The French Alliance Chapter 14: Prisoners of War Epilogue Appendix 1: Important Vessels and Commanders Belonging to the North American Squadron during the Enforcement Crisis, 1764–1767
Appendix 2: Disposition of the Royal Navy on the North American Station, January 1775
Appendix 3: 1794 Admiralty List of Vessels of War in Service or Built before 1783
Maps Selected Bibliography
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