Artifacts
Well Dressed Men Civilian Extant Garments Gallery
“Dr Maturin is waiting for you, Di,” said Cecilia. “He is walking his horse up and down in a fine new bottle-green coat with a black collar. And he has a new tie-wig. I suppose […]
Month: July 2010
Artifacts
Well Dressed Ladies Extant Garments Gallery
“It was a good dress, a light, flimsy version of the naval blue, with white about it – no black, no concessions to Mrs Williams, for it was understood that at a ball any woman […]
02. Post Captain
Tally Ho! A Brief History of Riding To Hounds
While at sea, the heroes of our beloved series hunt only the French and Spanish (oh, and the Americans when called for), but during the rare time they spend on dry land they engage in […]
Sailing Techniques
British vs. French Shipbuilding During the Napoleonic Era
Throughout our beloved series, Patrick O’Brian makes many references to the apparent superiority of French ships and shipbuilding. Indeed, our own dear Surprise was originally French. O’Brian’s references are consistent with those of many historians, but they […]
Tables
Ship Losses During the French Revolutionary War (1793-1802)
Ship losses during the Revolutionary War from 1793 through to late 1802 are very revealing as to the strength of the British navy. Although the French and Spanish were the main adversaries the British also […]
Battle of Trafalgar
Lieutenant Paul Harris Nicholas’ Account of the Battle of Trafalgar
This first-person account of the Battle of Trafalgar comes to us from Lieutenant Paul Harris Nicholas, Royal Marines, who was serving aboard the HMS Belleisle at the time. It was given aboard the HMS Bijou in 1829. I was […]
02. Post Captain
Post Captain Discussion Questions Ch. 3
Upon first starting this website I also started something I called The Aubreyad Press Gang to do a group read of the series. We got through the first and second novels before the project fell […]
Just For Fun
Diet and Food Quality: The Lesser of Two Weevils
It is popularly believed that the ship’s biscuit (hard tack) issued to Nelson’s Navy were full of a variety of revolting insects such as ‘maggots’ and ‘weevils’. A few authors (such as Jack Nastyface) who […]
Impressment
An Introduction to Life at Sea in Aubrey’s Royal Navy
The full experience of life aboard a man o’ war in Aubrey’s Royal Navy is not something that can be easily summed up in a short article. It’s not something that can be easily summed […]
Events
The French Revolt and Empire: A Napoleonic Wars Summary
Today is Bastille Day, the 221st anniversary of the storming of the Bastille. While there had been dissent and even revolutionary action in France for some months prior, the storming of the Bastille was really […]