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 […]
Actions and Skirmishes
Denmark’s War With England (2/2): Krigen
After the Battle of Copenhagen, Denmark-Norway tried to avoid the European showdown, which headed by the British tried to stop the French expansion. The foreign policy of Denmark-Norway was a walk on the edge in […]
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 […]
Actions and Skirmishes
Denmark’s War With England (1/2): The League of Armed Neutrality
Obviously, when speaking of the Napoleonic Wars, the rivalry of England vs. France tends to receive top billing. Yet it is important to remember that Napoleon’s goal was not simply to subjugate his own country […]
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 […]