Pirates & Privateers: Frank L. Fox's Books

This book takes the reader back to the 17th century, a time when England’s foe is often the Dutch rather than the French of the Nelson Era. And a time much less familiar to most students and fans of naval history. Knowing this, the author begins his narrative by pointing out all the differences between the two periods. To drive home this lesson, the first chapter is entitled “The Generals.” The differences in command structure and ranks of the commanding officers starts with them being called “Generals-at-Sea.” These men, who have led armies on land, are considered tacticians who can do the same at sea. The basis for officer appointments is primarily a measure of their family connection or loyalty to Charles II, the King of Great Britain.

His brother, James, Duke of York, is the Lord High Admiral. He chairs a council of senior officers who decide how and when the fleet shall engage the enemy. The council issues daily orders to the ship captains, who follow their division’s general into battle. But neither the generals nor most of the captains know anything about sailing a yacht, let alone the largest, most complex ships-of-the-line in existence.

Captains are referred to as “Gentlemen-Captains.” These are lesser members of the nobility, who are also appointed for their loyalty and better breeding. Most have little interest in their ship’s crews or learning how the vessels functions. It was the ship’s Master who is responsible for raising and lowering the sails, guiding the vessel’s maneuvering, and all the other aspects of running the ship. The captains take charge of the ship’s cannons and decide when and at whom to shoot. True, there are some “tarpaulin-captains” who start as sailors on the lower deck and learn their profession on the way to being promoted to the quarterdeck. These individuals have served the king in the past and are trusted to conduct themselves properly in a conflict.

The Royal Navy is in its infancy and officers are only appointed for a campaign or sailing season. Each winter the ships return to port and the entire crew is released. Manning the ships begins anew in time for the spring thaw. As a result, officers “could and sometimes did serve as captains one year and lieutenants the next, or admirals one year and captains the next.” (17) Problems manning the fleet annually are identical to those in the succeeding centuries, with the same social issues and poor qualities of crews they entail. Conditions for the sailors are also similar, including a diet of salt-beef and hardtack (biscuits) and harsh discipline.

Additional chapters discuss differences in the ships, their armament, the use of flags and pennants to denote divisions and their commanders, and the rudimentary signals then in use.

Having skillfully guided the reader to an understanding of naval science in the 17th century, the narrative shifts to describing the origins of the Second Anglo-Dutch War. The Dutch resent the encroachment of the English into the East Indies. Many disputes and fights arise between the traders of both countries. English merchants complain to Parliament of the losses and indignities suffered at the hands of the Dutch, and Parliament demands the king act to prevent these losses, yet the Dutch become the first aggressors, giving the English the war they want. The true feeling in England, as told to diarist Samuel Pepys by Captain George Cocke, a director of the Royal African Company, is “the trade of the world is too little for us two, therefore one must [go] down.” (68)

Both sides face financial difficulties that encourage them to confine the conflict to one summer with enough ships to hopefully be victorious. The English don’t have the funds for a long war, and the Dutch need to make sure their merchant ships are able to sail past England to keep their own finances flowing.

What follows in the narrative is a very detailed examination of the Second Anglo-Dutch war, beginning with all the necessary preparations for a naval war. The first battle is off Lowestoft, England in 1665 and each fleet has about 100 ships and over 21,000 men. Although the Dutch have more guns, the English have the advantage in firepower with larger cannons firing heavier shot. Each fleet move during the battle is carefully described, including the fighting between individual ships and the carnage that results. In the end, the English are the victors, but the cost among the officers and nobility is great. The king’s companion, the Earl of Falmouth, is among the deceased. The fact that he is standing next to the king’s brother at the time he is killed is too much for Charles, and he requires that James give up his position as Lord High Admiral of the fleet.

Later, a squadron of ships is sent to Bergen, Norway to attack merchant ships taking shelter there. But the well-armed Dutch ships drive off the English warships without losing a vessel. Luckily, the remaining English fleet spots and is able to capture a group of unprotected merchantmen and a few East Indiamen loaded with valuable cargoes. With prizes to protect and stores running low, the fleet heads home, ending the actions of 1665.

The in-depth look at the Four Days’ Battle begins with examining why a sizeable portion of the English fleet is sent to face a French fleet that never materializes, leaving the remaining ships to fight the Dutch fleet alone during the first two days. Six chapters are devoted to the actual battle. From first sighting to the end of the chase, each maneuver of the fleets is described along with which ships trade shots as the conflict progresses. A chapter titled “Aftermath” details the combatants’ return to port, the conditions of the ships, and losses suffered. There are praise and celebrations for the Dutch, mourning and recriminations for the English. “Sequel” deals with the Dutch raid on the Medway and the St. James Day battle after the English fleet chases the Dutch out to sea. Finally, the epilogue concludes the narrative by describing the tribunals that investigate how the English lost the war, the subsequent fortunes and eventual deaths of the flag officers and captains, and the endings of many of the ships.

There are thirteen detailed appendices, including several that list each ship that makes up each fleet, notes, sources and a comprehensive index. A two-page map of the waters between England and the Dutch provinces appears at the beginning and end of the book. The areas where each battle occurred are clearly outlined on the maps. There are also two inserts with black-&-white pictures of the main players and ships in the engagements.

A wealth of knowledge is presented in this work. The research that went into it is very meticulous. This edition includes years of updated research done since the hardback was originally published in 1996 as A Distant Storm. Happily, the text is always interesting and entertaining. If you want to learn the facts about this period of naval warfare, there is no better way to do so than by reading this book. I’m certainly glad I did.