Pirates & Privateers: Books for Adults~Disasters, Mutinies, & Shipwrecks

Balchen’s Victory: The Loss and Rediscovery of an Admiral and His Ship
by Alan M. Smith
Seaforth, 2022, ISBN 978-1-3990-9412-2, US $52.95 / UK £25.00
Also available in other formats

HMS Victory. The name brings to mind one particular ship, the one on which Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson succumbs during the Battle of Trafalgar. But she isn’t the first to be so named, and this is the story of her predecessor and her admiral, both of which are lost on a stormy night in October 1744. A great lamentation results from the deaths of Admiral Sir John Balchen, Victory’s captain, and the 1,100 men who go down with the ship. As time passes, they have faded from memory, even though their losses trigger fundamental changes in the ways navy ships are designed and built, as well as in how the royal dockyards are administered. This book explores the man, the ship, and their legacies in hopes of bringing both back to the fore of conscious memory, rather than relegating them to a blip in the historical record.

John Balchen was born in 1669, in Godalming, Surrey, England. Once he joined the Royal Navy, duty became a hallmark of his career. He didn’t always agree with the status quo and raised serious questions about the way ships were designed and maintained. He cared about the men who served under him. He survived two courts-martial and several wars during his fifty-eight years of service – a time that encompassed the reigns of seven different monarchs. He retired in 1744 at the age of seventy-five.

Victory was the finest warship of the Royal Navy in her day. Her origins dated back to 1673, when orders for a 100-gun First Rate ship of the line were received. She was rebuilt several times, the last time in 1733, and was commissioned four years later. Despite being a new and modern warship, she was considered a “crank” ship, one that was top heavy and prone to rolling. Still, she was needed and would serve as the flagship of the White Squadron at a time during a most dire situation for the country.

French Admiral Rochambault and his squadron had corralled a convoy of English ships laden with food and stores near Lisbon, Portugal during the War of the Austrian Succession. Their supplies were destined for the Mediterranean Fleet and 17,000 men, who were in desperate need, but the convoy was unable to escape the enemy’s blockade. Admiral Balchen was summoned back from retirement to command a fleet of warships to relieve the convoy and see it safely to Gibraltar.

The mission was a success, but the homeward bound squadron encountered a storm. All the ships but one limped into port. Last seen on 4 October 1744, Victory went down with all hands. She was believed to have foundered on Les Casquets reef because of where wreckage came ashore. When Odyssey Marine Exploration found the wreck site 264 years later, it turned out she sank somewhere else entirely.

The book is comprised of chapters that cover the shipwreck, the aftereffects, the stories of the ship and the admiral, their legacy, and the discovery of the wreck site and what transpired as a result. Two timelines are included that highlight events in both Admiral Balchen’s and Victory’s careers. Color and black-&-white pictures provide visual representations of information presented in this volume. In addition to the maps, endnotes, bibliography, and index, five appendices are included. The first provides experts’ answers to a question the author poses: “Why, in your opinion, do you think the man and the ship are no longer of any importance or relevance to naval, or even national, history today?” Three document the grief as it is shown in literary examples. The last discusses Balchen and his hometown.

Many questions still remain about Victory’s loss, and Smith explores and analyzes the various theories. Her discovery also leads to conflict as to whether or not the wreck site should be excavated. These, too, are discussed, as is the resulting outcome of that conflict.

Smith does not simply relate the stories of an admiral and a ship. He places both in context with what is happening within the Royal Navy and in the world at large. His goal is to provide readers with an understanding of who Admiral Balchen is and why he should be remembered for more than just a shipwreck. In this, Smith achieves what he sets out to do in a manner that is straightforward and enlightening.

Meet HMS Victory (1744)

Review Copyright ©2022 Cindy Vallar

Blunders & Disasters at Sea
by David Blackmore
Pen & Sword, 2004, ISBN 1-84415-117-4, UK £19.99 / US $38.18

Throughout history those who travel the seas have faced a multitude of hazards. Some aren’t avoidable, as we lack the ability to control Mother Nature. Others result from countries warring against each other. Human error and bad luck account for more mishaps. This anthology examines the more notable incidents around the world from ancient times to present day.

Each entry includes background information, what happens, the causes, and the consequences of the tragedy. Although this book doesn’t concern pirates, one entry discusses the Barbary corsairs in 1803.

The depth and amount of research the author has done is apparent from the start. His presentation is straightforward and easy to read, and the appendices provide additional information regarding certain incidents. The subdivisions and index provide quick access for those who know what they seek. Any reader will find the entries interesting and thought provoking, and will learn something in the process about the dangers inherent in sailing. For writers seeking story ideas for maritime works, this is a treasure trove.

Cover Art: The
Burning of His Majesty's
Schooner Gaspee

The Burning of His Majesty’s Schooner Gaspee
An Attack on Crown Rule Before the American Revolution
by Steven Park
Westholme, 2016, ISBN 978-1-59416-267-1, US $26.00 / £19.99

review by Irwin Bryan

In June 1772, HM Schooner Gaspee ran aground while chasing a suspected smuggler. In a display of the increasing anger toward the British government, American colonists removed the crew and set afire the revenue vessel.

As indicated in the title, Park focuses on two topics. One is the destruction of a vessel used to enforce the king’s customs. The other is a detailed look at the various laws, courts, and governments that create and adjudicate these trade regulations, and the manner in which the colonists obey or object to efforts of enforcement.

Taken separately, the telling of the Gaspee incident begins with a decision, made after the Seven Years’ War, to use Royal Navy ships and men on the North American station as customs enforcers. Molasses from the Caribbean is especially vital for the rum produced in Rhode Island. During the war, Boston and Rhode Island merchants trade with enemy French and make huge profits as smugglers.

Gaspee is one of six sloops assigned this task. With shallower drafts, these small vessels are better for patrolling coastal waterways than square-rigged warships. When Admiral Montagu takes command of the North American Station in August 1771, he assigns these sloops to patrol New England waters. Even before Gaspee arrives, colonists attack the other sloops, firing on St. John and destroying Liberty. When Gaspee reaches Rhode Island, she is commanded by Lieutenant William Dudingston and now rigged as a schooner. All the vessels Gaspee stops in the ensuing months anger the colonists and delight the Admiral. One such incident occurs on 17 February 1772, when Dudingston confiscates a cargo of rum, Jamaica spirits, and brown sugar belonging to Jacob and Nathaniel Greene. The author states this seizure by Dudingston “would embroil him, his crew, and his schooner in one of the most significant events of the American colonial era.” (10) Park’s reason for making this assertion is unclear; nor does he ever clarify how this seizure leads to the attack on Gaspee.

The second chapter is called “The Gaspee Incident” and the reader looks forward to learning how the vessel becomes grounded and about subsequent events. Park states that on 9 June 1772, Captain Benjamin Lindsey of Hannah sees Gaspee is alone, and despite having hardly any cargo on board, he leaves the Newport docks heading to Providence. Gaspee gives chase. With of a shallower draft than Gaspee, Hannah passes over Namquid Point, but Gaspee runs “aground at 3 or 4 o’clock in the afternoon.” (15)

All of this last information occurs in one paragraph at the opening of the chapter. It seems the author wants us to believe that Lindsey intends to trap Gaspee and this was his only reason for sailing. But both Hannah and Gaspee travel over thirty miles before reaching Namquid Point. These vessels will have sailed almost the entire length of Narrangansett Bay, passing several islands along the way, and then entered the narrow entrance to Providence River before coming to the narrows between Bullocks Point and Namquid Point. How can anyone, including Lindsey, have known they will both sail so close to each other and Namquid Point? It seems more likely that Dudingston makes an error of judgment or sail-handling to have been that close to the Point. The middle of the river is the safest place to be, especially if he doesn’t have a local pilot. Even then that won’t excuse him from fault unless he hits an underwater sandbar in the middle of the river!

Also left unexplored is just what happens during Gaspee’s three-hour chase of Hannah. Does Dudingston order his gunners to fire on her? Is she damaged as a result? Are any members of her crew killed or injured? Is there anything about this particular chase that especially angers John Brown, the ship’s owner, and causes him to seek revenge before Gaspee is floated on the next incoming tide? Or is this just a crime of opportunity too easy to pass up?

By only writing in detail about what happens from the moment the Rhode Islanders approach Gaspee until she is set on fire, Park never answers these questions about the chase and her grounding. Instead, the majority of this book is about the ways colonists obey and object to English rules and laws, and the investigation of the Gaspee incident.

Illegal trade with the enemy throughout the 18th century is the first topic explored. Following the Seven Years' War, when Rhode Island merchants even abused the use of flags of truce and prisoner exchanges by pretending to carry prisoners in order to trade with the French, George Grenville becomes head of the Treasury Department. He considers how to address England’s wartime debt and wants to increase revenue and curtail colonial smuggling. By getting the Royal Navy involved, he thinks these goals will be addressed. The next important activity is to revise the customs laws. The “Navigation Acts” govern trade within the British Empire. In 1673, an act is passed that appoints customs collectors to America. In 1696, new acts give them enforcement powers and create ten vice-admiralty courts, where colonial cases can be tried without juries. Rhode Island doesn't get its own vice-admiralty court until 1758. This functions until 1767. After that, Boston has jurisdiction and the judge is not generally sympathetic to Rhode Island’s merchants.

The three chapters that follow the burning of Gaspee discuss jurisdictional disputes between the civil authorities in Rhode Island and Boston, the Customs Service, and the Royal Navy, as well as rumors that anyone accused faces shipment to England for trial. Park presents a detailed background on each arm of the judicial system and precedents of laws to support statements. He also carefully dissects interviews and hearings.

Finding out who attacked Gaspee and why is not easy. Any and every attempt to question witnesses, apprehend suspects, or investigate what actually occurs is frustrated by the local sheriff and Rhode Island Governor Wanton. Lieutenant Dudingston and the Royal Navy do the same by keeping Gaspee’s crew silent. In England, the colonists’ attack on a Royal Navy vessel is considered an act of treason. The lack of significant information from the colony and no apprehension of suspects leads King George to order a Royal Commission.

Park provides the history of these royal commissions and the precedents for holding trials back in England. Then he presents every detail of this particular Commission’s hearings along with commentary. Since Governor Wanton is appointed to the Commission little is accomplished. Many people ignore the summons to appear. Gaspee’s crew is never interviewed. Most witnesses questioned are not reliable. As a result, the identities of the perpetrators are never learned. Lieutenant Dudingston’s less-than-truthful version of the story doesn’t falter and he is cleared for the loss of his vessel.

With attitudes toward England becoming unfavorable, citizens, newspapers, and preachers talk about efforts of the English to make Americans more subservient and ruin the growing economy with laws and tariffs. Many reference the Gaspee incident and Royal Commission to prove their statements. Park devotes the last chapter before his conclusions to one example of this: Reverend John Allen’s Thanksgiving sermon delivered to the congregation of Second Baptist Church in Boston in which “the Gaspee and Royal Commission of Inquiry were mentioned seven times.” (85)

In his conclusion Park points out how other events of the times overshadow the Gaspee incident. Most Americans today have never heard of this attack, but all have heard of the Boston Tea Party. Ironically, it is thought that the failure to punish anyone for burning Gaspee may have emboldened those who participate in the Boston Tea Party in December 1773.

By now you may realize I'm not thrilled with this book. There’s no question it is well researched and well presented. But this is not a sea history. At the end of his introduction, Park mentions that his book is just a study of “events in a single colony, surrounding the fate of a single schooner.” (ix) He believes this study to be a worthy contribution “in the larger context of the scholarship of Atlantic history.” (ix) I’m not sure he meets his mark. This book contributes more to the history of jurisprudence in early America than it does by providing an account of the Gaspee Affair.

Meet the author

Review Copyright ©2017 Irwin Bryan

Catastrophe at Spithead: The Sinking of the Royal George
by Hilary L. Rubinstein
Seaforth, 2020, ISBN 978-1-5267-6499-7, US $32.00 / UK £25.00

review by Irwin Bryan

This new book looks at a tragic incident that befalls a Royal Navy ship of the line in August 1782. The heavy loss of life includes the families of crewmen and members of the public, who are visiting the ship at its home port. Royal George is Admiral Richard Kempenfelt’s flagship, and sadly, he is also lost. His career includes several naval battles, and he is an innovator whose improvements to flag signals greatly expands the words and phrases which can be sent between ships. The opening chapter details the design and construction of Royal George and how she is armed with 100 guns. Her loss is described along with some eyewitness reports of the tragedy, but it is the loss of Kempenfelt that is chiefly lamented here.

Admiral Kempenfelt’s life and service history are detailed in the next three chapters. (Although his future flagship is present at some of his battles, it is only the Admiral’s story that is told.) On 7 April 1782, his flag is hoisted on Royal George. After a few months off Brest, an outbreak of illness causes his fleet to return to England. On 14 August, they arrive at Spithead, the fleet anchorage. Fifteen days later, the ship is lost.

Only after this eighty-page biography does the author go into greater detail regarding the ship’s demise. Why and how she sinks is explained, and many survivors’ stories are shared. These tell what those final seconds aboard are like for those who them. There is a frenzied attempt to launch boats by the other ships in the fleet in an effort to save lives; most individuals who escape the wreck drown because they cannot swim. Eyewitness accounts identify where each is at the time of the sinking, what they are doing, and how they come to be rescued. These survivors are from Royal George’s crew and officers; family and visitors belowdecks have no chance to escape the tragedy.

Whenever a naval vessel is lost, a court-martial is held to investigate what happens and determine who and/or what are responsible for the loss. At the court-martial delving into the loss of Royal George, Waghorn, the ship’s captain, gives a prepared statement describing the circumstances that lead to the loss. He claims neither negligence nor impropriety lead to the sinking. (His entire statement is included in the text.) Acting Lieutenant Durham, as officer of the watch, also testifies at the court-martial. The proceedings, as well as the court’s judgment, are discussed in the book’s next chapter. There is also a more detailed and scientific look into the catastrophe. This includes what the nearby ships’ logs say about the sea and wind conditions at the time, whether there are possible defects known about the vessel – other than that which is addressed when the tragedy occurs – and what it may have taken to cause or prevent what happens.

Rubinstein shares poems written, and memorials erected to honor and remember the ship, her admiral, and her crew. Although there are many plans and attempts to raise the ship over the years, none come to fruition; only some of her cannons are ever brought to the surface.

Along with the text, a color plate section includes diagrams and illustrations of the ship’s plans and construction, Royal George in action and on the day she is lost, and portraits of the Admiral and Acting Lieutenant Durham. A section of notes and an extensive bibliography are followed by the index.

Here is a book with a lot of appeal for those interested in the Royal Navy, the Age of Sail, and shipwrecks. I would have preferred to learn more about the ship’s history and less about the admiral’s career. Events are described clearly and without technical jargon. Anyone fortunate enough to read this book will gain a complete understanding of this historical event and the tragedy that ensues.

Cornish Wrecking 1700-1860: Reality and Popular Myth
by Cathryn Pearce
Boydell, 2010, ISBN 9781843835554, US $90.00 / UK £45.00

Cornish Wrecking is the first comprehensive, scholarly work that attempts to separate the myth from the reality of wrecking in Cornwall, England. Using legal, social, and cultural resources, Pearce, a maritime historian, examines wreck law and how the various groups involved respond to the changes over time. Her research deftly shows the image of evil wreckers isn’t an accurate depiction of these men and women, and she provides readers with glimpses into who these people are and why they scavenge ships that wreck on their shores. As she writes:

By assiduous investigation and “beachcombing”, we find that the historical record contains fragments of diverse materials that we can use to piece together wrecking history, including official government correspondence and records, Board of Trade wreck registers, legal cases involving right of wreck, personal correspondence, religious tracts, contemporary newspapers and literary sources.

The book opens with an introduction to wrecking, which is followed by these nine chapters:

1. Cornwall and the Sea
2. “Dead Wrecks” and the Foundation of Wreck Law
3. Wrecking and Criminality
4. The Cornish Wrecker
5. Wrecking and Popular Morality
6. Wrecking and Enforcement of the Law
7. Lords of the Manor and their Right of Wreck
8. Wrecking and Centralised Authority
9. The Wrecker, the Press, and the Pulpit.

Her conclusions sum up what her research reveals, after which are included several appendices, an in-depth bibliography, and a detailed index. Figures, maps, and tables accompany the narrative as well.

Cornish Wrecking is a highly readable and intriguing examination of an often misunderstood subject. Pearce deftly sets the stage for those unfamiliar with wrecking, and then takes readers step-by-step through wreck law and how changes to it affect those directly and indirectly involved. For readers looking for the truth about false lights, she does touch on this subject but not enough. She promises that a future book will address this topic in detail. The price of the book may put off potential readers, but those truly interested in this topic will not be disappointed.

The Hidden Galleon
The True Story of a Lost Spanish Ship and the Legendary Wild Horses of Assateague Island
by John Amrhein, Jr.
New Maritima Press, 2007, ISBN 978-0-9796872-0-4, US $32.95

A sunken Spanish ship. Legendary ponies. A barrier island off the Virginia coast. These are ingredients that inspired Marguerite Henry to craft what became a well-known children’s story, Misty of Chincoteague.

Oftentimes, legends have their basis in fact. As centuries pass, divining what is truth and what is fiction becomes difficult. Research plays a key role in this endeavor, as this narrative clearly demonstrates. In this case, the journey begins at the National Archives in Washington, DC. Amrhein discovers a letter, written by a Spaniard, to Maryland’s governor in 1750. The information leads Amrhein to believe it will be easy to find what remains of a sunken vessel. (Yes, that incident actually occurs.) It also leaves him with an unanswered question: If finding the wreck is so simple, why has no one done so? As he soon learns, his supposition is anything but easy. The journey will span years and involve a court-martial, a con man, a ship that never sets sail, fraud, uncooperative governments, and legal battles.

The true beginning of this voyage is neither the ponies nor the hunt for a hidden shipwreck. It starts in August 1750, in Havana, Cuba, where Don Daniel Huony is the captain of La Galga de Andalucia, a worn-out warship built nearly two decades earlier. She can carry 632 tons' worth of cargo and measures 120 feet from stem to stern, but numerous tweaks and modifications have left her less seaworthy than in her early days. After taking on cargo and passengers, including English prisoners taken captive by Spanish privateers, La Galga escorts five merchantmen on their journey to Spain. It is late in the year to be voyaging, but delays have left Huony little choice. They encounter a hurricane soon after their departure, which scatters the fleet. La Galga successfully navigates the seething water and wind until Assateague Island, where she strikes an impediment that damages her hull. Unable to stem the water flowing into the ship, Huony orders those aboard to abandon ship; all but five make it to shore.

Amrhein uncomplicates a series of convoluted episodes from recent and distant history to provide readers with a comprehensive and straightforward account that fascinates and astonishes. To further enhance the reading experience, he provides endnotes, a bibliography, an index, illustrations, diagrams, charts, and two sections of color plates. For those who enjoy mysteries and tales of searching for shipwrecks, The Hidden Galleon masterfully achieves both.