Book Review: Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution by Eric Jay Dolin (2022)
Synopsis: While some historians consider them controversial and they are often referred to as pirates, privateers working on behalf of the thirteen colonies in exchange for profit were a common occurrence during the American Revolution. This non-fiction book tells their story and argues privateers were as important to the success of the rebelling colonies as any official and celebrated piece of the United States military.
Review: I came across Rebels at Sea at a bookstore several weeks ago but, since I was a bit undecided about buying it, I requested a copy through our local library first. I finally finished reading it and can honestly say it is a book that is worth adding to your history collection.
I knew enough about the American Revolution to know piracy/privateering was common. However, I never fully understood just how organized and targeted that effort was before reading this book. It wasn't just a group of sailors looking to make a profit, it was a pseudo navy that did as much, if not more, damage to the British Navy than the official Colonial Navy.
The book has a nice balance of being informative without bogging down the narrative. It covers privateering in a great amount of detail, covering everything from the difference between a privateer and a pirate to why the former wouldn't necessarily prevent someone from being hanged as the latter. I especially liked how the book described the specific rules relating to who could be a member of a privateer crew and how the money from capturing enemy ships was split.
Another thing I liked about this book was the author's argument about why paying privateers was a necessity with the war effort, as a way of ensuring loyalty. This was also a bit of an eye opener when the book talked about the multiple founding fathers who participated in the practice by investing in privateering boats. It put them in a bit of a different light because it's unclear if the profits they earned went toward the war effort or if they pocketed a percentage of it for themselves.
I thought the author also did a great job explaining both why the practice was largely frowned upon following the American Revolution and despite the resurrection of privateering during the War of 1812. It helped explain why privateers are usually omitted from many narratives about the Revolutionary War, while at the same time, making it clear that is probably a mistake.
Final Opinion: It's an interesting and informative book that talks about a side of the American Revolution that arguably doesn't get discussed enough. It's worth taking the time to read as a result of that.
My Grade: A
_______________________________________________________________
Book Review: How to Lose a War: More Foolish Plans and Great Military Blunders (2009)
Book Review: Badger State Showmen by Fred Dahlinger, Jr. and Stuart Thayer (1998)
Comments
Post a Comment