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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Expert history of the Essex and the U.S. Navy, April 21, 2004
This review is from: The USS Essex: And the Birth of the American Navy (Hardcover)
"USS Essex" is a fine piece of naval literature that does a strong job of depicting the very beginnings of the United States Navy while also telling the history of this remarkable ship. The USS Essex was the pride and joy of Salem, Massachusetts. Built in 1799 on the finances of hundreds of `subscriptions' (similar to war bonds) by the local citizenry, the Essex came into existence during a time when the nation as a whole was wary of establishing a government run Naval force. The arguments against its establishment were that a standing Navy was symbol of the oppression and tyranny of aggressor nations like France and Britain. In addition, the expense of maintaining such a force would be stressful on the finances of a fledgling nation that was still trying desperately to pay down its Revolutionary War debts. The points in favor of the establishment of a Navy were that American merchant vessels needed protection from aggressive nations, pirates, and the Barbary States of North Africa while conducting trade while also provided a nautical defense of the U.S.' ample Atlantic coastline. At the time of Essex' construction, state run Naval militias were the accepted form of seafaring force. The Quasi-War with revolutionary France and the ongoing struggles with the Barbary States (to say nothing of the War of 1812) began to show to the U.S. government the wisdom of having a naval force. Authors Frances Robotti and James Vescovi have exhaustively searched the history of the Essex, its notable captains and crewmembers, while crafting a thesis that powerfully depicts the U.S. Navy's origin and growth from infancy. The first half of "USS Essex" is a bit more of a general Naval history, rather than a record specific to the Essex. The authors', themselves, concede that the Essex never had the notable confrontations of its more famous brethren like the Bon Homme Richard, USS Constellation, or USS Constitution, or even an infamous demise like the USS Philadelphia. The Essex was present for portions of the conflict with the Barbary States and had an occasional run-in with a British warship. It is necessary to take this broader approach before focusing directly on the Essex in order to frame the Essex' role in the evolution of the United States from disrespected rebellious nation to feared world power. The Essex was home to such famed captains as Edward Preble, William Bainbridge, and the bold and brash David Porter. Prior to the end of its service to the United States, it was also home to midshipman, David Glasgow Farragut, a man who would later go on to become the U.S. Navy's first Admiral and distinguish himself during the Civil War. The authors show how the Essex played an important role in the subduing of the Barbary States. They also demonstrate, with great detail, the Essex' crucial role in wresting sole domination of a Pacific waterways from the British, while under the command of David Porter. "USS Essex" is a tremendous read due to the fact that, not only does it expertly tell the history of this great ship, it also creates vivid imagery of what Naval battles were like back in that time period. Knowing what it means to `strike the colors', learning the pros and cons of cannons vs. carronades for weaponry, and understanding the unspoken rules of battle and seafaring make this book an invaluable resource for any Navy or history buff. It is also an enlightening read for anyone who is not as well-versed in our country's great Naval traditions.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An informative, colorful account, August 17, 2001
I have a couple of criticisms of this book, but let me say first that I really enjoyed it. I learned a lot about the early days of the U.S. Navy, the quasi-war with France, and the Barbary Wars. I would have also learned a good bit about the War of 1812, had I not already read a good history of that war. The book does a great job of bringing the captains of the Essex to life, which is very entertaining because they were all very colorful characters, especially David Porter. David Porter strikes me as the Dirty Harry of the early American Navy. He was a great fighter, but he was insubordinate at times and occasionally made rash, impulsive decisions. For example, while in port he had a British sailor who had been insulting them brought on board his ship and flogged (this was before the War of 1812). He also once sent Marines to Puerto Rico to force them to release a couple of his officers. They released the officers, but the incident almost caused a war with Spain. I do think, however, that the authors are too critical of Porter on two counts. First, they repeatedly assert that Porter should have burned all his prizes during his Pacific cruise, since most of them ended up back in British hands eventually. While it's true that this would have caused more damage to the British economy, the authors have failed to consider what effect the burning of the prizes would have had on the morale of Porter's crew. Crews at that time were largely motivated by the potential of earning prize money. The crew would have been furious with Porter if he had burned all the prizes and would have very likely mutinied. Secondly, the authors are critical of Porter's decision to go back to Valparaiso to pick a fight with HMS Phoebe. Taking on Phoebe was a bold move, that's for sure, but America's frigate captains were encouraged to be aggressive, and almost all of them were. At times this aggressiveness worked (the victories of the Constitution and United States) and sometimes it led to disaster (the defeat of the Chesapeake). In any case, Porter was a fighter, and was not content spend the entire war capturing British merchantmen practically without a shot. If Phoebe's captain (I forget his name) had not been such a scrub as to refuse Porter's offer of one-on-one combat, the Essex would have had a good chance to defeat Phoebe, which would have caused further deterioration in the British people's faith in their navy. I think the authors are a little to kind to Phoebe's captain. He turned down offers of a one-on-one battle with Essex, which he may well have won, and it was only his good luck that the Essex lost its maintopmast as it was escaping to sea. Had Essex not had that mishap it would have outrun Phoebe and been free to once again prey on British shipping. Okay, enough nitpicking. It is still a very enjoyable book.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Early America as seen through a fledgling Navy, September 7, 2000
This review is from: The USS Essex: And the Birth of the American Navy (Hardcover)
Although ostensibly about the birth of the U.S. Navy from the perspective of one frigate, this book accomplishes so much more. Robotti and Vescovi not only explore the development of U.S. Naval strategy, they also discuss the growth of U.S. foreign policy, the disputes with the Barbary States, and the causes of the War of 1812. During the U.S.A.'s first hundred years, merchant and military vessels were its representatives to other countries. The U.S.S. Essex certainly represented Amercia in both peace and war, and through this ship, we can see the development of the American presence in the world arena. Vescovi and Robotti also provide revealing glimpses of the daily life of the men who served aboard an early American warship. Thoroughly researched, but briskly written, this book recaptures a way of life long vanished, while tracing the roots of American military and foreign policy.
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