Victory vs Redoutable: Ships of the line at Trafalgar 1805 (Duel) [Paperback]

Gregory Fremont-Barnes (Author), Ian Palmer (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 20, 2008 | Series: Duel (Book 9)

Late in the morning on October 21, 1805, warships from the British and combined French and Spanish fleets clashed off Cape Trafalgar on the Spanish coast. After a six month game of cat and mouse across the Atlantic, 27 British ships of the line engaged the Allied force of 33 ships of the line. This was a duel of skill, tenacity and bravery as captains and crews battled for mastery of the seas. This book is an opportunity to relive the action at Trafalgar - read the accounts of sailors who were there, and who experienced the sound of scraping cutlasses and bombarding cannons at one of the most important naval engagements of history. Understand how the guns were operated, learn about the training of crews and study the design and development of the incredible ships which dominated naval warfare of the period, as Gregory Fremont-Barnes reveals the revolutionary tactics used by Nelson to secure a victory that saved Britain from the threat of invasion and ensured British naval dominance for over a century.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Gregory Fremont-Barnes' Victory vs Redoutable: Ships of the Line at Trafalgar 1805 covers the combined British, French and Spanish fleets who clashed off Cape Trafalgar on the Spanish coast in a duel of bravery. The action at Trafalgar comes to life in a series of studies of ships, crews and naval warfare." -The Bookwatch (September 2008)

 

"Once the combat section is finished, there is a statistical analysis of the battle and a look at how the battle affected future history. All of this is superbly illustrated with period illustrations as well as excellent modern illustrations and painting. In all, another excellent Osprey book. One that you can buy knowing you will be getting the very best. "- Scott Van Aken, modelingmadness.com (June 2008).


"The volume contains not only a great deal of informative, well written text, but is also packed with full color illustrations throughout. The book reads very well, and keeps the readers attention by telling the battle story in an exciting manner, while also providing a wealth of documented information about the vessels, and the men who sailed them." - Mark R. Smith, Model Shipwrights 

About the Author

Gregory Fremont-Barnes holds a doctorate in Modern History from Oxford University. He is the author of The French Revolutionary Wars, The Peninsular War, The Fall of the French Empire, 1813-1815 and The Boer War, 1899-1902. He is currently editing a four-volume Encyclopedia of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and co-editing a five-volume Encyclopedia of the American Revolutionary War. The author lives in Oxfordshire, Uk.

Ian Palmer is a highly experienced digital artist. A graduate in 3D design, he currently works as a senior artist for a leading UK games developer. Besides his artistic interests he is also a keen musician and motorcyclist.

Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing; First Edition edition (May 20, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1846031346
• ISBN-13: 978-1846031342
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 0.2 x 9.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #809,913 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Another piece of Anglo-centric rubbish...., May 30, 2008

By 

Eric Husher "The Searat" (Portsmouth, RI United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: Victory vs Redoutable: Ships of the line at Trafalgar 1805 (Duel) (Paperback)

I bought the book on the premise that it would examine and discuss the various elements of BOTH the HMS Victory AND the French 74 'Redoutable.' This is NOT what this book is about! Instead, it is the same tired rendition of how wonderful the Royal Navy was of Nelson's time. Yes, we get it, and we have heard it many, many times. But there are TWO sides to every story, and certainly every battle, and it would have been very nice indeed if the authors had bothered to look a LITTLE bit into the French side, their naval architecture, a bit about their navy of the time, and at least, a bit about the actual ship 'Redoutable.' Such an investigation is not impossible, and certainly, there are TRUE experts in this field. What amazes me, beyond words, is that the author did not avail himslef of the services and expertise of that eminent scholar on all things relating to the historic French Navy, Jean Boudriot. Messieur Boudriot is famous for many things, and not the least for his MASSIVE four volume compendium on the 74-gun ship, titled (unsurprisingly) 'The 74 Gun Ship.' In it, every single element you can imagine is available, and certainly, at least SOMETHING of that could have been used in this book. At the very least, I would expect a DRAWING of a standard French 74 of the 'Redoutable' class, if not the 'Redoutable' herself. All in all, a very disappointing book, and for those who expect to see some sort of equal treatment fro both the French and British side, I say AVOID this book, as it is NOT what it proclaims itself to be!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ships-of-the-Line at Trafalgar, February 10, 2010

By 

Steven A. Peterson (Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL)) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Victory vs Redoutable: Ships of the line at Trafalgar 1805 (Duel) (Paperback)

The naval battle at Trafalgar was an important victory for the British Navy over the combined fleet of French and Spanish ships. With perhaps a bit of hyperbole, the author notes that (Page 5): ". . .on 21 October 1805 off the south-west coast of Spain, 60 such vessels [ships of the line] representing Britain, France, and Spain fought the greatest naval engagement in history."

The book provides ample detail on the structure of the opposing fleets (names of ships and number of guns (pages 9, 12, and 13), a schematic of HMS Victory (the flagship of the English fleet) and detail (but no drawing) of the French ship Redoutable (both on page 10), brief sketches of leaders of their respective fleets (e.g., Admirals Magon, Collingwood, Villeneuve, Gravina, and, of course, Nelson),specifications of ships of the line (the rating system, sails, masts, armament, etc.).

There is discussion of the respective fleets. The battle, though, is the centerpiece here. An illustration on page 41 outlines Nelson's rather interesting approach to battle. Ships of the line were so named because these large vessels would line up and fire broadsides from the "lines" thus formed. Nelson deployed his ships in two lines and attacked the French and Spanish fleet in perpendicular fashion rather than in line against the combined opposing fleet.

There is considerable detail on how navies fought at the time. There is a statistical analysis, indicating the bloodiness of the battle. Finally, the aftermath and ultimate impact of this battle on the course of the Napoleonic wars.

This is a slender volume, but serves as a nice introduction to the subject for an amateur like me.

2 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The action at Trafalgar comes to life, September 4, 2008

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Victory vs Redoutable: Ships of the line at Trafalgar 1805 (Duel) (Paperback)

Gregory Fremont-Barnes' VICTORY VS. REDOUTABLE: SHIPS OF THE LINE AT TRAFALGAR 1805 covers the combined British, French and Spanish fleets who clashed off Cape Trafalgar on the Spanish coast in a duel of bravery. The action at Trafalgar comes to life in a series of studies of ships, crews, and naval warfare.