A MARITIME HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR An Atlantic-Wide Conflict over Independence and Empire

The American Revolutionary War saw a series of battles involving naval forces of the British Royal Navy and the Continental Navy from 1775, and of the French Navy from 1778 onwards. While many books have been written on this subject, this is one of the first to treat it in its entirety as an Atlantic-wide conflict. While the book’s geographical scope is vast, it features overlooked aspects of the war in which vessels like sloops and barges fought—actions which proved to be as decisive as the familiar ship-of-the-line confrontations. It is also an example of history from the bottom up, emphasising the role of the crew as much as the not-always-heroic officers.