The Sea Rover's Practice

by Little, Benerson

• ISBN13: 9781574889116
• ISBN10: 1574889117
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-04-01
• Publisher: Potomac Books Inc

Summary

To read of sea roving's various incarnations - piracy, privateering, buccaneering, la flibuste, la course - is to bring forth romantic, and often violent, imagery. Indeed, much of this imagery has become a literary and cinematic clich?. And what an image it is! But its truth is by halves, and paradoxically it is the picaresque imagery of Pyle, Wyeth, Sabatini, and Hollywood that is often closer to the reality, while the historical details of arms, tactics, and language are often inaccurate or entirely anachronistic. Successful sea rovers were careful practitioners of a complex profession that sought wealth by stratagem and force of arms. Drawn from the European tradition, yet of various races and nationalities, they raided both ship and town throughout much of the world from roughly 1630 until 1730. Using a variety of innovative tactics and often armed with little more than musket and grenade, many of these self-described "soldiers and privateers" successfully assaulted fortifications, attacked shipping from small craft, crossed the mountains and jungles of Panama, and even circumnavigated the globe. Successful sea rovers were often supreme seamen, soldiers, and above all, tacticians. It can be argued that their influence on certain naval tactics is felt even today. The Sea Rover's Practiceis the only book that describes in exceptional detail the tactics of sea rovers of the period - how they actually sought out and attacked vessels and towns. Accessible to both the general and the more scholarly reader, it will appeal not only to those with an interest in piracy and in maritime, naval, and military history, but also to mariners in general, tall-ship and ship-modeling enthusiasts, tacticians and military analysts, readers of historical fiction, writers, and the adventurer in all of us.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	p. ix
Preface	p. xi
The Perils of Wealth by Stratagem and Force of Arms, Part I: Of Greed and Desperation	p. 1
Sea Rovers: Freebooters, Filibusters, Cruisers, Corsairs, Buccaneers, Privateers, and Pirates	p. 10
Wealth by Force of Arms: Of Purchase as Purpose	p. 23
Roving Spirits, Charter Parties, and Stout Commanders: The Recruiting, Organization, and Leadership of Adventurers	p. 29
Piraguas, Sloops, and Ships: Tools of the Trade, Part I	p. 41
Of Small Arms and Fireworks: Tools of the Trade, Part II	p. 57
Cruising for Purchase: Forewarned Is Forearmed	p. 75
Baptisms, Pissdales, and Dog Watches: The Routine at Sea	p. 84
Riches and Dangers at Sea: Pirate Prey and Pirate Hunters	p. 95
"A Sail! A Sail!" Descrying and Espying the Prey	p. 105
Colors True and Colors False: In None We Trust	p. 111
Stand to Her Forefoot: Giving Chase	p. 120
Hailing and Showing Teeth: The Prey in Range	p. 129
Plucking a Crow: Small Arms and Great Guns	p. 134
Volleys, Grenades, and Cutlasses: Laying Her Aboard under Fire	p. 153
Surprizals at Sea: "Jesus! These Men Are Devils!"	p. 162
Surprizals at Anchor: Quiet Waters, Quiet Oars	p. 167
More Surprizals at Anchor: Of Trade and Other Pretenses	p. 175
Sending a Smoker and Catching a Tartar: More Stratagems at Sea	p. 180
Houses, Towns, and Cities Sacked: The Sea Rover as a Soldier	p. 190
Plunder and Prisoners: The Sanguine Spoils	p. 196
Rum, Women, Dice, Turtle, and Honor: The Routine Ashore and Soon Another Venture	p. 206
The Perils of Wealth by Stratagem and Force of Arms, Part II: Dying by the Sword	p. 214
Comparative Actions of Sea Rovers	p. 219
Privateer, Buccaneer, and Pirate: A Sea Rover's Lexicon, Part I	p. 221
Galley, Sloop, and Piragua: A Sea Rover's Lexicon, Part II	p. 228
Mariner's Language, 1630 to 1730: A Sea Rover's Lexicon, Part III	p. 239
Roving Writers and Some I Wish Had Been	p. 243
Spirits and Belly Timber: Some Culinary History and Recipes for the Adventurous	p. 246
Ranges, Distances, Weights, and Measures	p. 251
Notes	p. 255
Bibliography	p. 285
Index	p. 293
The Author	p. 303
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