Mariner & Gunner: an English Seaman in the Merchant Marine & The Royal Navy, 1781-1819

From merchantman to man-of-war

William Richardson was always certain he would be a seaman. His father and all his brothers were mariners so it was not unusual that he should go to sea in his turn. By the last part of the eighteenth century Richardson was an accomplished and experienced young mariner who had made steady progress in promotion and who had travelled sea-routes across the globe, including time served in the notorious slave trade. These were the days of the press gangs and many a merchant seamen was forcefully taken into the ranks of the Royal Navy. Richardson was no exception and, perhaps peculiarly, he accepted his fate with good humour. While under the ensign he joined Sir Ralph Abercromby's expedition to St. Lucia and served throughout the West Indies aboard HMS Prompte and HMS Tromp. War with Napoleonic France saw Richardson, now a master gunner, aboard HMS Caesar. Those interested in the wars of the 'Age of Sail' will find much to interest them in this book, as the author richly describes his experiences among the crew of a British man-of-war in action in the Channel, the Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. An excellent and rare account of Nelson's navy from the pen of an ordinary seaman. Recommended.