Sailing Warships of the US Navy

Although a relatively small force during the Age of Sail, the US Navy was nevertheless closely watched by larger maritime powers impressed by the radical thinking and innovative design manifest in so many of its warships. This gives the subject an interest that stretches far beyond the shores of America itself. For over fifty years knowledge of these ships has relied heavily on the works of Howard Chapelle, a practical naval architect with a fine understanding of design, but an amateur historian who was less than professional in his use of sources. This book is a broad study that looks critically at Chapelle's findings, to unearth new material, and in many cases to draw different conclusions. Much of Chapelle's analysis is so convincing because of the fine quality of his own drawings, but he was not always candid about how much he added or 'reconstructed'. In this book, therefore, much emphasis is placed on reproducing the original draughts, supported by contemporary paintings, prints and other visual evidence, for which the large format is ideal. The main chapters are devoted to the major ship types, from ships of the line down to brigs and schooners, as well as vessels on the Great Lakes, while appendices deal with gunboats, galleys and revenue cutters. The narrative is backed by extensive data tables, and a number of important documents, like the building specification for Constitution and her sisters, are reproduced in full.