Mutiny on the Spanish Main: HMS Hermione and the Royal Navys revenge

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A vivid account of a forgotten chapter of British naval history. Dan Snow, Historian, TV Presenter and Broadcaster The true story of one of the most notorious mutinies in naval history, which provided inspiration for Patrick OBrians AubreyMaturin and C.S. Foresters Hornblower novels. In 1797 the 32-gun Royal Navy frigate HMS Hermione was serving in the Caribbean, at the forefront of Britains bitter sea war against Spain and Revolutionary France. Its commander, the sadistic and mercurial Captain Hugh Pigot ruled through terror, flogging his men mercilessly and pushing them beyond the limits of human endurance. On the night of 21 September 1797, past breaking point and drunk on stolen rum, the crew rebelled, slaughtering Pigot and nine of his officers in the bloodiest mutiny in the history of the Royal Navy. Handing the ship over to the Spanish, the crew fled, sparking a manhunt that would last a decade. Seeking to wipe clean this stain on its name, the Royal Navy pursued the traitorous mutineers relentlessly, hunting them across the globe, and, in 1801, seized the chance to recover its lost ship in one of the most daring raids of the Age of Fighting Sail. Anchored in a heavily fortified Venezuelan harbour, the Hermione now known as the Santa Cecilia was retaken in a bold night-time action, stolen out from under the Spanish guns. Back in British hands, the Hermione was renamed once more its new identity a stark warning to would-be mutineers: Retribution. Drawing on letters, reports, ships logs, and memoirs of the period, as well as previously unpublished Spanish sources, Angus Konstam intertwines extensive research with a fast-paced but balanced account to create a fascinating retelling of one of the most notorious events in the history of the Royal Navy, and its extraordinary, wide-ranging aftermath.

Reviews

A vivid account of a forgotten chapter of British naval history. * Dan Snow, Historian, TV Presenter and Broadcaster *
Angus Konstam is a master of meticulous maritime research and has brilliantly reignited this stirring tale of mutiny, savage murder, treason and subsequent Royal Navy daring and gallant retaliation and retribution. It is a cracking good read. * Admiral Sir Jock Slater, Royal Navy (rtd.), former First Sea Lord *
Angus Konstam has delivered a masterful work. Fast moving, fascinating intrigue, incredible action, and heroic retribution by the Royal Navy. Meticulous research includes a surprising impact on US history. Patrick OBrian would love this book. I couldnt put it down! * Admiral Jay L. Johnson U.S. Navy (rtd.), former Chief of Naval Operations *
Mutiny on the Spanish Main has everything such a history should have: a story which no novelist would dare put before his readers, an exploration of the depths to which unconfined humans can sink [and] a graphic style which places the reader in the action and there is action aplenty. What more could any reader want * Peter Padfield, Author of Nelsons War *
Konstams detective work in archives across the world reveals the astonishing story of what really happened, the characters of the men involved and the convoluted mixture of geopolitics and personality which led to one of the bloodiest chapters in British naval history. * Sin Rees, Author of The Floating Brothel *
Angus Konstam starts in the homely surroundings of a pub in Greenwich with two lamented and larger-than-life characters, and takes us to the Caribbean in one of the navys worst-run ships, in a period of great unrest. He provided a moving and terrifying picture of mutiny and its aftermath in one of the Royal Navys darkest hours, combined with a thorough understanding of the customs and techniques of the navy of the day. * Brian Lavery, Curator Emeritus, National Museum, Greenwich and author of Nelson's Navy *

Author Bio

Angus Konstam is a well-established historian, and the author of over a hundred books, more than sixty of which are published by Osprey. These include series titles on Nelson and naval warfare, as well as popular books including Hunt the Bismarck and The Pirate World. His naval books by other publishers include Jutland: Twelve Hours to Win the War, The Battle of North Cape, and Sovereigns of the Sea. A former naval officer, maritime archaeologist and museum curator, he is now a full-time author, specialising in maritime and military history. He lives in Orkney, UK.