SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2013 MARITIME MEDIA AWARDS

Between 1794 and 1815 the Royal Navy repeatedly crushed her enemies at sea in a period of military dominance that equals any in history.

When Napoleon eventually died in exile, the Lords of the Admiralty ordered that the original dispatches from seven major fleet battles - The Glorious First of June (1794), St Vincent (1797), Camperdown (1797), The Nile (1798), Copenhagen (1801), Trafalgar (1805) and San Domingo (1806) - should be gathered together and presented to the Nation. These letters, written by Britain's admirals, captains, surgeons and boatswains and sent back home in the midst of conflict, were bound in an immense volume, to be admired as a jewel of British history.

Sam Willis, one of Britain's finest naval historians, stumbled upon this collection by chance in the British Library in 2010 and soon found out that only a handful of people knew of its existence. The rediscovery of these first-hand reports, and the vivid commentary they provide, has enabled Willis to reassesses the key engagements in extraordinary and revelatory detail, and to paint an enthralling series of portraits of the Royal Navy's commanders at the time.

In a compelling and dramatic narrative, In the Hour of Victory tells the story of these naval triumphs as never before, and allows us to hear once more the officer's voices as they describe the battles that made Britain great.

'Sam Willis has pulled off another notable coup in bringing to light these original dispatches, which add so much knowledge, and so much colour and interest, to a period we thought we knew so well.' N.A.M. Rodger

About the Author
Dr Sam Willis is a maritime historian and archaeologist, and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. He is the author of the bestselling Hearts of Oak Trilogy and the Fighting Ships series.

Reviews
Extraordinary... Seldom has the drama, chaos and stench of battle been more vividly evoked. * Daily Mail, 'Books of the Year' *
Lively and wide-ranging... Willis manages to combine hard facts with fascinating anecdotes and pen pictures of the principal characters * History Today *
Sam Willis does not just transcribe the precious, privileged sources he has discovered. He also locates them in the warfare, seascapes, and politics of their time. His vivid writing and the book's lovely design make In the Hour of Victory a pleasure to handle and a revelation to read. * Felipe Fernandez-Armesto *



Book Information
ISBN 9780857895738
Author Dr Sam Willis
Format Paperback
Page Count 416
Imprint Atlantic Books
Publisher Atlantic Books
Weight(grams) 932g
Dimensions(mm) 231mm * 165mm * 23mm