Synopses & Reviews
He joined the British Navy at age thirteen. After decades of apprenticeship, he rose to the rank of ship's captain, then vice admiral, and finally commander in chief of England's Mediterranean fleet. Beloved by fellow officers and seamen, he was renowned for his personal courage, strategic brilliance, and tactical excellenceall of which were in evidence as he forced Napoleon's navy to confront the British fleet at Trafalgar and played a crucial role in the most celebrated victory in British naval history. His name was not Horatio Nelson.
Trafalgar's Lost Hero tells the thrilling life story of one of the greatest unsung heroes of all time. Overshadowed by the flamboyance and self-promotion of his closest friend and onetime romantic rival Nelson, Cuthbert Collingwood was a paragon of modesty whose audacious bravery surfaced only in the face of the enemy. It's no accident that many of his adventures seem to spring from the pages of a Patrick O'Brian novel; Collingwood was one of the models for O'Brian's hero, Jack Aubrey.
This surprising treat for lovers of naval history and real-life adventure traces Collingwood's exploits from his harsh coming of age at sea through his storied service in the American Revolution to the long and bitter struggle with Napoleon. Collingwood emerges as a wily and daring commander who was at his steely-eyed best when outgunned by the enemy. His coolness under fire is revealed in lively accounts of his rescuing Nelson from destruction and the entrapment of a 26-ship enemy fleet with a tiny, four-vessel squadron. At Trafalgar, he was seen calmly munching an apple as he led his squadron, guns blazing, into furious battle. It was Collingwood, himself devastated by the loss, who delivered the news of Nelson's death to a nation stunned by the tragic price of victory.
As accomplished as Collingwood was in the art of war, it was his personal skills that set him apart from his contemporaries. Bitterly opposed to flogging, he commanded the most highly disciplined crews in the Royal Navy. His evenhandedness and shrewd understanding of human nature were indispensable assets when he became the virtual viceroy of the Mediterranean. Incredibly, he was able to keep the peace among pashas and princes, deys and doges, from Cadiz to Constantinopleall while blockading the French fleet in the harbor of Toulon.
Based on hundreds of personal letters, official documents, ships' logs, diary entries, and contemporary newspaper accounts, Trafalgar's Lost Hero brings a whole new perspective to the age of sail and revives the reputation of one of Britain's greatest warriors, commanders, strategists, and statesmen.
Synopsis
Trafalgars Lost Hero introduces the man whose real-life exploits have been attributed to the likes of Horatio Alger and Jack Aubrey. Never seeking the public acclaim craved by his closest friend and comrade Horatio Nelson, Cuthbert Collingwood was instrumental in forcing the combined French and Spanish fleets into the fateful battle, disabling the enemys flagship almost before the fight had begun, and taking command of the British fleet after Nelsons death. Bristling with action, packed with never-before-published accounts of major engagements from Collingwoods secret letter book, and bringing a fresh perspective to Britains most celebrated naval victory, Trafalgars Lost Hero is truly a treat for lovers of naval history and real-life adventure, and a rousing story well told.
Synopsis
Published on the 200th anniversary of Trafalgar, this superbly written biography rescues an unsung British naval hero from obscurity
Admiral Lord Cuthbert Collingwood (1748 1810) was one of the great British naval commanders of the Napoleonic Wars the man whose ship led the British fleet as it bore down on the French and Spanish line at Trafalgar, and who succeeded Admiral Horatio Nelson as the commander of the Mediterranean fleet. Yet despite his brilliance as a sailor, his valor in battle, and his skills as a statesman and diplomat, the modest, reserved Collingwood has always been overshadowed by his good friend, the daring, flamboyant Nelson. This biography at last redresses the balance, offering a riveting account of Collingwood s exemplary naval career.
Synopsis
Trafalgar’s Lost Hero introduces the man whose real-life exploits have been attributed to the likes of Horatio Alger and Jack Aubrey. Never seeking the public acclaim craved by his closest friend and comrade Horatio Nelson, Cuthbert Collingwood was instrumental in forcing the combined French and Spanish fleets into the fateful battle, disabling the enemy’s flagship almost before the fight had begun, and taking command of the British fleet after Nelson’s death. Bristling with action, packed with never-before-published accounts of major engagements from Collingwood’s secret letter book, and bringing a fresh perspective to Britain’s most celebrated naval victory, Trafalgar’s Lost Hero is truly a treat for lovers of naval history and real-life adventure, and a rousing story well told.
About the Author
MAX ADAMS, archaeologist, writer, and broadcaster, is passionate about rescuing Admiral Collingwood from obscurity in this, his first book. As a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellow, he had access to materials not available to earlier biographers. As both a theoretical and an on-site archaeologist, Adams has written for many academic journals. He lives in Newcastle, which was also Collingwood's hometown.