Destraex Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 Just reading ospreys order of battle on the british navy and they simply wiped the french out in every major battle from 1793 onwards. I want to read about the French navy from 1700 onwards to see if those 90yrs were also lopsided. I am considering joining the French navy in naval action because the British will of course be the cliche navy to join. I would though like to read that they were at least effective in some part and won a few battles. Any good books on them in this era. Where ever I look its all about the British or the Americans. French ships seem to be sexy enough and technologically advanced. They just seem to have been outclassed by the British in every respect. I like an under dog and would play the French. I know their navy was seriously screwed up officer wise when the revolution hit. A lot of their officers being aristocracy got outed. Leaving French sailors with the ability to argue orders with their captains democratically! But all this was from late 1700s onwards. Was the French navy any more effective at the start of the period? If not against the British against anyone else? This might fit the bill http://diginole.lib....275&context=etd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Danforth Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 I suspect this is going to be hard because the victors write history, and the French did not win. You might be able to find something on the French Navy assisting the United States in the War for Independence, but I couldn't. Maybe search for biographies on some their admirals? Villaneuve or Comte de Grasse? That may have some good info in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surcouf Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 The French Revolution is not the only reason for the failure of the French Navy, even if privately marine experienced officers, it must also be said that the French blockade of the main ports by British squadrons (congratulations to them because they have spent months at sea ports face to face many storms! ) is forbidden the outputs of the French squadrons. So the French, despite excellent ships, we lost the habit of maneuvers and battles. The English are better prepared and fatally crushed the French Navy.The best navy in the world is composed of English crew on a French ship! Therefore work together Sorry for my bad English... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crankey Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 The French navy had some excellent officers and elite crewed ships, though mostly frigates and smaller unrated as these would have been more active during times of blockade than the ships of the line. The larger ships would have found it harder to slip through the blockades, although there were some exceptions. Redoubtable who engaged Victory closely during battle of Trafalgar would easily represent such a vessel. Using the wiki I list below you can probably find specific literature against each listed battle for more specific information. Good Luck http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_naval_battles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destraex Posted December 27, 2014 Author Share Posted December 27, 2014 I actually posted this in the French forum but it got moved here I thought there may be some French novels or reference books. What really annoys me is that the book on frigates I have by robert gardiner detailing napoleonic frigates in detail has a generic title like it is going to cover all nations and then proceeds to almost ignore all other nations but Britain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surcouf Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 Destraex, there are in France two or three great men retracing the French Navy. Gentlemen Boudriot J., G. Delacroix and also AD. Lemineur. Here is the ANCRE site Mr J Boudriot in English: http://ancre.fr/en/ Several books are translated into English. It is the reference in French naval architecture and archeology. You'll find the basics of works such as: http://ancre.fr/en/ouvrages-de-base-en/9-vaisseau-de-74-canons-1780-traite-pratique-d-art-naval-1780-en-quatre-volumes-base-de-la-collection.htmlhttp://ancre.fr/en/ouvrages-de-base-en/59-vaisseaux-les-de-50-et-64-canons.htmlhttp://ancre.fr/en/ouvrages-de-base-en/67-vaisseaux-les-de-74-a-120-canons.htmlhttp://ancre.fr/en/ouvrages-de-base-en/56-vaisseaux-les-du-roi-soleil-jc-lemineur.htmlhttp://ancre.fr/en/ouvrages-de-base-en/62-fregate-marine-de-france-1650-1850.html Also a large amount of nomenclature: http://ancre.fr/en/13-monographies-en And finally to M. Delacroix: http://gerard.delacroix.pagesperso-orange.fr/monographies/monos.htm There absolutely everything to remake the game with only French ships! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destraex Posted December 28, 2014 Author Share Posted December 28, 2014 Thank you Surcouf. I am mainly interested in books that detail successful french exploits with frigates and especially SOLs. The stories of their navy and its successes. I know the british royal navy dominated but surely the french were successful in some actions? I already know the French made good fast big ships that had the disadvantage of not being as weatherly as british ships. I thank you once again and will look into those sources with relish!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destraex Posted December 28, 2014 Author Share Posted December 28, 2014 p.s. Any French novels? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surcouf Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 France is very poor in maritime novel ... There a few authors such as Pierre Loti, Louis Garneray, and others, but there is not much to ... The English have more fame and success, so more pride and authors to tell this history. When you see how France treated the last 74-guns that England would return to France... Enough said. That's life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Danforth Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 I checked for any books on the Comte de Grasse, sine he had some resounding success during the American Revolution, but I couldn't find anything, not in English anyway. Still, might be a good angle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6DuchiesMerchant Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 You might want to check out The French Navy and the Seven Years War by Jonathan Dull. You're not going to get a lot of guns and bugles type accounts of fleet battles. If it spends a LOT of time covering the political side of the war and the land campaigns in Hanover. However, it does provide a lot of context that sets up De Grasse's success during the American Revolution. It covers the struggles the French Navy had in acquiring the men and material necessary for sustained fleet operations as well as the effects of disease on ce rew strengths. It also provides enough about French naval deployments for you to draw your own conclusions (I decided that the French would have been better served concentrating everything in one theater as a means of strengthening their negotiating position.) In short, weak on detailed ship-on-ship actions but definitely worth it given the contextual background on the mid-18th Century Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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