The Captain from Connecticut

This is a fine novel by CS Forester, the author of the magnificent Hornblower series of novels. It tells the story of a fictional American naval sea captain during the War of 1812, one Captain Josiah Peabody--an American charged with the mission of breaking the British blocade of the fledgling United States and wreaking havoc with the British sea lanes. This, he understands, will give America leverage against Britain and perhaps help motivate it to make peace.As Forester explains, America had failed to prepare adequately for the possibility of war, had not built up much of a Navy, and paid a thousandfold for this folly. Although Peabody is a fictional character, real life American captains like him did exist, and in fact the American Navy won glory against England in the War of 1812 in numerous ship actions that pitted a plucky but weak United States against the world's most powerful sea power. The story is very well-told, and Forester's insightful portrayal of Captain Peabody is a fine examination of the American character as it is often perceived by Britons. As always, Forester spins a great sea yarn, with all of the technical details perfect (I'm taking other people's word for this, but I know it is true!) and you can practically smell the salt water and hear the waves. An enjoyable yarn that ranks with the very best stories of naval adventure.

In this extremely well told tale, Captain Josiah Peabody, USN leads the frigate Delaware against British interests in the War of 1812. This story nearly has it all. The action crackles like a thunderous broadside, and the duel, the romance, and personal complexity of the captain are sure to satisfy even the most glutted reader. My only problem with this work was that it didn't continue to include a multi-volume series.As a single book, it is an outstanding piece of naval fiction, certainly ranking as one of the best sea tales of all time. It is difficult not to come away from this work with a spring in your step, and the images evoked will sing in your memory with all the infectious brilliance of the Marine Band aboard the Delaware powering the fife and drum. Anchors Away!

After plowing through the first hundred pages of this book with lightning speed, I suddenly chuckled to myself, and wondered: was I reading one of the finest sea stories ever written? The answer is a resounding 'yes.' This is one of two books Forester wrote about the U.S. Navy during the Age of the Fighting Sail -- the other being 'The Barbary Pirates.' It deals with the exploits of Captain Josiah Peabody, commanding the U.S.S. Delaware, during the War of 1812. For all those who think this period in American history is not worthy of your attention, think again. The War of 1812 represents the emergence of the Navy as presence -- albeit a limited one -- on the high seas.This tale will fill your topsails and speed you along with gale force winds. For those who have enjoyed Forester's Hornblower books and crave more, settle down with 'Captain' and prepared to be thrilled. All the basic elements Forester employs are here, and used with great effect: action, adventure, war, death, romance -- and, above all, fighting ships helmed by iron-willed captains. It is obvious to this reader that Forester's storytelling skills had been honed to a fine edge when he wrote 'Captain From Connecticut.' The plot is taut, the protagonist heroic, and the action scenes described with a breathless quality. And as with most Forester books, there is the mixture of the historical with the fictional.The added extra bonus of the book is that one finds himself overcome by patriotic feelings while rooting for the 'good guys' of the U.S. Navy. Long live Captain Peabody.

Everything that I loved about Forester's Hornblower novels is found in 'The Captain From Connecticut.' From brilliant sea battles, to duels of honor, to personal fears, this is a novel in great Forester tradition. The plot centers on the sea war between America and England in the closing months of the conflict. After the French Monarchy has been restored the new republic fears the full weight of the British Empire will come to bear on it. It is at this desperate time in the history of the United States that the novel's protaganist, Captain Peabody, must make a daring escape from the British blockade in order to threaten British interests in the Caribbean. Make no mistake, though, this is not simply a Hornblower knock-off. Captain Peabody is an original creation that could only come from the mind of a master story teller. For anyone interested in warfare in the age of the sail this is must reading and fans of great adventure will no doubt love it too.

This book, long out of print, tells the story of the Captain of an American frigate late in the War of 1812. He breaks out of Long Island in the midst of a snowstorm, wrecks havoc in southern waters, fights a duel, hunts down a pirate, deals with a family disgrace and upholds the honor of the U.S. Navy. In other words, this is Hornblower born as an American. Much better than O'brien, right up there with the best of Hornblower, read the book