The Mauritius Command
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{{spoiler| ''The Mauritius Command''}} | {{spoiler| ''The Mauritius Command''}} | ||
| - | O'Brian says truly in his foreword that he has adhered closely to the facts of history. No other book in the series retains nearly so much of the real-life course of events; even minor details such as the burning of the silk, the sacrifice of a transport-brig to provide a breakwater during the Réunion landings, Farquhar's propaganda | + | O'Brian says truly in his foreword that he has adhered closely to the facts of history. No other book in the series retains nearly so much of the real-life course of events; even minor details such as the burning of the silk, the sacrifice of a transport-brig to provide a breakwater during the Réunion landings, Farquhar's propaganda activities and the explosion caused by a French flag are faithfully transcribed from the historical record. The principal changes he has allowed himself are as follows: |
*[[Jack Aubrey]] replaces Josiah Rowley as [[Commodore (rank)|Commodore]]. | *[[Jack Aubrey]] replaces Josiah Rowley as [[Commodore (rank)|Commodore]]. | ||
*[[Lord Clonfert]] replaces Captain Nesbit Willoughby as [[Master and Commander (rank)|commander]] of the ''Otter'' and subsequently captain of the ''Néréide''. Willoughby was an altogether more robust figure, several of whose exploits are transferred to Jack himself in the book; he was wounded in the same way as Clonfert but recovered and lived to be 72. | *[[Lord Clonfert]] replaces Captain Nesbit Willoughby as [[Master and Commander (rank)|commander]] of the ''Otter'' and subsequently captain of the ''Néréide''. Willoughby was an altogether more robust figure, several of whose exploits are transferred to Jack himself in the book; he was wounded in the same way as Clonfert but recovered and lived to be 72. | ||
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*Hamelin, the French commodore, was not killed on board the ''Vénus'' but lived until 1839. | *Hamelin, the French commodore, was not killed on board the ''Vénus'' but lived until 1839. | ||
| - | A curious detail is that [[HMS Leopard (ship)|HMS Leopard]] (50) was included in the squadron | + | A curious detail is that [[HMS Leopard (ship)|HMS Leopard]] (50) was briefly (April-May 1810) included in the squadron. O'Brian does not mention her in this book; he had other plans for her. |
| - | + | The following chronology of the campaign is based on Vol. 5 of James's ''Naval History of Great Britain''. Following James's convenient practice, the names of British ships are given in roman type and those of foreign vessels (French unless otherwise indicated) in italic. | |
| + | |||
| + | *'''1808 Oct. 8''' Modeste (36) captures ''Jéna'' (18), which becomes HM sloop Victor | ||
| + | *'''1809 Spring''' [[Rodriguez|Rodrigues]] Island captured by [[Harry Keating|Col. Keating]]'s troops for use as base for operations against [[Réunion]] and [[Mauritius]]; ''Vénus'', ''Manche'', ''Bellone'' & ''Caroline'' reach Mauritius | ||
| + | *'''May 31''' Caroline captures Indiamen Streatham & Europe | ||
| + | *'''Aug. 14''' Otter (N. Willoughby) captures French brig at Rivière-Noire, Mauritius | ||
| + | *'''Sept. 20-23''' Raisonable, Nereide, Sirius & Boadicea, with smaller vessels (Commodore Rowley), working with Keating's forces, capture port of Saint-Paul, Réunion. Silk warehouse burned down (May 22). ''Caroline'' taken; Streatham & Europe recaptured. Suicide of Governor Desbrusleys. Willoughby made [[Post Captain (rank)|post]] and transferred to Nereide. | ||
| + | *'''Nov. 2''' ''Bellone'' recaptures Victor, which apparently retains her new name in French hands | ||
| + | *'''Nov. 18''' ''Vénus'' & ''Manche'' capture Indiamen Windham, United-Kingdom & Charlton | ||
| + | *'''Nov. 22''' ''Bellone'' captures Portuguese ''Minerva'' (henceforward ''Minerve'') | ||
| + | *'''Dec. 29''' Magicienne (L. Curtis) recaptures Windham | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''[To be continued]'' | ||
Revision as of 10:03, 3 June 2008
For more details about the plot, which will contain spoilers, see Summary for The Mauritius Command
| Books in the Aubrey-Maturin Series by Patrick O'Brian | |
|
Master and Commander | Post Captain | HMS Surprise | The Mauritius Command | Desolation Island | The Fortune of War | The Surgeon's Mate | The Ionian Mission | Treason's Harbour | The Far Side of the World | The Reverse of the Medal | The Letter of Marque | The Thirteen-Gun Salute | The Nutmeg of Consolation | Clarissa Oakes/The Truelove | The Wine-Dark Sea | The Commodore | The Yellow Admiral | The Hundred Days | Blue at the Mizzen | 21: The Final Unfinished Voyage of Jack Aubrey | |
| Other books by Patrick O'Brian | |
The Mauritius campaign in history
| SPOILER WARNING: Plot or ending details for " The Mauritius Command" follow. |
O'Brian says truly in his foreword that he has adhered closely to the facts of history. No other book in the series retains nearly so much of the real-life course of events; even minor details such as the burning of the silk, the sacrifice of a transport-brig to provide a breakwater during the Réunion landings, Farquhar's propaganda activities and the explosion caused by a French flag are faithfully transcribed from the historical record. The principal changes he has allowed himself are as follows:
- Jack Aubrey replaces Josiah Rowley as Commodore.
- Lord Clonfert replaces Captain Nesbit Willoughby as commander of the Otter and subsequently captain of the Néréide. Willoughby was an altogether more robust figure, several of whose exploits are transferred to Jack himself in the book; he was wounded in the same way as Clonfert but recovered and lived to be 72.
- Captain Robert Corbett's fate is uncertain. The historian William James mentions the theory that he was killed by his crew but rejects it, suggesting instead that the wounded Corbett threw away his life by tearing off his bandages, a motif which O'Brian transfers to Clonfert.
- Hamelin, the French commodore, was not killed on board the Vénus but lived until 1839.
A curious detail is that HMS Leopard (50) was briefly (April-May 1810) included in the squadron. O'Brian does not mention her in this book; he had other plans for her.
The following chronology of the campaign is based on Vol. 5 of James's Naval History of Great Britain. Following James's convenient practice, the names of British ships are given in roman type and those of foreign vessels (French unless otherwise indicated) in italic.
- 1808 Oct. 8 Modeste (36) captures Jéna (18), which becomes HM sloop Victor
- 1809 Spring Rodrigues Island captured by Col. Keating's troops for use as base for operations against Réunion and Mauritius; Vénus, Manche, Bellone & Caroline reach Mauritius
- May 31 Caroline captures Indiamen Streatham & Europe
- Aug. 14 Otter (N. Willoughby) captures French brig at Rivière-Noire, Mauritius
- Sept. 20-23 Raisonable, Nereide, Sirius & Boadicea, with smaller vessels (Commodore Rowley), working with Keating's forces, capture port of Saint-Paul, Réunion. Silk warehouse burned down (May 22). Caroline taken; Streatham & Europe recaptured. Suicide of Governor Desbrusleys. Willoughby made post and transferred to Nereide.
- Nov. 2 Bellone recaptures Victor, which apparently retains her new name in French hands
- Nov. 18 Vénus & Manche capture Indiamen Windham, United-Kingdom & Charlton
- Nov. 22 Bellone captures Portuguese Minerva (henceforward Minerve)
- Dec. 29 Magicienne (L. Curtis) recaptures Windham
[To be continued]
