The Glorious First of June: Fleet Battle in the Reign of Terror

Author(s): Sam Willis

NEW RELEASE

France, early summer 1794. The French Revolution has been hijacked by the extreme Jacobins and is in the grip of The Terror. While the guillotine relentlessly takes the heads of innocents, two vast French and British fleets meet in the mid-Atlantic following a week of skirmishing. After fierce fighting, both sides claim victory.


In The Glorious First of June Sam Willis not only tells, with thrilling immediacy and masterly clarity, the story of an epic and complex battle, he also places it within the context of The Terror, the survival of the French Revolution and the growth of British sea-power.


Product Information

'An authentically salty understanding of the workings of wind, sea, sail and rig. A brilliant and subtly nuanced account of the battle' Sunday Times.

'Those who would attempt to explain a great battle at sea in the age of sail need salt water in the veins and a skilled pen. In this marvellous book Dr Sam Willis proves that he has both' BBC History Magazine.

'One of the things that makes Willis such a joy to read is the blazing clarity of his explanations. By the time you've finished his book you'll appreciate every nuance of naval tactics' Mail on Sunday.

Dr Sam Willis is one of the world's leading authorities on the sailing navy. He is an Honorary Fellow at the University of Exeter's Centre for Maritime Historical Studies and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He is the author of several books on naval and maritime history including the highly successful Fighting Ships series. He lives in Exeter.

General Fields

  • : 9781849160391
  • : Quercus Publishing Plc
  • : Quercus Publishing Plc
  • : 31 August 2012
  • : 216mm X 135mm
  • : United Kingdom
  • : 01 December 2012
  • : books

Special Fields

  • : Sam Willis
  • : Paperback
  • : 1212
  • : 940.2745
  • : 320
  • : 2 full-colour plate sections, maps and illustrations