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Patriot Pirates: The Privateer War for Freedom and Fortune in the American Revolution | 
 enlarge | Author: Robert H. Patton
Publisher: Pantheon
Category: Book
List Price: $26.00
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Avg. Customer Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 62981
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.4
ISBN: 0375422846
Dewey Decimal Number: 973.35
EAN: 9780375422843
ASIN: 0375422846
Publication Date: May 20, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New. 100% money back guarantee. All books shipped from Strand Bookstore, New York City, USA.
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Product Description
They were legalized pirates empowered by the Continental Congress to raid and plunder, at their own considerable risk, as much enemy trade as they could successfully haul back to America’s shores; they played a central role in American’s struggle for independence and later turned their seafaring talents to the slave trade; embodying the conflict between enterprise and morality central to the American psyche.
In Patriot Pirates, Robert H. Patton, grandson of the battlefield genius of World War II, writes that during America’s Revolutionary War, what began in 1775 as a New England fad--converting civilian vessels to fast-sailing warships, and defying the Royal Navy’s overwhelming firepower to snatch its merchant shipping--became a massive seaborne insurgency that ravaged the British economy and helped to win America’s independence. More than two thousand privately owned warships were commissioned by Congress to prey on enemy transports, seize them by force, and sell the cargoes for prize money to be divided among the privateer’s officers, crewmen, and owners.
Patton writes how privateering engaged all levels of Revolutionary life, from the dockyards to the assembly halls; how it gave rise to an often cutthroat network of agents who sold captured goods and sparked wild speculation in purchased shares in privateer ventures, enabling sailors to make more money in a month than they might otherwise earn in a year.
As one naval historian has observed, “The great battles of the American Revolution were fought on land, but independence was won at sea.”
Benjamin Franklin, then serving at his diplomatic post in Paris, secretly encouraged the sale of captured goods in France, a calculated violation of neutrality agreements between France and Britain, in the hopes that the two countries would come to blows and help take the pressure off American fighters.
Patton writes about those whose aggressive speculation in privateering promoted the war effort: Robert Morris--a financier of the Revolution, signer of the Declaration of Independence, member of the Continental Congress who helped to fund George Washington’s army, later tried (and acquitted) for corruption when his deals with foreign merchants and privateers came to light, and emerged from the war as one of America’s wealthiest men . . . William Bingham… John R. Livingston--scion of a well-connected New York family who made no apologies for exploiting the war for profit, calling it “a means of making my fortune.” He worried that peace would break out too soon. (“If it takes place without a proper warning,” said Livingston, “it may ruin us.”) Vast fortunes made through privateering survive to this day, among them those of the Peabodys, Cabots, and Lowell's of Massachusetts, and the Derbys and Browns of Rhode Island.
A revelation of America’s War of Independence, a sweeping tale of maritime rebel-entrepreneurs bent on personal profit as well as national freedom.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
The Numbers Are Astounding! November 28, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
When people discuss or historians write about the American Revolution the focus is ALWAYS about the land campaigns. The closest I have ever come to reading anything about naval warfare is John Paul Jones exploits and these are always mentioned in passing or after the fact. Patriot Pirates is a most jaw dropping work that describes not only the sheer numbers of American privateers engaged, but the magnitude of the engagement, a massive seaborne insurgency that ravaged British merchant shipping and helped to win America's independence.
Why has American privateering not been brought to light? Was it the fact that privateering was nothing more than legalized piracy? Probably so but it was also the only way to create and equip a Navy on someone else's dime. The Continental Congress jumped on this method of financing a Navy in a material way. More than 2,000 privately owned warships were commissioned by Congress to prey on enemy transports, seize them by force and sell their cargos to be divided between crew, officers and owners.
So effective was the American privateer that it became quite a huge trade, employing tens of thousands and involving some of the most prominent citizen such as John Hancock, John Livingston, and Robert Morris. Privateering was approved by Washington in his siege of Boston; Silas Deane and Benjamin Franklin outfitted ships, arranged for the sale of confiscated goods in French ports and issued their own comissions. But probably the most effective participant was William Bingham, an American appointed by Congress to operate out of the Caribbean port of Martinique. Yet again authorizing vessels independently, his exploits are the stuff of legend. Britain also authorized privateers. Once authorized, over 100 launched by loyalists in New York and more than 1,000 launched from Britain and the West Indies.
It is simply amazing that this stunning growth business, practiced by both sides, is for the most part, a completely unreported part of the War for Independence. The vast fortunes that were made through these efforts survive to this day, among them, the author asserts, are the Peabodys, Cabots and Lowells of Massachusetts and the Derbys and the Browns of Rhode Island.
This is a fascinating work, one not to be missed.
 Appreciating little-known history October 21, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Most people not deeply into history of the Revolutionary War era have stereotypical impressions of both "privateering" and such characters as
George Washington and Benjamin Franklin,to say nothing of the lesser players. This book is very revealing, as it gives us insight into the way privateering was conducted --not always by "the bad guys", but often had the approval and involvement of people we consider stainless patriots.
I hope that this will become an often-referenced resource in history classes and discussions. It is not an "easy read" but a very worthwhile one for serious history buffs and scholars.
Privateers through the Revolution August 19, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
In Patriot Pirates, Robert H. Patton tells the story of the American privateers in the Revolution. The book covers the entire war from Boston to Yorktown. American merchants armed hundreds of small ships to interdict the British maritime supply lines. Patton illustrates how patriotism and business came together in the privateers.
I read this book along with two other works, George Washington's Secret Navy (James L. Nelson) and If By Sea (George Daughan). Nelson's book recounts the the Siege of Boston (June 1775 to March 1776) when Washington took over the nascent Continental Army and quickly realized that he didn't have the assets to do more that continue the siege. He proceeded to arm several small schooners to interdict the British maritime supply lines. These five ships were the beginning of American maritime operations which eventually included the Continental Navy and privateers in an Atlantic campaign. Daughan's concentrates on the US Navy from 1775 to 1815. Together with Patton's book, this is a full history of Early American sea power.
I'd add the following works for a library on this subject:
Frederick C. LeinerThe End of Barbary Terror
Richard ZacksThe Pirate Coast
Ian W. TollSix Frigates
A. B. C. WhippleTo the Shores of Tripoli
John R. EltingAmateurs, To Arms!
In the past year I've read several excellent books about pirates and privateers.
My interest was originally sparked in 1995 with David Cordingly's "Under the Black Flag" because this book pictured the privateers/pirates as sea-going guerrillas.
The 3 books mentioned above have one flaw. They don't provide any context for American attitudes toward privateers, smugglers, etc. The American coastal communities were very familiar with privateers and their business. Until the Seven Years War (French and Indian War) few Royal Navy ships came to North America. American's were used to doing for themselves, and making a profit therein.
When the Revolution came, Americans were ready to bring the "fight" to the enemy. If this activity mostly involved taking merchant ships as prizes, so much the better.
The following are worth reading:
Peter Earle Pirate Wars
The Sack of Panama
Stephan Talty Empire of Blue Water
Benerson Little The Sea Rover's Practice
The Buccaneer's Realm
Colin Woodard The Republic of Pirates
Together these works cover piracy from the late 16th to the early 19th Century.
 Worthy topic, misleading package August 18, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
Make no mistake, the topic of this history is NOT privateering, but rather profiteering. I say this not to discourage readers from choosing this book, but to better inform them. If your interest lies in naval history or even commercial history, look elsewhere.
That said, Patton brings forth an interesting overview of the intermingling of personal, business, and patriotic motivations that made the American Revolution possible in terms of finances and supplies. To that end, this history sheds light into the murky dealings of a few of the more important and lesser known revolutionary financiers.
However, I cannot help but feel intentionally mislead by the author and the publishers. By attempting to portray this book as something that it is not, they have diminished a solid history on an interesting topic.
history that feels new July 22, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I got this for my son and read it myself first. I learned things different from anything I have heard before. Some are slimy colonial characters but many just trying to get ahead like everyone. I liked how the stories came together and connect the characters and action together at the end. There was just enough money talk to be interesting but not boring. If I hear people talk about the revolution and not mention sea events in the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean then I'll know they didn't read this book.
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