The French Assault on American Shipping, 1793-1813: A History and Comprehensive Record of Merchant Marine Losses

Greg H. Williams

Oct 2009 · McFarland

About this ebook

During the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic eras, France was plagued by war and crop failures and was desperately in need of supplies. Legally and illegally, French privateers and cruisers took cargo from merchant vessels of every nation, perhaps the United States more than any other. At least 6,479 U.S. claims involving more than 2,300 vessels were filed and these claims give a close approximation of American goods lost to the French.

The three main sections of this reference book present a comprehensive accounting of the losses (arranged by ship), descriptions of court cases involving important questions of law, and the disposition of claims. Also included are a glossary, a list of geographical locations mentioned in the text, and an overview of relevant acts of Congress, proclamations, treaties, and foreign decrees.

About the author

Greg H. Williams served four years in the Navy, including duty on the converted Liberty ship USS Granville S. Hall (YAG–40). He was one of 27 volunteer crewmen who made the entire five month voyage from San Francisco to Europe on the Jeremiah O’Brien in 1994 for the 50th anniversary of the Normandy Invasion. He lives near Noti, Oregon.