Privateers of the Revolution

A history of maritime warfare off the Jersey coast from the perspectives of both Patriot and Loyalist privateers.

538 Pennsylvania and New Jersey privateer vessels waged war at sea during the American Revolution. Manned by over 18,000 men, these privateers influenced the fight for American independence. From the halls of Congress to the rough waterfronts of Delaware River and Bay to the remote privateering ports of the New Jersey coast and into the Atlantic, a stirring portrait emerges of seaborne raiders, battles, and derring-do. These include incredible escapes from the great British prison ships “vulgarly called Hell,” where more than 11,000 men perished. 

More than 40 years in the making and authored by a twice winner of the John Lyman Book Award, this work features source material extracted from numerous archives in both Europe and America. It includes more than 40 illustrations and maps.