Tavern Talk : From Across the Sea: North Americans in Nelson’s Navy

Join us for a virtual Tavern Talk presented by Sean M. Heuvel, Ph.D. and Capt. John Rodgaard (USN, Ret.)

North Americans played an integral role in the Royal Navy during the Wars with France, from the lower deck all the way to the highest levels of command. While some of these North Americans operated in relative obscurity, others achieved high rank and formed lasting friendships with some of Great Britain’s foremost naval leaders of the age, including Lord Nelson and King William IV. 

From Across the Sea: North Americans in Nelson’s Navy explores the varied contributions of North Americans to the Royal Navy during Great Britain’s wars against Revolutionary and Napoleonic France. It is the first book that explores this topic in depth. As an edited compilation, top specialists in the field have contributed thematic essays (on topics ranging from impressment to the Anglo-American maritime relationship) as well as biographical essays on a range of North Americans from both the officer ranks and the lower deck. For the biographical portraits, special attention has been paid to individuals who have not already been the subject of extensive research and writing. Accompanying these essays are several never-before-published illustrations depicting some of the key North Americans as well as the ships and naval battles in which they were a part.  

Sean M. Heuvel, Ph.D. is a faculty member in the Department of Leadership and American Studies at Christopher Newport University. He holds a B.A., M.Ed., Ph.D. and an M.A. An active member of The 1805 Club and The Society of the Cincinnati, Dr. Heuvel also co-founded the Williamsburg-Yorktown American Revolution Roundtable in 2013 and now serves as a president emeritus on its executive board.

Captain John A. Rodgaard, USN (Ret.) has over 41 years with the naval service of the United States. He is also a published author and a contributor to several Discovery Channel Unsolved History Television Programs. He  co-authored A Call to The Sea: Captain Charles Stewart of The USS Constitution, and authored A Hard Fought Ship: The Story of HMS Venomous. He is the recipient of the Naval Institute’s History Author of the Year in 1999.  Rodgaard holds a B.A. in History and Political Science; an M.A. in Political Science, and is also a graduate of the U.S. Naval War College.