Overview
In Coffins of the Brave: Lake Shipwrecks of the War of 1812, archaeologist Kevin J. Crisman and his fellow contributors examine sixteen different examples of 1812-era naval and commercial shipbuilding. They range from four small prewar vessels to four 16- or 20-gun brigs, three warships of much greater size, a steamboat hull converted into an armed schooner, two gunboats, and two postwar schooners. Despite their differing degrees of preservation and archaeological study, each vessel reveals something about how its creators sought the best balance of strength, durability, capacity, stability, speed, weatherliness, and seaworthiness for the anticipated naval struggle on the lakes along the US-Canadian border. The underwater archaeology reported here has guided a new approach to understanding the events of 1812–15, one that blends the evidence in contemporary documents and images with a wealth of details derived from objects lost, discarded, and otherwise left behind. This heavily illustrated volume balances scholarly findings with lively writing, interjecting the adventure of working on shipwrecks and archaeological finds into the investigation and interpretation of a war that continues to attract interest two centuries after it was fought.
Full Product Details
Author: Kevin J. Crisman ,
Kevin J. Crisman ,
Walter Rybka ,
Kenneth Cassavoy
Publisher: Texas A & M University Press
Imprint: Texas A & M University Press
Dimensions:
Width: 21.60cm
, Height: 3.30cm
, Length: 27.90cm
Weight: 1.451kg
ISBN: 9781623490324
ISBN 10: 1623490324
Pages: 440
Publication Date: 28 February 2014
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Professional and scholarly
,
Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Available To Order
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Reviews
. . .Crisman has assembled a multinational crew of writers and researchers who are able to bring the stories of these wrecks to life, even when mere fragments of the vessels survive. . .beautifully produced by Texas A&M University Press, Coffins of the Brave casts a whole new light onto the War of 1812 and the ships and men who waged the naval struggle on the lakes. It is scholarly but lightly written, accessible to both the general reader and academics. It would be a valuable addition to the bookshelves of anyone interested in the War of 1812, period ship building or underwater archaeology. International Journal of Maritime History --Faye Kert International Journal of Maritime History (10/01/2015)
Author Information
Kevin J. Crisman is an associate professor in the nautical archaeology graduate program of the anthropology department at Texas A&M University, USA, where he also serves as director of the Center for Maritime Archaeology and Conservation.
