A Double-Edged Sword: The Biography of Commodore Jesse Duncan Elliott, 1782-1845 (Maritime Currents: History and Archaeology) - Softcover

Long, David F.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0817362401 ISBN 13: 9780817362409

Verlag: The University of Alabama Press, 2026

Inhaltsangabe

An overdue reassessment of one of the US Navy's most decorated-and divisive-early commanders, whose legacy remains teetering between heroism and scandalous.

A Double-Edged Sword: The Biography of Commodore Jesse Duncan Elliott, 1782-1845 is a comprehensive and long-overdue portrait of one of the most polarizing figures in early US naval history. Written over the course of a decade and completed shortly before the author's death, this meticulously researched biography revisits the career of a man once hailed for his military exploits-and later condemned for a myriad of personal controversies-including his perceived missteps while in command.

David F. Long traces Elliott's rise from promising young officer to commodore, chronicling his leadership during key moments such as the capture of the brig Caledonia, the defense of Fort Erie, and his central-but contested-role in the Battle of Lake Erie. Despite notable contributions to the Navy's early successes, including his diplomatic work and restoration of the USS Constitution, Elliott's legacy was clouded by scandal: accusations of cowardice, a notorious duel, a contentious command style, and a drawn-out court-martial that ended his career in disgrace.

Serving as both biography and reflective historical analysis, Long paints a vivid picture of the early US Navy-its rivalries, growing pains, and evolving institutional identity. His balanced account of Elliott's life, neither excusing his faults nor downplaying his achievements, places the commodore's story in direct conversation with the challenges and ambitions of a rapidly expanding American maritime power. This is a must read for scholars of naval and military history, early American politics, or anyone interested in the brazen albeit controversial legacy of a forgotten national hero.

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

David F. Long joined the history department at the University of New Hampshire in 1948 where he taught for forty-five years, specializing in naval history and foreign relations. He authored or edited many books, among them Nothing Too Daring: A Biography of Commodore David Porter, 1780–1843. Long passed away in 2001.

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: The University of Alabama Press
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2026
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 0817362401
• ISBN 13: 9780817362409
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 282
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Mare Nostrum Group B.V.; gpsr@mare-nostrum.co.uk; ; Doelen 72; Breda; 4831 GR; Niederlande