Favourite of Fortune: Captain John Quilliam, Trafalgar Hero

Captain John Quilliam was a Manx hero and one of the most important men on the quarter deck of HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar, but his career has until now evaded detailed study. He climbed to become Victory's First Lieutenant, winning a share in wealth through the seizure of Spanish gold and defeating an accusation of shirking an engagement with the American super-frigate President in a Court Martial. This first full biography of a far-from-ordinary naval officer is an unusual collaboration between three writers.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 04 September 2023
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd

The Royal Navy of Nelson's time was a tapestry of heroes and remarkable achievements, but even within this illustrious realm, the career of Captain John Quilliam stands out as a beacon of fortune's favor. Born on the Isle of Man 250 years ago, Quilliam has, until now, escaped the thorough examination of his extraordinary life. While revered as a Manx hero on the Island, his role as one of the most influential figures on the quarterdeck of HMS Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar remains largely unacknowledged in the broader world beyond. Trafalgar, however, was merely the peak of Quilliam's professional journey. Starting from the lowest rung in the dockyard at Portsmouth, he ascended the ranks to become Victory's First Lieutenant, having already weathered two of the most devastating sea battles of the era at Camperdown and Copenhagen. In this arduous ascent, he secured a share in unimaginable wealth through the seizure of one of the largest hauls of Spanish gold ever captured by the Georgian navy. Promoted to Post-Captain, Quilliam reached the pinnacle of his profession, commanding frigates in the Baltic and on the Newfoundland station during the War of 1812. It was there, in a peculiar twist reminiscent of a novel by O'Brian or Forester, that he triumphantly defeated an accusation of shirking an engagement with the American super-frigate President in a Court Martial initiated by his own First Lieutenant. This groundbreaking first full biography of a far-from-ordinary naval officer is a unique collaboration between three writers, each passionate about different facets of Quilliam's career, yet bound by a shared belief that his story deserves a wider audience.

Weight: 316g
Dimension: 153 x 234 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399016957