Nicholas Ramage Books
In a daring foray, under the very nose of the French Mediterranean fleet, Lieutenant Lord Nicholas Ramage is to sail his tiny cutter close in to the Italian shore and rescue a party of stranded aristocrats from Napoleon's fast-advancing army.
Ramage is summoned by the Admiralty and given command of the brig Triton. But like the rest of the navy, Triton's crew has mutinied. Sympathizing with some of their complaints, Ramage also knows that if he fails to deliver three sealed dispatches to admirals off Brest and Cadiz and in the Caribbean, he will become a convenient scapegoat.
Lieutenant Lord Ramage, in command of the brig Triton, is escorting a convoy from Barbados to Jamaica, normally a routine and tedious chore. But this time Ramage has to be especially vigilant to guard the convoy's precious cargo—a family of important French refugees.
The West Indian bases are desperate: post vessels—a vital communications link between England and the West Indies in the war against France—are mysteriously disappearing and no packets have arrived with orders in months. Were the privateers out in full force again? Had Napoleon's navy a secret new weapon? Lieutenant Lord Nicholas Ramage sets out from Jamaica to discover what treachery is threatening to throw the British navy into chaos.
The youngest captain in His Majesty's Navy, with a reputation for landing impossible assignments, Lord Ramage is dispatched to the Caribbean islands of Martinique and Diamond Rock. The mission seems humdrum: barricade the French within Fort Royal. But when he is sent to sea in the Juno with a crew grown restless and undisciplined under the prior command of a drunk, Ramage realizes his vessel may not be up to battle with the French.
Captain Ramage recklessly attempts to free the Jocasta, a British ship, from the Spanish Main stronghold of Santa Cruz. A vicious mutiny has left the Jocasta open to capture by Spain, but sailing the frigate Calypso, Ramage will stop at nothing to rescue the imprisoned vessel, even if it means inciting another mutiny on board his own ship.
Setting off on a sweep for freebooters in the waters off Jamaica, Ramage and the crew of the Calypso stumble upon a scene of carnage: a sinking British ship, her crew and passengers—men and women alike—ruthlessly murdered at the hands of a French privateer. Supported by his men in a thirst for righteous vengeance, Ramage ferrets out the brigand's name and sets sail to bring him in.
Post Captain Ramage is prowling the Tuscan coast and far from English aid when he encounters a daunting French invasion fleet. As the enemy gathers strength, Ramage must decide how to thwart its actions with only the frigate Calypso and a pair of bomb ketches.
Nelson's crews are standing down and Ramage is on leave when he received secret Admiralty orders to inspect the small island of Trinidad off the coast of Brazil. Reaching the island's shores, Ramage and the crew of the Calypso fetch up in a battle to free several captive merchant ships—and a beautiful woman passenger—as they cross swords with bloodthirsty pirates.
Ramage is suddenly caught behind enemy lines when on honeymoon in France, as the Peace of Amien unexpectedly ends. The story chronicles his escape and dashing adventures in true Ramage style; as an enemy ship is captured and a sub-plot develops involving a pursuit to the prison colony on Devils Island.
Admiralty spies are hunting for British officers and allies trapped on the mainland, among them Ramage's first love, Gianna, the Marchesa di Volterra. Ramage returns to the Tuscan coast, where Bonaparte holds a group of hostages for an unknown fate.
Captain Ramage sails to Naples in the frigate Calypso, expecting to be given the rather tedious task of escorting merchantmen across the Mediterranean. It is not long after Trafalgar and the last thing he expects is an encounter with two French ships of the line. Adventure follows, as it does when he finally arrives in Naples and is given details of his mission. He is to sail to Sicily where the Saraceni - Barbary Coast pirates - have been attacking the local fishing ports.
Ramage is hoping to enjoy a well-deserved leave when he instead receives new orders: commission and take command of the Dido, a massive 74-gun ship that carries enough weight of metal to destroy a frigate in a single broadside or sweep a ship's decks clear of men. Accompanied by the courageous crew of the Calypso, Ramage ventures to sea once again—bound for the West Indies, where he faces the challenge of commanding this massive weapon of war.