Hornblower and the Hotspur
Encyclopedia
Hornblower and the Hotspur (published 1962) is a Horatio Hornblower
novel written by C. S. Forester
.
It is the third book in the series chronologically, but the tenth by order of publication.
under Napoleon Bonaparte imminent in May 1803, Hornblower is promoted from Lieutenant to Commander
and appointed to command the sloop
HMS Hotspur. While readying for sea, he hastily marries Maria, the daughter of his landlady, at the Garrison Church
, Portsmouth. However, Hornblower marries her not out of love but out of pity, and is forced to exercise his acting ability to make her believe that he genuinely loves her.
Hotspur reconnoiters the approaches to the French naval base of Brest
, and narrowly avoids capture when war is declared. Once the British fleet blockades Brest, Hornblower's restlessness and perfectionism prompts him to lead attacks and landing parties.
In spite of gaining a good reputation, Hornblower makes no financial profit from his activities. When Admiral William Cornwallis
tries to put him in a position where he can make easy prize money by capturing a large shipment of Spanish gold
, he instead takes on a stronger enemy frigate
sent to warn the convoy and keeps it from accomplishing its mission. Eventually, by superior seamanship and skill, he drives it away. Hornblower rationalises that this is poetic justice, after he had earlier connived to facilitate the escape of his steward, who was facing hanging for striking a superior officer (a punishment Hornblower could not abide). It later transpires that the prize ships were claimed by the Admiralty (Droit
s of Admiralty), as war had not been officially declared against Spain at the time of the capture, so Hornblower would not have profited in any case.
Hornblower has a son, also named Horatio, and is recommended for promotion to Post Captain as one of the final acts of a retiring Admiral Cornwallis, a real figure outside of the Hornblower novels.
Horatio Hornblower
Horatio Hornblower is a fictional Royal Navy officer who is the protagonist of a series of novels by C. S. Forester. He was later the subject of films and television programs.The original Hornblower tales began with the 1937 novel The Happy Return Horatio Hornblower is a fictional Royal Navy...
novel written by C. S. Forester
C. S. Forester
Cecil Scott "C.S." Forester was the pen name of Cecil Louis Troughton Smith , an English novelist who rose to fame with tales of naval warfare. His most notable works were the 11-book Horatio Hornblower series, depicting a Royal Navy officer during the Napoleonic era, and The African Queen...
.
It is the third book in the series chronologically, but the tenth by order of publication.
Plot summary
With the Peace of Amiens under strain and war with FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
under Napoleon Bonaparte imminent in May 1803, Hornblower is promoted from Lieutenant to Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
and appointed to command the sloop
Sloop-of-war
In the 18th and most of the 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. As the rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above, this meant that the term sloop-of-war actually encompassed all the unrated combat vessels including the...
HMS Hotspur. While readying for sea, he hastily marries Maria, the daughter of his landlady, at the Garrison Church
Domus Dei
Domus Dei was an almshouse and hospice established in 1212 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK by Pierre des Roches, Bishop of Winchester....
, Portsmouth. However, Hornblower marries her not out of love but out of pity, and is forced to exercise his acting ability to make her believe that he genuinely loves her.
Hotspur reconnoiters the approaches to the French naval base of Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
, and narrowly avoids capture when war is declared. Once the British fleet blockades Brest, Hornblower's restlessness and perfectionism prompts him to lead attacks and landing parties.
In spite of gaining a good reputation, Hornblower makes no financial profit from his activities. When Admiral William Cornwallis
William Cornwallis
Admiral the Honourable Sir William Cornwallis GCB was a Royal Navy officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. He was the brother of Charles Cornwallis, the 1st Marquess Cornwallis, governor-general of India...
tries to put him in a position where he can make easy prize money by capturing a large shipment of Spanish gold
Action of 5 October 1804
The Battle of Cape Santa Maria was a naval action that took place off the southern Portuguese coast, in which a British squadron under the command of Commodore Graham Moore attacked a Spanish squadron commanded by Brigadier Don José de Bustamante y Guerra, in time of peace, without...
, he instead takes on a stronger enemy frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
sent to warn the convoy and keeps it from accomplishing its mission. Eventually, by superior seamanship and skill, he drives it away. Hornblower rationalises that this is poetic justice, after he had earlier connived to facilitate the escape of his steward, who was facing hanging for striking a superior officer (a punishment Hornblower could not abide). It later transpires that the prize ships were claimed by the Admiralty (Droit
Droit
A droit is a legal title, claim or due.-Droits of admiralty :The term is used in English law in the phrase "droits of admiralty". This refers to certain customary rights or perquisites, formerly belonging to the Lord High Admiral, but now to the crown, for public purposes and paid into the...
s of Admiralty), as war had not been officially declared against Spain at the time of the capture, so Hornblower would not have profited in any case.
Hornblower has a son, also named Horatio, and is recommended for promotion to Post Captain as one of the final acts of a retiring Admiral Cornwallis, a real figure outside of the Hornblower novels.