The Hermione

Book excerpt: Enhanced by illustrations, maps, and letters, this book provides a museum-quality experience detailing the thrilling accomplishments of Lafayette and his legendary warship, the Hermione, in support of the colonists' cause during the American Revolutionary War. Lafayette, on a secret mission from King Louis XVI, was to inform George Washington and the Congress that France would support the American colonies in their conflict with Great Britain. Once on American soil, Lafayette shed his diplomatic role for an important military assignment, helping to mastermind the decisive Virginia campaign that brought hostilities to an end. While Lafayette excelled on the battlefield, his ship, the Hermione, was burnishing its own legend as part of the crucial maneuvers that led to the defeat of the much larger British navy--and ensured the American victory. The descriptions offer fascinating insights into the building of the arsenal in Rochefort under Louis XIV and Colbert, the development of the French navy, 18th-century naval strategy, and shipbuilding techniques. Also profiled is the ambitious undertaking of the nearly two decades-long project to meticulously recreate the Hermione and prepare it for a new transatlantic voyage, again on a mission of friendship and goodwill.