Michael Romero | American Public University System (APUS) (original) (raw)
Papers by Michael Romero
The Saber and Scroll Journal, 2021
The British Royal Navy underwent a period of tactical stagnation in the eighteenth century; the l... more The British Royal Navy underwent a period of tactical stagnation in the eighteenth century; the line-of-battle-ahead that had carried the day in three wars with the Dutch during the previous century gave way to stalemate after stalemate as more European powers adopted the tactic. Toward the end of the American of Revolution, John Clerk of Eldin began examining inconclusive naval battles of the (then) recent past and offered alternatives to the line-ahead that might result in more decisive victory. With suggested tactics such as isolating and overpowering the rear of the enemy fleet or breaking the enemy’s line entirely, Clerk’s writing titillated naval commanders enough to consider breaking with accepted doctrine of the day. This paper examines the origins of the line-ahead, inconclusive battles that inspired the writing of Clerk’s Essay on Naval Tactics, and the application and critical reception of Clerk’s writing in both Britain and the United States.
The Saber and Scroll Journal, 2020
Eight ships of the recently established Continental Navy set sail from Philadelphia in February 1... more Eight ships of the recently established Continental Navy set sail from Philadelphia in February 1776. They were under orders from the Continental Congress to clear the Southern states’ waters of marauding British naval forces, such as those organized by Lord Dunmore of Virginia. Instead, Commodore Esek Hopkins led his squadron to New Providence in the Bahamas, where they captured desperately needed military stores. On the return trip, the Continental crews contended with outbreaks of smallpox and tropical fever aboard ship. Approaching New England, the squadron captured two small British vessels and chased the 20-gun HMS Glasgow into port. Despite Hopkins’ casual disregard of orders, Congress and the general public hailed the expedition as a great success upon the squadron’s return in April 1776. The ships of the Continental Navy had gathered valuable experience at sea and in combat that would serve the infant service well in the years to come.
Theses and Monographs by Michael Romero
Little has been written about Commodore James Barron (1768-1851) of the United States Navy. Exis... more Little has been written about Commodore James Barron (1768-1851) of the United States Navy. Existing scholarship on Barron fixates on two events: Barron’s five-year suspension from the service for failing to prepare his ship for battle during the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair in 1807 and his killing of Commodore Stephen Decatur, Jr. in an 1820 duel over fallout from that suspension. This overlooks decades of invention in which Commodore Barron worked to influence the early development of the Navy despite his lackluster combat record.
The son of a prominent officer in Virginia’s Revolutionary War Navy, Barron was commissioned as a lieutenant aboard the frigate United States in 1798. His service and early command experience during the Quasi-War with France and the First Barbary War was characterized by routine patrol and convoy escort duties. Barron was involved in the development of one of the Navy’s first signal books, designed and oversaw the installation of a ventilator for use aboard Navy ships, designed a steam-powered ram for harbor and river defense, and helped revitalize naval education shortly before the establishment of the U.S. Naval Academy.
Through an in-depth examination of fifteen boxes of James Barron Papers and other related documents, this thesis will bring the innovations of Commodore James Barron into well-deserved light.
Book and Museum Reviews by Michael Romero
Naval War College Review, 2023
Naval War College Review, 2023
Naval War College Review, 2023
An essay combining reviews of "Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution" by Eric Ja... more An essay combining reviews of "Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution" by Eric Jay Dolin and "The Untold War at Sea: America’s Revolutionary Privateers" by Kylie A. Hubert.
Naval War College Review, 2022
The Saber and Scroll Journal, 2022
The Saber and Scroll Journal, 2020
The Saber and Scroll Journal, 2020
The Saber and Scroll Journal, 2020
The Saber and Scroll Journal, 2021
The British Royal Navy underwent a period of tactical stagnation in the eighteenth century; the l... more The British Royal Navy underwent a period of tactical stagnation in the eighteenth century; the line-of-battle-ahead that had carried the day in three wars with the Dutch during the previous century gave way to stalemate after stalemate as more European powers adopted the tactic. Toward the end of the American of Revolution, John Clerk of Eldin began examining inconclusive naval battles of the (then) recent past and offered alternatives to the line-ahead that might result in more decisive victory. With suggested tactics such as isolating and overpowering the rear of the enemy fleet or breaking the enemy’s line entirely, Clerk’s writing titillated naval commanders enough to consider breaking with accepted doctrine of the day. This paper examines the origins of the line-ahead, inconclusive battles that inspired the writing of Clerk’s Essay on Naval Tactics, and the application and critical reception of Clerk’s writing in both Britain and the United States.
The Saber and Scroll Journal, 2020
Eight ships of the recently established Continental Navy set sail from Philadelphia in February 1... more Eight ships of the recently established Continental Navy set sail from Philadelphia in February 1776. They were under orders from the Continental Congress to clear the Southern states’ waters of marauding British naval forces, such as those organized by Lord Dunmore of Virginia. Instead, Commodore Esek Hopkins led his squadron to New Providence in the Bahamas, where they captured desperately needed military stores. On the return trip, the Continental crews contended with outbreaks of smallpox and tropical fever aboard ship. Approaching New England, the squadron captured two small British vessels and chased the 20-gun HMS Glasgow into port. Despite Hopkins’ casual disregard of orders, Congress and the general public hailed the expedition as a great success upon the squadron’s return in April 1776. The ships of the Continental Navy had gathered valuable experience at sea and in combat that would serve the infant service well in the years to come.
Little has been written about Commodore James Barron (1768-1851) of the United States Navy. Exis... more Little has been written about Commodore James Barron (1768-1851) of the United States Navy. Existing scholarship on Barron fixates on two events: Barron’s five-year suspension from the service for failing to prepare his ship for battle during the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair in 1807 and his killing of Commodore Stephen Decatur, Jr. in an 1820 duel over fallout from that suspension. This overlooks decades of invention in which Commodore Barron worked to influence the early development of the Navy despite his lackluster combat record.
The son of a prominent officer in Virginia’s Revolutionary War Navy, Barron was commissioned as a lieutenant aboard the frigate United States in 1798. His service and early command experience during the Quasi-War with France and the First Barbary War was characterized by routine patrol and convoy escort duties. Barron was involved in the development of one of the Navy’s first signal books, designed and oversaw the installation of a ventilator for use aboard Navy ships, designed a steam-powered ram for harbor and river defense, and helped revitalize naval education shortly before the establishment of the U.S. Naval Academy.
Through an in-depth examination of fifteen boxes of James Barron Papers and other related documents, this thesis will bring the innovations of Commodore James Barron into well-deserved light.
Naval War College Review, 2023
Naval War College Review, 2023
Naval War College Review, 2023
An essay combining reviews of "Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution" by Eric Ja... more An essay combining reviews of "Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution" by Eric Jay Dolin and "The Untold War at Sea: America’s Revolutionary Privateers" by Kylie A. Hubert.
Naval War College Review, 2022
The Saber and Scroll Journal, 2022
The Saber and Scroll Journal, 2020
The Saber and Scroll Journal, 2020
The Saber and Scroll Journal, 2020