Liberty on the waterfront: American maritime culture in the age of revolution

The sweets of liberty -- The maid I left behind me -- A sailor ever loves to be in motion -- The sons of Neptune -- Brave republicans of the ocean -- Free trade and sailors' rights -- Proper objects of Christian compassion -- The ark of the liberties of the world -- Epilogue.;In Liberty on the Waterfront: American Maritime Culture in the Age of Revolution, life aboard warships, merchantmen, and whalers, as well as the interactions of mariners and others on shore, is recreated in absorbing detail. Describing the important contributions of sailors to the resistance movement against Great Britain and their experiences during the Revolutionary War, Gilje demonstrates that, while sailors recognized the ideals of the Revolution, their idea of liberty was far more individual in nature - often expressed through hard drinking and womanizing or joining a ship of their choice.