The Phantom Ship

Frederick Marryat (1792-1848) was an English naval officer and novelist. Born in London, Marryat was raised in a prominent merchant family by Joseph Marryat, a member of Parliament, and his American wife Charlotte. He joined the Royal Navy in 1806 as a midshipman on the HMS Imperieuse, serving under Lord Cochrane. Throughout his naval career, he served on several ships and was present at battles against the French fleet off the coast of Spain. On the HMS Spartan, he fought in the War of 1812 and participated in raids on New England. After the war, he worked as an inventor and artist, patenting a new lifeboat and making a famous sketch of Napoleon on his deathbed in Saint Helena. He retired from the Royal Navy in 1830 to pursue a career as a professional writer, producing nautical novels and finding success with Mr. Midshipman Easy (1836). He frequently based his stories on his own experiences and earned a reputation as a member of Charles Dickens¿ influential literary circle. His novels of adventure on the high seas would inspire countless storytellers, including Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, and Joseph Conrad.