The Wing-and-wing: Or, Le Feu-follet. A Tale

Set during the Napoleonic Wars in 1799, the narrative follows Raoul Yvard, a French privateer commanding the lugger Le Feu-follet. Yvard navigates the treacherous waters of the Mediterranean, attempting to outmaneuver British naval forces while pursuing a romance with Ghita Caraccioli, a devout Italian woman. The conflict centers on the pursuit of the elusive French vessel by Captain Cuffe of the HMS Proserpine. The plot shifts through naval skirmishes and legal trials, climaxing in the Bay of Naples where political loyalties and religious differences collide under the shadow of Admiral Nelson’s fleet.

Readers of maritime history and naval tactics turn to this work for its technical accuracy regarding early nineteenth-century sailing and Mediterranean geography. It attracts those interested in the friction between Enlightenment skepticism and traditional faith, as personified by the two primary characters. The reader gains a detailed understanding of small-ship maneuvers and the complex maritime law of the era. This story provides a specific look at the intersection of privateering, international warfare, and personal conviction during the transition into the nineteen hundreds.