This book attempts to tell the history of the greatest naval battle fought against overwhelming odds by Britain's greatest hero, Lord Horatio Nelson, in 1805 off the Spanish coast of Trafalgar. Nelson, with a fleet of 27 ships, met the larger combined navies of the French and Spanish, off the harbour town of Cadiz.
On the evening prior to the battle, Nelson had each captain from each British ship of the fleet board the flagship HMS Victory to review his plan of attack the next day. Nelson referred to these captains as his "Band of Brother's," and they cheered while some became emotional over the simplicity of the plan.
Great efforts have been made by the author to ensure the readers feel what life was like on board a ship of the line of three decks and 104 long guns (cannons), and the food, scheduling, and, most of all, discipline.
The book is intended to be used if the school system to support learning of the era as well as studying the literary value of a book for young adults. This book details what may have been witnessed by a 14-year-old boy in the normal daily life on board a first-rate battleship in its daily life and in full battle.
Most of the events discussed in this story are true and identified as such. Many of the situations told as occurring to the main character, James, were likely events to have occurred to a young boy on board as he went through the daily routine.