Maddie Densmore

“I must confess that I did not witness the ship strike the rocks or the crew tie up the captain. Nor did I see firsthand the acts of deceit and murder.” 

So go the opening lines in the preface of The Wager by David Grann. Instantly engrossing readers into what lies ahead, Grann tells the story of the 1741 shipwreck off the coast of Patagonia and the remarkable accounts of survival, mutiny, and conflict that followed.

The mid-eighteenth century was an era of Enlightenment thought and flourishing intellectual culture, but it was also an age of empire. European powers constantly found themselves locked in battles for dominance, both on the continent and in their colonies in the Americas. It is within this context, a conflict between Great Britain and Spain known as the War of Jenkins’ Ear, that the story of the HMS Wager unfolds.

Six warships from the British Royal Navy, including the Wager, and two supply ships embarked on a secret mission in August 1740. Their task was to circumnavigate the globe, crossing the Atlantic and around the tip of South America, attacking Spanish holdings along the way. The true objective of the plan, however, was to seize a Spanish galleon loaded with silver and other treasures that crossed from Mexico to the Philippines twice a year. If the British were able to intercept the ship, they would gain control of vast riches and disrupt crucial links in Spain’s global trade. Commodore George Anson was in charge of the daring expedition, with the HMS Wager under the leadership of Captain David Cheap. 

Grann expertly weaves archival materials together to tell the story of the Wager’s journey, focusing on three key figures: Cheap, sixteen-year-old midshipman John Byron (grandfather of the famous poet Lord Byron), and gunner John Bulkeley. Utilizing logbooks and journals kept by each man, Grann fully immerses readers in “the wooden world,” capturing points of view from varying socioeconomic classes and stations among the crew.

Tragedy struck the expedition on May 14, 1741. While attempting to navigate around the furthest tip of Cape Horn in South America — home to some of the most dangerous seas in the world — the British found themselves trapped in a vicious storm. A few ships turned tail, fleeing back to England, while the Wager became trapped on the rugged coast and sank after striking rocks. 

One hundred and forty-five survivors found shelter on a desolate island off the coast of Chile (now named Wager Island) and were forced to come to terms with the fact that they were completely on their own, stranded at the far end of the world. Grann documents their struggle for survival and the breakdown of traditional standards of order and naval governance, positioning the castaways in a larger conversation about empire, civilization, and the image the British wished to project upon the world. As the castaways battled the elements, encountered indigenous inhabitants, and plotted escape, their social organization and roles as agents of the empire would be upended.

The miraculous survival and return to England of two separate Wager castaway groups would initially seem to be the end to the saga. In reality, that was only the beginning. Survivors — Bulkeley, Byron, and Cheap included — published their journals upon their return, accusing each other of murder, mutiny, and turning against one another in a complete civilizational breakdown. This ignited a frenzy of attention throughout the country, culminating in a court martial that would determine, ultimately, the version of history that won. Masterfully combining archival research and firsthand accounts, Grann presents a brilliant work of longform journalism and history that grips audiences, evoking a narrative of suspense and tension that keeps readers hooked far beyond the end. 

The Wager is set to become a film directed by Martin Scorsese, who also directed the Academy Award-winning adaptation of Grann’s previous book, Killers of the Flower Moon. Both works bring incredible little-known stories into focus, provoking readers to examine competing narratives and the versions of history that were deliberately forgotten or hidden.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Maddie Densmore graduated from the University of Missouri in May 2023 with degrees in journalism and political science. Currently a second-year MA student in the Global, International, and Comparative History program, her research interests include eighteenth-century women’s political clubs and gender laws during the French Revolution. She loves reading, writing, indie and alt music, and her cat Marty. Maddie hopes to enter a career field combining journalism and her history research.