First edition title page

The Pilot: A Tale of the Sea is a historical novel by James Fenimore Cooper, first published in January 1824 (though the earliest edition is actually dated 1823). Its subject is the life of a naval pilot during the American Revolution. It is often considered the earliest example of nautical fiction in American literature.

Background

The Pilot was Cooper's fourth novel and his first sea tale. A sailor by profession, Cooper had undertaken to surpass Walter Scott's Pirate (1821) in seamanship.

Plot

The hero of the book is John Paul Jones, who appears as always brooding upon a dark past and a darker fate. Yet he is not so morbid but that he can occasionally rouse himself to terrific activities in his raids along the English coast. Another character is Long Tom Coffin, of Nantucket, comparable to Harvey Birch and Natty Bumppo from Cooper's other novels.

Characters

• John Paul Jones — America's First Naval Hero
• Captain Munson — Commander of frigate. Ariel ship
• Edward Griffith — Lieutenant, who is in love with Katherine Plowden
• Richard Barnstable — Lieutenant, who is in love with Ceclia Howard.
• Long Tom Coffin — Coxswain, Who directs the boat, He is six feet tall.
• Katherine Plowden — Richard Barnstable's lover.
• Ceclia Howard — Cousin of Katherine and lover of Edward Griffith.
• Captain Manual — American Marine
• Colonel Howard — Father of Cecilia, Howard Owner of St. Ruth Abbey.
• Christopher Dillon — Attorney, a morose, self-centered and malign man
• Captain Borroughchiffe — A Recruiting Officer, Commander of a company of Green Troop, Guardian of the Abbey, A British Soldier
• Alice Dunscombe — Old companion to Katherine and Cecilia
• Peters — One of the guardian in the Navy who is killed by Edward Griffith
• Colonel Fitzgerald — Colonel
• Caeser — Black Slave from St. Ruth Abbey
• Pompey — Black Slave from St. Ruth Abbey
• Merry — Midshipman and cousin of Katherine and Cecilia, who newly took charge of Ariel, the ship of the American Navy.