Six Frigates by Ian W. Toll:
LINK.
Does what it says on the tin - covers the birth of the US Navy after the War of Independence. It's a while since I read it, but from memory it details the Quasi War with France, that with the Barbary States and the War of 1812.
The Struggle for Sea Power: A Naval History of American Independence by Sam Willis:
LINK.
I don't actually have this one, though it should have what your looking for.
There isn't very much in English on the French and Spanish Navies but I'd recommend the following books which I have in my collection:
The Age of the Ship of the Line: The British and French Navies, 1650-1815 by Jonathan R. Dull:
LINK. Gives a good overview of the two navies during the period covered.
Also by Dull:
The French Navy and the Seven Years' War:
LINK. That one is best read in conjunction with
Louis XV's Navy, 1748-1762: A Study of Organization and Administration by James Pritchard:
LINK. Both cover a period earlier than your looking for, but books in English on the French Navy of the period are
really thin on the ground! They should also put what the French did during the War of Independence in context - what happened in the Seven Years War/French and Indian War had a direct bearing on what happened next.
Trafalger and the Spanish Navy by John D. Harbron:
LINK. Pretty much the only current book in English on the Armada Espagnol. Covers the earlier conflicts during the 18th century as well as Trafalger and it's aftermath. It also shows just how important Cuba was to the Spanish Navy's building program - quite a few famous
navio were Havana built.
Books on the Royal Navy are numerous. I can't really give a specific recommendation on a narrative history as pretty much all my RN books are technical histories but a search on Amazon should provide plenty of choice!
Hope that helps,
Mike.
