These are the Aubrey-Maturin books by Patrick O'Brian:
http://www.wwnorton.com/pob/pobtitles.htm#aubrey
I'm at the end of
The Fortune of War (book #6) right now, and can barely wait till the battle at the end of the book unfolds, between the British frigate
Shannon and the American ship
Chesapeake. The two ships are almost evenly matched in the number of guns, but I believe the American ship has guns that shoot 24-pound cannonballs, which are *much* heavier than those of the British ship. eek!
At this point in the conflict between the two nations, the British ships have been burned or captured by the American navy in every single contest, and it's a bit nerve-wracking, since Aubrey and Maturin are on board the warship Shannon as passengers, having fled from captivity in Boston, being pursued as spies and murderers.
Very exciting.
And, holy moly, I have 15 books to go!!!