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Author: Theodore Roosevelt

Published when Theodore Roosevelt was only twenty-three years old, The Naval War of 1812 was immediately hailed as a literary and scholarly triumph, and it is still considered the definitive book on the subject. It caused considerable controversy for its bold refutation of earlier accounts of the war, but its brilliant analysis and balanced tone left critics floundering, changed the course of U.S. military history by renewing interest in our obsolete forces, and set the young author and political hopeful on a path to greatness. Roosevelt's inimitable style and robust narrative make The Naval War of 1812 enthralling, illuminating, and utterly essential to every armchair historian.

Author: Scott Sheads
Illustrator: Graham Turner
Osprey (Campaign)

Francis Scott Key's Star Spangled Banner, inspired by Fort McHenry's defense after the burning of Washington, DC, during the War of 1812, reminds Americans of a time when the United States faced a very real foreign invasion.

Arising out of a series of bitter commercial and naval disputes, and having as much to do with perceived slights to national pride as any pressing cause, the War of 1812 was never the most popular of conflicts on both sides of the Atlantic. Bogged down by their involvement in the Napoleonic conflict in Europe, the British largely relied on the power of the Royal Navy in the early years of the war.
Part of this naval strategy was to blockade the American coastline in order to strangle American commerce and bring the new nation to its knees. Nowhere was this blockade more important than in the Chesapeake Bay area, where a Royal Navy fleet under the command of Rear Admiral George Cockburn was on station. Partly in response to the sacking of York (modern Toronto), the British decided to strike at the nation's capitol, Washington, DC, and a force of Peninsular War veterans under General Robert Ross landed, defeated the Americans at the battle of Bladensburg and took Washington on August 24, 1814, burning the White House. Buoyed by this success, the British pressed on towards Baltimore. However, they were forced to withdraw at the battle of North Point, and a naval bombardment of Fort McHenry failed to reduce the fort and Baltimore was spared. With his intimate knowledge of the events in this theatre of war, Scott Sheads of Fort McHenry NPS brings these dramatic events of American history to life.

Author: Jon Latimer
Illustrator: Graham Turner
Osprey (Campaign)

The War of 1812 (1812-1814) has the strange distinction of being a war largely forgotten by both of its main participants. Despite being overshadowed by the Napoleonic Wars raging in Europe, the War of 1812 saw Americans, British, Canadians, and Native Americans wage an increasing brutal conflict all along the border.

By 1814, with war coming to a close in Europe, the Americans decided to launch one last, major land offensive in an attempt to seize Canada. Although previous attempts had most often ended in disaster, the American army of 1814 contained several highly trained units under competent leadership including the legendary Winfield Scott. This final Niagara campaign saw a number of pitched battles including Chippawa, Lundy's Lane, and Cook's Mill, where the American Bluecoats matched the British shot for shot. However, due to poor planning at the highest levels of American office, the campaign was ultimately a failure and the result ensured the survival of Canada as an independent state.

A critically-acclaimed researcher on the War of 1812, author John Latimer presents a new look at an oft-forgotten yet crucially important campaign in the history of North America.


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