The War of 1812
A Guide to Battlefields and Historic Sites
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
It has been almost two full centuries since a thin line of Canadian militiamen turned back an American army at Crysler’s Farm on the banks of the St. Lawrence, and the tattered Star-Spangled Banner flew through the night and into the dawn over Fort McHenry, surviving a storm of Royal Navy shot and shell. However, the approach of the war’s bicentennial has unleashed a cascade of interest in this smoky, old cannon-and-musket conflict.
Lushly illustrated with more than 120 color photographs and archival paintings, this exciting documentary companion brings the war to life with vivid descriptions and insightful eyewitness accounts. Readers can relive key moments in the conflict by visiting battlefields and other relevant sites such as Queenstown Heights, Lundy’s Lane, Fort McHenry, and Chalmette Plantation outside New Orleans. The book is divided into seven chronologically arranged chapters, each of them focusing on one of several distinct theaters of the war. Follow the course of what happened and why each location was important to the war as a whole.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
One of the lesser-known wars in American history, the War of 1812 has become the basis of a comprehensive PBS miniseries that explores the war's causes, implications, and relevance to America as a young nation. The companion guide presents a detailed examination of important battlefields, pivotal characters, and historic sites, such as Niagara, Washington D.C. and New Orleans. What makes this reference guide so invaluable is the even-handed way in which Grant (Great American Rail Journeys) and Jones (Lighthouse Encyclopedia) represent the perspectives and stakes of all the involved parties, and it offers a reasonably unbiased view of the war's outcomes and consequences. The writing is clear, concise, and extremely informative, and readers interested in history will find this fascinating and useful. It stands alone as a resource as easily as it will complement the television series.
