The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict, Bicentennial Edition [Paperback]

Donald R Hickey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 3, 2012

 

This comprehensive and authoritative history of the War of 1812, thoroughly revised for the 200th anniversary of the historic conflict, is a myth-shattering study that will inform and entertain students, historians, and general readers alike. Donald R. Hickey explores the military, diplomatic, and domestic history of our second war with Great Britain, bringing the study up to date with recent scholarship on all aspects of the war, from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada.

 

The newly expanded The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict, Bicentennial Edition includes additional information on the British forces, American Indians, and military operations such as the importance of logistics and the use and capabilities of weaponry. Hickey explains how the war promoted American nationalism and manifest destiny, stimulated peacetime defense spending, and enhanced America's reputation abroad. He also shows that the war sparked bloody conflicts between pro-war Republican and anti-war Federalist neighbors, dealt a crippling blow to American Indians, and solidified the United States's antipathy toward the British.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The War of 1812 gave the United States some of its finest military moments: Admiral Perry's victory on Lake Erie, Andrew Jackson's lopsided triumph at the Battle of New Orleans, the immortal words "Don't give up the ship!," and Fort McHenry's defense of Baltimore (which inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner"). At the same time, the fighting didn't go especially well for the Americans. Their invasion of Canada failed and the British burned the White House to the ground. The conflict ended in a draw. With The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict Donald R. Hickey offers what may be the most comprehensive treatment of the war, and includes many colorful anecdotes. For example, shortly after the mortally wounded James Lawrence uttered "Don't give up the ship!," his men did just that. Their vessel was hauled off to England, broken up, and its timbers used in the construction of a flour mill. The subtitle calls the War of 1812 a "forgotten conflict"; Hickey's excellent book shows why it's worth remembering. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

 

"A well-researched and extensively documented overview of the causes and consequences of the War of 1812. In a penetrating analysis of prewar society, the author accumulates evidence suggesting that the war was ultimately unnecessary and unpopular. . . . Highly recommended as an inclusive political, military, and social treatment of a customarily neglected war."--American Library Association Booklist

 

"Despite being forgotten and overlooked, the War of 1812 was a significant milestone in the development of the United States. [Hickey] was accurate when he wrote, 'Although looking to the past, the war was fraught with consequences for the future, and for this reason it is worth studying today.' And there is no better place to start than with The War of 1812."--Civil War News

 

"The definitive study."--Journal of American History

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: University of Illinois Press; Revised edition edition (January 3, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0252078373
• ISBN-13: 978-0252078378
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.6 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #241,322 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #23 in Books > History > Military > War of 1812

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

65 of 69 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Shedding Light on a Forgotten Conflict December 9, 2000

By James Gallen VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

The War of 1812 by Donald Hickey is an worthy rendering of this little remembered conflict. It seems that to many Americans any events before the Civil War is lost in the mists of history. While the Revolution attracts some attention, the War of 1812 is remembered for little more than Old Ironsides and the Battle of New Orleans.

Prof. Hickey covers all aspects of this conflict, at least from the American side. He begins with the disputes which led to the conflict. The divisions within the United States, both geographical and political, are well explained. The war created a division between commercial, Federalist New England and the agricultural, Democratic-Republican south and west. The hardships of the war provided a boost for the declining Federalist Party, but with the return of peace, its decline toward oblivion resumed at a rapid pace. The economic interests of the various sections are well treated.

The war was occasioned by a coalition of interests which combined to overcome the significant opposition. This was, in fact, probably America's most unpopular War, Vietnam notwithstanding. The British impressment of seamen, American lust for Canada and resentment resulting from British incitement of Indians, combined to put together a political majority for war. Some of the maritime issues had led to a series of economic responses over several years prior to the commencement of hostilities.

The initial efforts to resolve the issues were a series of shifting and conflicting economic measures, including boycotts and trade restrictions which began before and continued during the war.

At the beginning of the war there was a difference of opinion as to whether the war should be fought only at sea or whether a land campaign was also to be prosecuted. In the end an American naval and privateer offensive at sea was combined with land and lake campaigns. The American naval victory on Lake Erie provided a major advantage. The land campaigns against Canada preceded on several fronts. Fighting occurred in the Michiagn-Western Ontario area, with the Americans making relatively minor gains. Along the Niagara front, little progress was made by either side. The American assaults on Lower Canada (Quebec) were unsuccessful. With the conclusion of the Neapolianic Wars, Britain took the offensive as troops and ships were transferred from Europe. The British did make significant territorial gains in northern and eastern Maine. The gains in Maine could have been important in establishing a land route between Montreal and Halifax. The British had some transient success with its Chesapeake campaign, highlighted by the burning of Washington, although the assault on Baltimore was unsuccessful. The last British offensive of the war, along the Gulf of Mexico, ended in disaster at the celebrated Battle of New Orleans.

The portrait of President Madison as a relatively weak, unsuccessful wartime leader is skillfully painted. As is the case with other some American leaders, Madison appears to be one whose greatest days occurred before he achieved the office for which he is best remembered. Madison's role in the drafting and adoption of the Constitution provided major contributions to his country, while his service as Chief Executive was one of the more lackluster performances in that office.

America's greatest success in the war occurred, not in the field, but at the peace conference. This is the exception to Will Rogers' statement that America has never lost a war or won a conference. Despite representing a government with a smoldering capitol and much of Maine in enemy hands, the negotiators emerged with a return to the prewar borders and a settlement of the maritime issues which had led to the war.

After reading this book, one is left with the conclusion that the War of 1812 was probably an unprofitable war for the U.S. At its end the borders were unchanged and the maritime issues which were resolved would probably have been resolved with the advent of peace in Europe without the necessity of American involvement in the war. The reader is left with the feeling that the war left America with no lasting collateral benefits to compensate for the loss of life and treasure occasioned by the struggle.

While this war may have been an unwise and unprofitable venture, the reading of this book is a profitable venture for anyone interested in this era in American history.

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Single Volumne History October 6, 2003

By Andrew Mendelssohn

Format:Paperback

Hickey's War of 1812: a forgotten conflict is an excellent single volume history of an early American conflict poorly understood by most people. Indeed, I suspect most people know little more than that the Star Spangled Banner was written during the war of 1812, and possibly that the British burned Washington.
Hickey does a good job of portraying the early U.S. as a small country whose common sense was overcome to some extent by its own nationalism. The early Americans saw themselves as world players, and they weren't. The war started for a variety of reasons, but the two main ones were trade restrictions by Britain imposed during the Napoleonic Wars, and Britain's policy of impressement, or boarding American ships looking for British nationals for the Navy. The joke is that the British conceded the offensive trade policies just prior to the war, but news reached the U.S. too late. As a result, the war proceeded with poorly defined objectives, a weak military and without firm economic support. The net results were military defeats and economic distress.
Hickey does a good job of mixing political and social history with military history. Indeed, the military aspects of the book get the least amount of coverage. There are no battle maps, or detailed maps to track the battles. Most of these would be mere skirmishes by today's standards, but I wish Hickey went into more depth in battle history. The political policies and differences are covered in great depth, and reading some of the quotes one can't help but get the impression that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
This book is a good single volume history of the war of 1812. This war has more of interest in it than the national anthem and the last attack (prior to 9-11) on the mainland U.S. by a foreign power. Hickey did an excellent job of giving a political/social history of the war with just enough coverage of military events to give the book a complete, balanced approach.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars 'Remember the River Raisin!' March 29, 2012

By Kevin F. Kiley

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a solid work on the War of 1812 that covers the political and social events of the period more than the battles and campaigns. Of the 309 pages of text, divided into eleven chapters plus an introduction, only three of the chapters (100 pages) cover the land campaigns, the war at sea, and the war on the lakes. Unfortunately, that coverage does not help anyone who wishes to study a military history of the war.

The book is competently done, but it is not a definitive history of the war and could, and probably should, have been longer. The author's stated premise, however, was to produce a political and social history of the war and that mission was accomplished very well. Such subjects as the Baltimore Riots of 1812, the causes of the war (in some depth) and the Hartford Convention are very well done, are quite informative, and are sufficient to give the reader a solid basis in those subjects. Further, the author covers the problems that the Democratic-Republicans (confusingly referred to as just `Republicans' in the volume) under Jefferson caused the country, and the country's economy, with their fervent anti-British ideology and hostility to any and all regular military forces in the United States, especially towards the US Navy.

This is not a military history in the true sense and marks a definite difference between actual military histories (such as John Elting's work on the War of 1812, Amateurs, To Arms! which was published about a year after this volume), and has little to do with the actual marching and killing that is involved in fighting wars. Little attention is paid to the weaponry used by the belligerents, as on pages 79-80, and the importance that is hinted at in that short passage of the rifle over the period musket is interesting, if misguided and not born out by the evidence in combat operations, especially at New Orleans in late 1814-early 1815. Further, credit is given to Eli Whitney for the development of the idea of interchangeable parts, when that concept was alive and well, and working, in Europe from at least 1753. Further, the long-accepted story, which is probably apocryphal, that the color of the West Point dress uniforms, `cadet gray' was adopted from the US victory at the Battle of Chippawa in 1814 is given credence here again, unfortunately.
As an almost throw-away comment, the author mentions that Napoleon's retreat from Russia `soon turned into a rout' which careful examination of plentiful source material in English renders incorrect. Napoleon's Grande Armee suffered crippling losses (as did the Russians) but they also fought their way out of Russia in late November 1812.

There are also two sources listed in the book as being `useful' without critique: Benson J. Lossing's The Pictorial Field Book of the War of 1812 (from which the `cadet gray' comment was taken) and George Gleig's A Subaltern in America, Compromising His Narrative of the Campaigns of the British Army...during the Late War. Both of these volumes are listed elsewhere as having problems with accuracy in the text and needed to be used with caution.

Further, labeling Theodore Roosevelt's The Naval War of 1812 as `the best account of the war at sea' I would heartily disagree with. CS Forrester's The Age of Fighting Sail is much better and more accurate and ties the naval operations with land operations, and with the war on the lakes, that is critical to understanding the importance of the North American lake complex. Lastly, the mention of Alfred Mahan's Sea Power and Its Relations to the War of 1812 at first look is excellent, but going into the subject in any depth shows it to be somewhat superficial and it is not an in-depth study.

Overall, however, this is a very good overview of the War of 1812 and is valuable from that respect. Again, it is not a military history of the war, and the above mentioned work by John Elting, as well as the excellent War of 1812 by Henry Adams, are much better for that type of study.