1812: The War That Forged a Nation

"Without question this is the best popular account of the last war fought between the United States and Great Britain. . . . In a gripping narrative the author not only explains the importance of the War of 1812 but vividly recreates its exciting land and sea battles." —Robert V. Remini, author of The Life of Andrew Jackson

Although frequently overlooked between the American Revolution and the Civil War, the War of 1812 tested a rising generation of American leaders; unified the United States with a renewed sense of national purpose; and set the stage for westward expansion from Mackinac Island to the Gulf of Mexico. USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides," proved the mettle of the fledgling American navy; Oliver Hazard Perry hoisted a flag boasting, "Don’t Give Up the Ship"; and Andrew Jackson’s ragged force stood behind its cotton bales at the legendary Battle of New Orleans and bested the pride of British regulars.

Here, in a conflict ignited by War Hawks and often called Mr. Madison’s War, are the stories of commanding generals such as America’s double-dealing James Wilkinson, Great Britain’s gallant Sir Isaac Brock, Canada’s heroine farm wife Laura Secord, and country doctor William Beanes, whose capture set the stage for Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner." During the War of 1812, the United States cast off its cloak of colonial adolescence and―with both humiliating and glorious moments like the burning of Washington―found the fire that was to forge a nation.

This gripping work of American military history reveals:

• Fledgling American Navy: Follow the thrilling sea battles as the USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides," proves the mettle of a navy that would one day command the seas.
• Legendary American Leaders: Meet the rising generation of leaders tested by fire, from the heroic Andrew Jackson to the double-dealing James Wilkinson.
• The Anthem and the Aftermath: Discover the true story behind Francis Scott Key’s "The Star-Spangled Banner" and how the Treaty of Ghent set the stage for a new sense of national purpose.
• A Nation Forged in Fire: From humiliating defeats like the burning of the capital to glorious victories on land and sea, explore the defining moments that transformed the United States into a true nation.

Walter R. Borneman is the author of Alaska: Saga of a Bold Land, 1812: The War That Forged a Nation, and several books on the history of the western United States. He lives in Colorado.