1812: The Navy's War - Softcover

Daughan, George C

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0465085997 ISBN 13: 9780465085996

Publisher: Basic Books, 2013

Synopsis

When war broke out between Britain and the United States in 1812, America's prospects looked dismal. British naval aggression made it clear that the ocean would be the war's primary battlefield-but America's navy, only twenty ships strong, faced a practiced British fleet of more than a thousand men-of-war. Still, through a combination of nautical deftness and sheer bravado, a handful of heroic captains and their stalwart crews managed to turn the tide of the war, besting the haughty skippers of the mighty Royal Navy and cementing America's newly won independence. In 1812: The Navy's War, award-winning naval historian George C. Daughan draws on a wealth of archival research to tell the amazing story of this tiny, battletested team of Americans and their improbable yet pivotal victories. Daughan thrillingly details the pitched naval battles that shaped the war, and shows how these clashes proved the navy's vital role in preserving the nation's interests and independence. A stunning contribution to military and national history, 1812: The Navy's War is the first complete account in more than a century of how the U.S. Navy rescued the fledgling nation and secured America's future.

About this title

About the Author:

George C. Daughan holds a Ph.D. in American History and Government from Harvard University. Author of If By Sea and 1812: The Navy's War, Daughan lives in Portland, Maine.

Review:

"The fledgling U.S. Navy had advantages that would surprise, infuriate and ultimately impress the British, as renowned naval military historian George C. Daughan wonderfully illustrates in his new work, 1812: The Navy's War.... Daughan's love of the sea and naval history is infectious.... Those who are familiar with C.S. Forester's Hornblower tales or Patrick O' Brian's stories of Captain Jack Aubrey will enjoy this narrative of the American side of the Napoleonic wars and thrill to the progress of an underdog along the route to world power."―American Spirit

"[1812] should become a standard text for the serious history student.... This book will do well to remind us, in times of danger and uncertainty, of how welcome a bulwark is a powerful navy."―Roanoke Times

"Mr. Daughan shows how the war at sea fitted into the American war effort and how the Navy--and the country--came out of the war better for the experience.... Mr. Daughan suggests that the War of 1812 was indeed a second war of independence, completing what had been started in 1775, strengthening the nation's democratic principles, and establishing a new and positive relationship in which Britain recognized America's place in the world."―Wall Street Journal

"[A] compelling sequel to his award-winning If By Sea.... Daughan offers a rousing retelling of the war, strongly recommended for general readers, high school students, and lower classmen."―Library Journal

"[A] richly detailed, well-documented, and compelling account.... Daughan's is a history that expands our understanding, debunking several popular myths.... In the end, this history of an oft-forgotten war holds value for all.... Readers who have been eagerly awaiting the bicentennial will find in Daughan's 1812 an account that confirms why the conflict merits remembrance--and celebration."―Boston Globe

"1812: The Navy's War is an important, well-researched and timely book--next year marks the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812--which scholars and lay persons alike will enjoy for its descriptions of the battles and Daughan's analysis of the domestic and international dimensions of the war."―Washington Independent Review of Books

"[Daughan] has written a concise, invaluable history of the War of 1812, placing it in context and making it accessible for modern readers. The War of 1812 was America's first great naval war and Daughan's crisp writing and extraordinary research helps breathe life into this defining moment of our national history."―Tucson Citizen

"A naval expert's readable take on the U.S. Navy's surprising performance in the war that finally reconciled the British to America's independence.... A smart salute to a defining moment in the history of the U.S. Navy."―Kirkus Reviews

"[A] finely researched volume.... Readers are unlikely to find a more engaging or stirring recounting of the conflict and its place in the rebirth of the U.S. Navy."―Military History

"With a sailor's heart, Daughan follows the action of blue water battles on the Great Lakes, deep water fusillades, besieged ports, the razing of our nation's capitol, and the victory at New Orleans that forever earned international respect for American resolve. Expertly researched and illustrated, Daughan recounts the courage and skill of the men who gave birth to the United States Navy."―San Francisco Book Review

About this edition

• Publisher: Basic Books
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0465085997
• ISBN 13: 9780465085996
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 528