Private Property Loss in the War of 1812: A Catalog of Compensation Claims

The War of 1812 resulted in extensive losses of private property--captured, damaged, destroyed, or taken for public use--for which owners could apply for compensation. This book documents all of the reported claims presented to Congress by the owners, legal representatives, or heirs of private property lost or damaged during the war that were approved under the various laws passed for that purpose. It also covers a significant number of claims that were reported but disapproved, for historical purposes and to illustrate the evolution of legal and legislative thinking. The accounts of claims include military and historical information about the incidents and the claimants that does not appear in the official government reports.