The War of 1812 (The Chicago History of American Civilization)

by Harry L. Coles

Book Overview

This compact history of the war attempts to separate myth from reality. Professor Coles narrates the main operations on both land and sea of the three-year struggle. He examines the conflict from the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0226113507
• Release Date: August 1966
• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Length: 307 Pages
• Weight: 0.69 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.7" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Surprising

Given how old this book is I was surprised who well-done it is. He provides a useful overview of the historiography of the war up to that time, which I found to be quite good.

The War of Excuses

The War of 1812, seen through the eyes of Mr. Harry L. Coles, seems to be a war of lost victories, overblown ideas and swift retreats. The idea that the United States of America could win the war, in hindsight, seems down right sad. The US Navy had only 16 ships of any worth. The Army looked good, on paper, but in real life was mostly made up of ill-disciplined militia and untrained regulars who were directed, most of the time, by poor leaders and poor strategy. The government was not able to rise the funds or soldiers needed to carry out the large scale operations the military were dreaming of. But the British and Canadian side had their own problems also. The European military system just did NOT work well in North America. Also, like the Americans, they had problems with communication, transportation and the rising of, training of and equipping of the militia. The British Navy, in the opening stages of the war, found their reputation much tarnished by the American victories. And even with peace breaking out in Europe the British Empire still had to keep an eye on the French and the Russians. This book is a must for any American who wishes to understand how the nation, and government, changed in the early 19th Century. The only flaw, and this is my only issue with the work, is the lack of background for many of the major and minor players of this conflict. While many readers in the USA may know Oliver Perry, Andrew Jackson and Winfield Scott, I am ashamed to say I doubt many know who Henry Procter, Robert Ross or George Cockburn were. Mostly because they were on the other side of a conflict that we think of as a minor one. While the time line and the maps were pretty helpful I think more time spent on filling out the people and places of the conflict would have been a greater help.

A great book about an interesting war

This short book does an excellent job of understanding the strategy and tactics that went into the War of 1812. While not the most detailed account of the war it is certainty the most useful. It clearly outlines what happened and the significance of each event. It covers the Indians, Detroit, war in the south, and the burning of the capital. It does an excellent job of understanding the Madison administrations failures and talking about the victory at Baltimore. Highly recommend.

A concise and valuable source.

I read this for a graduate course covering special readings in military history. Coles does an excellent job in relating the causes and consequences of an often overlooked war in the U.S. history. Coles praises the usual individuals associated with the War of 1812 (Scott, Jackson, Isaac Hull, Perry, Brock, Tecumseh) and castigates the usual suspects as well (Wilkinson, Wm. Hull, Dearborn, Procter, and James Madison and his cabinet save Monroe). There exists some errors of omission (Coles never explains why Laffite supported Jackson at New Orleans and barely covers the war west of Lake Michigan save for one brief mention). Overall, a excellent read, especially in regards to naval operations. For a more detailed analysis, I would recommend Mahon's treatment on the war.