Osprey Essential Histories 41 : The War of 1812

'The Forgotten War', 'The War Both Sides Won', 'The War Nobody Won': these are some of the perplexing names scholars have applied to the War of 1812-15, a bloody confrontation that tore through the American frontier, the British colonies of Upper and Lower Canada, and parts of the Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Mexico. These phrases also speak to just how poorly understood that conflict is - a conflict that saw British, American, and First Nations forces clash, and in the process, shape the future of North American history. In this book, Carl Benn provides the clarity needed to understand the war and its larger meanings. He presents a highly readable text to cut through the confusion and explode the myths in order to make sense of the emerging crises. He explains what led to America's decision to take up arms against Great Britain, assesses the three terrible years of fighting that followed on land and sea, and the Treaty of Ghent that heralded the end of the hostilities. Beyond the core narrative, Dr Carl Benn explores the fascinating stories of both famous and forgotten individuals caught up in the strife; the devastation the contest brought to civilians trapped between the opposing sides; and the ways of war of the First Nations, American, and British combatants. In all this book provides a comprehensive, but succinct, examination of the War of 1812.

Contents

• Introduction
• Chronology
• Background to War : A Small War with Complex Causes
• Warring Sides : Soldiers, Sailors and Warriors
• Outbreak : America sets its sights on Canada
• The Fighting : The War on Land and at Sea
• Portrait of a Soldier : Black Hawk's War
• The World around War : Propaganda and Protest
• Portrait of a Civilian : John Strachan's War
• How the War Ended : The Peace of Christmas Eve
• Conclusion and Consequences : The World's Longest Undefended Border?