The War of 1812 Author:Donald R Hickey Perry's great victory on Lake Erie; the burning of Washington D.C.; the bombardment of Fort McHenry, where Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner; Andrew Jackson's victory over the British a the Battle of New Orleans; and that's about it. — High time, then for a good readable history of the War of 1812, covering in sprightly detail the ... more »political, economic and diplomatic background to the war as well as its better-known military events and campaigns: the pre-war skirmish between the Chesapeake and H.M.S. Leopard; the cruise of the U.S.S. Essex in the Pacific; anti-war rioting in Baltimore; the attempted invasion and annexation of Canada; the battles with the Indians all along the frontier; and the Treaty of Ghent that ended it all 32 months after it began.
Many Americans know the quote,"Don't give up the ship" Capt. James Lawrence's famous request, made as he lay dying of his wounds, to his sailors during the battle between his frigate, U.S.S. Chesapeake, and H.M.S. Shannon. But few know that Lawrence's crew surrendered the ship to the British anyway- and properly so, since Chesapeake was throughly beaten.
It is read by Nelson Ranger, famous from commerical broadcasting and success on the radio.« less