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For Americans, the War of 1812 is an under-rated conflict— then and still today, most assume they were the winners! For the British, the real fight was with the French. In spite of all the ‘local’ excitement up here in Canada, the War of 1812 remains largely overshadowed by other events that were happening on the world stage between the two superpowers of the time. But for most Canadians, the War of 1812 is one of our country’s defining moments. It strengthened our sense of nationalism and helped us to set a course for independence and Confederation in 1867. Jon Latimer’s 1812: War with America is the first comprehensive history of the War of 1812 written from a British point of view. It is an authoritative account of the events leading up to the conflict and of the many battles and struggles involved during the war years. It draws on a significant number of personal accounts found in letters, diaries and memoirs of the politicians and military professionals, regular soldiers, sailors and ordinary folks and weaves them in with first-hand descriptions of the activities of war, the tactical events and logistics into a compelling account of the world at war. There are vivid accounts of the major land and naval battles across North America with some good maps and illustrations for reference and, very thorough descriptions of the many lesser battles along the Great Lakes corridor such as the victory at Crysler’s Farm in 1813 and success at Lundy’s Lane in 1814. These and more, will have particular interest for Canadians as Bicentennial celebrations of the War of 1812 begin to take shape in the many communities who trace their ancestry back to the conflict. At first, armed with a middling grasp of the events involved (some of the more famous players and some of the important battles, on Canadian soil at least), I found the depth of historical detail to be overwhelming—so many battles, so many people, so much going on. But, as the book progressed, and I saw the interconnectedness of it all, I began to enjoy it. It is a great story. 1812: War with America is a comprehensive read, well written engaging, and it provides a balanced account of the actual and events of the war. It makes me want to go and learn more about specific events of the time. This is our compelling history, and it is full of interesting and exciting stories that are waiting to be explored, unraveled and re-told. Finally, it’s with a sense of assurance that one reads in Jon Latimer’s 1812: War with America, that while American accomplishments during the war were many, the outcome of the war “must been seen as a British victory, however marginal.”That’s nice to know.
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