The War of 1812 was a complicated affair. Its origins lay in the byzantine world of European diplomacy, its military campaigns resulted in more frustrating draws than astounding victories, and its end resolved none of its causes. Nevertheless, the war was important because it demonstrated the need for a strong federal government, it stirred a great upswell in nationalism, and it helped spark the economic explosion that historians have come to call the market revolution. Despite the war's importance, however, it has fallen by the wayside in American historiography. Historians often view it as either the end of the New Republic or the beginning of the Age of Jackson. David and Jeanne Heidler's important book, Encyclopedia of the War of 181Z lets the war stand alone in all of its complexities.
[read more]The book's greatest strength is its scope. Over five hundred entries describe major figures such as Andrew Jackson, Oliver Hazard Perry, James Madison, and Isaac Brock, as well as a host of minor politicians and officers in the service of both Britain and the United States. Land battles receive extensive coverage. Most campaigns and conflicts came to naught, but the brutal fury of Lundy's Lane (which ended an American invasion of Canada) and the thrilling victory of Old Hickory at New Orleans (which came after the peace treaty had been negotiated) remind the reader that this war was every bit as terrible as others. Much of the war was fought on the water, and the editors have chronicled naval skirmishes, as well as the involvement of privateers. Attention to general topics such as "Antiwar Sentiment," "Artillery," "Financing the War of 1812," and "Naval Strategy" supplement the entries devoted to particular subjects. By including British, Canadian, and Native American topics the editors have produced a multifaceted account of the conflict.