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Inside the U.S. Navy of 1812-1815

Reviewed by Dr. Diana Ahmad A US Navy veteran, author, editor, and former director of the Naval Historical Center, William S. Dudley has written a wonderful volume that analyzes the administration and logistics of the Navy during the War of 1812. Dudley focuses on the problems surrounding ship building, provisioning, recruitment, transportation of goods and men,

BOOK REVIEW – The Battle of Lake Champlain: A “Brilliant and Extraordinary Victory”

By John H. Schroeder, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, OK (2015) Reviewed by Diana L. Ahmad, Ph.D. Like the Korean Conflict, the War of 1812 is often glanced over in many American history survey courses, which is too bad because one of the most significant naval battles in American history occurred near the end of

Blood, Bravery, and Intrepid Ships: 5 Epic Naval Battles (PART I)

Blood, Bravery, and Intrepid Ships is a new limited, 5-part blog series exploring 5 epic naval battles throughout the history of the United States Navy. DISCLAIMER: This post is related to the 6th Season, 9th episode of the HBO series Game of Thrones titled “Battle of the Bastards.” Although the historical content of the five

BOOK REVIEW – Privateering: Patriots and Profits in the War of 1812

By Faye M. Kert, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD (2015) Reviewed by Louis Arthur Norton, Ph.D. During the War of 1812, the burgeoning United States Navy was at a disadvantage when engaging Britain, the world’s most formidable sea power. One method of leveling the maritime “battlefield” was the employment of a privateer fleet. Faye

BOOK REVIEW – Coffins of the Brave: Lake Shipwrecks of the War of 1812

Edited by Kevin J. Crisman, Texas A&M University Press. College Station, TX (2014) Reviewed by James P. Delgado. Ph.D. Large in size and large in scope, Coffins of the Brave is a tour de force.  Published in 2014 to coincide with the bicentennial of the end of the War of 1812, this 415-page opus reflects

The Battle of New Orleans: Commodore Patterson’s Gold Freedom Box

The image above shows a gold freedom box presented to Commodore Daniel T. Patterson by the Common Council of New York City in July 1832 (NHF Accession #1960-043). Commodore Patterson was the senior American naval officer at the Battle of New Orleans, which reached its conclusion 200 years ago today. Gold freedom boxes are extremely

BOOK REVIEW – Star-Spangled Sailors – A Novel of the Brave Watermen Defenders of Chesapeake Bay in the War of 1812

By Carey Roberts, Self-Published, 2011 Reviewed by David K. Hildebrand, Ph.D. Historical fiction provides a compelling call for the reader to go well beyond traditional history. I for one have been long happy to absorb the facts, theories, and analyses often well crafted into secondary sources, such as Steve Vogel’s excellent telling of the near cataclysmic

Battle of Lake Champlain Bicentennial Commemoration

This September 11th, the National Museum of the United States Navy will commemorate the two hundredth anniversary of the 1814 Battle of Lake Champlain, a magnificent tactical victory which proved vital in securing America’s future, with activities throughout the day. The Museum will host a number of events to commemorate the Battle of Lake Champlain.

BOOK REVIEW – The British Raid on Essex: The Forgotten Battle of the War of 1812

By Jerry Roberts, Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, CT (2014) Reviewed by David Curtis Skaggs, Ph.D, COL USAR (Ret.) On the night of April 7, 1814, Cmdr. Richard Coote and a party of 136 Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines began a raid over the bar at the mouth of the Connecticut River and rowed up

Ambassador Middendorf Honored at 2014 NHF Annual Membership Meeting

Each year, the Naval Historical Foundation holds a meeting in Washington, DC to meet with our members, volunteers, and friends to discuss our current and future plans.  Nearly one hundred supporters gathered in the Navy Museum last Saturday for a day of celebration, commemoration, and friendship. This is certainly a year of many commemorative celebrations:

BOOK REVIEW – Gun Bay: A Tale of Shipwreck on Grand Cayman

Gun Bay: A Tale of Shipwreck on Grand Cayman — An Edward Ballantyne Novel By William H. White, Sea Fiction Press, Red Bank, NJ. (2013) Reviewed by Capt. Roger Jones, USN (Ret.) Gun Bay is a sea-going novel that incorporates the historic and powerful Caribbean hurricanes of October 1793 and January 1794. These caused significant

BOOK REVIEW – Recent Works in the Naval War of 1812

The Naval War of 1812 “America’s Second War of Independence:” Collections of William I. Koch and the U.S. Naval Academy Museum By Dr. William S. Dudley with Dr. J. Scott Harmon, United States Naval Academy. Annapolis, MD, (2013) In Their Own Words: The Navy Fights the War of 1812 By Vice Adm. George W. Emery,

Sideburns and Sea Service: A History of Facial Hair in the U.S. Navy

Every November, men around the world abstain from shaving to raise awareness of men’s health issues.  “Movember,” or “moustache November,” is now a global sensation, raising millions of dollars for awareness since it began over a decade ago. How does this relate to the United States Navy?  Well, it doesn’t really.  The growing of moustaches

Fort McHenry NH 86765-KN

War of 1812 Bicentennial Exhibit opens June 10 at the Maryland Historical Society

“In Full Glory Reflected: Maryland During the War of 1812” During this anniversary year, two centuries removed from the War of 1812, America’s “Second War of Independence,” the Maryland Historical Society (MdHS) is retelling a dramatic story. With five thousand square feet of displays and more than a hundred historic artifacts, the largest bicentennial exhibit