The War of 1812 in the Chesapeake

The War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain was fought throughout nearly all of the country, from the waters of the Atlantic Ocean to the vast frontier between the U.S. and Canada. No theater of war suffered more than the Chesapeake Bay region, where 11 battles—including Craney Island, Hampton, Bladensburg, and Baltimore—63 skirmishes, and 86 raids took place. Featuring a comprehensive list of more than 800 of the war’s historical sites in the region, this book is an indispensable reference to the second great war for independence.

One chapter each covers Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The authors draw on both American and British accounts in describing battlefields and the locations of skirmishes. The book includes historic maps and drawings, descriptive overview essays, the most complete chronology of the War in the Chesapeake ever assembled, and a thorough bibliographic essay.

Supported by such primary documents as diaries, journals, and newspaper articles, the material compiled in this encyclopedia surpasses any collection thus far brought together on the subject. Local librarians, historians, tour guides, history buffs, school teachers, and genealogists will find this guide to be informative and enlightening.

2010, Ralph Eshelman, Donald R. Hickey and Scott S. Sheads, 424 pages, hardcover

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Ralph E. Eshelman is the co-author of In Full Glory Reflected, and has served as historian for the National Park Service's Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail study. Donald R. Hickey is a professor of history at Wayne State College in Nebraska and author of The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict; The Rockets' Red Glare: An Illustrated History of the War of 1812; and 187 Things You Should Know About the War of 1812. Scott S. Sheads is a National Park Service ranger at Fort McHenry and 1812 lecturer and author.