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Don't Give Up the Ship! Myths of the War of 1812 Donald R. Hickey   A leading American scholar looks at the myths and misconceptions about the war, large and small, on both sides of the border, and asks the vital questions, including, "Who won the war and who won the peace?"

This path-breaking book by America's leading authority on the War of 1812 seeks to separate fact from fiction and myth from reality. Misconceptions of America's second war with Great Britain abound, and Don Hickey spares no effort to set the record straight. Few issues escape his reach. He examines the role of Britons, Canadians and Americans; Indians, blacks and women; soldiers, sailors and marines. His work embraces military and naval history, political and diplomatic history, and economic and financial history. The book asks some basic questions: When did the war begin and when did it end? Who took the first scalp and who captured the first prize? What was the role of Canadian traitor Joseph Willcocks, Mohawk leader John Norton, and American naval hero Lucy Baker? Who killed the Shawnee chief Tecumseh and who shot the British general Isaac Brock? How important was the Pennsylvania rifle and how effective was the Congreve rocket? How did the symbol "Uncle Sam" originate and when did the phrase "War of 1812" come into general usage. The book also asks some big questions, sometimes presenting controversial answers: What caused the war? Was the declaration of war a bluff? What impact did logistics have? Who were the best and worst officers? How effective was civilian leadership? Who were the unsung heroes? Who actually won the war? And what was the war's legacy? This entertaining, informative and provocative study is likely to stir debate and become an indispensable source for all students of the War of 1812 as well as anyone else interested in understanding this important conflict.

The author  Donald R. Hickey holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois and is a Professor of History at Wayne State College in Nebraska. He served as John F. Morrison Professor of Military History at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in 1991-92 and as Visiting Professor of Strategy at the U.S. Naval War College in 1995-96. He has written five books and more than 50 articles, mainly on the political, diplomatic and military history of the early American republic. A longtime student of the War of 1812, he is best known for his award-winning book, The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict (1989), which is the standard American treatment of the war.

The details  464 pages, 6 x 9 inches, hardcover Illustrations and maps Chronology, appendices, endnotes, index Publication: May 2006 in Canada

Hardcover, ISBN 978-1-896941-45-5, $39.95 Paperback, ISBN 978-1-896941-54-7, $24.95 Bookstores and readers in the U.S.A. and its territories and dependencies should contact University of Illinois Press

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