Don’t Give Up the Ship!
Myths of the War of 1812
Donald R. Hickey

This path-breaking book by America’s leading authority on the War of 1812 separates fact from fiction, myth from misconception. Few issues escape the author’s gaze. He examines the role of Britons, Canadians and Americans; Indians, blacks and women; soldiers, sailors and marines. He asks some basic questions: What caused the war? When did the war begin and end? Who took the first scalp and who captured the first prize? What were the roles of Canadian traitor Joseph Willcocks, Mohawk leader John Norton and Canadian heroine Laura Secord? Who killed Tecumseh and who shot General Isaac Brock? When did the term “War of 1812” come into general use? Who were the best and worst officers? Who were the unsung heroes?

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? How effective was civilian leadership? Who actually won the war? And what was the war’s legacy? An entertaining, informative and provocative study.

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. To visit Donald R. Hickey’s website and to learn more about all his books, click here.