The Naval War of 1812

In my view a "true classic" tells not just the story that is the subject of the book, but the language used tells you about both the author and the time. Here, one of the United States' greatest leaders, Theodore Roosevelt, who subsequently became President, does just that.

In a time when patriotism is passe, reading this book can redden the stuff in any American's veins. Our Navy's often-victorious battles against a superb and numerically superior foe ranks with the Athenian victory at Marathon in the annals of honor. Roosevelt was a natural storyteller and a first-rate scholar. Like JFK two generations later ("Why England Slept") this work was the product of a young twentysomething Harvard grad (JFK was actually a senior) that commanded serious attention nationally, and presaged a later rise to the summit of public life. Roosevelt's research is exhaustive, but not tedious, thanks to a vigorous prose style that carries the reader through a mass of detail without losing sail. The digression on which nationalities make the best seafarers would no doubt be considered un-PC today, but, as a general characterization of national characteristics, they arguably hold true. The author's final chapter, on the Battle of New Orleans, forshadows future policy, in that his criticism of the unreliability of the militia were embodied in the reforms that fully Federalized the National Guard, as the Dick Act of 1903. (Doubtless, his Spanish-American War experiences contributed to his desire to supplant the 1793 Militia Act, as well.) This book rests on my shelf, next to Mahan's "The Influence of Sea Power Upon History," and O'Brien's Aubrey-Maturin novels - as is fitting for an historical work written in the spirit of high adventure and studded with minute detail. -Lloyd A. Conway

This very well-written account, surprising from a youth of only 23, gives balanced portrayals of most of the major sea battles between the fledgling American navy, and the Lord of the Seas, Great Britain. In it, Roosevelt backs up his praise of American maritime ingenuity and the seaworthiness and discipline of its sailors with proofs, citations and cautious but sound reasoning. In each, diagrams of the engagements are provided, as well as other documented statistics, without overloading the reader with details, yet there are plenty of those. Roosevelt describes the handling of each ship and the actions of its captains with minute detail, without being, to the layman, purely technical. Although Roosevelt beats the patriotic drum, he also swings a corrective switch, against our commanders and our partisan historians, when their actions are faulty and objectionable -- a fact which underscores his fairmindedness and the authenticity of his rendering.

In numerous encounters, the British, the most dominant force in naval in history was handed it's head on a platter by the young upstarts of the US Navy. How did this happen? British authors of the day tended to place the blame on bad luck and circumstances while downplaying the courage and professionalism of the US officers and crews. TR set out on a scholarly quest to set the record straight. He vigorously argues that the Americans ships were well handled by their officers and the American gunnery crews were able to hit their targets because of discipline and practice.This book is indeed a landmark in naval literature. It firmly established Teddy Roosevelt as an author and a historical scholar. Because his approach to this book was scholastic, many sections read like a graduate level thesis. If you are looking for a book that will keep you spellbound with tales of high sea adventure, you will only find it in measured doses. Mr. Roosevelt does know how to tell a story, but it is the overall story of the young US Navy.