Civil War of 1812 (1 Viewer)

[Combat]

Anyone who collects this series should give this book by Alan Taylor a try. Not so much a military history of the war, but an examination of the complex allegiances that existed along the US-Canadian border. The Americans do not come off particularly well:

The Niagra campaign seemed glorious when compared to the follies of the previous two years, for multiple defeats had set the bar low for Brown in 1814. With the conquest of Canada receding as a war aim, American officers could define success as simply matching the British in combat. Major Jessup observed, "The organization of the army is so extremely imperfect that if we avoid disgrace, our country should consider us victorious."

Brown despised Madison as a weak leader, but insisted that the rot ran to the core of the republic: "We have been a puffing, money-getting People almost desitute of National feeling or honor, and I have no doubt but that ten years more of War would have rendered us perfectly contemptible."

 

[mikemiller1955]

This is soooooooo true Doug...

I have not read the Civil War of 1812 (sounds interesting) but...

the US Army suffered one humiliation and defeat after another until the Niagra Campaign...

Cippawa was a major turning point in morale and confidence for the US and their armies...as was the Battle of Lundy's Lane...

Brigadier General Winfield Scott is largely credited with the turn around in discipline which translated to more professional troops from the rag tag disorganized soldiers the army had in the begining...

his nickname was..."Old Fuss and Feathers"...

General Scott earned the nickname of "Old Fuss and Feathers" for his insistence on military appearance and discipline in the United States Army, which consisted mostly of volunteers. In his own campaigns, General Scott preferred to use a core of United States Army regulars whenever possible. Scott perennially concerned himself with the welfare of his men, prompting an early quarrel with General James Wilkinson over an unhealthy bivouac on land Wilkinson owned. During an early outbreak of cholera at a post under his command, Scott, alone among officers, stayed to nurse the stricken enlisted men.

on a side note...Winfield made an unsuccessful run for President of the US later in life and holds the distinction of the longest active General in US Army history...

At Buffalo, Scott instituted a major training program. He drilled his troops for ten hours every day, using the 1791 Manual of the French Revolutionary Army. (Prior to this, various American regiments had been using a variety of different manuals, making it difficult to maneuverer any large American force). Scott also purged his units of any remaining inefficient officers who had gained their appointments through political influence rather than experience or merit, and he insisted on proper camp discipline including sanitary arrangements. This reduced the wastage from dysentery and other enteric diseases which had been heavy in previous campaigns.

The battle of Chippawa, and the subsequent Battle of Lundy's Lane, proved that American regular units could hold their own against British regulars if properly trained and well led. It is generally considered that Riall, although misled as to the strength of the American forces and their quality advanced overconfidently, and his mistaken tactics led to the heavy British casualties.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Chippawa

Chippawa was the first time that the US troops were disciplined enough to hold their ranks and not retreat under the feared British Line fire...which is where Raill underestimated their discipline and courage...

this is where the mythical phrase was uttered by Riall...

"Those are Regulars, by God"...

The 25th Infantry was later combined with the 27th, 29th and 37th Infantry Regiments to form the 6th Infantry Regiment. The 6th Infantry's motto is "Regulars, by God" from this battle.



I just got 4 Osprey editions this week from Amazon (really cheap "used")...

one for only 66 cents...

Frontier Militiamen Of The War Of 1812...

The War of 1812...

Niagra 1814...The Final Invasion...

and

The American War of 1812-1814...Men At Arms...

 

[marco55]

I bought this book and it's on my list (long)to read.
Mark

 

[Combat]

It would be difficult to surpass my ignorance of the 1812 war prior to reading this. Some vague notion of the burning of the White House and the New Orleans battle. So the complexities of the border campaign are fascinating. The role of the Indians, Irish Americans, Loyalists on both sides of the border, merchants out to make a buck from either side, incompetent American commanders, British notions of "subjects", prisoner exchanges, deserters, spies. Quite a complex mix. However, the book is not a detailed review of the military campaigns and certainly not those outside of the border region (such as New Orleans which is given only a brief mention).

 

[mikemiller1955]

sounds interesting...I have never read anything 1812...about the roles of ethnic groups on the border...I just have too much reading material now...but I'll buy it eventually...