Rating: 
Summary: excellent little book
Review: Robert V. Remini is the great modern authority on Andrew Jackson, having written a majestic, award winning, three volume biography. Now he has taken a lifetime of research and consideration and distilled it down into one slender volume examining the pivotal moment in Jackson's career and, he argues, one of the vital events in our nation's history. If you're like me you know exactly three things about the War of 1812. First, that Dolly Madison saved the White House portrait of George Washington from being burned by invading British troops. Second, every kid who ever went to summer camp knows the great Johnny Horton song Battle of New Orleans. Third, that the battle itself took place after the peace treaty had been signed ending the War, but before the combatants had been informed. That was seriously all I knew until I read David Nevin's novel 1812 a couple of years ago (see review). You may know more. If so, more power to you. Should we know more? Remini makes a compelling case that we should. In addition to doing an excellent job of narrating the events of the battle, he argues that the victory was the moment that really made America a nation. The elements he cites include not merely the fact that it produced a future President, but also the confidence building importance of a citizen army winning a battle against the professional troops of the great British Empire, as well as the fact that this overwhelming defeat made the nations of Europe begin to take the United States seriously as a player on the world stage. In fact, he goes beyond this to argue that New Orleans was actually the nation's first military victory, discounting actions like Saratoga and Yorktown as mere surrenders. It is, of course, possible that he overstates this case a little, having such a vested interest in Jackson's career. On the other hand, he raises an excellent and little understood point about the War. It was one of only three wars in our history where our existence as a nation was truly threatened (obviously the Revolution and the Civil War were the others). We've fought all kinds of skirmishes, minor brush wars and mopping up operations--Mexican, Spanish-American, WWI, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, etc. And we like to kid ourselves about the threat that the Nazis posed in WWII, though by the time we got in, they were already toast. But really there were only the three conflicts where the United States as we understand it could have perished. If we understood that fact better, perhaps we would pay more heed to the events of 1812-1815. As is, Remini has done his part to capture our attention with this excellent little book. GRADE: B+
Rating: 
Summary: An uncanny feel for the era
Review: Studious detail, crisp research and an an uncanny feel for the era provide us with an honest, even glimpse of one of America's key military endeavors. The author doesn't judge, but like a careful observer, shares and explains what he has discovered. In this remarkable presentation, history truly does come alive and jumps out at us, much like the withering fire from Jackson's marksmen...which we can almost see as we turn the pages...
Rating: 
Summary: Myths Perpetuated Yet Again
Review: There has been much good scholarship that has come out on the War of 1812 in the last ten years or so. John Elting's Amateurs, To Arms!, the excellent work of Canadian historian Donald Graves on the fighting on the Niagara frontier, as well as reliable histories on the siege of Fort Erie, the Battle of Sackett's Harbor, the Battle of Lake Erie, and the war on Lake Ontario. Additionally, Henry Adams' The War of 1812, the definitive volume of the war, has recently been reprinted. This recent volume on The Battle of New Orleans, however, is just not up to that standard, and perpetuates myths of that battle that have been put to rest by some of the above mentioned histories. Now, they are rearing their ugly head again, after so much research and scholarship has been accomplished to find out the facts of the case. In that respect, the author of this volume has done the history of the War of 1812 a great disservice. Like the Revolution before it, the militia in the War of 1812 generally had a dismal record, yet the author seems to wallow in joy praising the 'citizen soldiers' who did so well at New Orleans. The Tennessee and Kentucky Volunteers did perform well, but were not in the strictest sense militia. The accomplishments of the regulars, both army and marines, he pushes to the background, although, especially in the night attack of 24 December, they incurred the most casualties. For the battle itself on 8 January 1815, the author makes a point that American rifle fire was a deciding factor in the American victory, when it was the American artillery and the musket that defeated and outshot the British. As John Elting succinctly states in Amateurs, To Arms! 'Though New Orleans has come down in American tradition as a victory for the Kentucky rifle, it was the American artillery that did most to crush the British attack. Next was the smoothbore musket with which regulars and most of the Louisians, Kentucky, and Tennessee militia were armed. Coffee's riflemen, being on the far left flank, were not heavily engaged. In fact, the musket's higher rate of fire made it superior to the rifle for such fighting.' Additionally, the author makes the ridiculous statement that New Orleans was 'America's first military victory' and that previous victories over the British such as Saratoga and Yorktown 'were simply surrenders, nothing more.' Nothing could be further from the truth. There had been American victories in the north against British regulars at Chippawa, Sackett's Harbor, Plattsburgh, Baltimore, the Thames, York, and Fort Erie, not to mention the strategic naval victories on Lake Erie and Lake Champlain. There were famous victories in the Revolution too, besides Saratoga and Yorktown: Cowpens, King's Mountain, and Greene's strategic victory in the Carolinas to name a few. To make a statement such as this in what is supposed to be a military history is ludicrous. Interestingly, neither John Elting's excellent history nor Henry Adams definitive work were used in the preparation of this volume. Neither was Robin Reilly's Enemy at the Gates, which is also an excellent history of the New Orleans campaign. In my opinion, not consulting them hurt this volume irreparably. This volume is not recommended as there are more scholarly and accurate volumes available, such as those mentioned above.
Rating:
Summary: Myths Perpetuated Yet Again
Review: There has been much good scholarship that has come out on the War of 1812 in the last ten years or so. John Elting's Amateurs, To Arms!, the excellent work of Canadian historian Donald Graves on the fighting on the Niagara frontier, as well as reliable histories on the siege of Fort Erie, the Battle of Sackett's Harbor, the Battle of Lake Erie, and the war on Lake Ontario. Additionally, Henry Adams' The War of 1812, the definitive volume of the war, has recently been reprinted. This recent volume on The Battle of New Orleans, however, is just not up to that standard, and perpetuates myths of that battle that have been put to rest by some of the above mentioned histories. Now, they are rearing their ugly head again, after so much research and scholarship has been accomplished to find out the facts of the case. In that respect, the author of this volume has done the history of the War of 1812 a great disservice. Like the Revolution before it, the militia in the War of 1812 generally had a dismal record, yet the author seems to wallow in joy praising the 'citizen soldiers' who did so well at New Orleans. The Tennessee and Kentucky Volunteers did perform well, but were not in the strictest sense militia. The accomplishments of the regulars, both army and marines, he pushes to the background, although, especially in the night attack of 24 December, they incurred the most casualties. For the battle itself on 8 January 1815, the author makes a point that American rifle fire was a deciding factor in the American victory, when it was the American artillery and the musket that defeated and outshot the British. As John Elting succinctly states in Amateurs, To Arms! 'Though New Orleans has come down in American tradition as a victory for the Kentucky rifle, it was the American artillery that did most to crush the British attack. Next was the smoothbore musket with which regulars and most of the Louisians, Kentucky, and Tennessee militia were armed. Coffee's riflemen, being on the far left flank, were not heavily engaged. In fact, the musket's higher rate of fire made it superior to the rifle for such fighting.' Additionally, the author makes the ridiculous statement that New Orleans was 'America's first military victory' and that previous victories over the British such as Saratoga and Yorktown 'were simply surrenders, nothing more.' Nothing could be further from the truth. There had been American victories in the north against British regulars at Chippawa, Sackett's Harbor, Plattsburgh, Baltimore, the Thames, York, and Fort Erie, not to mention the strategic naval victories on Lake Erie and Lake Champlain. There were famous victories in the Revolution too, besides Saratoga and Yorktown: Cowpens, King's Mountain, and Greene's strategic victory in the Carolinas to name a few. To make a statement such as this in what is supposed to be a military history is ludicrous. Interestingly, neither John Elting's excellent history nor Henry Adams definitive work were used in the preparation of this volume. Neither was Robin Reilly's Enemy at the Gates, which is also an excellent history of the New Orleans campaign. In my opinion, not consulting them hurt this volume irreparably. This volume is not recommended as there are more scholarly and accurate volumes available, such as those mentioned above.
Rating:
Summary: The soul of America
Review: This is a wonderful book for anyone interested in the real "soul" of the United States and its military future; it's not just a history of the Battle of New Orleans, it's also a primer for the debate about the future of the American military. The United States was thoroughly defeated in the War of 1812. By 1814, the New England economy had been destroyed and several states were talking of secession to join Canada, Washington was in smoldering ruins, the Navy cowering in ports and the British were conducting search and destroy missions at will along the seacoasts. At Ghent, American negotiators threw in the towel and accepted the British terms to restore everything as it had been before the war. Out of this, Americans invented their nation. Until then, European nations often regarded the War of Independence as an accident. After 1815, no one doubted the United States. Without the Battle of New Orleans, the United States might have dissolved in confusion or dissension. For the British, it was a minor skirmish in a dismal far off swamp. Only 291 British soldiers were killed in the final attack, compared to 240 British soldiers killed in the charge up Bunker Hill. After New Orleans, the British created the greatest empire the world has ever seen. After New Orleans, the Americans created democracy as the world knows it today. This nation is a product of the resourcefulness, courage and ability shown by Gen. Andrew Jackson at New Orleans. Remini puts his focus on Jackson; without him, the Battle of New Orleans would have been a sorry repeat of the burning of Washington. New Orleans didn't teach the British anything. They used the same stupid "charge the cannons" tactics in the Crimean War, celebrated in The Charge of the Light Brigade. In World War I, British generals updated their New Orleans tactics to "charge the machine guns." New Orleans taught the British nothing; the War of 1812 taught Americans never to make the same mistake twice. Instead of fat generals who were heroes of an earlier war, Americans learned the value of military competence and professionalism. Thirty years later, officers trained in the War of 1812 needed less than one quarter of the troops used in the War of 1812 to rout the Mexicans. War is the harshest test of any nation, and by 1815 the United States learned it could survive against the world's finest military. New Orleans showed they could also win smashing victories. After the War of 1812, the United States became the de facto partner of Great Britain in blocking further European interference in the Americas. Remini's descriptions of events relating to the battle are vital; it emphasizes the core values that made the United States what it is today -- and Great Britain what it is today. It gave Americans their wonderful confidence to always overcome any disaster and come back stronger. This is a wonderful book that explains the nature of the soul of this country. Take away that self-assurance, and the United States would have become "the first Balkans" with Serbian troops needed to keep the peace among fractious states. Hopefully, Professor Remini will now expand his last four and one-half pages into another book of this length to illustrate the lessons and myths learned from the Battle of New Orleans -- as relevant today as they were in 1815 - 45. The United States is now in the position that Britain was in 1815; in another century, the US may be in the same position that Britain was in 1915. That is the implicit meaning of this book. Perhaps the finest assessment of the War of 1812 came from Thomas Jefferson when he wrote, "We owe to their [Britain's] past follies and wrongs the incalculable advantage of being made independent of them in every material manufacture. These have taken such root, in our private families especially, that nothing can now extirpate them." This book outlines the mood that made it so. The decisions of the next decade, in terms of military and civilian attitudes, will be as significant as those made after Gen. Jackson's triumph over "the evil empire" of his era.
Rating:
Summary: Where's the Hollywood adaptation?
Review: This is an exceptional account of a pivotal -- though largely neglected -- moment in US history. I came away with renewed respect for Andrew Jackson and his band of "dirty shirts." As I read this book,I could not help thinking that it lends itself perfectly to a Hollywood adaptation along the lines of "Gettysburg" and "The Rough Riders."
Rating:
Summary: Good account of an important battle
Review: This was a good book because it went into detail about a battle, while never underrated in importance, that is often written off as happening exactly as it is portrayed in the Johnny Horton song. This book is not bogged down with fancy jargon, making it very approachable to someone with minimal knowledge of the subject matter. The author is a famous Jackson scholar, and his account of the battle that made both Jackson and the U.S. should not be missed.
Rating:
Summary: Great Historical Work
Review: Truth is "stranger" than fiction. This is a great book recapping the Battle of New Oreans. Like similar books it is "scary" to see how close history could have gone one way or the other based on decisions or mistakes of those who, inevitably, define history.
Andrew Jackson did us proud and this is a wonderful book.
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