<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: A well done book on a forgotten national hero
Review: Military historians will love this book, which is replete with battle plans, diagrams, maps, and minutiae regarding the War of 1812. So clear and cogent a description of our army's actions and tactics is an impressive accomplishment, obviously the result of years of assiduous research. Information is derived not only from military and government records but also from personal correspondence of the time. One emerges from this book with a new respect for Major General Jacob Brown, whose victories at Chippawa and Lundy's Lane strongly influenced the outcome of the war and earned him a Congressional gold medal. John Morris's book offers a plenitude of information about the War of 1812 and also describes the changes in American military organization that resulted from Brown's ideas. (The author has also unearthed financial and personal records showing that Major General Brown labored under a backbreaking load of debt all his life, and was never free of financial worries. In present times, such a military celebrity would be making millions on the lecture circuit.) I am not particularly well qualified to review this book, having bought and read it for family rather than academic reasons, but it is definitely a must-have for any serious student of American history. Put it on your Christmas list as the perfect gift for historians, war aficionados, and military scholars. It is not only a gold mine of information but also an elegant coffee-table display volume, containing numerous reproductions of portraits of the dramatis personae of the period.
Rating: 
Summary: A great book about an undervalued military hero
Review: Military historians will love this book, which is replete with battle plans, diagrams, maps, and minutiae regarding the War of 1812. So clear and cogent a description of our army's actions and tactics is an impressive accomplishment, obviously the result of years of assiduous research. Information is derived not only from military and government records but also from personal correspondence of the time. One emerges from this book with a new respect for Major General Jacob Brown, whose victories at Chippawa and Lundy's Lane strongly influenced the outcome of the war and earned him a Congressional gold medal. John Morris's book offers a plenitude of information about the War of 1812 and also describes the changes in American military organization that resulted from Brown's ideas. (The author has also unearthed financial and personal records showing that Major General Brown labored under a backbreaking load of debt all his life, and was never free of financial worries. In present times, such a military celebrity would be making millions on the lecture circuit.) I am not particularly well qualified to review this book, having bought and read it for family rather than academic reasons, but it is definitely a must-have for any serious student of American history. Put it on your Christmas list as the perfect gift for historians, war aficionados, and military scholars. It is not only a gold mine of information but also an elegant coffee-table display volume, containing numerous reproductions of portraits of the dramatis personae of the period.
Rating:
Summary: A well done book on a forgotten national hero
Review: No other US general was as consistently successful in the War of 1812 as Jacob Brown. Although a politically appointed general officer in the New York militia, Brown quickly earned the nation's respect, and a regular commission as a Brigadier General. Morris' well-written book objectively follows Brown's amazingly successful career from pre-War of 1812, to his death while serving as General of the Army in the post war years. The bulk of the book chronicles Brown's various commands on the Niagara Frontier during the War of 1812. During his tenure on the Niagara Frontier, Brown was a central player in most land combat actions. He was in command of US forces against the British in such major battles as the Battle of Chippewa, and the Battle of Lundy's Lane- the bloodiest battle of the war. Morris covers Brown's development of standardized training for not only enlisted, but the officers under his command as well. This served as the start of professional development for the US Army that continues through to today. Morris also ably covers Brown's post war career as one of only two Major Generals retained on active duty after the war (the other being Andrew Jackson), and his rise to become General of the Army. It was in this post where Brown was able to truly begin to instill professionalism in the Army. Although the book devotes most of its space to Brown's military success, Morris also delves into Brown's personal difficulties- severe debt and deteriorating health, which serves to round out the reader's understanding of the man. Despite his status as a national hero at the time of his death in 1828, the public unfortunately has generally forgotten Brown and his contributions the United States and its Army. Morris' book will hopefully help widen the public's knowledge of the forward-thinking Brown past those interested in the War of 1812. A highly recommended book for those not only interested in the War of 1812, but also for those interested in the development of the US Army and early westward expansion.
Rating:
Summary: Unknown Hero of War of 1812
Review: This book provides a sparkling bio on the life and times of Maj. Gen. Jacob Brown. For too long we have ignored the study of the US army in the post Revolutionary War period. Jacob Brown, a Quaker turned soldier was one of the founding fathers of the American army in the early part of the 19th century. Like Winfield Scott and others of this period they have for too long been overshadowed by the galaxy of personalities associated with the Civil War. Without the Browns and Scotts in the antebellum US army there would not have been a firm military foundation in this country on which to build anything. For sure Brown was no military genius, but he possessed common sense and was aggressive in his generalship. After whitnessing first hand the shameful failures in the first part of the War of 1812 when ametuer American armies bumbled their way across the border into Canada only to be sent reeling back, Brown and others learned quickly what not to do. A successful defense against Governor Provost's clumsy attack upon Sacketts Harbor in 1813 quickly marked Brown as one of the few American generals able to best British regulars. He was destined to achieve higher command than just the inefficient New York State Militia.
After the disasterous Montreal campaign of 1813, easily the worst debacle in US military history, Brown achieved rank as Maj. Gen. in the regular army. His promotion was one of several which was intended to remove the aged and incompetent generals that were ruining the army. Brown and Winfield Scott worked hard in preparation for the 1814 Niagara campagn. Scott has been given a lot of the credit for this work, but it was really Brown who put the wheels in motion and who gave Scott the latitude to train and perfect his little brigade. The 1814 Niagara campagn would be the coming of age for the US army. The fiercely fought battles of Chippewa, Lundy's Lane and Fort Erie are at long last starting to receive the attention they deserve. Morris in his bio goes into some depth concerning these actions, and rightfully so as Brown played a major part in them all. Still, we see that it was Brown's maanagement and control of the army as opposed to his battlefield genius that accomplished more than anything. Brown got the militia to actually cross the border and support the regulars. Brown is often credied as the only general who was never defeated by the British. American historians are often desperate to point this out in order to regain some pride from an embarrassing conflict. While Brown was successful in all his battles save Fort Erie, he very easily could have lost at any one of them. Still, compared to the likes of Dearborn, Wilkinson and Hull, Brown comes acorss as a towering military genius! This biography on Brown paints a nice picture of the man and the times he lived in. We learn of the origins of this old and honorable American family and how they became the land barons of northern New York before the war. We learn of Brown's domestic life and large family from the fragmentary records which the author has put together and carefully arranged. Where there is not enough evidence the author tries to put together the pieces. The War of 1812 takes up about half of this book, while the remainder shows how Brown struggled to maintain a tiny US army under the constant attacks of scheming politicians in Washington. Without Brown's harmonizing efforts the US army might not be what it is today. Brown was also instrumental in reorganizing many departments within the army, and deserves every bit as much credit as Scott has recieved over the years. All of this was done while Brown struggled with heavy debts and a failing health. Morris has rescued the honor of a general who deserves a very important place in the early history of the US army. This is a very readable and concise biography. All students of the War of 1812 and the period in general should enjoy this book.
Rating:
Summary: Unknown Hero of War of 1812
Review: This book provides a sparkling bio on the life and times of Maj. Gen. Jacob Brown. For too long we have ignored the study of the US army in the post Revolutionary War period. Jacob Brown, a Quaker turned soldier was one of the founding fathers of the American army in the early part of the 19th century. Like Winfield Scott and others of this period they have for too long been overshadowed by the galaxy of personalities associated with the Civil War. Without the Browns and Scotts in the antebellum US army there would not have been a firm military foundation in this country on which to build anything. For sure Brown was no military genius, but he possessed common sense and was aggressive in his generalship. After whitnessing first hand the shameful failures in the first part of the War of 1812 when ametuer American armies bumbled their way across the border into Canada only to be sent reeling back, Brown and others learned quickly what not to do. A successful defense against Governor Provost's clumsy attack upon Sacketts Harbor in 1813 quickly marked Brown as one of the few American generals able to best British regulars. He was destined to achieve higher command than just the inefficient New York State Militia.
After the disasterous Montreal campaign of 1813, easily the worst debacle in US military history, Brown achieved rank as Maj. Gen. in the regular army. His promotion was one of several which was intended to remove the aged and incompetent generals that were ruining the army. Brown and Winfield Scott worked hard in preparation for the 1814 Niagara campagn. Scott has been given a lot of the credit for this work, but it was really Brown who put the wheels in motion and who gave Scott the latitude to train and perfect his little brigade. The 1814 Niagara campagn would be the coming of age for the US army. The fiercely fought battles of Chippewa, Lundy's Lane and Fort Erie are at long last starting to receive the attention they deserve. Morris in his bio goes into some depth concerning these actions, and rightfully so as Brown played a major part in them all. Still, we see that it was Brown's maanagement and control of the army as opposed to his battlefield genius that accomplished more than anything. Brown got the militia to actually cross the border and support the regulars. Brown is often credied as the only general who was never defeated by the British. American historians are often desperate to point this out in order to regain some pride from an embarrassing conflict. While Brown was successful in all his battles save Fort Erie, he very easily could have lost at any one of them. Still, compared to the likes of Dearborn, Wilkinson and Hull, Brown comes acorss as a towering military genius! This biography on Brown paints a nice picture of the man and the times he lived in. We learn of the origins of this old and honorable American family and how they became the land barons of northern New York before the war. We learn of Brown's domestic life and large family from the fragmentary records which the author has put together and carefully arranged. Where there is not enough evidence the author tries to put together the pieces. The War of 1812 takes up about half of this book, while the remainder shows how Brown struggled to maintain a tiny US army under the constant attacks of scheming politicians in Washington. Without Brown's harmonizing efforts the US army might not be what it is today. Brown was also instrumental in reorganizing many departments within the army, and deserves every bit as much credit as Scott has recieved over the years. All of this was done while Brown struggled with heavy debts and a failing health. Morris has rescued the honor of a general who deserves a very important place in the early history of the US army. This is a very readable and concise biography. All students of the War of 1812 and the period in general should enjoy this book.
<< 1 >>
| 
