Buy used:

$34.08

FREE delivery May 13 - 16. Details

Select delivery location

Used: Very Good | Details

Sold by Better World Books

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Other sellers on Amazon

New & Used (17) from $34.08 & FREE Shipping

Follow the author

John R. Grodzinski

+ Follow

More books from this author

Image Unavailable

Image not available for
Color:

To view this video download Flash Player

Defender of Canada: Sir George Prevost and the War of 1812 (Volume 40) (Campaigns and Commanders Series) Hardcover – November 4, 2013

by Major Tanya Grodzinski (Author), Donald E. Graves (Foreword)

4.5 6 ratings

Part of: Campaigns and Commanders Series (79 books)

See all formats and editions

When war broke out between Great Britain and the United States in 1812, Sir George Prevost, captain general and governor in chief of British North America, was responsible for defending a group of North American colonies that stretched as far as the distance from Paris to Moscow. He also commanded one of the largest British overseas forces during the Napoleonic Wars. Defender of Canada, the first book-length examination of Prevost’s career, offers a reinterpretation of the general’s military leadership in the War of 1812. Historian John R. Grodzinski shows that Prevost deserves far greater credit for the successful defense of Canada than he has heretofore received.

Earlier accounts portrayed Prevost as overly cautious and attributed the preservation of Canada to other officers, but Grodzinski challenges these assumptions and restores the general to his rightful place as British North America’s key military figure during the War of 1812. Grodzinski shows that Prevost’s strategic insight enabled him to enact a practicable defense despite scarce resources and to ably integrate naval power into his defensive plans.

Prevost’s range of responsibilities in British North America were daunting. They included overseeing joint endeavors with Indian allies, managing logistical matters, monitoring naval construction and personnel needs, supervising colonial governments, and commanding the defense of Canada. Tasked with protecting an extensive and complex territory, Prevost employed a mix of soldiers, sailors, locally raised forces, and indigenous people in taking advantage of the American military’s weaknesses to defeat most of its plans.

Following his recall to Britain in 1815 after the defeat at the Battle of Plattsburgh, Prevost would have been court-martialed had he not died unexpectedly. In carefully examining the charges leveled against Prevost, Grodzinski shows the general to have preserved the integrity of Canada, allowing diplomats to ensure its continued existence.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Prevost’s role as governor general of Canada has long been diminished or underestimated. In this well-written, thoroughly researched account, John R. Grodzinski successfully restores Prevost to his rightful place as British North America’s key military figure during the War of 1812.”―John H. Schroeder, author of Commodore John Rodgers: Paragon of the Early American Navy

“This full-dress study and reassessment of Sir George Prevost is long overdue. John R. Grodzinski does a masterful job of tracing Prevost’s career and demonstrates that this much-maligned leader deserves to be remembered as the savior of Canada.”―Donald R. Hickey, author of The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict

“Sir George Prevost has had many critics and almost no defenders. In the course of rehabilitating Prevost’s reputation, John R. Grodzinski gives us a fresh, comprehensive analysis of British strategy and policy-making in North America, 1811 to 1815. This book will stand as one of the more significant studies to emerge from the bicentennial of the War of 1812.”―J. C. A. Stagg, author of The War of 1812: Conflict for a Continent

“In a major contribution to scholarship, John R. Grodzinski shifts the focus from the drama and glory of battles and campaigns to the higher direction of war. His focus on the combined civil-military command that defeated a succession of American invasions places Sir George Prevost in the wider context of imperial power, and makes a strong case in Prevost’s defense.”―Andrew Lambert, author of The Challenge: Britain against America in the Naval War of 1812

About the Author

Tanya Grodzinski is Associate Professor Emerita of History at the Royal Military College of Canada and past editor of the online War of 1812 Magazine. She is the author of The War of 1812: An Annotated Bibliography and Defender of Canada: Sir George Prevost and the War of 1812.

Military historian Donald E. Graves is the author of several books, including most recently Dragon Rampant: The Royal Welch Fusiliers at War, 1793–1815.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Oklahoma Press; Illustrated edition (November 4, 2013)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0806143878
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0806143873
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.53 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.06 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #4,464,634 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #49 in Canadian War of 1812 History
- #109 in 19th Century Canadian History
- #533 in Pre-Confederation Canadian History

Customer Reviews:
4.5 6 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

John R. Grodzinski

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5

6 global ratings

3 star

0%

2 star

0%

1 star

0%

How customer reviews and ratings work

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Gary92

Excellent book

Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2016

Verified Purchase

This book is a well researched balanced history of the role of Lieutenant General Sir George Prevost as the governor general and commander in chief of British North America during the War of 1812. Grodzinski is well qualified to write this book as he did his PhD on Prevost. Prevost has been heavily criticized by many for some of his actions or lack of action, but Grodzinski explores these issues with a depth of research and fair mindedness that is impressive. The only part that I disagree is that much more emphasis should be on the weakness of the United States as the main reason the U.S. was unsuccessful in its military operations and less on the leader of British North America.

Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2013

Verified Purchase

As with most folks in the United States, my previous knowledge of the War of 1812 did not extend past the burning of Washington and the Battle of New Orleans. This book is a good narrative on the war in the north. It also gives recognition to the individual most critical to the retention of Canada by Great Britain.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Albert A. Nofi

Canada’s Forgotten Hero of 1812

Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2015

A summary of the review on StrategyPage.Com:

'Prevost, who had an impressive career in the British Army and as a colonial administrator, has been treated poorly by historians for his years as commander-in-chief in British North America (1811-1812). In this comprehensive biography, Prof. Grodzinski (Royal Military College of Canada) does a very good job of rescuing the man’s reputation, which rests largely on the failure of his invasion of New York in 1814. Grodzinski opens with a review of Prevost’s early career up to his appointment to command in Canada. He then delves deeply into Prevost’s actions in Canada. Grodzinski devotes an entire chapter to preparations for war, reviewing the strategic picture, the resources available, and Prevost’s operational planning. The events of 1812 and 1813 are covered in three chapters, culminating in the repulse of a broad front American invasion. Two chapters cover the strategic situation at the onset of 1814 and preparations for the invasion of New York. The campaign itself, which culminated in the twin battles of Plattsburg and Lake Champlain are covered in detail in one chapter. There follows an account of the court martial proceedings against Prevost, which almost destroyed his reputation, and some reflections on the man’s leadership during the War of 1812. With its very useful appendices that include important letters and other documents, Defender of Canada is not only an excellent biography of an underrated commander, but also an essential read for anyone interested in the War of 1812.'

For the full review, see StrategyPage.Com

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

waterlootwo

Author knows his subject well

Reviewed in Canada on January 28, 2014

Verified Purchase

Major Grodzinski shows that he is passionate about this topic, and conveys to the reader that he has an in-depth knowledge of the material. I found it genuinely enjoyable to follow his thoughts and research relating to the story of British North America's Governor-General during the War of 1812.

Chantel

great read

Reviewed in Canada on December 21, 2015

Verified Purchase

A unique look at Canadian military history during the war of 1812. Worth a read for any military/history buffs

See more reviews