Buy used:
$7.03
FREE delivery May 15 - 16. Details
Or fastest delivery May 9 - 10. Details
Used: Good | Details
Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta
Condition: Used: Good
Comment: Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

The Incredible War of 1812: A Military History Paperback – November 15, 1999

4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 22 ratings
See all formats and editions
Hitsman's account of the War of 1812 is regarded by many experts as the best one-volume history of that conflict. It is an engrossing story of the causes of the war and of the campaigns and battles that raged on land and water, from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. This new paperback edition, edited by Donald E. Graves, contains the entire text of the original edition and much new material.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    428 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Robin Brass Studio, Inc.
  4. Publication date
    November 15, 1999
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1896941133
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1896941134
  8. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Donald E. Graves, one of Canada's best known military historians, is the author or editor of 20 books primarily on the War of 1812 and the Second World War. His studies on the battles of Lundy's Lane (Where Right and Glory Lead!) and Crysler's Farm (Field of Glory) are established classics of musket-period warfare. J. Mackay Hitsman is a renowned military historian.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Robin Brass Studio, Inc.; First Edition, First edition (November 15, 1999)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 428 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1896941133
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1896941134
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.57 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 22 ratings

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
22 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

John Galt
5.0 out of 5 stars Well balanced Historical Account...
Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2015
Verified Purchase
This was an excellent, well balanced historical account of the War of 1812. If you happen to be interested in this period of history, this is a very good account...
Helpful
 Report
Clay C. Rowe
4.0 out of 5 stars 1812 War from Canadian Perspective
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2008
Verified Purchase
This book was a good overview of the War of 1812, a critical piece of American history that, in my experience, has been virtually ignored in the curriculum of American education. The war was critical in that it defined the separation of and the border of Canada and the U.S. I picked this book from among the others on this subject because it was written from the Canadian perspective, and even by a descendant of the commander of the British--Canadian forces during the war. I wanted this Canadian perspective to avoid any "glorification" bias that might be found in an American perspective. What I wanted was as much of an objective account as possible, and I do think that the author is fair in his account and (conversely) not unduly anti-American. Sometimes I felt that I got bogged down with some details, but that may have to do with my purpose in reading the book: namely, to get an overall understanding of the war. I also would have liked to have more maps throughout the text so as to better understand the described events. Overall, I liked the book and learned much from it.
12 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
JBH
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent history!!
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2008
Verified Purchase
One of if not the best book I have read about the War of 1812. I would recommend this book to anyone.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
RHE7021
1.0 out of 5 stars The Incredibly One-Sided, Fact-Vacant, Partial Review of the - War of 1812
Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2011
Verified Purchase
A review of the book: The Incredible War of 1812.............. or maybe it should be renamed The Incredibly One-Sided, Fact-Vacant, Disgust of America - War of 1812. Or A Revised History Of The Incredible War of 1812 That Glosses Over The Atrocities of the British/Canadian Army.

History has shown that the War of 1812 was won by the British/Canadians. America lost embarrassing engagements in upstate New York and in Detroit. However, after reading this book, it would seem that the American Army and Navy was void of almost any victories at all. The unbelievable bias of Hitsman and Graves is a supreme embarrassment to everyone who actually knows and understands history...at least from a non-biased perspective.
Read this book if you want an exceedingly one-sided and downright incomplete view of history. Read this book if you desire a highly selective, unrepresentative, partial review of the War of 1812. Read this book if you want an in-depth look at battles from a completely British/Canadian perspective only. Read this book if you want a view through distorted rose coloured glasses....made in Canada. Read this book if you want to understand everything from the war of 1812 except the American HALF of the war. Read this book if you want a history that conceals and disguises the nastier aspects and atrocities of British/Canadians Army and Navy.

I have never read a book that, on one side, has so much detail about battles and then glosses over, or, at times, thoroughly neglects important aspects of American victories that had impressive outcomes as a whole. Most American advancement or victories in this book were either whitewashed or completely ignored. It amazes me that American soldiers are referred to as marauders and raiders, by Hitsman and Graves, while the British/Canadians are referred to as troops, soldiers and/or victors even when they "commandeered" supplies of America farmers, or, who could forget, the horrific destruction by arsons of the U.S. Capital.
There are two sides to every conflict, unfortunately Hitsman and Graves fill almost 400 pages by scarcely mentioning only fifty percent of history with regards to The War of 1812.
12 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Carlos N. Velez
5.0 out of 5 stars Well done...
Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2005
Highly enjoyable, detailed overview of a war which, frankly, I knew very little about. Chapter I describing the "why" of this war is critical.
14 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Eric Aubin
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2015
Verified Purchase
Good read
Helpful
 Report
chuck
1.0 out of 5 stars Canada won the war of 1812
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2023
If I had read the second review I wouldn’t have bought this book . According to the book if the Americans won a victory It totally blind luck. The most biased book I have ever read. I found no mention of Jackson’s victory in New Orleans. Pitiful book.
Helpful
 Report
Roger
4.0 out of 5 stars Decent Canadian Account
Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2008
This is a serviceable account of the war of 1812 from the British-Canadian perspective. Though lacking the color of some other books on this conflict, most noteably John Elting's "Ameteuers To Arms" the author does not suffer from national bias like many American writers do. The account is straight forward and pretty direct, providing a decent overview of the situation in British North America on the outbreak of war in 1812.

This updated version by Donald Graves, a noted Canadian expert on many of the battles of the war, provides many good maps, pictures, and detailed addenda. In particular the addenda concerning the contemporary and current names of the various British and Canadian regiments that fought in the war provides good supporting background. While the author writes pretty much free of national bias, his main point is that the war in Canada was largely fought and won by British regulars. Popular Canadian perceptions have the militia getting all the credit for repelling the various inept US invasions. This is simply not so. To the British 8th, 41st and 49th regiments of foot, who virtually alone stood on the frontier in 1812 against the Americans, must go the lionshare of credit in preventing Canada's conquest. The author points out that most Canadian militia did little or no fighting, the exception being some of the good fencible units that were raised.

Since this is an older work we don't have all the eulogies for the plight of the Indians under Tecumseh. When Hitsman was writing political correctness had not crept into works like this yet. Tecumseh and his warriors certainly get their mention, but we are not subjected to the great praise that most current works seem required to give. Yes, the great Shawnee Chief was important in defending Canada as well, but it was the daring of Isaac Brock with a handful of British regulars that humbled inept and grandiose American plans in the pivotal first few weeks of the war. The US was fortunate that Brock was lost to the Anglo-Canadians early in the conflict, had he lived longer no dout he would have inflicted other great defeats on the Americans.

Hitsman provides a good general overview of the war, and while his emphasis is Anglo-Canadian we are not left in the dark as to American plans and operations. Where this book differs from most American accounts is in the importance of mentioning the battles of 1814 around Washington and the British defeat at New Orleans. These get some attention, but not as much as one might be accustomed to in most American books on the war. Overall a decent work, and a good starting point from the Anglo-Canadian perspective. Readers might wish to get more of the American side from the numerous other books in print, but in the end they were still come to appreciate this concise work from the opposite side.
22 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Maria F.
5.0 out of 5 stars History
Reviewed in Canada on July 22, 2023
Verified Purchase
Great for a history lesson.
Report
Llaf Divad
5.0 out of 5 stars but this remains one of the best accounts of the War of 1812 and the repulse ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 21, 2015
Verified Purchase
It's been around for a few years, but this remains one of the best accounts of the War of 1812 and the repulse of the American invasion of British North America.
Report
Regencymart
4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Summary of a War little remembered in UK
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 24, 2012
Verified Purchase
I bought this book after reading the reviews on Amazon and having now read it myself I must admit that at least one reviewer was clearly reading a different book. This book is a good basic primer on a war that is largely forgotten in UK. This is simply that the great war against Napoleon was and has always been the primary focus in UK schools and literature. I agree that it is written from a Canadian viewpoint - it has to be the author is Canadian! Having said that it does much to start to dispel the myths - Canadian, American and British - that surround this war. That can only be a good thing! The book is well written and easy to read which is more than can be said of some of the books written about the Napoleonic Wars in the 1960's! I would recommend it highly as a starting place to learn about the War of 1812 before going onto other books. My personal favourite book about the War being "Don't Give up the Ship: Myths of the War of 1812" by Donald Hickey which I highly recommend.
2 people found this helpful
 Report
Michael Hardman
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 5, 2016
Verified Purchase
Excellent
Report