The definitive biography of a larger-than-life president who defied norms, divided a nation, and changed Washington foreverAndrew Jackson, his intimate circle of friends, and his tumultuous times are at the heart of this remarkable book about the man who rose from nothing to create the modern presidency. Beloved and hated, venerated and reviled, Andrew Jackson was an orphan who fought his way to the pinnacle of power, bending the nation to his will in the cause of democracy. Jackson’s election in 1828 ushered in a new and lasting era in which the people, not distant elites, were the guiding force in American politics. Democracy made its stand in the Jackson years, and he gave voice to the hopes and the fears of a restless, changing nation facing challenging times at home and threats abroad. To tell the saga of Jackson’s presidency, acclaimed author Jon Meacham goes inside the Jackson White House. Drawing on newly discovered family letters and papers, he details the human drama–the family, the women, and the inner circle of advisers– that shaped Jackson’s private world through years of storm and victory. One of our most significant yet dimly recalled presidents, Jackson was a battle-hardened warrior, the founder of the Democratic Party, and the architect of the presidency as we know it. His story is one of violence, sex, courage, and tragedy. With his powerful persona, his evident bravery, and his mystical connection to the people, Jackson moved the White House from the periphery of government to the center of national action, articulating a vision of change that challenged entrenched interests to heed the popular will– or face his formidable wrath. The greatest of the presidents who have followed Jackson in the White House–from Lincoln to Theodore Roosevelt to FDR to Truman–have found inspiration in his example, and virtue in his vision. Jackson was the most contradictory of men. The architect of the removal of Indians from their native lands, he was warmly sentimental and risked everything to give more power to ordinary citizens. He was, in short, a lot like his country: alternately kind and vicious, brilliant and blind; and a man who fought a lifelong war to keep the republic safe–no matter what it took. Read more

Only one U.S. Army regiment, the 7th Infantry, has served in every war from 1812 through the present day. In this reissuance of his classic American Courage, American Carnage: 7th Infantry Chronicles 1812 Through World War II, noted military historian and best-selling author John C McManus tells the first part of the 7th’s amazing story, from the Battle of New Orleans through the end of World War II. No American unit has earned more battle streamers and few can boast more Medal of Honor winners. In the months leading up to the War of 1812, Congress authorized the creation of this regiment. It fought with distinction at the Battle of New Orleans, anchoring General Andrew Jackson's main defensive line, forever earning the nickname "Cottonbalers" because the soldiers of the 7th were said to have battled the British from behind large rows of cotton bales. From now on, whenever Americans went to war, the Cottonbalers would always find themselves in the center of the action, where the danger was greatest. Between these covers is the whole story, told through the eyes of the soldiers—the realities of combat expressed in raw human terms. From the marshy grounds of the Chalmette plantation in New Orleans to the daunting heights of Chapultepec in Mexico City; from the bloody horror of the long, stone wall at Fredericksburg to the deadly crossfire of the Wheatfield at Gettysburg, from the shocking gore of Custer's massacre at Little Bighorn to the desperation of dusty frontier battles; from the foggy hills of Santiago in Cuba to the muddy, pockmarked no man's land of Belleau Wood in France; from the invasion of North Africa to Sicily, Anzio, southern France, the Vosges Mountains, the breaching of the Rhine, and the 7th's triumphant capture of Hitler's mountain home at Berchtesgaden in May, 1945, this remarkable book chronicles multiple generations of Cottonbalers who have fought and bled for their country.American Courage, American Carnage is an inside look at the drama, tragedy, fatigue and pathos of war, from America's early nineteenth century struggles as a fledgling republic to its emergence as a superpower in the twentieth. Based on nearly a decade of archival research, battlefield visits, interviews, and intensive study, and illustrated with copious maps and photographs, this book is a moving, authoritative, tale of Americans in combat.   Read more

Take a humbling journey through America’s proud history with this engaging and informative look at the nation’s most epic presidential blunders.Failures of the Presidents recounts twenty of the worst bad calls to come out of the executive office, ranging from the nation’s birth to the start of the twenty-first century. Author Thomas Craughwell begins with George Washington, who tried to pay for the Revolutionary War with a tax on whiskey—a choice that sparked the newly formed country’s first bloody rebellion.Centuries later, another George—the second President Bush—was convinced that Iraq was hiding weapons of mass destruction. His invasion of the country resulted in a protracted, deadly, and costly war that gave a serious blow to American credibility around the world.Between these episodes, there were many other regrettable, embarrassing, or downright disastrous mistakes made by residents of the White House—the worst of which are explored in this book. Read more

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and New York Times bestselling author of The First American comes the first major single-volume biography in a decade of the president who defined American democracy • "A big, rich biography.” —The Boston GlobeH. W. Brands reshapes our understanding of this fascinating man, and of the Age of Democracy that he ushered in. An orphan at a young age and without formal education or the family lineage of the Founding Fathers, Jackson showed that the presidency was not the exclusive province of the wealthy and the well-born but could truly be held by a man of the people. On a majestic, sweeping scale Brands re-creates Jackson’s rise from his hardscrabble roots to his days as frontier lawyer, then on to his heroic victory in the Battle of New Orleans, and finally to the White House. Capturing Jackson’s outsized life and deep impact on American history, Brands also explores his controversial actions, from his unapologetic expansionism to the disgraceful Trail of Tears. Look for H.W. Brands's other biographies: THE FIRST AMERICAN (Benjamin Franklin), THE MAN WHO SAVED THE UNION (Ulysses S. Grant), TRAITOR TO HIS CLASS (Franklin Roosevelt) and REAGAN. Read more

A few months after the outbreak of the War of 1812, Captain David Porter set out in the USS Essex on an epic, 17-month cruise to the South Seas. Porter was pursuing fame and riches, and by most accounts his odyssey was a stunning success: it brought glory to the fledgling American navy, cemented Porter's reputation as a daring and talented commander, and has long been celebrated as one of the greatest maritime adventures in U.S. history. Less well known, however, is the terrible price that the crew of the Essex paid for their captain's outsized ambitions. In The Shining Sea, award-winning historian George C. Daughan tells the full story of Porter's thrilling, action-packed voyage, revealing the heights of Porter's hubris and the true depths of his failure on this fateful cruise. Intent on achieving personal glory, Porter made the treacherous journey around Cape Horn and into the Pacific Ocean, where he planned to capture a British man-of-war. From Valparaiso to the Galapagos to the Marquesas, the Essex roamed the South Seas, seizing British whaling and merchant ships, wreaking havoc on British commerce, and earning Porter and his men wealth and acclaim. Flush with his victories, Porter welcomed the news that a British frigate the HMS Phoebe was on his tail, and he resolved to capture her. But Porter could not overcome the Phoebe's superior firepower. Over the course of a desperate, bloody battle, he lost the Essex and over two-thirds of her crew a shocking end to a daring journey. A swashbuckling tale of risk and ruin on the high seas, The Shining Sea brings to life the monomaniacal quest of one of the most misunderstood commanders of the War of 1812. Porter's singular voyage, Daughan shows, stands as a cautionary tale for any leader who would put personal glory and ambition ahead of cause and countrymen. Read more

"A fluent, intelligent history...give[s] the reader a feel for the human quirks and harsh demands of life at sea."―New York Times Book Review Before the ink was dry on the U.S. Constitution, the establishment of a permanent military became the most divisive issue facing the new government. The founders―particularly Jefferson, Madison, and Adams―debated fiercely. Would a standing army be the thin end of dictatorship? Would a navy protect from pirates or drain the treasury and provoke hostility? Britain alone had hundreds of powerful warships. From the decision to build six heavy frigates, through the cliff-hanger campaign against Tripoli, to the war that shook the world in 1812, Ian W. Toll tells this grand tale with the political insight of Founding Brothers and the narrative flair of Patrick O'Brian. Read more

The British are coming.This "biography of a single day" captures the burning of the White House by the British during the War of 1812 from the viewpoint of the people who were there, including First Lady Dolley Madison, a British officer, and a nine-year-old slave. In the early hours before dawn, a cry went out that the British were advancing on Washington, D.C. America was two years into another war—The War of 1812. By nightfall on the 24th, British soldiers were setting fire to D.C., starting with the Navy Yard, then the Capitol and the White House, where First Lady Dolley Madison still kept watch.Jane Sutcliffe draws upon first-person accounts to recreate a compelling chronology of the events of August 24, 1814. Read more

From the first shots at Jumonville Glen to the surrender at Appomattox, Rebels and Patriots allows you to campaign with Wolfe or Montcalm, stand with Tarleton at Cowpens or Washington at Yorktown, or don the blue or grey to fight for Grant or Lee. Designed by Michael Leck and Daniel Mersey, with a core system based on the popular Lion Rampant rules, Rebels and Patriots provides all the mechanics and force options needed to recreate the conflicts that forged a nation. From the French and Indian War, through the War of Independence and the War of 1812, to the Alamo and the American Civil War, these rules focus on the skirmishes, raids, and small engagements from this era of black powder and bayonet. Read more

The third volume of this in-depth study examines Napoleon’s dramatic retreat from Russia with vividly detailed and newly translated firsthand accounts.Napoleon’s invasion of Russia was one of history's most disastrous military campaigns. Historian Paul Austin vividly captures the entire campaign in his magisterial 1812 trilogy. His previous books brought the Grand Armee to the empty victory over an abandoned Moscow, and on to the Battle of Maloyaroslavets, where Napoleon was forced to order a retreat for the first time in his entire career. 1812: The Great Retreat follows the army's withdrawal through 800 miles of devastated countryside, crossing the relics of the Borodino battlefield, fighting its way through the Russian General Kutusov's successive attempts to cut it off, and winning, against overwhelming odds, the battle of the Berezina crossing. First-hand narratives, many published in English for the first time, describe Marshal Ney's astounding achievement in holding together the rear-guard until he himself, musket in hand, was the last man to re-cross the Niemen into Poland. Using the words of the participants themselves, Austin brings unparalleled authenticity and immediacy to his unique account of the closing stages of Napoleon's tragic 1812 campaign. Read more

“Davis’s accounts of small fights won by hot blood and cold steel are thrilling.”—The Wall Street JournalFrom master historian William C. Davis, the definitive story of the Battle of New Orleans, the fight that decided the ultimate fate not only of the War of 1812 but the future course of the fledgling American republic. It was a battle that could not be won. Outnumbered farmers, merchants, backwoodsmen, smugglers, slaves, and Choctaw Indians, many of them unarmed, were up against the cream of the British army, professional soldiers who had defeated the great Napoleon and set Washington, D.C., ablaze. At stake was nothing less than the future of the vast American heartland, from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes, as the ragtag American forces fought to hold New Orleans, the gateway of the Mississippi River and an inland empire.  Tipping the balance of power in the New World, this single battle irrevocably shifted the young republic's political and cultural center of gravity and kept the British from ever regaining dominance in North America. In this gripping, comprehensive study of the Battle of New Orleans, William C. Davis examines the key players and strategy of King George's Red Coats and Andrew Jackson's makeshift "army." A master historian, he expertly weaves together narratives of personal motivation and geopolitical implications that make this battle one of the most impactful ever fought on American soil. Read more

Begun in ignorance of the military reality, the War of 1812 was our "most unmilitary war," fought catch-as-catch-can with raw troops, incompetent officers, and appallingly inadequate logistics. American soil was invaded along three frontiers, thte nation's capital was occupied and burned, and the secession of the New England states loomed as a possibility. In Amateurs, to Arms! distinguished military historian Colonel John R. Elting shows how the young republic fought and almost lost its "Second War for Independence," and how it was saved by the handful of amateur soldiers and sailors who survived, masters their deadly new professions, and somehow battled Great Britain to a standstill along our wilderness borders and on the high seas. Read more

“Without question this is the best popular account of the last war fought between the United States and Great Britain. . . . In a gripping narrative the author not only explains the importance of the War of 1812 but vividly recreates its exciting land and sea battles.” —Robert V. Remini, author of The Life of Andrew JacksonAlthough frequently overlooked between the American Revolution and the Civil War, the War of 1812 tested a rising generation of American leaders; unified the United States with a renewed sense of national purpose; and set the stage for westward expansion from Mackinac Island to the Gulf of Mexico. USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides," proved the mettle of the fledgling American navy; Oliver Hazard Perry hoisted a flag boasting, "Don't Give Up the Ship"; and Andrew Jackson's ragged force stood behind it's cotton bales at New Orleans and bested the pride of British regulars. Here are the stories of commanding generals such as America's double-dealing James Wilkinson, Great Britain's gallant Sir Isaac Brock, Canada's heroine farm wife Laura Secord, and country doctor William Beanes, whose capture set the stage for Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner." During the War of 1812, the United States cast off its cloak of colonial adolescence and—with both humiliating and glorious moments—found the fire that was to forge a nation. Read more

Discover how these magnificent beasts served in the most prominent battles of the latest centuries...Have you ever reflected on the fact that horses have actively played a vital role in the success of an army at war?Do you ever ask yourself if horses can feel emotions like we feel them?How often do you think about how war has shaped our civilizations, beliefs, and the foundations of society as we know them today?Historically speaking, war has been how nations have been able to attain their worth, wealth, and strength in this world.Many people are unaware of howimportant horses are to human civilization.Partnering with these noble companions often determined our victories and defeats, triumphs and losses throughout historical warfare. They, too, have endured the emotional scars and sufferings of our hard-fought battles.Discover how Horses served various purposes in the most prominent battles of the past centuries.Did you know that horses experience anger, jealousy, sadness, loss, joy, and happiness?While they may not be able to rationalize their emotions, they do experience them.Finally, you're about to discover the eye-opening facts about how horses have served in battle, how they enhanced cavalry... and ultimately have been traumatized.In Horses of War, Battle-Ready & Broken, here is just a fraction of what you will discover:Who Xenophone was and why he's so important when it comes to understanding all horsesThe importance of the cavalries in the Revolutionary War whose victory marked the independence of the great American experimentA detailed explanation of the different types of cavalries and their specific roles in times of battleA compilation of battles during the Mexican-American War in the 18th centuryThe history of the military tests for horses, helping them achieve their maximum performance capabilities before taking their riders into battleThe four most well-known horses that went into the Civil War -- and why they are still known and celebrated today for their greatnessAn accurate summary of the invasion of Spain at the beginning of the 19th century -- and the vital role horses played in itA short extract of the history of World War 2 and how the armored cavalry replaced their primary role in its battlesEverything you've ever wanted to know about the steadfastness of horsesAnd much more...Discover how they had to be trained in methodical, patient ways to overcome their flight response when facing danger and remain steadfast on the battlefield.Though new technology and weaponry have replaced horses in modern wars, learn how their presence in the lives of our servicemen has had a profound effect on the success of several countries for centuries.If you're ready to embark on this exciting journey through joy and pain – victory and loss – majesty and death, scroll up and click the "Add to Cart" button now. Read more

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War of 1812The War of 1812 is often forgotten when we think about the history of the United States. Yet the effects of what seems a minor and insignificant conflict are far-reaching, even to today. The world settled into the roles it would play out for decades, and the boundaries of the United States and Canada would be set for the next two hundred years. Inside you will read about...- The Beginning of the War- From Tippecanoe to War Hawks- The War in the North- The Battles of the Middle United States: Iowa and Lake Erie- The Patriot’s War- Washington in Flames- A Bit About Pirates- What is the impact of the War of 1812?And much more!Unlikely heroes would rise, leading to eventual power, while Native Americans would play out their own struggle on a backdrop of bloodshed and intrigue. Read more

The French empire had reached agreement and alliance with Russia following the campaign in Poland of 1807. The two nations had peacefully co-existed if not always co-operating since then. Relations deteriorated from 1809 onwards and led to Russia abandoning Napoleon’s Continental Blockade against British trade and soon after, demanded that all Imperial troops leave Prussia and the Grand Duchy of Warsaw. Unable to accept either of these policies, Napoleon decided on conflict and without a formal declaration of war, began an invasion of Russia on 24th June 1812 with a huge army of around 450,000 men drawn from France and the client nations of the empire.Outnumbered at the start of the campaign by 3:1, the Russian armies withdrew into Russia destroying crops and carrying off livestock with them. This scorched earth policy had served Wellington in the Peninsula and now the Russian generals would do the same in order to deprive the invaders any opportunity to live off the land. Retreat followed retreat as the Russians drew La Grande Armée deeper into Russia towards Moscow as Napoleon sought to bring on a decisive battle. The battle (decisive or not) would come on 7th September at Borodino, about 78 miles west of Moscow – and only when the disparity in numbers had evened up. With a new commander in overall charge of the combined armies; the popular General Mikhail Kutuzov, the Russian army prepared a strong position with earthworks and defensive terrain which they would stubbornly defend outside their capital. The French gained a costly victory at Borodino, which would see the highest number of casualties in a single day’s fighting until World War One, a hundred years later. Moscow was captured a week after the battle but was famously burnt by the Russians in an effort to deny the French winter quarters and provisions. By 18th October, Napoleon’s Russian campaign was in tatters and his army began the well-known retreat that would lead to their destruction and a new war which would eventually result in the end of the French empire and the removal of Napoleon from power.This, the eleventh volume in the Orders of Battle series covers the Grande Armée and The two combined Russian armies present during the battle. As with previous volumes in the series, an outline to the armies and a brief synopsis of the battle is included along with a detailed representation of the corps, regiments, squadrons and artillery batteries present. Use has been made of numerous available orders of battle to ensure accuracy by cross referencing and drawing the best elements of each to produce the most complete record. Exhaustive research has also been made of the uniforms worn and the flag standards carried by the individual regiments to give an accurate visual interpretation of the way each unit would have actually appeared at the battle rather than its prescribed ‘parade uniform’. A scale of 1:10 has been used to help visualise an accurate image of the actual size of each unit and the text describing the units, their strength and commanders completes what is hoped to be the most complete record available. Read more

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This comprehensive and authoritative history of the War of 1812, thoroughly revised for the 200th anniversary of the historic conflict, is a myth-shattering study that will inform and entertain students, historians, and general readers alike. Donald R. Hickey explores the military, diplomatic, and domestic history of our second war with Great Britain, bringing the study up to date with recent scholarship on all aspects of the war, from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada. The newly expanded The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict, Bicentennial Edition includes additional information on the British forces, American Indians, and military operations such as the importance of logistics and the use and capabilities of weaponry. Hickey explains how the war promoted American nationalism and manifest destiny, stimulated peacetime defense spending, and enhanced America's reputation abroad. He also shows that the war sparked bloody conflicts between pro-war Republican and anti-war Federalist neighbors, dealt a crippling blow to American Indians, and solidified the United States's antipathy toward the British. Book-of-the-Month Club and History Book Club selections and received one of the two 1990 "Best Book Awards" from the American Military Institute. Read more

December 1814: its economy in tatters, its capital city of Washington, D.C., burnt to the ground, a young America was again at war with the militarily superior English crown. With an enormous enemy armada approaching New Orleans, two unlikely allies teamed up to repel the British in one of the greatest battles ever fought in North America.The defense of New Orleans fell to the backwoods general Andrew Jackson, who joined the raffish French pirate Jean Laffite to command a ramshackle army made of free blacks, Creole aristocrats, Choctaw Indians, gunboat sailors and militiamen. Together these leaders and their scruffy crew turned back a British force more than twice their number. Offering an enthralling narrative and outsized characters, Patriotic Fire is a vibrant recounting of the plots and strategies that made Jackson a national hero and gave the nascent republic a much-needed victory and surge of pride and patriotism. Read more

The president who served the shortest term―just a single month―but whose victorious election campaign rewrote the rules for candidates seeking America's highest officeWilliam Henry Harrison died just thirty-one days after taking the oath of office in 1841. Today he is a curiosity in American history, but as Gail Collins shows in this entertaining and revelatory biography, he and his career are worth a closer look. The son of a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Harrison was a celebrated general whose exploits at the Battle of Tippecanoe and in the War of 1812 propelled him into politics, and in time he became a leader of the new Whig Party, alongside Daniel Webster and Henry Clay. But it was his presidential campaign of 1840 that made an indelible mark on American political history. Collins takes us back to that pivotal year, when Harrison's "Log Cabin and Hard Cider" campaign transformed the way candidates pursued the presidency. It was the first campaign that featured mass rallies, personal appearances by the candidate, and catchy campaign slogans like "Tippecanoe and Tyler, Too." Harrison's victory marked the coming-of-age of a new political system, and its impact is still felt in American politics today. It may have been only a one-month administration, but we're still feeling the effects. Read more