Naval Actions of the War of 1812 (Illustrated Edition)

"In searching the history of our own country, when it stood together as a united nation, waging just war, we find England, our mother country, whose language we speak, arrayed against us. But, on account of this bond of birth and language, should we cease to tell about the deeds of those men who freed us from her grasp and oppressions, and made us what we are? I trust not. May our navy glory in its record, no matter the consequences! May our youth grow up with the lives of these men—our Yankee commanders—before them, and may they profit by their examples!

This should not inculcate a hatred for a former foe. It should only serve to build up that national esprit de corps without which no country ever stood up for its rights and willed to fight for them. May the sons of our new citizens, whose fathers have served kings, perhaps, and come from other countries, grow up with a pride in America's own national history! "

Contents:

The United States Frigate Constitution Falls in With a British Squadron

The Constitution, Under Command of Captain Hull, Captures the British Frigate Guerrière

The British Frigate Macedonian Is Captured by the United States Frigate

Captain Wm. Bainbridge Captures the British Frigate Java

Gallant Action of the Privateer Schooner Comet, of 14 Guns

The United States Sloop of War Hornet

The United States Frigate Chesapeake Is Captured by the English Frigate Shannon

The United States Brig Enterprise Captures H. B. M. Sloop of War Boxer

The American Fleet on Lake Erie Captures the Entire English Naval Force Under Commodore Barclay

The United States Frigate Essex Is Captured by Two English Vessels

The United States Sloop of War Peacock Takes the British Sloop of War L'epervier

The United States Sloop of War Wasp Captures the British Sloop of War Reindeer

The American Forces on Lake Champlaincapture the English Squadron Causing the Evacuation of New York State by the British

The United States Frigate Presidenis Taken by a British Squadron

The Constitution Engages and Captures Two English Vessels

The British Brig of War Penguin Surrenders to the United States Brig Hornet

The Chase of the Hornet, Sloop of War, by the Cornwallis, a British Line-of-battle Ship



James Barnes (1866-1936) was an American author. The son of naval officer, lawyer, and collector John Sanford Barnes, he was born at Annapolis, Md., attended St. Paul's School and the Pingry School, before graduating from Princeton in 1891. While at Princeton, he was editor of the literary magazine The Nassau, and president of the Princeton Drama Association. After his graduation, Barnes served on the staff of Scribner's Magazine and as Assistant Editor of Harper's Weekly. During the Spanish–American War he served in the Naval Reserve. From 1899 to 1901 he was a war correspondent for The Outlook covering the Boer War in South Africa; and from 1905 to 1908 was editor of Appleton's Booklover's Magazine.