Americans of this high cost of this war and to so humiliate the government of James Madison that they would be forced to make peace on british terms. In the summer of 1814, john stewart skinner, who was an american prisoner of war agent, who incidentally would later be Francis Scott keys companion watching the bombardment of ft. Mchenry, skinner travels out, sales into the potomac to meet with cockburn to exchange some letters and gossip. And cockburn mentioned to skinner as theyre walking along the deck of albeon, the flagship, that he doesnt see much way out for the president. He says, quote, mr. Madison will have to put on his armor and fight it out. I see nothing else left. There is nothing subtle about this, and cockburn was aware that this word would get back to washington and madison pretty quickly. But cockburn was so unimpressed with the american defenses that he didnt mind sending this word. He knew that there was nothing really the americans could do about it. In its third y
Is certainly in question. But in any event, they were a bit of an embarrassment for the royal navy, and the commander, the north american station, sir admiral john warren was conducting a pretty lackluster campaign. There was some thought he needed the boost of a subordinate who could be a bit more aggressive. There was a British Naval historian who was actually detained in philadelphia when war broke out. And he would later write, his name was william james, and he would later write, until cockburns arrival in the chesapeake, people in this region would, quote, scarcely have known except by hear say that war existed. And that was about to change. Cockburn arrives in the spring of 1813 and finds the chesapeake just custom made for an Expeditionary Force such as he had, 200 mile length of the bay with all the rivers serving as tributaries, really provided access to what was then the real economic as well as political heartland of america. And this Chesapeake Bay quickly turns into a lak
Eshelman for the National Historic trail. Now, from day two of the symposium on the british burning of washington, d. C. , during the war of 1812. Hosted by the White House Historical society, the u. S. Capitol Historical Society, and James Madisons mount pillier. Donald hickey talks about his book of the war of 1812 a forgotten conflict. This is about 45 minutes. Donald hickey is a professor of history at wans State College in nebraska. He was called the dean of 1812 scholarship by the new yorker, hes written seven books on the conflict. Most notably, the war of 1812, a forgotten conflict, available in a bicentennial edition. His book on Andrew Jackson and the battle of new orleans is forthcoming from Johns Hopkins university press. Professor hickey is editor of a fine series with monographs on the war of 1812. So its my pleasure to welcome professor don hickey. [ applause ] thanks for that introduction, don. I was asked to come here to talk about the politics of the war of 1812. You
Symposium looking at mr. Madisons war. This is about okay. First i want to announce following our next presentation, we will take a tenminute break. Our next speaker will be speaking about mr. Madison will have to put on his armor, coburn and the capture of washington. Steve vogel is the author of through the perilous fight and the pentagon history. Hes a veteran journalist who wrote for the Washington Post until 2014. Most recently covering the treatment of veterans from the wars in afghanistan and iraq. His reporting about the war in afc was part of a package of the Washington Post stories that was selected as a finalist for the 2002 pulitzer prize. He covered the september 11th attack on the pentagon, and also covered the fall of beryl of the berlin wall. Hes actually currently working on a project on the history of berlin during the cold war, so maybe he has gone back in hi mind at least to the fall of berlin. A graduate of the college of william and mary with a degree in governmen
The White House Historical association and mount pelee or hosted this event mount pelier hosted this event. He was called the dean of 1812 scholarship by the new yorker. He has written seven books on the conflict, most notably, the war of 1812, a forgotten conflict, available in a bicentennial edition. His book on Andrew Jackson and the battle of new orleans is forthcoming from Johns Hopkins university press. Editor of ackey is fine series of monographs. We welcome professor don hickey. [applause] thanks for that introduction. About thed to talk politics of the war of 1812. You should have a handout in your folder with a little thatne and a few books will provide Additional Information if you would like to read a little bit more on this. Presentation an act of inconceivable folly and desperation. American politics and the war of 1812. This is part of a quote from the massachusetts house of representatives in a report adopted a little more than a week after the declaration of war. It ca