Poltroons and Patriots: A Popular Account of the War of 1812 [2 Volume Set]

Indianapolis, IN: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, Inc., 1954 Book. Very Good + +. Hardcover. First Edition. 8vo. Volume I: pp. 1-402, b&w frontis, acknowledgments, foreword, lists of illustrations and battle maps for vols. I &II, 1. England Again; 2. The War Hawks; 3. Orders and Edicts; 4. "Canada!, Canada!, Canada!"; 5. Madison Yields; 6. Impressments; 7. Tecumseh and the Seventeen Fires; 8. Florida Filibusters; 9. Mob Rule in Baltimore; 10. Hull Surrenders; 11. The Frigates Meet; 12. Niagara Fiascoes; 13. Decatur's Victory; 14. Indian Surge; 15. A Capitol Is Burned; 16. Lawrence Challenged; 17. Anonymous Penman; 18. Despoilers of the Chesapeake; 19. Battle of Lake Erie; 20. Passing of Tecumseh; notes. Volume II: pp. 403-812, 21. "Mist-Taking Canada"; 22. A War on Credit; 23. The Creek War; 24. An "Ally" Falls; 25. Hostages Exchanged; 26. British Invasion Plans; 27. Washington Threatened; 28. Defeat at Bladensburg; 29. Redcoats on the Avenues; 30. Birth of a Song; 31. "Don't Give Up the Soil; 32. Honor at Niagara; 33. Northern Invasion; 34. Cleaning the Gulf Coast; 35. The Hartford Convention; 36. Peace That Lasted; 37. The Battle of New Orleans; notes, index. First Edition, 1954. "Throughout these volumes I have made an effort to discern the thuoughts and feelings of the people whose actions wove the variegated pattern of the war. Often sketches of vivid personalities or central figures have been interpolated. These sketches, and certain topics like the causes of the war, sometimes embrace events falling before or after the years during which the battles were waged. While the interuption of chronological order may be a little confusing, the reader's interest will, I hope, be enhanced by these additions. While the notes to these volumes indicate sources, for the reader's convenience, they also contain sidelights to the main action, for the reader's curiosity. Personal detail and anecdote, such as form the core of this work, are rarely found in studied official documents, statistics and historical accounts written with the dispassion of long perspective. Individuals and episodes emerge more clearly in narratives by writers who had stories of their won to tell or who had heard the stories of others. Likewise, the contemporary neewspapers, lively with personal as well as party opinion, provide a rich source of information on the 'home front's' reaction to what was going on in government, Army and Navy. Therefore, it is largely from newspapers, and early diaries, memoirs and histories, that I have collated the anecdotes and facts on whch this work is based." from the Foreword. Owner's ex libris plate on front pastedowns. Slightly faded spines with a dustline to top edges and only the slightlest age-toning to text block edges, else, Pristine, no wear. Clean, tight and strong binding with no underlining, highlighting or marginalia. Blue cloth with gilt lettering to front board and red title-plate with gilt lettering to spine..