Much of the cause of the War of 1812 arose out of maritime disputes: Free Trade and Sailors’ Rights.  “Perilous Fight” is an exhaustive study of America’s War with Britain on the high seas, 1812-1815.  Although the most significant aspects of the Naval War of 1812 occurred on Lakes Erie, Ontario and Champlain, this book represents new scholarship on the ocean war, drawing heavily on the classics including Theodore Roosevelt’s “The Naval War of 1812”. 

Author Stephen Budiansky incorporates the high seas war into the overall war origins and strategy.  He examines America’s status as a minor naval power that could not hope to challenge the Royal Navy but could still devise a strategy through which the Navy could contribute to the war effort.  Rather than engage in fleet actions the American Frigates spread across the seas in search of British merchant vessels and occasionally raided British coastal villages.  The goal was to drive the mercantile interests to pressure the British government to bring the war to a close and to depress British morale.  This is how the celebrated battles of Constitution (Old Ironsides) vs. Java and Guerriere and United States vs. Macedonian thrilled Americans and sent shock wave through Britain.  The disunity among Americans and economic necessity spilled out beyond the shore as citizens willingly traded with the blockading fleets and entertained their officers.  In the war’s last engagements, it was Adm. Cockburn’s fleet that transported and supported the invaders who burned official Washington, raised havoc in coastal villages and launched the rockets and bombs that lighted the Star Spangled Banner through the night. 

This book not only tells us what happened, but possible reasons for American success, such as the hardness of Live Oak, over wood available in England, the spirit of the sailors, including many of those who had been impressed into the Royal Navy and the size and throw weight of the competing vessels. 

War History Network members desiring a general introduction to the War of 1812 could find more suitable works, such as Donald Hickey’s “The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict” and Walter Borneman’s “1812: The War That Forged A Nation”, both of which I have reviewed.  For a thorough, but very readable history of the war on the high seas, “Perilous Fight” is the first choice.