The Papers of James MadisonPresidential Series, Volume 5
10 July 1812-7 February 1813
Edited by J. C. A. Stagg, Martha J. King, Ellen J. Barber, Anne
Mandeville Colony, Angela Kreider, Jewel L. Spangler
Volume 5 of the "Presidential Series" covers the first seven
months of the War of 1812, documenting the problems Madison faced
as he led the United States into its first major military conflict
under the Federal Constitution. The planned American invasions of
Canada faltered because of General Henry Dearborn's inept
leadership in the East and General William Hull's shocking
surrender at Detroit. Quarrels about the role of the state militias
and recruitment and supply difficulties contributed to these and
subsequent setbacks. General William Henry Harrison's inability to
achieve a major victory in the Northwest, the failure of two poorly
planned offensives on the Niagara peninsula, and the U.S. defeat at
the river Raisin in January 1813 round out the dismal picture of
U.S. military affairs presented by documents in this volume.
Meanwhile, Madison faced pressure not only from Federalists,
whose numerous angry letters occasionally included threats of
secession, but also from Republicans dissatisfied with his
leadership. Many of the latter supported De Witt Clinton in his
unsuccessful bid to unseat Madison in the election of 1812. Others
urged the president to take steps to "intimidate" his political
opponents; Madison, however, declined to use federal power to
enforce loyalty. Two of his cabinet colleagues added to the
president's problems: Secretary of War William Eustis was so
"profoundly oppressed" by U.S. defeats that Paul Hamilton,
secretary of the navy, suspected "a danger of his mind being
affected"; Hamilton, an alcoholic, had tolerated sloppy bookkeeping
and alleged corruption in the Navy Department. By the end of 1812
both had resigned.
On the diplomatic front, the volume documents U.S. charge
d'affaires Jonathan Russell's unsuccessful peace talks with Great
Britain and the midwinter odyssey of minister to France Joel
Barlow, who, returning from negotiations with Napoleon at Vilna,
died of pneumonia in a Polish village. Also covered is Madison's
continuing effort to craft a policy serving American interests in
the Spanish borderlands. Access to people, places, and events
discussed is facilitated by detailed annotation and a comprehensive
index.
General
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