In a rousing account of one of the critical turning points in
American history, "Through the Perilous Fight" tells the gripping
story of the burning of Washington and the improbable last stand at
Baltimore that helped save the nation and inspired its National
Anthem.
In the summer of 1814, the United States of America teetered on
the brink of disaster. The war it had declared against Great
Britain two years earlier appeared headed toward inglorious
American defeat. The young nation's most implacable nemesis, the
ruthless British Admiral George Cockburn, launched an invasion of
Washington in a daring attempt to decapitate the government and
crush the American spirit. The British succeeded spectacularly,
burning down most of the city's landmarks--including the White
House and the Capitol--and driving President James Madison from the
area. As looters ransacked federal buildings and panic gripped the
citizens of Washington, beleaguered American forces were forced to
regroup for a last-ditch defense of Baltimore. The outcome of that
"perilous fight" would help change the outcome of the war--and with
it, the fate of the fledgling American republic.
In a fast-paced, character-driven narrative, Steve Vogel tells the
story of this titanic struggle from the perspective of both sides.
Like an epic novel, "Through the Perilous Fight" abounds with
heroes, villains, and astounding feats of derring-do. The
vindictive Cockburn emerges from these pages as a pioneer in the
art of total warfare, ordering his men to "knock down, burn, and
destroy" everything in their path. While President Madison dithers
on how to protect the capital, Secretary of State James Monroe
personally organizes the American defenses, with disastrous
results. Meanwhile, a prominent Washington lawyer named Francis
Scott Key embarks on a mission of mercy to negotiate the release of
an American prisoner. His journey will place him with the British
fleet during the climactic Battle for Baltimore, and culminate in
the creation of one of the most enduring compositions in the annals
of patriotic song: "The Star-Spangled Banner."
Like Pearl Harbor or 9/11, the burning of Washington was a
devastating national tragedy that ultimately united America and
renewed its sense of purpose. "Through the Perilous Fight" combines
bravura storytelling with brilliantly rendered character sketches
to recreate the thrilling six-week period when Americans rallied
from the ashes to overcome their oldest adversary--and win
themselves a new birth of freedom.
Praise for "Through the Perilous Fight
"
"Very fine storytelling, impeccably researched . . . brings to life
the fraught events of 1814 with compelling and convincing
vigor."--Rick Atkinson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "An Army
at Dawn"
" "
"Probably the best piece of military history that I have read or
reviewed in the past five years. . . . This well-researched and
superbly written history has all the trappings of a good novel. . .
. No one who hears the national anthem at a ballgame will ever
think of it the same way after reading this book."--Gary Anderson,
"The Washington Times"
" Steve] Vogel does a superb job. . . . A] fast-paced narrative
with lively vignettes."--Joyce Appleby, "The Washington Post"
" "
"Before 9/11 was 1814, the year the enemy burned the nation's
capital. . . . A splendid account of the uncertainty, the peril,
and the valor of those days."--Richard Brookhiser, author of" James
Madison"
" "
"A swift, vibrant account of the accidents, intricacies and
insanities of war."--"Kirkus Reviews"
"From the Hardcover edition."
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