CAPITAL IN FLAMES

As an American, I know surprisingly little about the War of 1812. It could be summed up into Andrew Jackson and the Battle of New Orleans; the British burning of Washington D.C; and Francis Scott Key writing the National Anthem. Thank goodness for renowned experts like Robert Malcomson whose excellent book "Capital in Flames: The American Attack on York, 1813" will educate a new generation. Malcomson begins by giving an administrative overview of Upper and Lower Canada in the early 1800s, and an introduction to the military personalities that would later influence the events of the battle of York (Toronto). The ambitions of Governor Sir George Prevost to build York into the British prime naval base on the Great Lakes, clouded his ability to see that the town was poorly sited for defense against American attack. The die had been cast for this frontier town. Going back to my ignorance of the War of 1812, I almost missed the explanation for how the war came to be. For a war that came about over trade embargoes and Americans being pressed into service on British ships, Malcomson coverage of the international relations among England, France, and the United States in the early 1800s was adequate for the purposes of the book. A battle is merely a point in time in an overall campaign. Malcomson provides a detailed look into the campaign season of 1812, and further delves into the strategy of America for the opening of the 1813 campaign season. With the thawing of the lakes in April 1813, Maj Gen Dearborn and Commodore Chauncey set out for the first ever combined Navy / Army amphibious operation in American history. Malcomson supports the description of the battle with multiple charts showing the position of forces as the battle unfolded. Readers learn the tragic demise of Brig Gen Zebulon "Montgomery" Pike as he led his troops in the assault on the Grand Magazine in York. Contrasting the hero Brig Gen Pike, Malcomson documents the story of the battle's scapegoat, Maj Gen Roger Sheaffe, commander of the British troops during the battle. Sheaffe certainly could have taken additional offensive action, but the poor siting of the town defenses all but assured the final outcome of the battle. In addition to the shame of losing the battle, Sheaffe forgot or did not permit his forces to gather overcoats and backpacks prior to the 150 mile retreat to Kingston. Malcomson presents a balanced view of the battle, offering personal accounts of the British soldiers, Canadian militia, and the American military forces who participated in the battle. These well-footnoted accounts are drawn from sources such as personal letters, memoirs, newspapers, and regimental histories. As battle narratives go, "Capital in Flames" is an exceptionally well-written book. It puts the battle into both the overall international context, as well as establishes its relevance in the overall campaign. This was the first of Malcomson's books that I have read. I will certainly seek out more of them.