Begun in ignorance of the military facts of life, fought with raw troops, mostly incompetent officers, and inadequate logistics, the War of 1812 was a near disaster for the fledgling United States. This new volune in Algonquin's Major Battles and Campaigns series tells how our country's most unmilitary war was fought and almost lost.

Of arms and men, bad roads and short rations -- Disaster in the West -- Champlain and Niagara -- Marching, mud, and misery -- Handful of fir-built frigates -- Battle for the Lakes -- Winter of our discontentent: tribulation in the West -- Victories wasted -- On to Montreal! -- Spaniards and red sticks -- Regulars, by God! -- Bladensburg races -- Rockets' red glare -- Triumph in the North, almost -- War's fringes, east and west -- The confusions of Andrew Jackson -- The last shots.