Books on the War of 1812
Arranged alphabetically by author.


To order any of these books please use your mouse button to click on the check box next to each book title.   Then tap the ORDER button below and that will start the secure server shopping box system.



  • Click on Image to expand
    :  Public Documents, Containing Proceedings Of The Hartford Convention of Delegates [bookplate of Henry Cabot Lodge].  Boston: By order of the Senate of Massachusetts, 1815. . Very good+ in 1/2 dark brown, leather and marbled paper covered boards with gilt text on the spine. A small quarto of 9 1/8 by 5 5/8 inches with rubbing and wear to the leather front joint, and rubbing to the leather over the tips of the boards and with a prior owner's book plate on the front paste down and another early prior owner's name written in ink at the upper edge of the title page. The book plate on the front paste down is that of Massachusetts Senator and historian, Henry Cabot Lodge a plate engraved by the Tiffany & Co.for Lodge with his family's coat-of-arms. 54 pages of text. The Hartford Convention was an outgrowth of discontent about the War of 1812 by Federalist Party members of the New England States. Twenty-six representatives from five New England States (Maine at the time was a territory of Massachusetts) met in closed sessions for three weeks in December 1814 to mid- January, 1815 to debate and write various proposed amendments to the Constitution to limit control of the Federal Government. Due to the secrecy of the meetings rummers spread about the members discussing secession from the United States. That was not the case. Secession had never been discussed. Nonetheless, the Hartford Convention became an extremely unpopular cause for the Federalists and it led to the eventual decline and ruin of that party. (Sabin, 45959)
    TB32881  $200.00



  • Click on Image to expand
    A New England Farmer [Lowell, John] :  Perpetual War, The Policy of Mr. Madison.  Boston: Printed by Chester Stebbins, 1812. First Edition. Very good- in stab sewn wrapper with Bowdoin College and the name of an early prior owner (Ezra Abbot, Jr.) written across the upper edge of the front page. An octavo of 9 by 5 7/8 inches with the fore edge and lower edge rough cut and shallow chipping to the fore edge of the front page. Written in pencil is the author's name surrounded in brackets just above the word "Boston". The contents are spotted with foxing throughout, but primarily in the margins. 117 pages of text. The author, John Lowell (1769-1840) was a Massachusetts lawyer, agriculturist, philanthropist, and a well known Federalist who wrote many pamphlets in support of his point of view. He was often at odds with the Democratic Party and published many unsigned pieces critical of President James Madison's efforts to build a standing army and navy and the War of 1812. (DAB)
    TB29956  $150.00



  • Click on Image to expand
    Babcock, Louis:  The War Of 1812 On The Niagara Frontier.  Buffalo, New York: Buffalo Historical Society, 1927. First Edition. Very good in its original blind embossed, dark blue cloth covered boards with gilt text on the spine. A small quarto of 9 by 6 inches with the cloth at the head and heel of the spine worn, two, narrow vertical stains down the spine, rubbing to the cloth at the tips of the boards and a prior owner's name written in flow pen on the front paste down. Marginal notations in pencil are noted. 385 pages including an index and text. Illustrated with a frontispiece from a black and white photograph, several maps (one of which is a fold-out map) and black and white images from photographs at the rear of the book. Dwight L. Smith in his The War Of 1812 An Annotated Bibliography states of this title: "Narrative of the entire war in this theater, interlarded with relevant documents." (Smith, 381 p.90)
    TB33241  $75.00



  • Click on Image to expand
    Brown, Roger H.:  The Republic In Peril: 1812.  New York: Columbia University Press, 1964. First Edition, First printing. Fine in red cloth covered boards with a gilt on black title block on the spine. A small quarto measuring 9 1/4" by 6". Without its issued dust jacket. 238 pages including an index, chapter notes, manuscript sources and text. The author provides "An Analysis of congressional and presidential motivation for and against the war." from Dwight L. Smith's The War of 1812 An Annotated Bibliography, page 77. (Smith: The War of 1812, 328)
    TB24836  $30.00



  • Click on Image to view multiple images
    Coggeshall, /George:  History Of The American Privateers, And Letters-Of-Marque, During Our War With England In The Years 1812, '13 and '4. Interspersed With Several Naval Battles Between American And British Ships Of War.  New York: Self-Publisher, 1856. First Edition. Very good+ in its original, blind embossed, brown cloth covered boards with gilt text and gilt decorations on its spine and blind embossed designs on the front and rear boards. A small quarto of 9 by 5 3/4 inches with the cloth at the head and heel of the spine rubbed and worn down to the edge of the text block and with a 1/4 inch square piece of the cloth missing from the lower fore corner of the front board. Without a dust jacket. 438 pages including an index and text. Illustrated with a color frontispiece from an engraving and seven plates. According to Dwight L. Smith's: The War Of 1812 An Annotated Bibliograpy, "The author commanded two privateers during the War of 1812" and captured nine British prize ships. (Coggeshall) "believed the war was justified as one of self-defense." (Howes, C-542; Smith, 1098)
    TB32865  $300.00



  • Click on Image to expand
    Crisman, Kevin J., Editor:  Coffins of the Brave Lake Shipwrecks of the War of 1812.  College Station, Tx: Texas A & M University Press, (2014). First Edition, First Printing. Fine in illustrated paper covered boards with bold white text on the spine. A quarto of 11 by 8 1/2 inches. Without a dust jacket as issued. The contents are clean and tight and without any prior ownership markings of any kind. 415 pages including an index, bibliography, appendices and text. Illustrated throughout with images of earlier works of art, maps, line drawings and images from photographs and with two sections of color images from photographs.
    TB32920  $80.00



  • Click on Image to expand
    [Dallas, Alexander J.]:  An Exposition Of The Causes And Character Of The Late War Between The United States And Great-Britain.  Middlebury, Vermont: William Slade, Jun., 1815. First Edition. Very good in early light brown leather (calf) covered boards with a more recently applied cloth back strip to the spine. The pages of the text block are rough cut and uniformly tanned with age. 59 pages of text. This title, although written without attribution, recognizes its authorship on the copyright page as Alexander J. Dallas. Dallas was the U.S. secretary of the treasury under James Madison. During his tenure as treasury secretary he realized that the War of 1812 was going to bankrupt the country so he took definitive steps to save the country financially by advocating the end of the war and recommending an increase of taxes. Considered "mildly scarce" by Howes. (Howes, D-25; only the Boston printing noted by Sabin, 18130)
    TB26698  $200.00



  • Click on Image to expand
    de Boucherville, Thomas Vercheres:  War on the Detroit.  Chicago: The Lakeside Press, 1940. First thus. Very good in decorated red cloth covered boards with a gilt top edge to the text block and with light rubbing to the head and heel of the spine and with the cloth on the spine faded. The end sheets show some foxing due to a reaction with the glues used in binding. The gilt text stamping on the spine remains clear and bright. A Lakeside Classic release of 1940 with a fold-out map before the historical introductory page and a second map following the same. Edited by Milo Milton Quaife. A reprinting of the journal Thomas Vercheres de Boucherville and a journal by James Foster titled: The Capitulation which deals with the War of 1812. The fold-out map preceding the historical introduction by Quaife is in perfect condition.
    TB27497  $30.00



  • Click on Image to expand
    De Kay, James Tertius:  A Rage for Glory The Life of Commodore Stephen Decatur, USN.  New York: Free Press, (2004). First Edition, First Printing. Fine in 1/4 brown cloth and tan paper covered boards with gilt text on the spine. An octavo of 9 by 6 inches. In a fine, unclipped dust jacket. 237 pages including an index and a section on notes and comments. Due initially to his daring feat of bravery during the Barbary Wars, Stephen Decatur (1799-1820) was one of the most popular and well respected naval commanders in America. He added to his fame with several naval victories during the War of 1812. His unfortunate death in 1820, a result of a duel with another naval commander, occurred near the height of his career with the then fledging Navy.
    TB29302  $20.00



  • Click on Image to expand
    Dudley, William S. and J. Scott Hamon:  The Naval War of 1812 America's Second War of Independence.  Virginia Beach, Vir.: The Donning Company Publishers, (2013). First Edition. Fine in dark blue cloth covered boards with gilt text stamping on the spine and on the front board. A quarto of 12 by 10 inches with printed end sheets. In a fine, unclipped (no price) dust jacket. 264 pages including an index, bibliography and text. Lavishly illustrated in color throughout from photographs of earlier works of art, model ships, maps and objects from the U.S. Naval Academy Museum.
    TB32922  $75.00



  • Click on Image to view multiple images
    Forbes, Lieut. Col. [James Grant]:  Report Of The Trial Of Brig. General William Hull;Commanding The North-Western Army Of The United States By A Court Martial Held At Albany On Monday, 3d January, 1814 And Succeeding Days.  New York: Eastburn, Kirk, and Co., 1814. First Edition. Good in its original 1/4 vellum and blue-green, paper covered boards with a printed, paper label on the spine. A small quarto of 9 1/8 by 5 1/2 inches with the spine cracked down the middle allowing the text block to in two roughly equal pieces, the front board is loose as is the first free end page. The top edge of the title page is signed in ink by an early prior owner which appears to be "Wm. Montague". The record of the trial against the commander of American troops for surrendering Fort Detroit to the British and their native allies within the first two months of the War of 1812. 119 pages of text followed by an appendix of 29 pages of text. In his bibliography The War of 1812 An Annotated Bibliography by Dwight L. Smith, he states of this trial: "Hull was charged with treason, cowardice, neglect of duty, and unofficer-like conduct in the Detroit campaign in 1812. The court felt that Hull had not committed treason, but that it had no legal jurisdiction in such matters. On the other charges he was found guilty and sentenced to death. But the court recommended him to the mercy of the President of the United States." He was pardoned by President James Madison. (Smith, , 532;
    TB32875  $300.00



  • Click on Image to expand
    Hammersley, Sydney Ernest:  The Lake Champlain Naval Battles of 1776-1814.  Waterford, New York: Self-published, 1959. First Edition, First printing. Fine in green cloth covered boards with gilt text stamped on the spine and front board. An octavo measuring 9" by 6". Without a dust jacket (probably as issued); however, the covers are protected by a thick acetate jacket. Laid-in is a mimeographed, one page advance ad by the author for this book. Additionally, the book is signed by the author on the title page. 28 pages of text including a list of references and bibliography. Illustrated with black and white photographs.
    TB25170  $85.00



  • Click on Image to expand
    Hammersley, Sydney Ernest:  The Lake Champlain Naval Battles of 1776-1814.  Waterford, New York: Self-published, 1959. First Edition, First printing. Fine in green cloth covered boards with gilt text stamped on the spine and front board. An octavo measuring 9 by 6 inches. There is a dated ("June 1959") gift inscription on the front free end page. The book is in otherwise perfect condition. Without a dust jacket (probably as issued); however, the covers are protected by a thick acetate jacket. 28 pages of text including a list of references and bibliography. Illustrated with black and white photographs.
    TB22631  $40.00



  • Click on Image to expand
    Langguth, A. J.:  Union 1812 The Americans Who Fought the Second War of Independence.  New York: Simon and Schuster, 2006. First Edition, First printing. Fine in tan paper covered boards with metallic red text stamped on the spine. In a fine, unclipped dust jacket. 482 pages including photo credits, index, bibliography, chapter notes and text. Illustrated with a frontispiece, maps and reproductions of contemporary works of art.
    TB22833  $20.00




  • Lemmon, Sarah McCulloh:  Frustrated Patriots North Carolina and the War of 1812.  Chapel Hill: University of N.C. Pres, 1973. First Edition, First printing. Fine in charcoal gray cloth covered boards with silver colored text stamping on the spine. In a near fine dust jacket with a price clipped flap and very faint rubbing on the front panel. 223 pages containing an index, bibliography and text. The author presents the history of North Carolina's motivations for joining the war and its participation.
    TB11675  $28.00



  • Click on Image to expand
    Malcomson, Thomas, and Robert Malcomson:  HMS Detroit The Battle For Lake Erie.  Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, (1990). First Edition, First Pringint. Fine in black cloth covered boards with gilt text on the spine. A quarto of 11 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches. In a fine, unclipped (no price) dust jacket with a minor 1/4 inch closed tear at the upper edge of the spine area. 151 pages containing picture credits, index, bibliography, chapter notes and text. Illustrated with maps, line drawings, images from black and white photographs and earlier works of art.
    TB31328  $40.00



  • Click on Image to expand
    Nevin, David:  1812.  New York: Tom Doherty Assoc., 1996. First Edition, First printing. Fine in 1/4 blue cloth and paper covered boards with bold gilt text stamping on the spine. In a near fine unclipped dust jacket with only a hint of rubbing to the upper edge of the spine area. Warmly inscribed to a prior owner by the author and dated in the year of publication on the title page. Author of the bestseller, Dream West. The jacket contains very favorable reviews by John Jakes, James Michener, Thomas Fleming, Philip B. Kunhardt and Edmund S. Muskie.
    TB23320  $35.00



  • Click on Image to expand
    Perkins, Samuel:  A History Of The Political And Military Events Of The Late War Between The United States And Great Britain.  New Haven, Conn.: S. Converse, 1825. First Edition. Very good+ in a contemporary, full leather binding with a red leather label on the spine with gilt text and with gilt rules to simulate raised bands on the spine. An octavo of 8 1/2 vy 5 1/8 inches with light wear and rubbing to the edges of the boards and with the front joint starting which has been professionally reinforced. There is an early prior owner's name in pencil on the first free end page and the first 72 pages of the text block show a dampness stain to the lower fore corner of the pages. 512 pages of text. Perkins, a native of Connecticut, studied theology at Yale, became a preacher, but later switched to law. He wrote three books on history. This title was his first and more famous of the three. (Howes, P-236; Sabin, 60972)
    TB32880  $175.00



  • Click on Image to expand
    Roberts, Jerry:  The British Raid on Essex The Forgotten Battle Of The War of 1812.  Middletown, Conn.: Wesleyan University Press, (2014). First Edition, First Printing. Fine in 1/4 black cloth and blue paper covered boards with gilt text on the spine. An octavo of 9 by 6 inches with map end sheets. In a fine, unclipped dust jacket. 197 pages including an index, bibliography, notes and sources, appendices and text. Illustrated throughout with maps, photographs and reproductions of both contemporary and current works of art. At the time Essex was called "Pettipaug". It was and is on the west bank of the Connecticut River upstream of Long Island Sound by roughly five miles. As such it was a major port and ship building center. During both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 many ships were constructed in its harbors for American privateers. In 1814 the British made a surprise attack on Pettipaug burning 27 vessels either under construction or at moorings making it a major maritime loss of the war.
    TB29226  $40.00



  • Click on Image to expand
    Updyke, Frank A.:  The Diplomacy Of The War of 1812.  Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1915. First Edition. Very near fine in its original blue cloth covered boards with gilt text on the spine. A small octavo of 7 1/2 by 5 1/4 inches with hints of rubbing to the cloth at the ends of the spine area and at the tips of the boards and with a prior owner's name neatly written on the first free end page. Without a dust jacket. 494 pages including an index and text. This is one of the volumes in The Albert Shaw Lectures on Diplomatic History.
    TB32867  $100.00






  • After you have checked off each book you wish to order (a mouse click in the small check box just above the author's name or book title will do it), please tap the ORDER button below.  You will then be taken to our secure server which will allow you to confirm the items you want and then enter the information to provide us with the details of your name, payment method and where the book(s) should be sent. 

    All books are returnable within 10 days from date of receipt; however, please call us first so that we understand your intentions.  

    Availability is subject to prior sale.