Trouble at Home: The War of 1812 and the Soul of a Republic

America's most forgotten war was also one of its most consequential.

When the United States declared war on Britain in June 1812, the young republic was deeply divided ? split by party, region, and a profound uncertainty about what kind of nation it would become. What followed was three years of conflict that tested American democracy to its limits and changed the North American continent forever.

Trouble at Home tells the complete story of the War of 1812 through ten in-depth chapters covering the war's causes, its most decisive battles, and its lasting consequences. From the surrender of Detroit to the burning of Washington, from the bloody banks of the River Raisin to the thundering guns of New Orleans, this book brings the full drama of America's second war of independence to life.

At the center of the story stands Tecumseh ? the brilliant Shawnee war chief who dreamed of uniting every Indian nation from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico into a confederacy capable of halting American expansion. His alliance with the British, his death at the Battle of the Thames, and the ultimate destruction of his vision represent one of the great tragedies of American history.

Inside you will find detailed accounts of more than ten major battles including:

• The fall of Fort Dearborn and the surrender of Detroit
• The River Raisin Massacre and the cry of "Remember the Raisin"
• Oliver Hazard Perry's stunning victory at the Battle of Lake Erie
• The burning of Washington and the defense of Fort McHenry
• Andrew Jackson's devastating assault at Horseshoe Bend
• The carnage of Lundy's Lane ? the war's bloodiest battle
• The spectacular American triumph at New Orleans

Trouble at Home is more than a military history. It is the story of a nation at war with itself ? struggling to define its identity, honor its ideals, and reckon with the human cost of expansion. The War of 1812 did not end with a clear victor, but it left nothing unchanged. The republic that emerged from it was more confident, more expansionist, and more deeply troubled by the contradictions it had not yet resolved.

For readers of American history, military history, and Native American history, Trouble at Home is an essential account of the conflict that forged modern North America.