David Nevin (1927–2011)

This volume follows the usual Time-Life pattern of incorporating many paintings, maps, photos, combined with historical analysis and excerpts from memoirs and contemporary sources to tell the story. The soldier described in this book is the poor sod who signed up with the U.S Army to be sent out West during and after the Civil War to control the Indians. Poorly paid and equipped, he faced a frustrating and dangerous task looking for hostiles who fought as guerrillas, a war technique that show more hisofficers were not prepared in training to fight.
The author describes life in the primitive forts that were built on the frontier during this period. Life on the trail was even more harsh especially if one was on a winter campaign where it could be weeks or months in snow and cold before one returned to the fort. Some of the officers were glory seeking incompetents who thought little of their men's requirements and led them on long marches with little or no food and water. George Custer being the most famous of these glory seekers rates a lot of coverage here. His last campaign receives a full chapter with pros and cons on what occurred.
Some of the Army's most famous atrocities against women and children are examined and the background to how such a policy of extermination was developed. The editors also included photos of mutilated soldiers who had the misfortune to be captured by Indians. Sombre reading.
The photographs of the soldiers on the trail and at the post reveal a much different uniform then we are used to seeing in John Wayne movies. This is a good overview of life on the frontier during the Indian Wars. show less

This was fascinating, I of course knew about the Burr-Hamilton Duel (normally referred to as the Hamilton-Burr Duel, but I refuse to mention the loser first). Some things I didn't know:
Burr was the Vice President of the US.
Hamilton was an evil Federalist.
Burr tried to usurp the Presidency from Jefferson.
Burr tried to steal the Lousiana Purchase.
The Commanding General of the US Army was a Spanish spy.

This stuff is great! As I read more of Nevin's work, I have become familiar with certain show more overall features of this scandal, but I didn't know how it ended. show less

Having finished this, one can only think that reading the end of the story is much like the Battle of New Orleans and the end of the war. It was already over when the Battle took place. We had so many more pages to go, when the story really was over.

While I may not believe that some of the attributes he gives to the leading characters in the story, the Madisons, Winfield Scott and Andy Jackson, are correct, Nevin has done his homework. It is a large historical novel and telling us some of show more what happened is quite well done.

Some is not. When I studied this part of history, a long time ago, much was made of the causes for the war. I would think that we would have seen a great deal more of that from James Madison's viewpoint. We don't. Not enough to justify a war.

And then we get into the war and the fragmentation of having so many focal characters, makes it a difficulty to stay with any one aspect of the tale. With so much prestory to the actual events of the war, and preparing one with so many pages after the war is over for what comes next in American History, we don't get a tight tale at all.

Michener is quoted on the front of my copy, but his tales which often cover centuries, provide a better scope then we have with Nevin. This war was a very brief few years. A non-historical narrator near the great people who Nevin has made his protagonists, may have worked better.

For me, I shall not be able to pick up this volume again for a reread, it is not that kind of a story. And Nevin's handling of such pivotal characters may make me question them when I come across them in history or in fiction in the years to come. show less

1812 puts the reader right in the heart of each and every battle. Unlike his earlier and more epic tale, Dream West, this novel emphasizes battles and politics, not personal stories, romances, and struggles. I prefer the latter, so this novel was a bit of a disappointment for me. I did, however, learn a great deal about this forgotten war and gained a greater appreciation for the American heroes of General Andrew Jackson and President James Madison. Nevin is very skillful in bringing to life show more real people from America's past and should be an author in every historical fiction reader's library. show less