The War of 1812

I was looking at the calendar the other day when it hit me. Next year will mark the anniversary of the beginning of the War of 1812, what some say was our second war of independence. I guess you can say it was since the main complaint for the United States was the impressment of its seamen by Great Britain (actually the United Kingdom even at that early time). Although things did not go as the US wanted them to go. (The treaty to end the war returned things to the way they were before without addressing the cause of Impressment. After Napoleon was defeated there was not need to impress sailors into the British Navy. Oh yeah, they did burn our capitol.) The war did show we would not be pushed around; we can and will fight back.

One thing we gained from the war was a proud naval tradition. With just a few "Fir built frigates", as one British Naval officer called them, we showed that we can sail and fight just as well as the British Navy. I know we could not compete in number of or size of ships, but those Frigates like the USS Constitution, United States, President, Congress, Constellation, and the ill fated Chesapeake did more to show the flag than anything else.

I have to say that I am proud to have served in the United States Navy. I also want to thank the Royal Navy, not for the war but for the tradition and spirit we inherited.

One of the projects I have filed away ready for work is the story of a fictional US naval hero from the early days of our Navy. I hope to complete the project sometime next year after I finish The Thunderhead Rebellion the first book in a Sci-Fi series.