Donald R. Hickey
Author of The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict
About the Author
Donald R. Hickey is a professor of history at Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska. He is the author of seven books, including Don't Give Up the Ship! Myths of the War of 1812, and numerous articles.
Image credit: Wayne State College
Works by Donald R. Hickey
The War of 1812: Writings from America's Second War of Independence: (Library of America #232) (2013) — Editor — 115 copies, 1 review
The war of 1812 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1944
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- USA
- Places of residence
- Nebraska, USA
Illinois, USA
Colorado, USA
California, USA
Texas, USA - Education
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (BA)
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (MA)
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (PhD) - Occupations
- historian
college professor - Organizations
- Wayne State College
Members
Reviews
Awards
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Statistics
- Works
- 12
- Members
- 671
- Popularity
- #37,614
- Rating
- 3.8
- Reviews
- 6
- ISBNs
- 36
For a taste of the analysis presented in this book, let us consider the oft-offered British Impressment of American seamen as a cause of the War. Why did the British adopt impressment? Who were impressed? How many? Why was it a casus belli?
Why? The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars raised the need for Royal Navy seamen from 36,000 in 1793 to 114,000 in 1812, during which 100,000 perished either from accident or disease. Merchant vessels paid better. Being chronically short of enlistments, impressment, a form of loosely structured draft, to use modern terminology, was employed in seaports and merchant vessels of Britain or those of neutrals while in British ports or on the high seas.
Who? British law held that no one could renounce the status of British subject, a position accepted by the United States until 1848, hence even those naturalized as American citizens were, in the British view, liable for impressment.
How many? Estimates vary, but 10,000 is a reasonable figure, few of whom were either naturalized American citizens or mistakenly identified American natives.
Casus belli? Although maritime issues were frequently mentioned at the time, impressment was likely a minor portion of that.
That gives you an idea of the breath of analysis in one of the dozens of subjects examined.
Those possessing an interest in the early American Republic in general or the War of 1812 in particular, owe much to Professor Hickey for his scholarship and authorship. Read “Don’t Give Up The Ship”, savor it and, whenever you have a question about the War of 1812, pick it up and read again.… (more)