MWSA Book Review

Duty And Honor – Petersburg’s Contributions to the War of 1812

Authors:  James H. Ryan, PhD & Lee A. Wallace, Jr.

Publisher: Historic Petersburg Foundation, Inc

Reviewer: Bill McDonald – President of the MWSA

Significant and Historic look at the War of 1812

Some projects and books start off looking like they are just about the local issues relating to some war or event in history. I certainly looked at this undertaking by the authors to be of some local interest to those in Virginia. “Duty And Honor – Petersburg’s Contributions to the War of 1812” goes much deeper and is certainly far more encompassing and reaching then the title might imply. For real history buffs of the War of 1812 this provides some new or little known information like the role that Petersburg Militia had in those campaigns fought in the Northwest part of the United States.

Author James Ryan does a good job connecting lots of facts and historic notes together to make this a very readable book. It is researched well and has footnotes to show where the authors got their information from. There is a section which highlights the life of Winfield Scott up to the end of the War of 1812 that is a very good read and sheds some more light on the personal side of the men who fought those battles.

This is a good book for those who have an interest in the War of 1812 or in the history of the United States.