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|  | | A Ruinous and Unhappy War: New England and the War of 1812
This book relates the untold story of the travails of New England during the second war with Great Britain, from the well-organized antiwar campaign to the courageous resistance of enemy incursions.
New England's unique role in the nation's first declared war has never been examined in its entirety and pulled together in one place. The region played important multiple and contradictory roles in the war against Great Britain. Much of the financing and a substantial portion of the army and navy came from New England. The vice president and the secretary of war hailed from Massachusetts. Yet a majority of New England's merchants, clergymen, and editors opposed the war, at times in ways that appeared treasonous. The governors of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rho | |  | | Luminaries of Early West Barnstable: The Stories of a Cape Cod Vilage
The Cape Cod hamlet of West Barnstable has an illustrious and unique past. In a fifty-six-year span in the eighteenth century it produced James Otis Jr, "the Patriot"; Mercy Otis Warren, early writer and historian; Capt. John "Mad Jack" Percival, skipper of "Old Ironsides"; and Mass. Chief Justice Lemuel Shaw - all contributors to the nation's development.
West Barnstable is unique among historic colonial Cape Cod hamlets. A quartet born in the little village in a fifty-six year span in the eighteenth century marked this village on the map forever. James Otis Jr., "the Patriot," led the intellectual aspects of the independence movement in New England. His sister, Mercy Otis Warren, broke free of the defined roles for women of her time to become a significant political activist, dramatist, poet and historian. War hero John "Mad Jack" Percival rose to the highest ran in the U.S. Navy and saved the USS Constitution from the scrap heap before sail | |  | | Mad Jack Percival: Legend of the Old Navy
Captain John "Mad Jack" Percival, one of the most colorful figures of the Old Navy era, was a legend in his time. Percival's naval caraeer began in 1797 when he was impressed into British naval service aboard the HMS Victory and ended in 1846 after taking the USS Constitution on her only around-the-world cruise. Drawing on many unpublished sources, this book details Percival's adventures in four wars and in between.
Hailing from Cape Cod and recognized by Congress for meritorious action in the War of 1812, Mad Jack Percival fought against the French and British and commanded the i>Constitution/i> off the coast of Mexico weeks before war with that country broke out. In between he chased West Indies pirates and whaler mutineers, tussled with South Pacific chieftains, policed distant American whalers and merchantmen, charted unknown waters, quarreled with missionaries, and educated and trained midshipmen. He also skirmished with local forces in what is now Vietnam, a | |  | | Myths, Tall Tales and Half Truths of Cape Cod
Explores the prevalence of misinformation in written Cape Cod history and shoes venerated institutions such as churches and historical societies are skilled in gilding the lily.
Cape Cod,one of the nation's oldest regions, can claim many firsts, but not as many as some want you to believe. Boastfukness, tall tales and plain stretching the truth about history are widely practiced in this tourist mecca. Even esteemed institutions such as churches and historical societies are nimble in the art of gilding the lily. Discover where The Wizard of Oz film really premiered, whether Mercy Otis Warren had a hand in writing the Bill of Rights and who invented the hole in the doughnut. Along the way, you'll find out where the country's oldest Congregational meetinghouse is loca | |  | | Thoreau Overlooked: The Fourth Cape Cod Excursion Journal, 1857
An edited and annotated version of Thoreau's overlooked journal for his fourth trip to Cape Cod.
Henry David Thoreau's classic "Cape Cod", among the best books on that historic region is based largely on his first trip journa. The fourth and final journal, from 1857, is generally unknown. Finally, this book presents that rich and resonant collection of observations. Substantial annotation is provided by the editor to set the scene and offer background.
Thoreau's book provided material for scores of authors and lecturers. Moreover, in the early 1960s, it buttressed the controversial movement to create the now popular Cape Cod National Seashore. More recently, the |
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