It's 2012? Time for the Bicentennial!

Yep, 2012 begins the commemoration of the War of 1812, a conflict of particular interest to me.  As a fan of Regency romances I always felt a niggling sense of disloyalty cheering on all those RN heroes and those army gentlemen in their dashing red coats.  After all, they were the enemy of the United States from 1812-1815 (I'm including the Battle of New Orleans).  They burned Washington.   They threatened Dolly Madison, for cryin' out loud!  But it's hard to remember all of that when you're drooling over Ioan Gruffudd as Horatio Hornblower.

However, being a history geek, I am enjoying all the additional reading I'm doing right now in advance of the bicentennial.  I was just reviewing a passage from If By Sea--The Forging of The American Navy from the Revoluton to the War of 1812 by George C. Daughan and ran across this pithy tidbit:

"South Carolina's Christopher Gadsden declared that he would 'as soon send a favorite virgin to a brothel, as a man to England to make a treaty."

When was the last time we heard something that juicy come out of Congress?

If you've got a yen to learn more about this conflict, particularly the naval engagements involving the US, write me!  I love to share book suggestions.  You might also enjoy Sea Change since it's the tale of an American privateer during the War of 1812 and what happens when he takes prisoner a young British surgeon who's not all "he" appears to be.