By George F. W. Young, Professor Emeritus in the History Department of Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia

Proclamation to Castine, Maine, residents, September 1, 1814: Remain quietly in your homes, pursue your usual occupations, surrender your arms and do not attempt to communicate with the American forces—and you will enjoy the safety and protection of the British occupying forces.

Under these strictures did Castine residents endure their town’s occupation during the war of 1812. The British offensive in 1814 resulted in their most sizable capture of U.S. territory, that might have become a territorial annexation had it not been for American successes elsewhere during the period. 

Although Young’s book is brief, it is well researched and engagingly written which makes it appropriate for academic and general readers alike. He incorporates local landmarks from Eastport, Castine, and Machias into his narrative, making it an ideal companion for anyone who wants to take a self-guided walking tour of the places where these events occurred.

—Reviewed in The Northern Mariner/Le marin du nord, published by the Canadian Nautical Research Society and the North American Society for Oceanic History

There is much to like about this excellent treatment of history. It is meticulously researched from U.S. and Canadian sources, supplied with numerous historical or newly prepared maps, and supplemented with color plates. One wishes for a better index, but that hardly detracts from the excellent story provided!

—Reviewed in The 1812 War Cry, published by The General Society of the War of 1812