This was a brilliantly written book about a little known battle in American history and how it impacted our lives today.  The author was able to take a very controversial topic and write about it in a way that educated the reader without allowing his personal opinions to influence the reader.  I found this to be extremely interesting and wish that schools taught students about this important period in our history.

This was an incredible, riveting read from start to finish.  Immaculately researched, it tells of an incredibly painful series of tide-turning battles against the British in the War of 1812, and Andrew Jackson's role in putting down what could have been a massive, equally tide-turning British plan to work with the Spanish, runaway slaves, and indigenous Americans, with the latter two groups promised various levels of freedom and their own land, either on the continent in the case of the latter, or away from the threat of being "repatriated" with their former owners, in the case of the former.  Expertly planned but ultimately mishandled tactically by the British, this and the Battle of New Orleans paved the way for Jackson to ultimately saunter into the White House.

It's a fascinating study, and an excellent exercise in what could have been.  It's not a battle routinely taught in the public schools of today or yesterday; I'm hopeful that the publication of this book will help set it up to be taught in future classes.  Hats off to Matthew Clavin for a sober portrayal of a dark day in our history.