The War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain was fought throughout nearly all of the country, from the waters of the Atlantic Ocean to the vast frontier between the U.S. and Canada. No theater of war suffered more than the Chesapeake Bay region, where 11 battles—including Craney Island, Hampton, Bladensburg, and Baltimore—63 skirmishes, and 86 raids took place. Featuring a comprehensive list of more than 800 of the war’s historical sites in the region, this book is an indispensable reference to the second great war for independence.

One chapter each covers Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The authors draw on both American and British accounts in describing battlefields and the locations of skirmishes. The book includes historic maps and drawings, descriptive overview essays, the most complete chronology of the War in the Chesapeake ever assembled, and a thorough bibliographic essay.

Supported by such primary documents as diaries, journals, and newspaper articles, the material compiled in this encyclopedia surpasses any collection thus far brought together on the subject. Local librarians, historians, tour guides, history buffs, school teachers, and genealogists will find this guide to be informative and enlightening.

Ralph E. Eshelman is owner and CEO of Eshelman & Associates, a cultural resource management and museum consultation company, and he served as historian for the National Park Service's Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail study. Scott S. Sheads is a National Park Service ranger at Fort McHenry and 1812 lecturer and author. Donald R. Hickey is a professor of history at Wayne State College in Nebraska and author of Don’t Give Up the Ship! Myths of the War of 1812 and The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict.