Prelude to the War of 1812

                                                   15 MAY 1812                                    PRELUDE TO THE WAR OF 1812 At the turn of the 19th century the territory that is now Florida was Spanish.  This fact was of no reassurance to the administration of President James Madison in 1811.  Spain was Read More

Ships-of-the-Line

                                                  29 APRIL 1816                                              SHIPS-OF-THE-LINE Until the 16th century, navies, like land forces, relied mostly on hand-to-hand fighting to defeat an enemy.  Tactics required warships to ram or grapple each other, then send across assault troops to attack the enemy’s crew.  Fighting Read More