Inside the US Navy of 1812–1815

"Written by one of the deans of antebellum naval history, Inside the US Navy of 1812–1815 does an excellent job linking the internal complications of the navy department to the actions of its officers on the field."

"William S. Dudley is one of the leading scholars on the War of 1812, and this book represents the culmination of his insights from a long and successful career working on this topic. An excellent and original book that will be accessible to a wide audience beyond students and naval historians, Inside the US Navy of 1812–1815 will stimulate more detailed specialist investigation into the topics of logistics and naval administration."

"Bill Dudley addresses two overlooked aspects of the naval history of the War of 1812—the administration of the Navy Department and logistical support of the American fleet on the high seas and inland lakes. Moreover, his integration of the latest scholarship concerning the war's strategic, operational, and tactical issues makes this a necessary read."

"William Dudley's triumphant book is an inquiry into the sinews of United States sea power during the epic War of 1812—administration, personnel, materiel, weapons, and readiness for war—all disclosed through examination of theaters of war and hard-pressed battles on inland waters and the high seas."

"In addition to naval operations at sea and on the Great Lakes, William D. Dudley's new history covers dimensions of the War of 1812 that are too often overlooked, including munitions and ordnance, seaports and shipyards, pursers and provisions. Here is a valuable comprehensive history of the war in all its aspects."

"No scholar knows more about the naval War of 1812 than William Dudley. In this masterful analysis Dudley seats himself behind the Secretary of the Navy's desk and discovers how three successive secretaries managed the complex operations and essential logistics of a war that ranged as far away as the Pacific and Indian Oceans."

"Dudley's new book is a detailed and scholarly examination of the organization, administration, and leadership of a small navy that dared to go to war with the strongest maritime power in the world. An indispensable source for both the serious student of the War of 1812 and all those interested in the navy of the early American republic."

"Inside the US Navy of 1812-1815 serves a vital function, illuminating an aspect of the war that is often glossed over in other studies. Dudley makes a compelling and engaging argument for the importance of administration and logistics, which, in turn, makes this book an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the second war between the United States and Great Britain."

"Inside the US Navy of 1812–1815 is an excellent resource. In addition, this book is essential reading for understanding this chapter in the U.S. Navy's evolution from the Continental Navy of the 18th century to the global power of the 21st century."

"William S. Dudley has focused his career on the early history of the American Navy. His latest book, Inside the US Navy 1812-1815, is the product of ten years of effort, resulting in an essential volume."

"In this critical new assessment, William Dudley, Director of the US Naval Historical Centre between 1995 and 2004 and founding editor of the essential The Naval War of 1812: A Documentary History, addresses the maritime dimension of a conflict that has long been at the centre of American naval identity, as visitors to the Naval Academy at Annapolis will have observed."

"Inside the U.S. Navy will stand for many years as the authoritative source on the war at sea and on inland rivers and lakes. Military, maritime, and naval historians as well as historians of technology and the Early Republic will find this an indispensable reference work."