In this book, the author recreates one of the decisive engagements of the War of 1812, the battle for Baltimore in September, 1814. He explains how the citizen army that was hastily assembled after the burning of Washington was able to resist successfully a well-equipped and experienced British force. He describes the campaigns in the Chesapeake Bay that led up to the battle for Baltimore and portrays the social and political conditions in the city that allowed it to muster a fiercely effective defense. He also explains the significance of the battle in the War of 1812 and the importance of the war to the future of the young American democracy.