First published 2017
The War of 1812 reaches its climax as British forces target New Orleans, seeking to control the Mississippi River and cripple American trade. The city stands vulnerable, far from Washington and largely ignored by federal politicians. General Andrew Jackson arrives with a fierce determination to stop the invasion. He faces a seemingly impossible task: uniting the fractured population of New Orleans into a fighting force. Jackson brings together an unlikely alliance of French settlers, Native Americans, freed slaves, pirates, and Kentucky frontiersmen. Each group harbors its own grievances and loyalties, yet Jackson's leadership and his hatred of the British forge them into a unified defense. The British expect an easy victory against this ragtag coalition, but they underestimate both Jackson's military genius and the resolve of ordinary Americans fighting for their homeland. This story captures the moment when a diverse group of people discovered their shared identity as Americans.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, military-history, 19th-century, american-history
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: underdog, unlikely-allies
Setting: New Orleans, Mississippi River
Period: War of 1812
256 pages · Hardcover · Sentinel