The War of 1812 in the Pacific

The War of 1812 in the Pacific October 15

Author George Daughan will return to the Camden Public Library to present The Shining Sea: David Porter and the Epic Voyage of the USS Essex During the War of 1812, on Tuesday, October 15, at 7:00 pm. Daughan gave a masterful talk on the history of the War of 1812 last year, and returns during “Discover History Month” to tell the remarkable story of David Porter’s illustrious voyages – from the riches he won to how he contributed to the unraveling of the Spanish-American empire to his battles in the War of 1812 in the Pacific. Books will be made available at the talk by Sherman’s Books.

In October 1812, the United States was in need of heroes. Unproven and disrespected on the international stage, tensions with Britain were escalating as our young country struggled to forge an identity for itself. The circumstances were ripe for a young, ambitious naval officer to make a name for himself and bring hope to his country. “No one,” says historian George C. Daughan, “was better trained or more motivated to fight the War of 1812 than Captain David Porter. His whole life had been a preparation for this great trial.”

Daughan describes how Porter’s bold exploits and triumphant feats helped lend legitimacy to the burgeoning American navy, and the country as a whole, in his new book, The Shining Sea. Yet, Daughan reveals, it was Porter’s hubris that was his greatest enemy. “No one ever questioned his exceptional talents as an officer – courage, daring, a fine mind, and exceptional leadership ability,” Daughan says. “But it was his outsized ambition and excessive pride that stood in his way of achieving the truly great fame he sought.”

An independent historian who has been researching the early history of the American navy for more than fifteen years, Daughan’s previous book, 1812: The Navy’s War, was hailed by the Washington Post for “help[ing] us see through the murk left by the cannonfire,” and praised by the Boston Globe for “expand[ing] our understanding, debunking several popular myths.” As part of an interview, Daughan can discuss how David Porter’s story fits into the larger narrative of the war, why Porter was hailed as a hero even after suffering – through his own fault – the loss of his ship and two-thirds of his crew, and what drove Porter to take such a risk in the first place. He can also discuss topics such as:

•             The remarkable nature of Porter’s illustrious voyages – from the riches he won to how he contributed to the unraveling of the Spanish-American empire to his ultimate defeat at Valparaiso;

•             How American-British relations before, during, and after the War of 1812 evolved, and the profound effects of the countries’ eventual alliance;

•             The USS Essex’s adventurous history – before she was captured by the British in the War of 1812 – as a warship during the Quasi-War and the First Barbary War;

•             The specific ships, equipment, maneuvers, and way of life that defined the Age of Sail;

•             The role Washington Irving played in helping David Porter perpetuate his own mythology.

“George Daughan has written a riveting seafaring story. With grace and style, he tells the epic and ultimately tragic tale of the South Seas voyage of the Essex, a US Navy frigate, during the War of 1812. The history of theEssex’s seventeen months at sea is captivating in itself, but Daughan succeeds in unraveling the mysteries of sailing ships, naval battles, the lonely life of a ship’s captain, and the fast-changing and often perilous fortunes of mariners. This is wonderful history so well told that it will leave readers with the feeling of running fast on a smooth blue sea.” —John Ferling, author of Jefferson and Hamilton: The Rivalry that Forged a Nation

As Daughan explains, perhaps no one felt the weight of the War of 1812’s great potential more than Porter. The son of a Revolutionary War fighting sailor who had his own brave tales to tell, Porter dreamed of making a name for himself. A veteran of the Quasi-War with France and the war with Tripoli who had joined the navy as a deck hand at sixteen, Porter had swiftly established himself as a committed worker and venerable leader in the making. Yet by June of 1812, he yearned for a “real” fight, one that would prove him an iconic leader and secure his place in our young nation’s lore.

Porter saw the USS Essex as the vehicle with which to prove himself a national hero. Assigned by President James Madison to a group mission with two other men-of-war, Porter was to sail the Essex to meet up with theUSS Constitution and USS Hornet in the Atlantic. But his orders included a fateful caveat – if for some reason he was unable to rendezvous with the other ships, he was “to act according to your best judgment for the good of the service on which we are engaged.” It gave Porter, as Daughan writes, “wide latitude, a possibility that must have excited his fertile imagination.”

When he failed to meet the other two ships, Porter seized the opportunity to create his own adventure, embarking on a treacherous quest for glory. He sailed the Essex around Cape Horn and into the dangerous waters of the Pacific, where he and his crew plundered British whaling and merchant ships, wreaking havoc on British commerce and earning them wealth and acclaim. But riches were not enough for him; what he really wanted was to capture a British man-of-war. Flush with his victories, Porter welcomed the news that the HMS Phoebe was on his tail, and he resolved to capture her. But the Essex couldn’t overcome the British frigate’s superior firepower. Over the course of a desperate, bloody battle in Valparaiso Harbor off the coast of Chile, he lost the Essex and over two-thirds of her crew – a shocking conclusion to a daring journey.

Such an unnecessary, if sensational, end might seem like the kiss of death for a military man’s career. But theEssex’s valiant stand against superior odds won the captain the plaudits of his countrymen, who all but ignored the spectacular loss of the ship itself and the horrifying deaths of the crew. When Porter returned home from the Pacific in 1814, as the war was going badly for President Madison, the tale of Porter’s spirited defense of the Essex struck a responsive chord in the president, “who was determined never to give in himself,” writes Daughan. Instead, “Madison overlooked Porter’s failings and concentrated on his brave resistance.”

Today, Porter’s singular voyage stands as a cautionary tale for any leader who would put personal glory ahead of their cause and countrymen. A swashbuckling narrative of risk and ruin on the high seas, The Shining Seabrings to life the monomaniacal quest of one of the most misunderstood commanders of the War of 1812.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

George C. Daughan holds a Ph.D. in American History and Government from Harvard University and is a recipient of the 2008 Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature for his book If By Sea. Daughan spent three years in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War, and was an instructor at the Air Force Academy and director of the MA program in international affairs there. He also taught at the University of Colorado, the University of New Hampshire, Wesleyan University, Connecticut College, and Harvard University. He resides in Portland, Maine.