McCranie (strategy and policy, Naval War College) examines the naval campaigns of the War of 1812 from the perspectives of both the US and British sides of the war. Rather than merely describing individual warship battles, the author examines the entire cruises of American and British warships throughout the war (although with less attention paid to the Great Lakes), focusing on the strategic decision-making process of both sides and how the decisions were carried out. The book is based on British and American archival sources, including public and private letters, ships' logs, and court martial records. It is illustrated with b&w historical illustrations and contemporary maps. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)