The War of 1812 doesnt get the wide spread recognition that other conflicts in American history get. In fact, what some historians refer to as our second war for independence,-- if mentioned at all, seems to center mainly around the exploits at sea of USS Constitution and Andrew Jacksons victory at New Orleans. But there was much more to the almost three years of fighting between the United States and Great Britain.

The war devastated the New England economy to the point where this region seriously contemplated making a separate peace with the enemy. Nantucket, in fact did just that. There was even talk of secession. Cape Cod and the Islands were especially impacted with ships bottled up in port by the British blockade and towns continuously under the threat of attack by British forces. By the end of the struggle, Cape Codders were happy to see the end of what many termed a ruinous and unhappy war.