The Greatest Fury

The Battle of New Orleans and the Rebirth of America

By: William C Davis

Narrated by: David H. Lawrence XVII

“Davis’s accounts of small fights won by hot blood and cold steel are thrilling.”—The Wall Street Journal

From master historian William C. Davis, the definitive story of the Battle of New Orleans, the fight that decided the ultimate fate not only of the War of 1812 but the future course of the fledgling American republic.

It was a battle that could not be won. Outnumbered farmers, merchants, backwoodsmen, smugglers, slaves, and Choctaw Indians, many of them unarmed, were up against the cream of the British army, professional soldiers who had defeated the great Napoleon and set Washington, D.C., ablaze. At stake was nothing less than the future of the vast American heartland, from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes, as the ragtag American forces fought to hold New Orleans, the gateway of the Mississippi River and an inland empire.

Tipping the balance of power in the New World, this single battle irrevocably shifted the young republic's political and cultural center of gravity and kept the British from ever regaining dominance in North America. In this gripping, comprehensive study of the Battle of New Orleans, William C. Davis examines the key players and strategy of King George's Red Coats and Andrew Jackson's makeshift "army." A master historian, he expertly weaves together narratives of personal motivation and geopolitical implications that make this battle one of the most impactful ever fought on American soil.

Fantastic

As a military history buff and history major, I found this book to be incredibly well researched and written. I highly recommend this book to learn more about the battle of New Orleans. It is far more thorough and balanced and any other account I’ve read.

Important, interesting but lengthy

This book significantly expands the knowledge of the reader about important milestones in American history. There is some excess in names of persons involved in battles and politics which adds to the length of the book but not the story. Despite this it’s a great “. read.”

5 stars but . . . .

Honestly, I couldn’t follow the flow of the detailed events very well which is my fault that requires another listen to remedy. The epilogue was outstanding and improved my overall impression. I’m glad I stuck with it!

excellent!

thorough research, riveting, even when he got wonky on artillery (but necessary). clarified the roles of participants.

Very detailed. I had no idea.

This was a bit too much for someone who knew nothing about this battle. It was like drinking from a firehose. I will come back to this again.