The American Naval Records Society’s digitization and online republication of naval documents in the public domain gives new life to naval historical research in the United States. In reproducing The Naval War of 1812: A Documentary History, the editors continue in the tradition of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Commodore Dudley W. Knox, who collaborated in the editing and publication of the series on the Quasi War with France and the Barbary Wars in the 1930s and 1940s. The Naval Historical Center followed these volumes with Naval Documents of the American Revolution, under the editorship of William Bell Clark, William James Morgan, William S. Dudley and Michael J. Crawford.

President Roosevelt himself expressed the hope that War of 1812 documentation would eventually be published. It is presented here as follows:

Introduction to the ANRS web edition by William S. Dudley.

Volume I: 1812. Complete (75mb). Also available as:

• Part 1 of 7, Front matter (4mb).
• Part 2 of 7, Chapter One: Maritime Causes of the War, 1805–1812, pages 1–82 (8mb).
• Part 3 of 7, Chapter Two: Naval Operations in the Atlantic Theater, January–August 1812, pages 82–266 (18mb).
• Part 4 of 7, Chapter Three: The Northern Lakes Theater, June–December 1812, pages 267–374 (11mb).
• Part 5 of 7, Chapter Four: The Gulf Coast Theater, February–December 1812, pages 375–440 (7mb).
• Part 6 of 7, Chapter Five: The Atlantic Theater, September–December 1812, pages 441–651 (19mb).
• Part 7 of 7, Index , pages 654–714 (7mb).

Volume II: 1813. Complete (77mb). Also available as:

• Part 1 of 8, Front matter (7mb).
• Part 2 of 8, Chapter One: The Atlantic Theater, January–December 1813 Part 1, pages 1–167 (11mb).
• Part 3 of 8, Chapter One: The Atlantic Theater, January–December 1813 Part 2, pages 167–308 (11mb).
• Part 4 of 8, Chapter Two: The Chesapeake Bay Theater, January–December 1813, pages 309–402 (8mb).
• Part 5 of 8, Chapter Three: The Northern Lakes Theater, January–December 1813, pages 403–628 (21mb).
• Part 6 of 8, Chapter Four: The Gulf Coast Theater, January–December 1813, pages 629–682 (5mb).
• Part 7 of 8, Chapter Five: The Pacific Theater, January–December 1813, pages 682–714 (3mb).
• Part 8 of 8, Index, pages 715–779 (7mb).

Volume III: 1814–1815. Complete (90mb). Also available as:

• Part 1 of 7, Front matter (4mb).
• Part 2 of 7, Chapter One: The Chesapeake Bay Theater, January 1814–May 1815 Part 1, pages 1–198 (18mb).
• Part 3 of 7, Chapter One: The Chesapeake Bay Theater, January 1814–May 1815 Part 2, pages 198– 368 (16mb).
• Part 4 of 7, Chapter Two: The Northern Lakes Theater, January 1814–June 1815 Part 1, pages 369–532 (15mb).
• Part 5 of 7, Chapter Two: The Northern Lakes Theater, January 1814–June 1815 Part 2, pages 532–706 (16mb).
• Part 6 of 7, Chapter Three: The Pacific Theater, January 1814–August 1815, 707–780 (7mb).
• Part 7 of 7, Index, 791–874 (10mb).

Double click anywhere to return to the top of this page.
Copyright © 2011 AMERICAN NAVAL RECORDS SOCIETY.