Defending the Old Dominion: Virginia and Its Militia in the War of 1812
Stuart L. Butler
Hardcover: 672 pages
Publisher: University Press of America (December 21, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0761860396

Defending the Old Dominion describes historical events in Virginia during the War of 1812, examining how Virginia’s militia was organized, supplied, and financed by the Commonwealth. The book discusses the militia’s unpreparedness in training, its lack of adequate ordnance and arms, and how that affected its ability to defend the state against British incursions during the war. Political activities of the Virginia legislature and the U.S. Congress are examined with special reference to how the state financed the war and its relationship with the U.S. government. The book includes the fascinating story of nearly two thousand former slaves who fled to British ships to fight in Virginia with British forces.