About this item
In a rousing account of one of the critical turning points in American history, Through the Perilous Fight tells the gripping story of the burning of Washington and the improbable last stand at Baltimore that helped save the nation and inspired its National Anthem. In the summer of 1814, the United States of America teetered on the brink of disaster. The war it had declared against Great Britain two years earlier appeared headed toward inglorious American defeat. The young nation’s most implacable nemesis, the ruthless British Admiral George Cockburn, launched an invasion of Washington in a daring attempt to decapitate the government and crush the American spirit. The British succeeded spectacularly, burning down most of the city’s landmarks—including the White House and the Capitol—and driving President James Madison from the area.
About the Author
Steve Vogel is a veteran journalist who reported for The Washington Post for more than two decades. He is the author of "Through the Perilous Fight: Six Weeks that Saved the Nation," and "The Pentagon: A History," both published by Random House. He is also the author of the forthcoming book "Betrayal in Berlin: The True Story of the Cold War's Most Audacious Espionage Operation," to be published in September 2019 by Custom House, an imprint of HarperCollins.As a reporter, Vogel covered the fall of the Berlin Wall and the first Gulf War, as well as military operations in Somalia, Rwanda, the Balkans, and Iraq. His coverage of the war in Afghanistan was part of a package of Washington Post stories selected as a finalist for the 2002 Pulitzer Prize. Vogel also covered the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon. He lives near Washington, D.C.Please visit his website at www.stevevogelsite.com
