A Forgotten War Forgotten No More
History. It’s a snore. Or, it can be, when one lives in one of the cities that is the cradle of the founding of the United States.
Take a typical tour in Charleston (or anywhere, for that matter.) It’s part fiction, part truth. The guide’s job is to tell an engaging story. To entertain. To give the tourists something to remember.
But, there are people in Charleston who are passionate about history. Who devote entire Saturdays to sitting in dim rooms in torturous chairs listening to lectures about the past. Who are so besotted with what happened way back when that they care enough to sit through endless minutiae about a forgotten war.
Two sets of people probably remember much about the War of 1812. Canadians remember it, because they trounced the United States’ attempted invasion. Native Americans recall it, because it marked the beginning of the loss of the lands of their fathers and mothers.
Americans and British peoples don’t remember it, because it is a speed bump in the roll call of our history. We have sexier things to dwell upon.
Charleston was an odd place to hold a symposium on the War of 1812. We had a Pulitzer Prize winning author as a speaker, and multiple history luminaries on a panel. C-SPAN hung around for the entire day, broadcasting every lecture, question and answer.
We ended up with numb butts on a pretty Saturday because I am a history geek, and MTM humors me. I delighted in the deluge of forgotten nuggets of information and uncelebrated names. More than once, I was agog that serious students of history live among the glitter and glitz that’s often thrown out for tourists in a unique American city.
Charleston really had nothing much to do with the War of 1812. But, for a gorgeous gift of a Saturday, we remembered the lives lost. The traditions destroyed. The ambition that it took to make the country we have today.
This post is part of a series on Charleston, South Carolina, the place I consider my hometown. A local’s-eye-view. Take notes, potential visitors. The first post in the series is here, and the second post is here.
Trackbacks & Pingbacks
- Charleston’s Old Exchange | The Accidental Cootchie Mama
- Charleston’s Fireproof Building by Robert Mills | The Accidental Cootchie Mama
- Fast and French | The Accidental Cootchie Mama
- Charleston Is the Land of No | The Accidental Cootchie Mama
- What To Do With Dead Bodies | The Accidental Cootchie Mama
- How to Kill a Body Dead | The Accidental Cootchie Mama
- Waiting To Be Laid Low | The Accidental Cootchie Mama
- I Got a Boner | The Accidental Cootchie Mama
- I’m Late For a Very Important Date | The Accidental Cootchie Mama
- O Death, Where Is Thy Sting? | The Accidental Cootchie Mama
- The Valley of Dry Bones | The Accidental Cootchie Mama
- A Breath of Charleston Spring | The Accidental Cootchie Mama
- Magnolia Cemetery Is THE Place to be Dead | The Accidental Cootchie Mama
1812? I learn something new every day, except I think I remember this (vaguely familiar). Sounds to me like your Saturdays are filled with fun facts all day long. Thanks for sharing.
In the end, it was a sad war with disastrous consequences for native people. I suspect that is why it is forgotten.
Andra, for many years in the 1980s, I was one of those history geeks too, attending multiple symposia listening to umpteen papers. What is is that pulls you in?
For me, it is the chance to see with fresh eyes a time-worn story often exploded with fresh evidence or insight. I love the stories of people’s lives, both contemporary and historic.
When I was a tour guide in Charleston in the 1980s, I gathered the interesting facts and used them to entertain my tour participants. I tried to never tell the falsehoods that the carriage drivers use to regale the “mass unwashed” who require a laugh track to stay entertained.
The result was that there were always deeply intrigued people who might understand people in a new way based on the information shared with them.
Anytime you need someone to support your history addiction, I’m your girl.
Your tour would be very informative, even today, Cheryl. This whole talk was just awesome.
You’ll have to recap it for me when we have lunch next.
Will do.
History has always fascinated me, but giving over an entire day, and a sunny day to boot? Better your butt than mine!
It was very useful for me. Always fun to listen to people who are passionate about a topic.
Not a Saturday night, but you could come with me this coming Tuesday night! There is going to be a talk on trains. Yup, “South Carolina Railroads: First for a Change”.
http://www.southcarolinahistoricalsociety.org/?page_id=1127
The SC Historical Society was involved in this program, as well. If I ever need to research trains, I know who to ask…..
Thank you for not saying “Civil War”.
Also this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbxgYlcNxE8
Different 1812 war, but, yah know…
I love that piece, though.
I am amongst those who did not know of the war of 1812 in America. In that same year Tchaikovsky celebrated a big Russian victory over Napoleon with a memorable tune, whilst England was busy giving Napoleon a good spanking in the Peninsular war. That’s how I missed it.
One of the possible reasons Britain gave up the War of 1812 was Napoleon and his shenanigans. They were spread very thin, and the people were tired of war.
Same with me, Roger. That overture has a lot to answer for.
Beyond all that you mention, 1812 was also responsible in great part for the rise of Andrew Jackson – which given the Native American slant of your post may be why he goes unnamed. However, no Battle of New Orleans no President Jackson quite possibly.
Jackson did a big land grab, but he argued that his Creek war was not part of the War of 1812 and should therefore be exempt from the Treaty of Ghent. The first President to be a proponent of native removal was Jefferson, though Jackson was really the one who accomplished it.
I find history to be a fascinating subject, Andra. There’s always something else to learn. This war you write about is one of them for me – although it is possible I could have forgotten about it as well…
These passionate historians really do bring it to life.
I’d have turned out just to hear the Pulitzer Prize winner! What a line-up!
I thought of you, Kate. I think you would’ve enjoyed it.
Nice post, History Geek… A great place to learn the history of a place is at the city cemetery. I would love to be a tour guide at Graceland Cemetery in Chicago.
I just remembered I said that about the cemetery already on The Cootchie Mama. I was born in Sacramento, Ca. (4th generation, my g-g-grandparents came across the plains in a Conestoga Wagon in 1850… just flexing my history muscle… actually that had nothing to do with me, but very adventurous I think), and walking thru the city cemetery you see some very famous people… think Railroad… lots of Govs and other Calif dignitaries… even John Sutter himself. And a Cannibal left over from the Donnor Party!!! Chicago has much cooler and important people though… and much more impressive monuments. Check out this one…
http://tedstrutz.com/2012/05/28/the-crusader-and-the-acting-student/
I remember that shot. I loved it. It is interesting to study what your forebears did, isn’t it? I don’t know what it says about me, but I like to hope I could do some of the things they did if I had to.
Oh yes, I’m one of them, too. I can’t quite get enough, and the more obscure the information, the more I love it. My problem is that I’m so enamored with historical topics and I have only very rare opportunities in which I find anyone who cares. I have found that my “core group” is twenty years older than I am…which is pretty funny. So I share small tidbits on my blog of things I enjoy, and get questions from some of my friends like, “When did you decide to do a history blog?” And the statement was an implied criticism. LOL! You made my day with your thoughts here…I don’t feel alone. Ha! (Jay indulges me, too).
What’s most frustrating about that point of view is the wealth of information from which to be learned. We make so many of the same mistakes, over and over and over again. But, a lot of that attitude has to come from the way it was taught. That’s how people remember history, by the way it was taught. I’m lucky in that I had several good history teachers in my life. As an adult, I’ve become much more immersed in it for pleasure.
I am not as well versed as I could be, but I am fascinated by 1812.