The War of 1812 is an under-known conflict in United States history. It’s not a war that many Americans think about or dwell upon. And it was not a war that the United States can claim it clearly won.
Nicholas Guyatt, a Professor of North American History at the University of Cambridge, joins us to investigate the War of 1812 and the experiences of American prisoners of war using details from his book, The Hated Cage: An American Tragedy in Britain’s Most Terrifying Prison.
About the Show
Ben Franklin’s World is a podcast about early American history.
It is a show for people who love history and for those who want to know more about the historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our present-day world.
Ben Franklin’s World is a production of the Omohundro Institute.
Episode Summary
Nicholas Guyatt, a Professor of North American History at the University of Cambridge, joins us to investigate the War of 1812 and the experiences of American prisoners of war using details from his book, The Hated Cage: An American Tragedy in Britain’s Most Terrifying Prison.
During our investigation, Nicholas reveals a brief history of the War of 1812 and its causes; The history of Dartmoor Prison and why it was thought an ideal place to house Great Britain’s prisoners of war; And, details about how American prisoners of war experienced life inside Dartmoor Prison until the prison was fully evacuated in July 1815.
What You’ll Discover
- Overview of the War of 1812
- American neutrality during the Napoleonic Wars
- British impressment of American sailors
- American expansion and Native American dispossession
- Prisoners of war in the War of 1812
- Prisoner labor between the War for Independence and the War of 1812
- Creation of Dartmoor Prison
- Layout and environment of Dartmoor Prison
- Why Great Britain brought American POWs to England
- Life in Dartmoor Prison during the War of 1812
- Prisoner of war accounts of Dartmoor Prison
- The historical records of Dartmoor Prison
- Living conditions at Dartmoor
- U.S. use of privateers to support its navy
- Prisoner governance
- The population of prisoners at Dartmoor
- Segregation of Black POWs from white POWs
- The end of the War of 1812
- Release of American POWs from Dartmoor
- The Massacre at Dartmoor Prison
- Black POW fears about release
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Time Warp Question
In your opinion, if Dartmoor Prison had never been built, what might have happened to the 6,500 American POWs who had been imprisoned there? How might their POW experience have been different?
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