A Neighbourly War: New Brunswick and the War of 1812
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by Robert L. Dallison
Goose Lane/NBMHP, Fredericton, New Brunswick, 2012. 180 pp., illus., $17.95 paperback
Of all the conflicts during the War of 1812, the fighting in Atlantic Canada is likely not the first to come to mind. A Neighbourly War, historian Robert L. Dallison’s third volume for the New Brunswick Military Heritage Project, tells the story of the fighting — and, for a while, the lack thereof — between New Brunswick and Maine, its neighbour to the south.
The two sides continued to trade even after the beginning of the war. But eventually the relationship became strained, and New Brunswick and Maine began a battle that would leave their border undefined for almost thirty years.
Dallison’s book offers a wealth of useful and interesting information. Though its subject matter is not always riveting, the author keeps the story fresh by never dwelling too long on any particular moment in the war. While Dallison’s research is extremely thorough, his writing is rarely academic in style. Whenever possible, he makes use of images and illustrations, and he uses quotations to give the reader a feel for the characters involved.
At less than 150 pages, A Neighbourly War is a brief and straightforward account of a unique period in the history of Atlantic Canada.