In the summer of 1812 Britain stood alone fighting for her very survival against a vast European Empire. Only the Royal Navy stood between Napoleons legions & ultimate victory. In that dark hour America saw its chance to challenge British dominance: her troops invaded Canada & American frigates attacked British merchant shipping the lifeblood of British defence. War polarised America. The south & west wanted land the north wanted peace & trade. But America had to choose between the oceans & the continent. Within weeks the land invasion had stalled but American warships & privateers did rather better & astonished the world by besting the Royal Navy in a series of battles. Then in three titanic single ship actions the challenge was decisively met. British frigates closed with the Chesapeake the Essex & the President flagship of American naval ambition. Both sides found new heroes but none could equal Captain Philip Broke champion of historys greatest frigate battle when HMS Shannon captured the USS Chesapeake in thirteen blood-soaked minutes. Brokes victory secured British control of the Atlantic & within a year Washington D.C. had been taken & burnt by British troops.