What Hath God Wrought

The book aims to narrate the history of the United States from the end of the War of 1812 to the conclusion of the Mexican-American War in 1848, a period characterized by significant political, diplomatic, military, social, economic, and cultural developments. It delves into the communications revolution spurred by advances in telegraphy, printing, and transportation, which transformed American life and had impacts that paralleled, and possibly exceeded, those of the modern “information highway.”

Howe starts with the historic event on May 24, 1844, when Samuel F. B. Morse sent the first telegraphic message, “WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT,” from the United States Supreme Court chambers in Washington to Baltimore. This event marked the beginning of a new era of communication. The invention of the telegraph rapidly integrated into American society, benefiting various sectors, especially agriculture, commerce, and the press, symbolizing a significant leap in the country’s technological and economic development.

The Prologue details the Battle of New Orleans, fought on January 1, 1815 between British forces under Major General Edward Pakenham and American forces led by Major General Andrew Jackson. Unbeknownst to both, a peace treaty had already been signed. The British, suffering from the cold and lacking supplies, planned an assault against the Americans, whose forces included Tennessee and Louisiana militia, Mississippi dragoons, Black Americans, and the pirate band of Jean and Pierre Laffite.