War of 1812

Time Period: 1812-1815

combatants: Great Britain, United States

the year is 1812. In Europe, France is battling all of Europe in the Napoleonic Wars.

(https://www.jetpunk.com/users/historyman0/blog/napoleonic-wars)

In North America, the US was slowly growing, in both land area and military power. They were getting really mad at Britain, because, they were stopping American merchant ships for 2 things, 1, to see if they were supplying France, and 2, to see if any British stowaways were hiding aboard. This, along with the US wanting to expand into British Canada and the British arming the natives, declared war of Britain.

This was the US' first declared war. The US then blockaded the great lakes from Canada, and led a small invasion into Canada from Detroit. the British forces tried to take lake Ontario, but were repelled at Sacket's Harbor. So then, the British invaded the US via North Michigan. They sieged Ft, Mackinac, fired 1 shot, and, embarrassingly, the Americans surrendered. The US invasion force from Detroit retreated after this.

The British then took Ft. Malden, south of Detroit. Many civilians and US troops evacuated Ft. Dearborn (Modern day Chicago). During this time, the Potawatomi Natives were allied with Britain, and thought they could get in the profit when the US was defeated. But, the US burned everything they could spare, leaving no extra for the natives. and so, a bunch of angry Potawatomi natives attacked US troops at the Battle of Fort Dearborn. The British then sieged Detroit, which eventually surrendered to the British. Up to this point, the US blockaded their east coast, blocking trade. Out there in the Atlantic, the USS Constitution would fight the British Guerrier. when the Guerrier fired on the Constitution, the cannon balls bounced back, giving the Constitution the nickname Old Ironsides. The US then tried to invade Canada from near Modern day Buffalo, New York, but were defeated at the Battle of Queenstown Hights.

Then in 1813, US general William Henry Harrison wanted to take back Detroit, but US commander James Winchester went to Frenchtown to pick up supplies, where his forces were absolutely slaughtered. All this time, in the Border of New York and Quebec, people had been trading goods there, and and US wanted to stop this fraternization. So they went to invade Quebec, but were pushed back at Ogdenburg. So, then the US tried invading via lake Erie, attacking York, in upper Canada. The Americans successfully took York. But all the British retreated to Kingstown, so the US forces took Ft. George on the Niagara river, and the British retreated from Ft. Erie. the British then launched an unsuccessful attempt to take Sacket's harbor. Then, in Boston harbor, the British captured the USS Chesapeake, by slaughtering the enemy crew. Just as the Americans started invading Upper Canada, the British launched a surprise attack at Stoney Creek, and pushed them back further at the Battle of Beaver Dams. The British then tried 2 times to take Ft Meigs, but couldn't capture it. They then tried to take Ft. Stephenson, and failed. The US then took control of lake Erie, cutting off supply routes to British forces invading the US. near this time, the Creek War also started. The British tried attacking lake Erie, but failed AGAIN. As the British were retreating, the US forces fought them and pushed them further back at the Battle of the Thames. the US then tried to take Montreal, but were repelled. the US then evacuated Ft. George in upper Canada. The British also then captured FT. Niagara.

Then in 1814, Napoleon was defeated in Europe, so Britain could now shift their full attention to the war with the US. The British then blockaded the US, and freed any slaves that could escape. The US then captured Ft. Erie in Upper Canada. The US then attacked British forces at the battle of Chippewa. the US kept pushing on, but were halted at the Battle of Niagara Falls. The British then tried Sieging Ft. Erie. The war was putting economic strain on both sides also. Later in August, the British attacked Washington DC, and burned the city while the president and the rest of the inhabitants evacuated. Next, the British tried to take Baltimore, but they were defeated by the US army Navy, and Marines. this battle also inspired Francis Scott Key to write "the Star Spangled Banner". The British then launched an attack into Upstate New York, but held off attacking Plattsburgh. When British naval ships came near Plattsburgh on lake Champlain, They were defeated by nearby US forces. Later, the British attacked what would become Maine from Nova Scotia. The British then asserted dominance over lake Ontario, with the help of their HMS St. Lawrence. Around this time, US forces then evacuated Ft. Erie. In the south, US troops invaded the British/Spanish held city of Pensacola in modern day Florida, and then moved to New Orleans as British forces drew near. From 1814 and into 1815, the treaty of Ghent was signed, and this made no territorial gains or losses on either side.

But that treaty didn't stop the fighting yet! The British forces attacked but failed to capture New Orleans before they got news of the treaty, but when word of the treaty got out, they pulled out of occupied territory, and the War was over.