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War is Declared
The United States declares war on Great Britain because of four primary reasons. America wants to trade with France, but because Britain is currently at war with France their ships are being stopped and searched too often. Britain was stopping and searching their ships also because they believed there might be British runaway sailors. The War Hawks wanted people to believe that the Aboriginals were attacking American settlements under Britain's orders. The War Hawks wanted to get even by war. -
Period: to
Start and End of the War of 1812
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Fort Michilimackinac Captured
General Brock, the British military commander, leads his troops in a surprise attack on Fort Michilimackinac between Lakes Michigan and Huron. They are successful, even when this fort had been in American hands since 1796. -
The Siege of Detroit
A British force led by Major General Brock along with Native American allies under the Shawnee chief, Tecumseh, decieved American Brigadier General Hull into giving up Fort Detroit and the town of Detroit, Michigan. They had previously sent a message which stated that the British Agoriginal allies would be beyond their control as soon as the battle started since the Americans were so terrified of them. This worked, and the Americans surrendered peacefully, which gained them a lot of supplies. -
The Battle of Queenston Heights
The Americans had crossed the Niagara River at Queenston and captured the single British cannon that was guarding the slope.Brock then leaped on his horse and sped down the River Road, giving orders to bring all available troops.At Queenston, Brock led a charge of 100 men, but was shot dead by an American sharpshooter.
General Roger Sheaffe arrived eventually with 300 redcoats and Mohawk allies, including 50 militiamen, along with a battery of guns drawn by farm horses. Many Americans ran. -
The Battle of York
The Americans attacked York and burnt the wooden Parliament Buildings, Although it was the capital of Upper Canada, York had no strong fortifications for protection. When Fort York fell, the town was vulnerable enough to attack. After storing as much supplies as possible along with York's only fire engine, the Americans left to attack British forts near Niagara. Major General Sheaffe led his forces against them, but ended up retreating and giving the order to blow the fort up, harming both sides -
Americans Attack Along Niagara River
An American force which numbered 2000 took Fort George, which made the British abandon Fort Erie and Fort Chippewa as they pulled back their troops. The Americans had 5000 troops in the area by June. However, British leader Major General Jone Vincent led a surprise attack on the American camp at Stoney Creek in the middle of the night. The Americans suffered heavy losses and lost some important officers. -
Beaver Dam
Another American force was defeated at Beaver Dam when the Americans were trying to capture a supply depot there. Laura Secord was said to have slipped through enemy lines to warn the British of the American advance. The British attacked the Americans from behind along with their Six Nations allies. Within three hours, the Americans had surrendered. -
Naval Battle on Lake Erie
For a time, Captain Robert Barclay, who commanded the British naval squadron on Lake Erie, had blockaded the harbour where the American ships where anchored. However, when he left for a short time to re-supply, the Americans moved their fleet out to the lake. When the two navies met at Put-in-Bay, the Americans turned out to be victorious, forcing the British land forces to retreat further eastward. -
Moraviantown
The Americans followed the retreating British army until the British commander decided to take a stand at Moraviantown in the Thames valley. The Americans quickly took control, as Tecumseh and his warriors were the only ones who seemed to fight with determination. However, when Tecumseh was killed, the Aboriginals retreated. 600 British soldiers were captured at Moraviantown. -
Battle of Chateauguay
The Americans decided to send two armies in different directions to Montreal. One was stopped at Chateauguay where Lieutenant-Colonel Charles de Salaberry led a French Canadian force with about 800 men, called Voltigeurs.He spread his troops out to look like he had brought a bigger army, which made the Americans think that they were outnumbered. The American commander then abandoned the battle and retreated back to the United States. -
Battle of Crysler's Farm
A huge army set out from an American town from the east end of Lake Ontario and formed a procession of 350 filled with thousands of soldiers to capture Montreal. Canadian snipers shot at them from the shores of St. Lawrence and British gunboats from Lake Ontarion followed them.At the Long Sault rapids, the American forces of 1800 fought with the defenders near the farm of the Loyalist John Crysler.Canadian and British troops along with militia and some Aboriginal men won against the Americans. -
Battle at Lundy's Lane
The Americans crossed the Niagara River and turned north, while the British went out from Fort George to meet them. Much of the battle was fought in the dark, as the two armies met just before sunset at Lundy's Lane.Both sides charged again and again and the fierce fighting went on for hours in the darkness, as the visibilty was so low that targets could only be seen by the flashing gunpowder of muskets. Major General Phineas Riall, commander of the British forces, was wounded and captured. -
The Burning of Washington
Major General Robert Ross, a British army officer, landed an army and marched on to Washington, DC. It was finally time to take revenge for the burning of York. Government buildings were burnt, along with the mansion of the president. According to myth, the scorched building of the mansion had to be white-washing in order to cover the burn marks. So, from then on, the residence of the president became known as the White House. -
Battle of Lake Champlain
An army of experienced British soldiers led by Lieutenant General George Prevost marched south to attack the United States. They were supposed to be aided by 4 ships and twelve gunboats led by Captain George Downie on Lake Champlain. The course of action was to figuratively blow the American fleet of 4 ships and 10 gunboats led by Master Commandant Thomas Macdonough out of the water as they converged on the town of Plattsburgh, which was by the lakeside. They retreated after a terrible defeat. -
Treaty of Ghent
The Treaty of Ghent was the peace treaty that ended war between the United States and Britain. The treaty restored to both sides any territory lost or gained, and was approved by the UK Parliament on December 30. They agreed to make the 49th line of latitude on a map to serve as the dividing line between land, from the Lake of the Woods to the Rockies. However, since communications were slow, the Americans scored a major victory at New Orleans before news of the treaty had reached Congress. -
Battle of New Orleans
This was the final major battle of the war, but was after the treaty had been signed. American forces, led by Major General Andrew Jackson, had defeated an invading British army which was intent on capturing New Orleans. This was regarded as the greatest American land victory in the war. However, the hostility carried into February until the treaty was recieved and approved by Congress, so the fighting should have stopped some time ago but due to bad communication conditions,the treaty was late. -
Treaty Reaches North America
News of the Treaty of Ghent reaches the United States, which is then approved by the Senate and exchanged the next day. -
Treaty Notified
General Prevost is finally officially notified of the Treaty of Ghent at Quebec. -
Final Ending
The War of 1812 finally comes to an official end. However, none of the reasons which the United States went to war with Britain were mentioned in the treaty.
