Major Battles of the War of 1812

Jan. 18-23 Major defeat for USA Battle of Frenchtown (River Raisin Massacre). Surviving American forces and other battles slogan: REMEMBER the RAISIN

map of Frenchtown (River Raisin Massacre)

During the Frenchtown (River Raisin Massacre), Conflicts were fought between the USA, British and Native American alliance near the River Raisin in Frenchtown, Michigan Territory (present-day Monroe, Michigan). The battle on January 22 had highest number of fatalities of any battle during this war. 397 soldiers in 2nd battle, 547 were taken prisoner. Dozens of wounded prisoners were murdered the next day in a massacre and more prisoners were killed if they could not keep up on the forced march to Fort Malden. See: River Raisin

Feb 22, 1813 Prescott and the Capture of Ogdensburg

March, 1813 - Chesapeake Bay Campaign. A major initiative to block the U.S. Eastern coastline and Chesapeake Bay by Admiral Sir John Warren. Objective to freeze the Privateers from sailing in and out of ports.

April 27, 1813 - American ships arrived near the small Upper Canadian capital of York (Toronto). The 1700 soldiers onboard landed and made their way east towards York’s garrison, Fort York. They met with resistance from Mississauga and Ojibway warriors, followed by British troops. Cannon fire from the ships and the Americans’ superior numbers forced the British to retreat. After the British defeat at the Battle of York, the local militia were left to surrender the town.

Arrival of U.S. Fleet at York (Toronto)

May 27, 1813 - On May 27, the American Army landed at Niagara, Upper Canada (Ontario). At the Battle of Fort George, 800 British regular soldiers, Canadian militia and First Nations allies fought an invading force of 5,000 American soldiers. The British were slowly driven back. The Americans captured the town and Fort George for the next seven months.

June 01, 1813 British victory HMS Shannon captured the US frigate, Chesapeake.

HMS Shannon capturing US frigate Chesapeake.

HMS Shannon

June 6, 1813 - Battle of Stoney Creek. Successful British surprise night attack on an American camp near present-day Stoney Creek, Ontario. The Americans soon retreated to Fort George. This battle along with the Battle of Beaver Dams two weeks later returned the Niagara Peninsula to British and Canadian control. ^[2]

June 24, 1813 - Battle of Beaver Dams. British ambush by warriors of the Six and Seven Nations, commanded by a British officer, against an American detachment from Fort George on its way to attack a British outpost near Beaver Dams.

June 25–26, 1813 - Successful British capture, occupation of Hampton, Virginia. Rear Adm. George Cockburn landed with 2,000 soldiers and marines on north shore of Hampton Roads, Virginia.

Aug 30, 1813 Fort Mims Massacre. 700 Red Stick Creek warriors destroyed Fort Mims, in present day Alabama. The Red Sticks' attack of Fort Mims is considered as one of the great successes of Indian warfare.

Fort Mims massacre 1813

Sept. 10, 1813 British Defeat on the Detroit Frontier—the Battle of Lake Erie

September 10, 1813

Perry moving flag from USS Lawrence to USS Niagara

Oct. 5, 1813 - After the British defeat at the Battle of Put-in Bay, the supply line to the British regulars and First Nations warriors on the Detroit frontier was cut. Although Tecumseh urged the British to take a stand, they retreated, until on October 5 they finally faced the Americans at Moraviantown, Upper Canada. Badly outnumbered, the British soldiers and Tecumseh's warriors lost the battle. Tecumseh himself was killed in what became known as the Battle of the Thames.

Battle of the Thames

Tecumseh

Oct 26, 1813 Battle of Châtauguay This battle was a failed American campaign against Montreal. At the Châteauguay River, Lower Canada (Québec), an advance guard of 250 Canadian Voltigeurs plus 50 warriors of the Kaunawakee Mohawk nation intercepted and turned back the American army advancing on Montreal. Unable to outflank the British-led force and believing the attack on Montreal had been called off, the Americans withdrew back across the border on October 26.

Battle of Châteauguay Map

Nov 11, 1813 - The Battle of Crysler’s Farm took place on a farmer’s field between Morrisburg and Cornwall in present-day Ontario. The outnumbered British reinforced by three companies of Canadian Voltigeurs, a troop of the Provincial Light Dragoons and thirty First Nations allies staved off several American attacks, inflicting heavy casualties and forcing the Americans to retreat from the battlefield. Casualties were also significant on the British and Canadian side.^[3]

Battle of Crysler's Farm

1814

March 27, 1814 Battle of Horseshoe Bend Major General Andrew Jackson ‘s army of 3,300 men attacked Chief Menawa’s 1,000 Red Stick Creek warriors. The battle ended the Creek War

Battle of Horseshoe Bend.

April, 1814 - British raiding force rowed six miles up the Connecticut River to burn the privateers' ships of Essex, torching 27 ships and destruction of thousands of dollars’ worth of rigging materials. - See more at: http://connecticuthistory.org/the-british-raid-on-essex/#sthash.DJtafTfW.1NC7LjHq.dpufthen known as Pettipaug, Connecticut. - See more at: Connecticut History.org about burning of fleet at Pettipauge.

Burning of fleet at Pettipauge, CT

5 Apr 1814 - British captured Tangier Island, Virginia, built barracks, two hospitals, naming it Fort Albion after the ancient name for England and Commodore George Cockburn's flagship. This was to have a central base to launch attacks along the Chesapeake and move his troops toward Washington. Their Route to Bladensburg, Washington, Baltimore:

Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail to Washington.

July, 1814 -Battle of Rock Island Rapids

July 5, 1814 - The Battle of Chippawa took place near the banks of the Niagara River in Upper Canada. A British, Canadian and aboriginal force of about 2,000 men attacked an American force of about 3,500 men. The fighting started early in the morning and lasted until the evening when the British were forced to withdraw.

July 22, 1814, Indian Treaty signed

July 25, 1814 -Battle of Lundy's Lane- took place in present-day Niagara Falls, Ontario. It was one of the bloodiest battles of the war, and one of the deadliest battles ever fought on Canadian soil.

Aug 4 - Sept 21, 1814 Siege of Fort Erie (two months in 1814, Fort Erie became “Canada’s bloodiest battlefield” – a gruesome distinction that stands nearly two centuries later. More than 3,000 troops (Americans, British and Native allies on both sides) were killed, wounded or missing.^[4]

Aug 12, 1814 Battle of Stonington was one of The Battles of the War of 1812 which almost destroyed New England shipping industry.

August 24, 1814, British defeated Americans at Battle of Bladensburg, Major General Robert Ross occupied Washington, D.C. and set fire to many public buildings, Congress, Library of Congress and the Presidential Mansion. President James Madison and members of the military and his government had already left the city. The British found no one in the President's House, except a great feast set for 40 guests. The hungry British sat down to eat, then piled the furniture to burn the house. They also looted the Capitol, piled the furniture and ignited it with rocket powder as well as Library of Congress were destroyed. Several other buildings in Capitol Heights also caught fire. After the war Thomas Jefferson sold his own personal library to the government, re-establishing the Library of Congress.

The United States Capitol and the The President's House after the burning of Washington, D.C

Sept. 11, 1814 -Battle of Plattsburgh on Lake Champlain in New York, during the War of 1812, an American naval force won a decisive victory against a British fleet. Picture is showing BRITISH Commander.^[5]

Andrew Macomb on horse, Battle of Plattsburg

Sept. 13 -14 , 1814 - Battle of North Point - Brig. General John Stricker led the Third Brigade (Baltimore City Brigade against the large British landing force led by Major General Major General Robert Ross and Rear Admiral George Cockburn. An American sharpshooter among many, fired a shot which killed British Major General Ross (who had burned the Washington, DC area) south of the battlefield. Since Ross was a popular British leader, his death demoralized the British forces. This occurred as Ross approached the American position. Battle of North Point

Sept. 13–14, 1814 Boston Harbor was successfully defended from an attack by the British navy in Chesapeake Bay in Bombardement of Fort Henry . The smaller Storm Flag which flew over Fort McHenry during the bombardment, was replaced with the larger Garrison Flag (Star Spangled Banner) to signal American victory over the British in the Battle of Baltimore. Francis Scott Key saw the flag and wrote The Star-Spangled Banner, a poem that would eventually be set to the tune of "To Anacreon in Heaven" and become the national anthem of the United States.

Attack on Fort Henry

Francis Scott Key

1815

Dec 24, 1814 - Treaty of Ghent

Dec 24, 1814 - Jan 18, 1815, The Battle of New Orleans. A series of battles that were fought after the Treaty of Ghent, signed December 24, 1814, resulting in Andrew Jackson being acclaimed a national hero.

Battle of New Orleans.

Sources

1. ↑ Red|Red|Battle of Queenston Heights}}
2. ↑ Battle of Stoney Creek
3. ↑ Crysler's Farm
4. ↑ Fort Erie Siege
5. ↑ Plattsburgh

• Turning Tide
• List of Battles, Major Theaters
• River Raisin Massacre
• Queenston Heights
• War of 1812 - Major Battles
• Plattsburgh
• PBS Timeline
• [http://www.wned.org/item/248-glorious-battle-the-siege-of-fort-erie
• http://www.mywarof1812.com/battles/1814.html