War of 1812 Quotes

Americans General William Hull had crossed the Canadian border with 2500 men announcing his intention to invade. Brock’s appeal to the loyalty of English-Canadians to fight off the Americans was in their self-interest as English. He argued that if Canada weakened or the Americans temporarily conquered Canada, they could not hold it, and Napoleon's France would re-colonize Canada. In short, fight against the Americans and keep the French out.

When he first came to Congress, there were major American problems with both France and England who were fighting each other and punishing America for not boycotting the other nation. Many argued for peace and living with the French and English impression of American seamen and confiscation of American Cargoes. Clay and others thought the appeasement price was too high and urged war. The War of 1812 followed.

Jefferson had been very much pro French and anti British, but the rise of Napoleon and French presence on the American continent shifted his views, culminating in the Louisiana Purchase. See {605059} for Jefferson’s view on the military significance of New Orleans.

At the time Cockburn was the 2nd in command of the British Fleet and had attacked Washington in the War of 1812. The British troops had taken the capitol and Cockburn was seated in the chair of the Speaker of the House with the British officers in the House itself. The reason he raised the question is that the attack on Washington was in retaliation of the American invasion of Canada and the attack on York (Toronto). The American troops were somewhat out of control and burned private and government non-armed buildings which was against the then rules of civilized warfare. The British fleet was ordered to attack Washington to retaliate, but the specifics of the retaliation were left to the officers discretion. The officers responded in the affirmative, and Washington buildings including the White House was burned. Most Americans are unaware that we invaded Canada and do not know why Washington was burned.

He became one of the great heroes of the American navy and this statement is taught to every American sailor. Actually, although a very good Captain, in the battle with the Shannon, he made a number of mistakes which was unusual for him, but the Shannon won the battle. The American sailors did not give up the ship, but they were overcome with one of the highest casualty rates of any sea battle of the time. Had Lawrence lived—he dies of infection from his wounds—he probably would have faced a board of inquiry or a court martial, but his death turned him into an American hero. See {625129}. Commodore Perry, a friend of Lawrence, had “Don’t Give Up The Ship” sewn on to his battle flag, and the motto has been part of the United States Navy ever since.

At Tippecanoe, General Harrison defeated the Indians but suffered over 60 of his men killed and many more wounded. Newly supplied modern English weapons were found on captured Indians. There was a call for war with England:

The tale that Dolley Madison personally removed the Washington painting still persists to this day. She probably asked the staff do so if they could, but she had to escape and the staff collected as much as they could before the British reached the White House.

The chance was the fact that war—the War of 1812—had been declared between Britain and America. Tecumseh allied himself with General Isaac Brock, the British Commander of the Western Forces. Tecumseh himself was put in charge of all Indian forces and given the rank of a British Brigadier General. However, Brock was killed shortly thereafter, and his replacement, General Procter, was not as skilled at working with Indian Allies and the British-Indian alliance was defeated bringing to an end the notion of “one great Indian nation.”

He drove the British into the sea when no one expected that outcome.

He was then serving as the U. S. Ambassador to Russia

Americans General William Hull had crossed the Canadian border with 2500 men announcing his intention to invade. Fearing the military tactics of the Indians, he issued an edict stating that Indians (and whites fighting alongside Indians) would be shot rather than taken prisoner.