The War of 1812

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In the next chapter, The Baltimore Riots, Donald R. Hickey transcribes that first casualties of the war happened on the streets of Baltimore not the battleground, one of the most violent anti-federalists attacks during the War of 1812. By 1812, Baltimore had some 41,000 people making it the third-largest city in the nation. New England Federalists believed that best way to bring the War to an end was to oppose it, using every legal means available. The principal target of Republican rage in 1812 was the Federal Republican, a brave Federalist newspaper published by Alexander Contee Hanson and Jacob Wagner. On June 20, two days after the declaration of the war, the Federal Republican came out straight against it by calling the war, “Unnecessary, inexpedient, and bearing marks of undisguised foreign influence.” As a result, a crowd of several hundred men, mostly Irish, German, and Native-born laborers gathered and pulled down the building, destroyed the contents inside, and dismantled some few ships in the harbor. On July 27, the Federal Republican reappeared in the streets of Baltimore. Once again, a mob laid siege to the building, but this time Hanson and his employees fought back with gunfire, wounding several. A military force intruded and accompanied Hanson and his supporters to jail for their protection. The following night the mob broke into the jail and dragged Hanson and his supporters into the street and cruelly whipped them. As a result, one of the paper’s employees, named James Lingan, had been killed whereas Hanson died seven years later without being brought to justice for the attacks.

In “The Campaign of 1812” chapter, the historian inscribes about Canada, the key target of the United States. Most Republicans considered Canada a logical target because of its weakness vis-à-vis the United States. Federalists strongly denied that it was a real target. They preferred to settle American differences with England on the high seas, believing that a war against Canada was unjust. America’s invasion of Canada in 1812 failed on all three fronts, and armies had surrendered at Detroit, Frenchtown, and Queenstown, and much of the Northwest had fallen into enemy hands. The principal reason for America’s failure was poor leadership. Conditions in the army were not much better; the senior officers were aged and incompetent, most owing their appointments to politics; the system of supply was also grossly inefficient. The army was supplied by civilian agents, and troops in the field frequently had to go for months without vital supplies, the system for feeding the troops based on private contract was even worse. Contractors often delivered bad rations. Epidemic diseases such as dysentery, typhoid fever, pneumonia, malaria, measles, typhus, and even small pox were common and often fatal that army doctors were almost powerless to combat. The nation had better luck with its ordnance. Instead, the war at sea went much better for the United States in 1812 and gave a tremendous boost to American confidence. The outcome of the campaign of 1812 was a surprise to people in both countries.

In “Raising men and Money” section, Donald R.Hickey points out the several measures recommended by the Madison to improve the army and generate the revenue. On November 4 1812, President Madison sent his annual message to Congress suggesting measures to improve the army, upgrade the militia, expand the navy, and restrict trade with the enemy. A good deal of much-needed war legislation was adopted in these two sessions of Congress. The army was expanded, and the general staff and supply system improved. The pay of the troops was increased and so too was the recruitment reward. In addition, the navy was expanded, privateer encouraged, new loans and taxes authorized, and a ban on the use of British licenses adopted.

“The campaign of 1813” is the next chapter, in which the writer inscribes about the stronger American’s position in 1813 than in 1812 and also, once again focused on targets in Upper Canada. The key to the campaign was the Great lakes, particularly Ontario and Erie. The outcome of the campaign should have caused no surprise; the American victories on land and the British victories at sea. In October of 1813, Great Britain’s supporters had defeated Napoleon in the decisive Battle of Leipzig, together with the British triumphs in Spain, this suggested Napoleon’s doom. With these victories behind them, the British began diverting men and material to the new world, and this changed the whole nature of the American war. Having failed to conquer Canada in 1812 and 1813, the United States would not get another chance.

In “The Last Embargo” section, he writes about a new trade restriction pursued by Madison in late 1813. The government hoped not only to eradicate the trade, but also to increase the economic pressure on Britain. The president recommended four new restrictions. An embargo prohibiting all American ships and goods from leaving port, a complete ban on the importation of certain commodities customarily produced in the British Empire, a ban against foreign ship’s trading in American ports unless the master and at least three-quarters of the crew were citizens, and a ban on ransoming ships. Together these measures were designed to stop the flow of supplies to British armies in Canada and Europe. Madison signed the embargo into law. The embargo could not halt all trade, but further weakened American prosperity and cut into government revenue. A bill repealing the embargo and non-importation law passed both houses by large majority. It was the nation’s last great trade restriction.

In the section, “The British counteroffensive,” the writer specified that by the time the campaign of 1814 opened, the initiative in the war had shifted to the British. Fortunately for the United States, the American army was steadily improving with experience, and the campaign of 1814 turned out well for the United States. Although thrown on the defensive, the nation could defeat British offensives everywhere except in Maine and Washington. In all three campaigns during the War 1812, 1813, and 1814, the defending side managed better than the attacking side. Thus, after three years of campaigning, neither the United States nor Great Britain could claim any great advantage in the war.

In the chapter, “The crisis of 1814,” he indicated that by the fall of 1814, it was clear to everyone that the United States faced a crisis; the nation was plagued by financial problems. The most pressing problem the nation faced was not only raising troops to wage the next campaign, but also controlling those already in the service. During the same period, the amount of specie in the country declined. Lack of men, money, and mounting trade with the enemy all contributed