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Causes and Events of the War of 1812: A Timeline
Compiled by Robert Henderson

 

This chronology shows visually when the political, military, and European events took place in relation to each other.  For example four days after the United States declared war on Great Britain, Napoleon made the fatal mistake that eventually ended his reign by invading Russia.   Links will eventually be added to this listing so the reader take click for additional information on an event or select at book that deals with the topic.

 

Year

Political Events

Military Events

Military Events in Europe

1807      
   


December 22: Embargo Act passed by US Congress halting trade with Foreign Nations (repealed in 1808)

June 22: The Chesapeake Affair:  USS Chesapeake fired on and boarded by the HMS Leopard off  Norfolk, Virginia

 

June 13-14: Battle of Friedland between French and Russians

July 9 After making peace with Russia, Napoleon bans trade with Great Britain.

 1809      
 

March 4: James Madison is inaugurated as president of the United States

 

   
1811        
   

September 30: Brock becomes Lieut.Governor of Upper Canada

October 12: Prevost becomes Governor- in-Chief and Commander of all forces in British North America

November 4: US War Congress convenes

 

 

 

 

 

November 7: Battle of Tippecanoe were US defeats Indians

 

 March 5: French pull out of Portugal and consolidate around Salamanca, Spain
  1812      
 

June: Baltimore Riots start against anti-war Federalists

June 1: Madison's recommendation to Congress to declare war over sailor's rights and British support of western frontier tribes.

June 4: House of Representatives passes war bill

June 18: Senate passes House bill Madison signs War Bill.

June 19: U.S. President Madison declares war or Great Britain.



July 1: US doubles Customs Duties

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 20: Sheaffe becomes Lieut. Governor of Upper Canada

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 23: USS President vs. HM Frigate Belvidera


July 12: U.S. General Hull invades Upper Canada at Sandwich across from Detroit

July 17: British forces from Fort St. Joseph capture Fort Michilimackinac

August 5: Battle of Brownstown

August 8: Battle of Maguaga

August 15: Fort Dearborn massacre

August 16: British forces under Brock capture Fort Detroit.

August 19: USS Constitution vs. HM Frigate Guerriere

September: Baltimore Riots finish

September 3 : Indian attack at Pigeon Roost Creek

September 4: Indians attack Fort Harrison

September 5: Indians attack Fort Madison

September 6: Indians attack Fort Wayne

September 16: Americans fail in capturing batteaux convey at Toussiant Island of the St. Lawrence River

September 21: American attack and capture village of Gananoque in the Thousand Islands area

October 9: Two British schooners captured off Fort Erie; small skirmish near Fort Erie

October 13: Battle of Queenston Heights and death of Brock and Macdonnell


November: Royal Navy blockades South Carolina

November 27: US attacks the outlying fortifications of Fort Erie

November 28: U.S. invasion attempt at Frenchman's Creek repulsed.

December 18: Battle of Mississnewa

December 26: Royal Navy expands blockade to Chesapeake and Delaware Bays

 

 January 19: British storm Ciudad Rodrigo, Portugal

April 6: British repulsed at Badajoz, Spain

 

 

 


 

June 24: Napoleon invades Russia

 

 

 

July 22: Wellington's famous victory at Salamanca

August 13: British Army enter Madrid

 

 

 

 

 


September 7: Battle of Borodino
September 14: Napoleon enters Moscow

September 19: Napoleon begins retreat from Moscow

 

 

October 21: British give up siege of Burgos, Spain.

 

 

November 29: Napoleon's shattered army exits Russia

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  1813      
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 19: de Rottenburg becomes Lt. Governor of Upper Canada

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 






 

 

 


December 13: Drummond becomes Lt. Governor of Upper Canada

 

January 19: Skirmish at the River Raisin.

January 22: British victory at Frenchtown.

January 23: Massacre of US wounded at River Raisin

February 6: U.S. raid on Brockville on the St. Lawrence River.

February 22: British capture Ogdensburg, NY as retaliation for Brockville attack.

March 30: British naval blockade extended from Long Island to the Mississippi

April 15: US army occupies West Florida

April 27: U.S. troops attack and burn York (Capital of Upper Canada).

May 26: Britain's Royal Navy extends blockade to cover additional states

May 25: U S. bombards and destroys Fort George.

May 27: U.S. troops capture Fort George; British troops retreat toward Burlington.

May 29: British fail to capture Sacket's Harbor.

June 1: H.M.S. Shannon defeats U.S.S. Chesapeake tows her captive into Halifax, Nova Scotia.

June 6: British victory at Stoney Creek.

June 7: British victory at 40 Mile Creek; U.S. retire to Fort George.


June 22nd Skirmish at Norfolk

June 24: Capture of US forces at Beaver Dams.

July 8: Battle of Ball's Farm.

July 11: British raid on Blackrock.

July 20: U.S. victory at Goose Creek.

July 27: Engagement at Burnt Corn

July 31: British victory at Burlington Heights.

August 2: British attack Fort Stephenson.

August 8: U.S.S. Hamilton & Scourge sunk.

 


August 24: Prevost leads attack on U.S. piquets ou George; U.S.decline large scale engagement

August 30: Attack at Fort Mims

September 9: British Fleet on Lake Erie defeated and capture by US under Perry.

October 1: US army under Hampton cross frontier south of Montreal and skirmish with Canadian piquets

October 5: British defeated at Moraviantown;  (Battle of the Thames) Tecumseh killed

October 26: American invasion attempt at Chateauguay repulsed

November 3: Battle of Tallushatchee

November 9: Battle of Talladega

November 11: American defeat at Chrysler 's Farm.

December 10: U.S. army abandons Fort George and burns town of Newark (Niagara-on-the-Lake).

December 18-19: British capture Fort Niagara in night attack; capture and burn Lewiston and surrounding villages

December 20: British begin to lay waste to the East Niagara River area in retaliation for the burning of Newark.

December 31: British capture Blackrock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 4: armistice between France and Russia, and Prussia

 


June 21: Wellington's decisive victory over the French at the Battle of Vitoria

 

 


July 21 to August 1: Battles of the Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain ending in British success

 

 

August 10: armistice ends between France and Russia and Prussia

August 12: Austria declares war on France




August 31: British storm San Sebastien, Spain

 

 

 

 October 16-18: Napoleon defeated at the Battle of Leipzig marking the beginning of the end for his reign.

 

 



November 10: Battle of the Nivelle with the British invading France
  

  1814      
   

 



April 14:US repeals embargo and non-importation laws

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August:US public credit collapses and banks suspend specie payments

August 8: Peace negotiations begin in Ghent and Great Britain offers initial peace terms

August 9: US and Creek nation sign the Treaty of Fort Jackson

 

 

 

October 21:British offer peace on the basis of 'uti posseditis'

November 27: Britain drops the 'utis posseditis'

December 15:Hartford Convention- US adopts additional internal taxes

December 24: Treaty of Ghent signed to end war.

January 22: Battle of Emuckfau

January 24: Battle of Enotachopco

March 27: Battle of Horseshoe Bend



April 25: Royal Navy extends blockade to New England

May 6: British capture Oswego.

May 30: British blockade extended to include New England.

May 31: U.S. victory at Sacket's Harbor.

July 13: U.S. capture Fort Erie.

July 5: U.S. defeat British at Chippewa.

July 18: U.S. troops burn St. Davids.

July 19: British capture La Prairie du Chien.

July 25: Battle of Lundy's Lane - both sides claim victory



 

 

August 13-14: British begin siege of Fort Erie.

August 24: British burn Washington.

September 11: US repulse British at Battle of Plattsburg and defeat British on Lake Champlain

Sept. 13-14: Siege of Fort McHenry (Battle of Baltimore) - "Star Spangled Banner" is inspired by British mortars and rockets.

September 17: British assault fails against Fort Erie.

December 23: Initial skirmishes around New Orleans

 

 

 

March 31: Allies enter Paris

April 6: Napoleon abdicates

April 10 to 12: British take Toulouse

 

 

May 30: British Infantry march to Bordeaux to set sail for North America; First Treaty of Paris signed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


October 3: Congress of Vienna opens unofficially

1815        
   

February 8, 1815: News of Peace first arrives in North America.



March 1, 1815: General Prevost is officially notified of Peace at
Quebec.

January 8, 1815: Battle of New Orleans.

 

 



March 1: Napoleon lands in France from Elba

 



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