Could the new republic defeat the British Empire a second time?

Observers were holding their breath.

We know it as the War of 1812, but I prefer to call the events of 1812-1815 the Second American Revolution.

We’ve met Mr. James Madison and witnessed that his inauguration was plagued with a bundle of problems awaiting his response. Although he had served as Thomas Jefferson’s secretary of state and was well aware of the issues related to trade, relationships with foreign nations, conflicts related to an expanding nation, and more, Madison quickly found that serving as president was very different from being the most trusted advisor to the president.

                           President James Madison

And no problem was more ominous than the prospect of war with the British Empire. The conflict between the two nations seemed to be snowballing — impressment of U.S. seamen by the British; embargo legislation that resulted in economic suffering for American merchants and tradesmen; Britain’s refusal to recognize the neutral position of the U.S. in the Napoleonic Wars — and it was about to get worse.

The American colonies gained their independence in 1781 — well, officially in 1783 with the negotiated Peace of Paris — but let’s be honest: Many of the European nations considered the colonists’ victory to be a fluke, and even the British stumbled in the aftermath. “The World Turned Upside Down” might have been the music accompanying the surrender at Yorktown, but in reality the British Empire had never faltered in its rise to the strongest nation — and military — in the modern world. Then a group of backwoods colonies declared their independence in a grand gesture with a gloriously written declaration, and all bets were off the table.

But could the new republic defeat the British Empire a second time? Observers were holding their breath and, truthfully, most believed that the United States was headed for doom and a quick end to a promising beginning.

So, how did the War of 1812 progress, and was Madison an able leader?

                                                               American Revolution War of 1812

The announcement of war on June 18, 1812, caught the British by surprise. Parliament was engaged in the Napoleonic Wars and had believed that the United States would seek a peaceful resolution to its conflict with its former Mother Country. Instead, the members found themselves plotting a course of action that might possibly regain the colonies. At the same time, the United States was looking at Canada as a possible extension of its boundaries. Ah, dreams…

           Unknown Military leader named Andrew Jackson

Well, the invasion of Canada did not go well. When Michigan territorial governor William Hull attempted to cross the border with troops but was forced backwards by British military aided by Tecumseh and his warriors, Hull surrendered Detroit. An attempted invasion of Montreal faired no better. Only the U.S. Navy in a series of actions directed by Oliver Hazard Perry, Isaac Hull, Stephen Decatur, and William Banbridge breathed hope into the U.S. military and government leaders. An uprising of Creek Indians — the Red Sticks — erupted in 1813, and a relatively unknown military leader named Andrew Jackson, aided by Tennessee volunteers and the outstanding Cherokee Brigade, gained fame with a victory at Horseshoe Bend.

Jackson, Winfield Scott, Jacob Brown, and other younger leaders would emerge as replacements for the aging military leaders who had earned their stripes in the first American Revolution.

                         Dolley Madison

With an end to the Napoleonic Wars, at least temporarily, in 1814 and Napoleon’s exile to Elba, the British focused their attention on the fight in North America. The fighting extended to Lake Champlain and, after a rousing defeat in Plattsburgh Bay by U.S. forces under Captain George Downie, the British focused their anger and attention on Washington, DC. British General Robert Ross marched troops into the capital city on August 24 and burned much of the city, including the White House. At this critical moment, Dolley Madison gained national and international attention by her plucky courage and refusal to abandon the president’s home until she had rescued the most important items, including Stuart’s portrait of George Washington.

The attack on Baltimore, however, did not go well for the British. Yes, they bombarded Fort McHenry. Yes, Francis Scott Key observed the entire event and recorded his thoughts in a poem that would become our nation’s anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” But the attack failed and the British instead withdrew and focused their attention on the most significant southern port, New Orleans. And things went downhill from there.

In truth, the Treaty of Ghent had been negotiated before the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815, but that did not keep General Andrew Jackson’s troops, a fascinating mixture of Tennessee volunteers, militia troops, the regular Army, and pirates under the command of Jean Lafitte, from soundly defeating the British. Pause for a loud shout of victory and cue Johnny Horton’s “Battle of New Orleans”!

The young United States had once again defeated the world’s strongest empire, and nations around the world paused to take notice. The United States of America…

Written by Linda Moss Mines for The Patriot Post ~ December 6, 2023

~ the Author ~
Linda Moss Mines is a historian dedicated to reminding the public of the blessings of Liberty and our commitment to work toward the promises of the American Dream. She is not a political commentator, although reflecting on the history of the Republic requires recounting the stories of political figures and the institutions of our political system. Linda relishes telling the stories of our country’s founding and its journey from the earliest settlers as a “noble experiment in self-government.” She believes that recounting history reminds citizens that decisions and actions have consequences and that we as a people are impacted every day by decisions made during the course of that journey.

“It is important that a nation know and understand the pivotal moments of its history,” she says. “Too often, our images of the past are a composite of classroom memories, popular culture images crafted by media productions and a smattering of editorial musings often grounded only in personal opinion and experience. As a historian, I, of course, offer some interpretation of those moments, but I am far more interested in the role of the public figures and the ‘common people’ and what motivated them than in the role of politics for political gain. Revisiting the past offers us a chance to understand today and shape tomorrow.”

As an educator, Mines notes: “I have been privileged to touch hearts and hopefully inspire my former students to become lifelong lovers of learning. Knowledge coupled with a dedication to service can truly change the world and I’m blessed to be a small part of that change.”