War Military | War Of 1812

Serving in the War of 1812

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The British navy was the largest in the world in the early 1800s and had more than 600 ships. In contrast, the young United States only 15 or so.
The United States asserted its independence for a second time against British forces during the War of 1812.

For almost three years, Great Britain and the United States were locked in a war dubbed "the second war of independence." Britain had been using its might against the fledgling nation by restricting America's trade with France, forcing U.S. sailors to serve aboard its ships, and arming hostile Native Americans. On June 18, 1812 President James Madison declared war. At first, the low pay did little to convince men to join the fight. Government incentives offering enlistees $124 and 320 acres of land for their service boosted enrollment. The U.S. Navy recruited freed slaves, who eventually made up 15 percent of its crews. Recruits found life at sea harsh and monotonous; some tours of duty lasted almost three years. Though most battles were fought at sea, once Britain ended its war with Napoleon its freed-up land forces attacked American cities-including Washington, D.C., where they burned the White House and the U.S. Capitol. By this time American armies had strength, and they defeated Britain in 1815 at a cost of 15,000 American lives.

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On August 24, 1814, British troops occupied Washington, D.C., burning the White House and the Capitol Building to the ground. The attack disheartened American soldiers and civilians alike.

 

Credit: Library of Congress Photo Collection, 1840-2000/Ancestry.com
During the Battle of New Orleans (the last major confrontation in the War of 1812) General Andrew Jackson led American troops to a decisive victory over the British, defending the key port city.

 

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USS Constitution earned its nickname "Old Ironsides" during the War of 1812, when its iron-reinforced body helped defeat five British warships and numerous merchant ships during crucial sea battles.

 

Credit: Library of Congress Photo Collection, 1840-2000/Ancestry.com
After the 25-hour bombardment at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, the American flag was still flying. Francis Scott Key, a lawyer who witnessed the battle, was so inspired that he wrote a poem about it called "Defiance of Fort McHenry," that later became "The Star-Spangled Banner."