War of 1812 Timeline Explanation
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This table contains various events related to the War of 1812 of 1812-1814.
The dates are to the nearest day when possible. Those events dated to the nearest year are less certain, naturally, than those dated to the precise day.
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| Event |
Date |
Comments |
| Baltimore Riots start against anti-war Federalists |
June, 1812 |
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| Madison's recommendation to Congress to declare war |
June 1, 1812 |
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| House of Representatives passes War Bill |
June 4, 1812 |
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| United States Declares War on Great Britain |
June 18, 1812 |
Senate passes House bill and Madison signs War Bill. |
| Craney Island, Battle of |
June 22, 1812 |
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| HMS Belvidera vs USS President and USS Congress, Battle of |
June 23, 1812 |
Inconclusive minor naval engagement |
| US doubles Customs Duties |
July 1, 1812 |
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| Capture of the Cuyahoga Packet |
July 2, 1812 |
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| Lachine Riot |
July 4, 1812 |
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| U.S. General Hull invades Upper Canada at Sandwich across from Detroit |
July 12, 1812 |
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| Michilimackinac Island, Surrender of |
July 16-17, 1812 |
The American forces garrisoning the island, not having been informed of their country's declaration of war, are forced to surrender to British forces. |
| Sackett's Harbor, First battle of |
July 19, 1812 |
US turns back British naval attack |
| Brig Perseverance captured by the HMS Sybille |
July 28, 1812 |
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| Ship Catherine captured by the HMS Leonidas |
July 31, 1812 |
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| Ships Rhodie and Betty captured by the HMS Talbot |
August 3, 1812 |
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| Brownstown, Battle of |
August 4, 1812 |
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| Brig Wasp captured by the HMS Earl Spencer |
August 6, 1812 |
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| Maguaga, Battle of |
August 9, 1812 |
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| Fort Dearborn, Battle of |
August 15, 1812 |
Fort near Chicago burned by Indians |
| Detroit, Battle of |
August 16, 1812 |
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| British forces under Brock capture Fort Detroit |
August 16, 1812 |
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| Nova Scotia, Battle of |
August 19, 1812 |
Isaac Hull's USS Constitution defeats HMS Guerrière |
| USS Constitution vs HMS Guerriere, Naval Battle of |
August 19, 1812 |
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| Dearborn-Prevost Armistice |
August 20 - September 8, 1812 |
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| USS Brig Rising States captured by the HMS Talbot |
August 28, 1812 |
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| Baltimore Riots finish |
September, 1812 |
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| Pigeon Roost Massacre |
September 3-4, 1812 |
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| Fort Harrison, Battle of |
September 4, 1812 |
Indians attack Fort Harrison |
| Fort Madison, Battle of |
September 5, 1812 |
Indians attack Fort Madison |
| Unnamed Battle |
September 5, 1812 |
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| Fort Wayne, Siege of |
September 6, 1812 |
Indians attack Fort Wayne |
| Fort Wayne, Attack on |
September 12, 1812 |
|
| Toussiant Island, Battle of |
September 16, 1812 |
Americans fail in capturing batteaux convey at Toussiant Island of the St. Lawrence River |
| Gananoque, Raid on |
September 21, 1812 |
American attack and capture village of Gananoque in the Thousand Islands area. |
| Unnamed Battle |
October 9, 1812 |
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| Queenston Heights, Battle of |
October 13, 1812 |
US forces under Rensselaer defeated in attempt to capture town by British under Sir Isaac Brock, who is killed |
| USS Wasp vs HMS Frolic, Naval Battle of |
October 18, 1812 |
Jacob Jones' USS Wasp defeats HMS Frolic |
| USS Wasp vs HMS Poictiers, Naval Battle of |
October 18, 1812 |
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| Sheaffe becomes Lieut. Governor of Upper Canada |
October 20, 1812 |
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| USS United States vs HMS Macedonian, Naval Battle of |
October 25, 1812 |
USS United States defeats HMS Macedonian |
| Royal Navy blockades South Carolina |
November, 1812 |
British blockade South Carolina and Georgia |
| Madison wins reelection |
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| Black Rock, Bombardment of |
November 17, 1812 |
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| Lacolle Mills, Battle of |
November 20, 1812 |
Two seperate American forces fire on each other after which, they both retreat from the Canandians after a short skirmish. |
| Americans retreat from eastern Canada |
November 23, 1812 |
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| Frenchman's Creek, Battle of |
November 25, 1812 |
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| US forces attack the outlying fortifications of Fort Erie |
November 27, 1812 |
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| US invasion attempt at Frenchman's Creek repulsed |
November 28, 1812 |
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| Monroe serves as Secretary of War |
December 3, 1812 to February 5, 1813 |
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| William Eustis resigns as Secretary of War |
December 3, 1812 |
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| Capture of HMS Caledonia and the destruction of HMS Detroit |
December 9, 1812 |
Americans sieze the HMS Caledonia and burn the HMS Detroit after it runs aground. |
| Mississinewa, Battle of the |
December 14-18, 1812 |
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| Royal Navy blockades Chesapeake and Delaware Bays |
December 26, 1812 |
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| USS Constitution vs HMS Java |
December 29, 1812 |
Bainbridge's USS Constitution destroys HMS Java |
| Fort Shelby |
1813 |
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| William Jones assumes his duties as Secretary of the Navy |
January 12, 1813 |
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| River Raisin Skirmish |
January 19, 1813 |
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| Frenchtown, Battle of |
January 22, 1813 |
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| Raisin River, Battle of |
January 22, 1813 |
British General Proctor defeats Kentucky militia |
| Kingston Expedition |
February 5, 1813 |
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| John Armstrong becomes Secretary of War |
February 5, 1813 |
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| Brockville, Battle of |
February 6, 1813 |
U.S. raid on Brockville on the St. Lawrence River |
| Ogdensburg, Battle of |
February 22, 1813 |
British capture Ogdensburg, NY as retaliation for Brockville attack |
| USS Hornet vs HMS Peacock |
February 24, 1813 |
Lawrence's USS Hornet sinks HMS Peacock |
| Essex rounds Cape Horn |
March, 1813 |
Captain David Porter of the Essex rounds Cape Horn and sails into the Pacific to prey upon British whaling ships |
| Perry arrives at Presque Isle |
March 27, 1813 |
Oliver Hazard Perry arrives at Presque Isle, Pennsylvania, to assume responsibility for constructing a fleet on Lake Erie |
| British naval blockade extended |
March 30, 1813 |
It is extended from Long Island to the Mississippi. |
| Mobile, Battle of |
April 15, 1813 |
Wilkinson captures Spanish port of Mobile; Americans occupy part of west Florida. |
| York, Capture of |
April 27, 1813 |
Dearborn and Chauncey capture British garrison, burn capital |
| British burn Havre de Grace |
May 3, 1813 |
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| Burlington Heights, Battle of |
May 5, 1813 |
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| Fort George, Bombardment of |
May 25, 1813 |
US bombards and destroys Fort George. |
| Britain's Royal Navy extends blockade to cover additional states |
May 26, 1813 |
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| Fort George, Battle of |
May 27, 1813 |
Lt.Col. Winfield Scott captures British fort |
| Sackett's Harbor, Second battle of |
May 28-29, 1813 |
US Gen. Jacob Brown turns back British under Sir John Prevost |
| HMS Shannon vs USS Chesapeake, Naval Battle of |
May 29, 1813 |
|
| Sacket's Harbour, Invasion of |
May 29, 1813 - |
|
| Boston Harbor, Battle of |
June 1, 1813 |
HMS Shannon captures Lawrence's USS Chesapeake, Lawrence says: "Don't give up the ship" |
| Stoney Creek, Battle of |
June 6, 1813 |
British force of 700 under John Vincent defeats a US force three times its size under William Winder, John Chandler. The battle resulted in the Americans being routed. This battle ended the 'Invasion of Canada' |
| Forty Mile Creek, Battle of |
June 7, 1813 |
British victory at 40 Mile Creek; US forces retire to Fort George. |
| USS Surveyor v HMS Narcissus |
June 12, 1813 |
The Surveyor was surprised and outgunned, Surveyor was captured. |
| Major-General Francis de Rottenburg becomes Lt. Governor of Upper Canada |
June 19, 1813 |
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| Norfolk, Battle of |
June 22, 1813 |
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| Beaver Dams, Battle of |
June 24, 1813 |
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| Hampton, Battle of |
June 26, 1813 |
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| Ball's Farm, Battle of |
July 8, 1813 |
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| Blackrock, Battle of |
July 11, 1813 |
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| Watervliet Arsenal established |
July 14, 1813 |
James Gibbons sells twelve acres from his farm to the U.S. Government for $2,585. The land is used for the contruction of Watervliet Arsenal which become the only manufacturer of large-caliber ordnance for the U.S. Army. |
| Goose Creek, Battle of |
July 20, 1813 |
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| Burnt Corn, Battle of |
July 27, 1813 |
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| Burlington Heights, Battle of |
July 31, 1813 |
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| Stephenson, Battle of |
August 2, 1813 |
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August 8, 1813 |
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| Schooner Polly and Sally captured by the HMS Trent |
August 12, 1813 |
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| Great Britain, Battle of |
August 14, 1813 |
HMS Pelican captures Allen's USS Argus |
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August 24, 1813 |
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| USS Enterprise vs HMS Boxer, Naval Battle of |
September 5, 1813 |
USS Enterprise captures HMS Boxer off New England Coast |
| Lake Erie, Naval Battle of |
September 10, 1813 |
Perry's fleet defeats British, Perry says "We have met the enemy and they are ours" |
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October 1, 1813 |
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| Chateauguay, Battle of |
October 25, 1813 |
US forces under Gen. Wade Hampton fight indecisive battle with British, withdraw from Canada; American invasion attempt at Chateauguay repulsed |
| Great Britain offers United States direct peace negotiations |
November 4, 1813 |
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| Crysler's Farm, Battle of |
November 11, 1813 |
US forces under James Wilkinson defeated by much smaller British force under J.W. Morrison |
| British extend blockade to all middle and southern states |
November 16, 1813 |
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| Fort George evacuated |
December 10, 1813 |
Fort George evacuated and Newark burned by Americans |
| Drummond becomes Lt. Governor of Upper Canada |
December 13, 1813 |
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| Fort Niagara, British capture of |
December 18-19, 1813 |
British capture Fort Niagara in night attack; capture and burn Lewiston and surrounding villages |
| Lewiston, Fort Schlosser, Black Rock, and Buffalo destroyed by the British |
December 19-31, 1813 |
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| British Raids in East Niagara River area |
December 20, 1813 |
British begin to lay waste to the East Niagara River area in retaliation for the burning of Newark |
| Blackrock, British capture of |
December 31, 1813 |
British capture Blackrock |
| Black Rock, Battle of |
1814 |
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| Emuckfau, Battle of |
January 22, 1814 |
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| Enotachopco |
January 24, 1814 |
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| Chile, Battle of |
March 28, 1814 |
Porter's USS Essex surrenders to HMS Phoebe, HMS Cherub |
| La Colle Mill, Battle of |
March 30, 1814 |
US forces under Wilkinson defeated by British in attempt to invade Canada via Niagara. Wilkinson relieved, replaced by Jacob Brown, with assistance of Winfield Scott |
| HMS Orpheus vs USS Frolic |
April 20, 1814 |
HMS Orpheus defeats the Frolic |
| Royal Navy extends blockade to New England |
April 25, 1814 |
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| Florida, Battle of |
April 29, 1814 |
USS Peacock captures HMS Epervier |
| Oswego, Capture of |
May 6, 1814 |
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| Seringapatam Mutiny |
May 7, 1814 |
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| British blockade extended to include New England |
May 30, 1814 |
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| British Infantry march to Bordeaux to set sail for North America |
May 30, 1814 |
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| Sacket's Harbor, Battle of |
May 31, 1814 |
U.S. victory at Sacket's Harbor |
| USS Wasp vs HMS Reindeer, Naval Battle of |
June 28, 1814 |
USS Wasp destroys HMS Reindeer in battle in English Channel |
| British occupy eastern Maine |
July - September, 1814 |
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| Chippewa, Battle of |
July 5, 1814 |
US forces invade Canada under Brown, Scott defeat British under Phineas Riall |
| Fort Erie, Capture of |
July 13, 1814 |
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| La Prairie du Chien, Capture of |
July 19, 1814 |
British capture La Prairie du Chien |
| Lundy's Lane, Battle of |
July 25, 1814 |
Brown's Americans take on British under Sir Gordon Drummond in violent indecisive battle |
| U.S. troops burn St. Davids |
July 25, 1814 |
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| US public credit collapses and banks suspend specie payments |
August, 1814 |
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| Peace negotiations begin |
August 8, 1814 |
Peace negotiations begin in Ghent and Great Britain offers initial peace terms |
| British occupy Pensacola |
August 14, 1814 |
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| Fort Erie, Battle of |
August 15 - September 17, 1814 |
US forces try to break siege of fort, but fail |
| Bladensburg, Battle of |
August 24, 1814 |
British forces rout Americans in Maryland, battle witnessed by President Madison. British move on to burn Washington |
| British burn Washington |
August 24-25, 1814 |
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| Nantucket declares Neutrality |
August 28, 1814 |
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| British capture Alexandria, Virginia |
August 28, 1814 |
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| USS Wasp vs HMS Avon, Naval Battle of |
September 1, 1814 |
USS Wasp sinks HMS Avon |
| Armstrong resigns and Monroe takes over as Secretary of War |
September 4, 1814 |
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| Plattsburg, Naval Battle of |
September 11, 1814 |
US land forces under Prevost fight indecisive battle with Americans under Alexander Macomb |
| Baltimore, Battle of |
September 11-13, 1814 |
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| North Point, Battle of |
September 12, 1814 |
Land Battle complement of Battle for Ft. McHenry |
| British repulsed at Mobile |
September 12-16, 1814 |
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| Fort McHenry, Battle of |
September 13-14, 1814 |
Fort protecting Baltimore harbor holds out against British bombardment, inspiring Francis Scott Key's "Star Spangled Banner" |
| Fort Erie, Battle of |
September 17, 1814 |
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| Congress of Vienna opens unoffically |
October 3, 1814 |
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| USS Eagle v HMS Dispatch |
October 11, 1814 |
The much larger British ship put up a good fight but the crew was forced to beach the ship to avoid sinking. The crew dragged a cannon to a bluff and continued firing, recycling the enemy cannonballs after running out. Eventually, they were overwhelmed. |
| British offer peace on the basis of 'uti posseditis' |
October 21, 1814 |
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| Pensacola , Capture of |
November 7, 1814 |
Jackson seizes Pensacola |
| Britain drops the 'utis posseditis' |
November 27, 1814 |
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| Capture of American Warships |
December 13, 1814 |
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| Hartford Convention |
December 15, 1814 - January 5, 1815 |
Hartford Convention- US adopts additional internal taxes |
| New Orleans, Skirmishes at |
December 23, 1814 - January 1, 1815 |
December 23, 1814 General Andrew Jackson attacks in a surprise night battle |
| Ghent, Treaty of |
December 24, 1814 |
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December 28, 1814 |
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| New Orleans, Battle of |
January 8, 1815 |
Jackson defeats British army of Pakenham, as news of Treaty of Ghent signed in December, not yet arrived |
| United States adopts second enemy trade law |
February 4, 1815 |
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| News of Peace first arrives in North America |
February 8, 1815 |
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| Capture of HMS Cyane and HMS Levant |
February 20, 1815 |
USS Constitution captures HMS Cyane and HMS Levant sailing in company. |
| General Prevost is officially notified of Peace at Quebec |
March 1, 1815 |
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| HMS Penguin, Capture of |
March 23, 1815 |
USS Hornet captures HMS Penguin in last major engagement of War of 1812 |
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August 15, 1813 |
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