The War of 1812 Proved America’s Mettle

 From the early 1600s our ancestors lived under British rule. They fought with the French. They fought with the Indians. And they fought the same fights all over again. During all that time, they owed their allegiance to Great Britain . . . until the American Revolution, that is. Then the ties frayed quickly.

 In 1804, our young nation was faced with a crisis. Great Britain, fighting with the French, declared an illegal naval blockade of French ports. The move was intended to cripple the French trade, but the French retaliated with a sweeping blockade of their own. America was a consequence, as the blockades led to the seizure of American ships, their cargo and, eventually, their seamen. The Embargo Act of 1807 sought to keep American ships away, but it had an opposite effect on the new country as the overseas commerce quickly dropped. It was repealed in 1809.

 On June 18th, 1812, President James Madison and the United States and Congress declared war on Great Britain.

 The fighting was spread across a wide area from Lake Champlain in upstate New York to Detroit, Baltimore, Washington and New Orleans. It ended with the Treaty of Ghent in 1815. It was this war that gave us the Star Spangled Banner, Dolly Madison and the burning of Washington, as well as the Battle of New Orleans.

 It was this war that proved America’s mettle.

 This part of American history is a significant part of the continuum connecting the present day to our colonial heritage.

 Did you know that the 15-star flag that flew at Fort McHenry was way out of date? By that time, we had three more states (Ohio, Tennessee and Louisiana). It wasn’t until 1818 that a new flag was authorized and by then we had two more: Mississippi and Indiana.

 The United States Congress declared war on Great Britain on June 18, 1812. Thus was the official beginning of a war sometimes referred to as the War of 1812, sometimes as Mr. Madison’s war, sometimes the Second War of Independence, and by author Alan Taylor, a Civil War. In his book, The Civil War of 1812, Taylor describes the conflict among American citizens, British subjects, Irish rebels and Indian Allies.

 The site for The Daughters of 1812 provides historical background on this war and information about exhibits, events, activities and books commemorating the war.

 Websites which may be of interest include: The Official War of 1812 Bicentennial website at www.visit1812.com, the National Society United States Daughters of 1812 at www.usdaughters1812.org/home.html, the General Society of the War of 1812 at www. societyofthewarof1812.org/contact.phpand the Free Pension Records War of 1812.

 Less than a month—July 12—after the official declaration of war, Captain Isaac Hull, commander of the USS Constitution, sailed from Chesapeake Bay. The British Captain Philip Broke, whose squadron was in New York Harbor gave chase five days later. But the Constitution was able to evade the British after just two days. However, on August 19, 1812 the Constitution found the opportunity to engage in battle with the British frigate HMS Guerrier. In a little more than a half-hour, Hull and the Constitution managed to capture and destroy the Guerriere.

At the end of October, the Constitution was under the command of Captain William Bainbridge sailing south. On December 29, off the coast of Brazil, Bainbridge and the Constitution engaged the British frigate HMS Java for three hours. The Java was destroyed and eventually burned. But the Constitution was not damaged and it was that battle that earned her the name of “Old Ironsides.”

The United States’ meager Navy managed to win other victories at sea and the American prowess at sea was now considered formidable.

By June 1, 1813, the USS Chesapeake, now commanded by James Lawrence, was captured off Boston Harbor by the British frigate HMS Shannon under the command of Captain Sir Philip Broke, the same commander the USS Constitution eluded a year before. It was during this battle that Captain James Lawrence was mortally wounded, but managed to cry out, “Don’t give up the ship!”

 “Don’t give up the ship!”

 Tradition has it that Captain James Lawrence said these heroic words after being mortally wounded in the engagement between his ship, the U.S. frigate Chesapeake, and HMS Shannon on 1 June 1813. As the wounded Lawrence was carried below, he ordered “Tell the men to fire faster! Don’t give up the ship!”

 Although Chesapeake was forced to surrender, Captain Lawrence’s words lived on as a rallying cry during the war. Oliver Hazard Perry honored his dead friend Lawrence when he had the motto sewn onto the private battle flag flown during the Battle of Lake Erie, 10 September 1813.

 Mary Sikora is a Daughter of the War of 1812 and was the Ohio chapter’s webmaster.