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Our Little Naval Wars & The War of 1812

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Naval warfare... Line of battle tactics. Ships of the line in large fleets. Traditional (archaic) tactics Commerce raiding. Captains and crews get $$ from their prizes.

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English Oak Live Oak

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American ships marginally stronger because their hulls were built from live oak and timbers could be shaped instead of joined. US ships also carried more guns.

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Naval armament Long guns 12, 18, 32, 64 pound shot. Grapeshot Chain and bar shot Carronades ( < c. 800 yards) Solid Shot

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Naval Guns Carronade Long Gun

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Grapeshot

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Sliding Bar Shot and Chain Shot

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What is the purpose of a navy ? Destroy your enemys fleet Protect commerce Project power

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American commercial interests... Atlantic carrying trade Whaling Caribbean trade Mediterranean

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American naval activity before the War of 1812 1798-1800, Quasi War with France 1801-1805, Tripolitan-American War

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Quasi War, 1798-1800 1778, Treaty of Alliance between U.S. and France. 1789, French Revolution. 1792, Wars of the French Revolution begin. France expects the U.S. to honor treaty obligations. Confined to Caribbean.

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President John Adams ordered military action without a declaration of war.

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Tripolitan-American War, 1801-1805 Napoleonic Wars allow rise of Barbary piracy: Algers, Tunis, Tripoli

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1801-1803, American force blockades Tripoli. 1803, new squadron arrives USS Philadelphia runs aground and captured Feb, 1804, Stephen Decatur sails into Tripoli harbor and burns Philadelphia

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Eatons Expedition William Eaton, Lt. Presley OBannon, 8 Marines, 1 midshipman, and100 mercenaries, march on Derne. Try to restore deposed Pasha of Tripoli Meanwhile U.S. had paid $60,000 to ransom crew of Philadelphia...

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... to the shores of Tripoli.

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Actions in the Mediterranean... Establish a firm historical tradition for the U.S. Navy. Provide combat experience on sea and land.

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War of 1812

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France... French Revolution - 1789 France invaded by Prussia and Austria - 1792 France declared a Republic - 1792 Louis XVI executed - 1793 Napoleon main political power - 1799 Louisiana Purchase - 1803

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Britain vs. France + the U.S. 1803 Franco-British War Britain imposes a blockade on Europe French threaten invasion (1803-1805) Significant desertions from the Royal Navy

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War of the Third Coalition (France vs. Britain, Austria, Sweden, and Russia) 21 October 1805: Battle of Trafalgar 14 October 1806: Battle of Jena-Auerstadt

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21 November 1806: Berlin Decree, Napoleon declares British Isles under blockade. 7 January, 1807: Orders in Council prohibit neutral trade between enemy-held ports. October: Sir James Craig, arrives as Governor-in- Chief of Canada 22 June 1807: Leopard vs. Chesapeake 2 July: Jefferson expels British ships from U.S. waters.

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British Indian policy: pre-emptive alliances 11 November 1807: Orders in Council established a "paper blockade"; trade from enemy colonies must go through England first.

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December 1807: Milan Decree, Authorizes seizure of neutral vessels sailing from British ports. Authorizes seizure of any vessel submitting to British search on the high seas. Peninsular War 1807-1808 14 December 1807: Non-Importation goes into effect. 22 December: Embargo Act 1 March 1809: Non-Intercourse Act

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Summer 1809: Botched negotiations with the British. Napoleon says he will repeal the Berlin and Milan Decrees 1 May 1810: Macon's Bill No. 2 2 November 1810: Madison announces that Non-intercourse against England will begin in 90 days unless Orders repealed. 17 November 1811: Battle of Tippecanoe Indian power in Northwest Territory destroyed.

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May-December, 1812: Napoleon's Russian Campaign 23 June 1812: Britain repeals Orders in Council 1 June 1812: Madison's "War Message" Vote: 79 / 49 House 19 / 13 Senate 18 June: Madison signs legislation authorizing war.

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Traditional reasons for going to war... Impressment Violation of neutral rights British support for Indians on the frontier American desire for Canada None of these are supported by the evidence.

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Practical political and commercial problems: Berlin and Milan Decrees (Napoleon) Orders in Council (Great Britain) Our response: Embargo Act Non-Intercourse Act Macons Bill No. 2 French eventually trick us... then war.

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War of 1812 U.S. Navy not large enough to hurt the British. U.S. Navy performs well. (Largely retrieves American honor.)

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Basic Army issues... Poor military policy. Poor training and organization. Poor leadership. Poor (ignored?) tactics.

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How it got better... Jacob Brown and Winfield Scotts training program on the Niagara frontier. Beginning of a new tactical system Effective training and leadership Jacksons operations in the South. Creek War New Orleans

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The Battle of New Orleans 8 January 1815

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Order of Battle, US Forces(6,000) 7th Infantry 44th Infantry New Orleans militia Five uniformed companies Two battalions of free blacks Louisiana state militia (Governor Claiborne) William Carrolls division (TN) John Thomass division (KY) John Coffees mounted brigade (TN) Thomas Hinds Mississippi Dragoons Jean Lafittes pirates USS Carolina (15) and USS Louisiana (16)

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Order of Battle, British Forces (14,000) 4th (Kings Own) 7th (Royal Fusiliers) 43rd Light Infantry 44th (East Essex) 85th (Bucks Vol. Light Infantry) 95th (Rifles) (-) 21st (Royal North Britain Fusiliers) 93rd Highlanders (Argyle and Sutherland) 1st West Indian 5th West Indian 14th Light Dragoons (dismounted) (-) elements, Royal Artillery (w/ a rocket battery) Royal Marines Naval Brigade Red = units which had fought Napoleon.

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Timeline 23 December: British land south of New Orleans. Night, 23-24 December: Jacksons attacks. Jackson forms line along Rodriguez Canal 28 December: British close on US line. 1 January: British artillery attack. 8 January: British attack.

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New Orleans Swamp

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Daniel Patterson

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The British Plan

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Daniel Patterson

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Lessons Learned (and not learned) Proves our military policy was correct. Militia would save the day. Ignores the lessons of the summer of 1814 on the Niagara Frontier. Force of personality vs. professional preparation.

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Military legacy of the War of 1812 An understanding that more attention should be paid to military policy. Reorganization of the Army (1815 and 1818) Birth of a new system of drill of the Army. Coming of age of the U.S. Navy. Andrew Jackson becomes a national hero.

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Military legacy of the War of 1812 An understanding that more attention should be paid to military policy. Reorganization of the Army (1815 and 1818) Birth of a new system of drill of the Army. Coming of age of the U.S. Navy. Andrew Jackson becomes a national hero.

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Results: The U.S. has a greater sense of self. We are finally free of Great Britain. Andrew Jackson is a national hero.

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Questions ?