Aether Salson's War of 1812 Discussion

 

By Bixyl Shuftan

 

On Sunday Sept 20, The Aether Salon had it's discussion for the month. This time the topic was The War of 1812, which like other conflicts America took part in between the War for Independence and the Civil War tends to be overlooked by casual students of US History. The US leadership, furious over the impressment (kidnapping) of Americans by the British Navy, as well as incidents such as the unprovoked attack on the USS Chesapeake, declared war on the British Empire. But compared to the Brits, the USA had only a tiny Navy and regular Army. Attacks on Canada relied on called-up state militia that thanks to poor quality of men and officers alike ended up as disasters that left the country vulnerable to counterattack from Canadian militia and American Indian warriors allied to Britain. Fortunately for the USA, Britain would be busy with fighting Napoleon. But unfortunately the Brits could still enact a blockade. While there were a few individual victories by the US Navy in one on one battles, notably by the USS Constitution, the blockade was soon tightened and American overseas commerce strangled. 

 

Wildstar Beaumont was the speaker at the event, dressed up like a buccaneer. He remarked since this was "Talk Like A Pirate Day" weekend, he might as well touch on an issue somewhat related, the use of privateers by the badly outnumbered US Navy in the war.  He reminded the audience that he had chosen the topic months ago, and didn't count on talking about a war best known by the Canadians for it's attempted American invasions while in real life news America's President has been ratcheting up a trade war with the country. 

 

Driven by necessity to rely on privateers, the Americans found them to be a huge success. The smaller privateers could outrun the British when at a disadvantage, and engage when there was an opportunity. The result was numerous British ships sunk and captured, as well as the US Government taking in millions from duties on captured gold and other valuables, revenue it sorely needed with the blockade strangling the economy. News of naval victories also were a vital boost to American morale.

 

Also mentioned was the Battle of New Orleans, which took part in January 1815. Before the fight, the British tried to recruit smuggler and pirate Jean Lafitte to be a guide for their invasion. Instead he warned the Louisiana Governor, and offered himself and his men & weapons in exchange for pardons for him and his brother Pierre. General Jackson at first wasn't thrilled with the idea of them helping out with the defense of New Orleans, but would later laud their "courage and fidelity." The battle ended in a decisive American victory with the British taking on heavy losses. 

 

Negotiations to end the war began in mid 1814. At first the British demanded territory, seeking to create a buffer state for American Indian allies. The US Government angrily rejected it. The months went on, and a British attack in Maryland resulted in Washington DC being burned but failing to beat the forces defending Baltimore, the most famous part being the Battle of Fort McHenry which inspired the song "The Star Spangled Banner," and having to retreat. As more time passed, both sides came to realize the issues that started the conflict were no longer relevant and so they settled for status quo ante bellum - borders would remain unchanged. And the Treaty of Ghent was signed on Christmas Eve 1814. 

 

Although the war was a stalemate, the United States came out of it with a sense of pride for having successfully fought off the strongest empire in the world, especially with the news of the Battle of New Orleans coming just after news of the treaty. For the Canadians, they also came out of the conflict with a sense of pride, as well as a newfound sense of national unity, for having beaten off American invasion. As for the British, with the conflict being a side-show compared to the Napoleonic Wars, they barely remembered it happened. Indeed it's not even mentioned in many British history books. But for the American Indians, the war would prove to be the beginning of the end for those east of the Mississippi River. They would lose a great deal of land in peace treaties, and some years later entire tribes would be expelled in the Indian Removal. Not mentioned in the discussion was General Jackson finding a career in politics and eventually becoming President. Also in politics, the Federalist Party, which opposed the war, would come out of the fight badly. In the years after the war, it would fade away into irrelevance and ten years after the treaty was dead. As for the privateers, after the war some would continue in the Latin American wars for independence. 

 

The Aether Salon is hosted by Ceejay Writer. The next event should be on Sunday October 18. The transcript for the event should be up on the blog (https://aethersalon.home.blog/) soon.

 

Bixyl Shuftan