On this day in 1812, the United States Congress declared war on the United Kingdom. Anglo–American tensions stemmed from long-standing differences over territorial expansion in North America and British support for Tecumseh’s confederacy, which resisted U.S. colonial settlement in the Old Northwest (now Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan). In 1807, these tensions escalated after the Royal Navy began enforcing tighter restrictions on American trade with France and impressed sailors who were originally British subjects, even those who had acquired American citizenship.
At sea, the Royal Navy imposed an effective blockade on U.S. maritime trade, while between 1812 and 1814 British regulars and colonial militia defeated a series of American invasions on Upper Canada. The April 1814 abdication of Napoleon allowed the British to send additional forces to North America and reinforce the Royal Navy blockade, crippling the American economy. In August 1814, negotiations began in Ghent, with both sides wanting peace.
In August 1814, British troops captured Washington, before American victories at Baltimore and Plattsburgh in September ended fighting in the north. In the Southeastern United States, American forces and Indian allies defeated an anti-American faction of the Muscogee. The Treaty of Ghent was signed in December 1814, though it would be February before word reached the United States and the treaty was fully ratified. In the interim, American troops led by Andrew Jackson repulsed a major British attack on New Orleans.
One of the heroes of the war was Stephen Decatur who was born just a few miles from where I am writing this. His father was a naval officer. Decatur followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the U.S. Navy at age 19 as a midshipman.
Decatur supervised the construction of several U.S. naval vessels, one of which he later commanded. Promoted at age 25, he is the youngest man to reach the rank of captain in the history of the United States Navy. He served under three presidents and played a major role in the early development of the U.S. Navy. In almost every theater of operation, Decatur’s service was characterized by acts of heroism and exceptional performance. His service in the U.S. Navy took him through both Barbary Wars in North Africa, the Quasi-War with France, and the War of 1812 with Britain. Decatur’s naval victories in all three conflicts helped to establish the United States Navy as a rising power.
Portrait By Charles Bird King
Daily affirmation…
NOPE!!!
SIGNZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ…
Today is the birthday, in 1942, of Paul McCartney, The Beatles Wings, solo. The most successful rock composer of all time. McCartney first met John Lennon on July 6th 1957, who was impressed that Paul could tune a guitar. With The Beatles he scored 21 US No.1 & 17 UK No.1 singles plus McCartney has scored over 30 US & UK solo Top 40 hit singles. He has written and co-written 188 charted records, of which 91 reached the Top 10 and 33 made it to No.1 totalling 1,662 weeks on the chart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ap87QgZKTNw
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