Chronology of the Action
The key to understanding war of any kind is to recognize that no action in war is isolated from another. For example, success in Normandy (D-Day) was not an isolated event, purely the result of planning and executing the attack. It was, in addition, due to a number of events and actions that distracted the German army and diluted their forces, including the Italian campaign and the Russian Front.
So it was with the War of 1812, political events and the war in Europe had an effect in the happening in North America.
This chart, from http://www.warof1812.ca, tells the story pretty well.
| Year | Political Events | Military Events | Military Events in Europe |
| 1807 | |||
| June 22: The Chesapeake Affair: USS Chesapeake fired on and boarded by the HMS Leopard off Norfolk, Virginia | June 13-14: Battle of Friedland between French and Russians | ||
| July 9 After making peace with Russia, Napoleon bans trade with Great Britain. | |||
| December 22: Embargo Act passed by US Congress halting trade with Foreign Nations (repealed in 1808) | |||
| 1809 | |||
| March 4: James Madison is inaugurated as president of the United States | |||
| 1811 | |||
| March 5: French pull out of Portugal and consolidate around Salamanca, Spain | |||
| September 30: Brock becomes Lieut.Governor of Upper Canada | |||
| October 12: Prevost becomes Governor-in-Chief and Commander of all forces in British North America | |||
| November 4: US War Congress convenes | |||
| November 7: Battle of Tippecanoe where the US defeats Indians | |||
| 1812 | |||
| June: Baltimore Riots start against anti-war Federalists | January 19: British storm Ciudad Rodrigo, Portugal | ||
| June 1: Madison’s recommendation to Congress to declare war over sailor’s rights and British support of western frontier tribes. | April 6: British repulsed at Badajoz, Spain | ||
| June 4: House of Representatives passes war bill | |||
| June 18: Senate passes House bill Madison signs War Bill. | |||
| June 19: U.S. President Madison declares war or Great Britain. | |||
| July 1: US doubles Customs Duties | |||
| June 24: Napoleon invades Russia | |||
| June 23: USS President vs. HM Frigate Belvidera | |||
| July 12: U.S. General Hull invades Upper Canada at Sandwich across from Detroit | |||
| July 17: British forces from Fort St. Joseph capture Fort Michilimackinac | July 22: Wellington’s famous victory at Salamanca | ||
| August 5: Battle of Brownstown | August 13: British Army enter Madrid | ||
| August 8: Battle of Maguaga | |||
| August 15: Fort Dearborn massacre | |||
| August 16: British forces under Brock capture Fort Detroit. | |||
| August 19: USS Constitution vs. HM Frigate Guerriere | |||
| September: Baltimore Riots finish | |||
| September 3: Indian attack at Pigeon Roost Creek | |||
| September 7: Battle of Borodino | |||
| September 4: Indians attack Fort Harrison | September 14: Napoleon enters Moscow | ||
| September 5: Indians attack Fort Madison | September 19: Napoleon begins to retreat from Moscow | ||
| September 6: Indians attack Fort Wayne | |||
| September 16: Americans fail in capturing batteaux convey at Toussiant Island of the St. Lawrence River | |||
| September 21: American attack and capture village of Gananoque in the Thousand Islands area | October 21: British give up the siege of Burgos, Spain. | ||
| October 9: Two British schooners captured off Fort Erie; small skirmish near Fort Erie | |||
| October 20: Sheaffe becomes Lieut. Governor of Upper Canada | |||
| October 13: Battle of Queenston Heights and death of Brock and Macdonnell | |||
| November 29: Napoleon’s shattered army exits Russia | |||
| November: Royal Navy blockades South Carolina | |||
| . | |||
| November 27: the US attacks the outlying fortifications of Fort Erie | |||
| November 28: U.S. invasion attempt at Frenchman’s Creek repulsed. | |||
| December 18: Battle of Mississnewa | |||
| December 26: Royal Navy expands blockade to Chesapeake and Delaware Bays | |||
| 1813 | |||
| January 19: Skirmish at the River Raisin. | |||
| January 22: British victory at Frenchtown. | |||
| January 23: Massacre of US wounded at River Raisin | |||
| February 6: U.S. raid on Brockville on the St. Lawrence River. | |||
| February 22: British capture Ogdensburg, NY as retaliation for Brockville attack. | |||
| March 30: British naval blockade extended from Long Island to the Mississippi | |||
| April 15: US army occupies West Florida | |||
| April 27: U.S. troops attack and burn York (Capital of Upper Canada). | |||
| May 26: Britain’s Royal Navy extends blockade to cover additional states | |||
| May 25: U S. bombards and destroys Fort George. | |||
| May 27: U.S. troops capture Fort George; British troops retreat toward Burlington. | |||
| May 29: British fail to capture Sacket’s Harbor. | |||
| June 1: H.M.S. Shannon defeats U.S.S. Chesapeake tows her captive into Halifax, Nova Scotia. | |||
| June 6: British victory at Stoney Creek. | |||
| June 7: British victory at 40 Mile Creek; the U.S. retires to Fort George. | |||
| June 4: armistice between France and Russia, and Prussia | |||
| June 22nd Skirmish at Norfolk | |||
| June 24: Capture of US forces at Beaver Dams. | |||
| July 8: Battle of Ball’s Farm. | June 21: Wellington’s decisive victory over the French at the Battle of Vitoria | ||
| July 11: British raid on Blackrock. | |||
| June 19: de Rottenburg becomes Lt. Governor of Upper Canada | |||
| July 20: U.S. victory at Goose Creek. | |||
| July 27: Engagement at Burnt Corn | |||
| July 21 to August 1: Battles of the Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain ending in British success | |||
| July 31: British victory at Burlington Heights. | |||
| August 2: British attack Fort Stephenson. | |||
| August 8: U.S.S. Hamilton & Scourge sunk. | |||
| August 10: armistice ends between France and Russia and Prussia | |||
| August 12: Austria declares war on France | |||
| August 24: Prevost leads attack on U.S. piquets ou George; U.S.decline large scale engagement | |||
| August 30: Attack at Fort Mims | |||
| August 31: British storm San Sebastien, Spain | |||
| September 9: British Fleet on Lake Erie defeated and captured by the US under Perry. | |||
| October 1: US army under Hampton cross the frontier south of Montreal and skirmish with Canadian piquets | |||
| October 5: British defeated at Moraviantown; (Battle of the Thames) Tecumseh killed | |||
| October 26: American invasion attempt at Chateauguay repulsed | |||
| October 16-18: Napoleon defeated at the Battle of Leipzig marking the beginning of the end of his reign. | |||
| November 3: Battle of Tallushatchee | |||
| November 9: Battle of Talladega | |||
| November 11: American defeat at Chrysler ‘s Farm. | |||
| December 10: U.S. army abandons Fort George and burns town of Newark (Niagara-on-the-Lake). | |||
| November 10: Battle of the Nivelle with the British invading France | |||
| December 18-19: British capture Fort Niagara in a night attack; capture and burn Lewiston and surrounding villages | |||
| December 20: British begin to lay waste to the East Niagara River area in retaliation for the burning of Newark. | |||
| December 31: British capture Blackrock | |||
| December 13: Drummond becomes Lt. Governor of Upper Canada | |||
| 1814 | |||
| January 22: Battle of Emuckfau | |||
| January 24: Battle of Enotachopco | |||
| March 27: Battle of Horseshoe Bend | March 31: Allies enter Paris | ||
| April 14:US repeals embargo and non-importation laws | April 6: Napoleon abdicates | ||
| April 25: Royal Navy extends blockade to New England | April 10 to 12: British take Toulouse | ||
| May 6: British capture Oswego. | |||
| May 30: British blockade extended to include New England. | |||
| May 31: U.S. victory at Sacket’s Harbor. | May 30: British Infantry march to Bordeaux to set sail for North America; First Treaty of Paris signed. | ||
| July 13: U.S. capture Fort Erie. | |||
| July 5: U.S. defeat British at Chippewa. | |||
| July 18: U.S. troops burn St. Davids. | |||
| July 19: British capture La Prairie du Chien. | |||
| July 25: Battle of Lundy’s Lane – both sides claim victory | |||
| August: US public credit collapses and banks suspend special payments | |||
| August 8: Peace negotiations begin in Ghent and Great Britain offers initial peace terms | |||
| August 9the : US and Creek nation sign the Treaty of Fort Jackson | |||
| August 13-14: British begin siege of Fort Erie. | |||
| August 24: British burn Washington. | |||
| September 11: the US repulses British at Battle of Plattsburg and defeat British on Lake Champlain | |||
| October 3: Congress of Vienna opens unofficially | |||
| October 21: British offer peace on the basis of ‘uti posseditis’ | Sept. 13-14: Siege of Fort McHenry (Battle of Baltimore) – “Star Spangled Banner” is inspired by British mortars and rockets. | ||
| November 27: Britain drops the ‘utis posseditis’ | September 17: British assault fails against Fort Erie. | ||
| December 15: Hartford Convention- US adopts additional internal taxes | December 23: Initial skirmishes around New Orleans | ||
| December 24: Treaty of Ghent signed to end the war. | |||
| 1815 | |||
| January 8, 1815: Battle of New Orleans. | |||
| February 8, 1815: News of Peace first arrives in North America. | |||
| March 1, 1815: General Prevost is officially notified of Peace at | March 1: Napoleon lands in France from Elba | ||
| Quebec. | |||