The War of 1812 lasted from the American declaration of war on Great Britain in June 1812 to the ratification of the Treaty of Ghent in February 1815.

Each article in our Then & Now Journal consists of two parts. The “Then” portion describes events of the war in the same two-month time frame as 200 years ago. The “Now” portion highlights existing memorials, museums, battlefields, fortifications and other sites as well as various commemorative events. Space does not permit us to list every event, and so we encourage you to investigate what may be happening in your area or any event that may be of interest.

Then

July 5: A small British/Canadian force raids American depot at Fort Schlosser, near Buffalo, N.Y.; captures three boats and military stores.

July 8: Skirmish between native Canadians and American picquets at Butler’s Farm at Two Mile Creek, Niagara, leaves 22 Americans dead, 12 captured; skirmishes continue at nearby farms until early October; British native allies begin final siege of Fort Madison, Iowa.

July 11: Force of 200 British soldiers and 40 Canadian militiamen successfully raids American depot at Black Rock, N.Y., but are ambushed during withdrawal and suffer casualties.

July 21-27: Forces under Major-General Henry Proctor and Tecumseh besiege Fort Meigs, Ohio, for second time, but are unsuccessful in capturing post.

July 29: American amphibious raid on Burlington Beach, Upper Canada.

July 30-August 3: British naval and army expedition attacks Plattsburg, N.Y., Burlington, Vt., and other upper Lake Champlain communities; troops burn military facilities and loot private warehouses and homes.

July 31: Americans occupy York (Toronto) for second time; destroy public property and seize military supplies.

Aug. 2: British forces under Maj.-Gen. Henry Proctor and Tecumseh assault Fort Stephenson, Ohio, several times but are driven back; British withdraw to Upper Canada.

Aug. 4: Master Commandant Oliver Perry sails newly-built, nine-vessel squadron into Lake Erie at Presque Isle, N.Y., after British blockading fleet under Commander Robert Barclay returns to Amherstburg.

Aug. 5: American privateer Decatur captures HMS Dominica off Bermuda.

Aug. 7-11: American and British naval flotillas exchange shots on Lake Ontario; generally inconclusive engagements with minimal damage.

Aug. 8: American merchant schooners Hamilton and Scourge, earlier pressed into service as warships, sink during sudden squall on Lake Ontario.

Aug. 10: British capture American naval schooners Julia and Growler on Lake Ontario.

Aug. 24: Governor-General Sir George Prevost orders attack on American picquets outside Fort George; Americans remain within fort.

Now

July 1-7: Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo HMS Shannon/USS Chesapeake commemoration, Halifax.

July 5: Battle of Chippawa memorial ceremony, Niagara Falls, Ont.

July 8-13: 1,000 Islands War of 1812 flotilla, Kingston to Crysler’s Farm, Upper Canada Village, Morrisburg, Ont.

July 13-14: 200th anniversary of Battle of Crysler’s Farm, Upper Canada Village, Morrisburg, Ont.

Aug. 2-4: 200th anniversaries of Battle of Sackets Harbour, Sackets Harbour, N.Y. and Battle of Fort Stephenson, Fremont, Ohio.

Aug. 10-11: Siege of Fort Erie re-enactment, Fort Erie, Ont.

Aug. 16-18: Wasaga under Siege heritage festival, Wasaga Beach, Ont.

Aug. 17-18: Fort George Fife & Drum Muster and Soldiers’ Field Day, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.

Aug. 31-Sept. 1: Fort Niagara War of 1812 encampment, Youngstown, N.Y.