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

May 1-9: British and native allies under Brigadier-General Henry Proctor and Tecumseh conduct first siege of Fort Meigs, Ohio, commanded by Major-General William Henry Harrison; American attack on May 5 known as Battle of the Miami fails with heavy losses but fort holds out; British withdraw to Detroit.

May 3: Rear-Admiral George Cockburn raids Havre de Grace, Maryland.

Commodore James Yeo

ILLUSTRATION: TORONTO PUBLIC LIBRARY—T15241

May 5: Newly-appointed Commodore James Yeo arrives at Quebec to take command on Great Lakes.

May 8: Americans leave York.

Governor-in-Chief Sir George Prevost

ILLUSTRATION: McCORD MUSEUM—1808-1816M403

May 11: Maj.-Gen. Roger Sheaffe and British regulars arrive at Kingston after withdrawal from York; Governor-in-Chief Sir George Prevost relieves Sheaffe as administrator and military commander of Upper Canada and appoints him to command troops at Montreal, replacing Maj.-Gen. Francis de Rottenburg.

May 15: Yeo arrives at Kingston.

May 25: American bombardment largely destroys Fort George on Niagara Peninsula.

May 26: Royal Navy extends blockade of American coast southwards.

May 27: American forces under Maj.-Gen. Henry Dearborn attack Fort George commanded by Brig.-Gen. John Vincent; British abandon fort and retreat westward along lakeshore to establish new defensive position at Burlington Heights; Americans occupy Fort George.

May 28-29: Prevost and Yeo attack Sackets Harbor, N.Y., principal American naval base on Lake Ontario; attack fails due to bad weather and Prevost’s excessive caution.

June 1: HMS Shannon defeats USS Chesapeake off Boston and takes her to Halifax.

June 3: British capture American 11-gun sloops Growler and Eagle near Ile-aux-Noix, Lower Canada.

June 6: American advance westwards from Fort George checked by British night attack under now-Maj.-Gen. Vincent at Stoney Creek.

June 7-10: British pursue and engage Americans retreating from Stoney Creek back to Fort George.

June 9: Americans burn and abandon Fort Erie; withdraw from Chippawa.

June 19: De Rottenburg replaces Sheaffe as administrator and military commander of Upper Canada.

Laura Secord

ILLUSTRATION: LORNE K. SMITH, LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA—C011053

June 22: Laura Secord walks 32 kilometres from Queenston to Thorold to warn British outpost of impending American attack at Beaver Dams; British make unsuccessful attack at Craney Island, Virginia, guarding entrance to Hampton Roads.

June 24: 400 native allies ambush Americans at Beaver Dams, forcing them to surrender to British.

June 25: British forces burn and plunder Hampton, Virginia.

June 27: Pursued by Royal Navy, captain of American privateer Young Teazer blows his ship up in Mahone Bay, N.S.

NOW

May 3-5: First siege of Fort Meigs commemoration, Perrysburg, Ohio.

May 25-26: Battle of Fort George re-enactment, Niagara-on-the-Lake.

June 2: Commemoration of 200th anniversary of HMS Shannon’s victory over USS Chesapeake, Halifax.

June 2-3: Annual re-enactment of Battle of Stoney Creek, Stoney Creek.

Engagement at the Forty

ILLUSTRATION: WAYNE CLARKSON, WWW.CANADIANARTCARDS.COM

June 8: Engagement at the Forty and 1812 camp, Grimsby.

June 22: Laura Secord commemorations and walks, Queenston, Thorold and across Niagara region.

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