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. We encourage you to investigate what may be happening in your area.

Then

July 2: British raid St. Leonard’s, Md.

Major-General Jacob Brown

ILLUSTRATION: LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA—C073581

July 3: American forces under Major-General Jacob Brown cross Niagara River and capture Fort Erie.

July 5: Brown defeats British at Chippewa.

Battle of Queenston Heights.

ILLUSTRATION: LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA—C000273

July 7: Americans occupy Queenston Heights; advance party of joint British army-navy expedition from Halifax departs Shelburne, N.S., destined for Eastport, Maine.; frigate HMS Leander captures brig USS Rattlesnake off Cape Sable, N.S.

July 11: Fort Sullivan garrison at Eastport, Me., surrenders to British advance party.

July 12: Ship of the line HMS Medway captures brig USS Siren off South Africa.

July 14: American naval squadron under Lieutenant Arthur Sinclair raids, loots and burns North West Company fur-trading post at Sault Ste Marie.

July 17: British and native allies begin siege of Fort Shelby, Prairie du Chien, Illinois Territory.

July 18: Americans capture, loot and burn St. Davids, Upper Canada.

July 18-19: British raid Champlain Village, N.Y.

July 19: British Sauk allies force American gunboats attempting to relieve Fort Shelby to turn back at Rock Island Rapids, Illinois Territory; British take possession of Leonard’s Town, Md.

July 20: British capture Fort Shelby; Americans raid Port Talbot, Upper Canada; eight former Americans found guilty of treason hanged at Burlington Heights (another seven had been banished from Upper Canada).

July 22: Second Treaty of Greenville allies certain western tribes against Britain.

Sir Gordon Drummond

ILLUSTRATION: LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA—C70391

July 25-26: British under Lieutenant-General Gordon Drummond and Americans under Brown clash at Lundy’s Lane; both sides claim victory, although Americans withdraw to Fort Erie.

July 26: Americans burn Bridgewater Mills, above Niagara Falls, during retreat from Lundy’s Lane.

July 26-27: Sinclair’s squadron fails to retake Fort Mackinac.

Aug. 3: Drummond commences siege of Fort Erie; British forces cross Niagara River to raid Black Rock and Buffalo, but are repulsed by Americans at Conjocta Creek Bridge and return to Upper Canada.

Aug. 4-5: Second American attack against Fort Mackinac fails.

Aug. 8: Peace negotiations begin in Ghent; Britain offers initial peace terms.

Aug. 9: Americans and Creeks sign Treaty of Fort Jackson, ending Creek War and ceding much of Creek territory.

Aug. 9-12: Royal Navy squadron attacks Stonington, Conn.

Aug. 11: Brig USS Eagle launched at Vergennes, Vt.

Aug. 12: British capture U.S. ships Somers and Ohio off Fort Erie.

Aug. 23: British occupy Pensacola, Spanish Florida.

ILLUSTRATION: PETER RINDLISBACHER

Aug. 15: Sinclair’s squadron captures post at Nottawasaga River, British scuttle schooner HMS Nancy; British night assault on Fort Erie fails.

Aug. 19: British under Maj.-Gen. Robert Ross land from Royal Navy ships near Benedict, Md., march towards Washington while other RN ships sail up Potomac.

Aug. 24: British defeat Americans at Battle of Bladensburg.
Aug. 24-25: British occupy and burn Washington; President Madison flees White House.

Aug. 25: HMS Confiance launched at Île aux Noix, Lower Canada.

Aug. 26: British gunboat flotilla captures two American vessels near Kingston; main body of joint British army-navy expedition departs Halifax to invade eastern Maine.

Aug. 27: British occupy Point Lookout, Md.; retreating American garrison destroys Fort Washington; USS Wasp captures HMS Avon off Ireland.

Aug. 28: British squadron captures Alexandria, Va; Nantucket declares neutrality.

Sir George Prevost

ILLUSTRATION: LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA—E010966151

Aug. 30: Governor-General Sir George Prevost begins Lake Champlain campaign; British landing party repulsed at Caulk’s Field, near Chestertown, Md.

Now

PHOTO: KATIE FARR, NIAGARA 1812 LEGACY COUNCIL

PHOTO: KATIE FARR, NIAGARA 1812 LEGACY COUNCIL

July 5-6: 200th anniversary of Battle of Chippawa, Niagara Falls, Ont.

July 11-12: 200th anniversary of British occupation, Eastport, Maine.

July 18-19: 200th anniversary of burning of St. David’s, St. David’s, Ont.

PHOTO: WISCONSIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY

July 19-20: 200th anniversary of engagement at Prairie du Chien, Prairie du Chien, Wis.

Photo: The Niagara 1812 Bicentennial Legacy Council

July 25: 200th anniversary of Battle of Lundy’s Lane, Niagara Falls, Ont.

Aug. 1-3: 10th annual War of 1812 Weekend, Sackets Harbor, N.Y.

Aug. 2-3: 200th anniversary of Battle of Mackinac Island, Mackinac Island, Mich.

Aug. 9-10: 200th anniversary of Siege of Fort Erie, Fort Erie, Ont.

Aug. 14-17: 12th annual Wasaga under Siege Living History Festival and 200th anniversary of Battle of Nottawasaga Bay and sinking of HMS Nancy, Wasaga Beach, Ont.

Aug. 16-17: Fife & Drum Muster and Soldiers’ Field Day, Fort George, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.

Aug. 22-24: 200th anniversary of Battle of Bladensburg, Bladensburg, Md.

Aug. 30-31: Fort Niagara War of 1812 encampment, Youngstown, N.Y; 200th anniversary of Battle of Caulk’s Field, Chestertown, Md.