Death of General Pike.

ILLUSTRATION: LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA—C007434

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

March: British naval blockade extended south and north from Chesapeake Bay to include Savannah, Charleston and New York.

Rear Admiral George Cockburn

ILLUSTRATION: JOHN JAMES HALLS, WIKIPEDIA

March 3: Rear Admiral George Cockburn’s squadron arrives in Lynnhaven Bay, Virginia, to enforce blockade, capture and destroy shipping and conduct amphibious raids.

March 10: First escaped black slaves from Chesapeake Bay plantations seek refuge aboard HMS Victorious.

March 15: 104th (New Brunswick) Regiment arrives at Quebec City after 24-day march from Fredericton.

March 17-18: Artillery duel between Black Rock, N.Y., and Fort Erie, Upper Canada.

March 18: British native allies raid Fort Vallonia, Indiana Territory.

March 19: Captain James Yeo appointed commander of British naval forces on Great Lakes.

Master Commandant Oliver Perry

ILLUSTRATION: JOHN WILLIAM ORR, LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA—E010966128

March 27: Master Commandant Oliver Perry arrives at Presque Isle near Erie, Pennsylvania, to assume responsibility for constructing fleet on Lake Erie. 104th Regt. leaves Quebec for Kingston.

March 30: British blockade extended southwards to Mississippi River. British native allies raid Buffalo Fort, Missouri.

April 3: Royal Navy captures four American vessels on Rappahannock River, Virginia.

April 6-7: Royal Navy ships bombard Lewes, Delaware, after authorities reject demand for supplies.

April 12: 104th Regt. arrives at Kingston.

April 15: Brigadier-General James Wilkinson occupies strategic port of Mobile, at the time a Spanish colony of West Florida, and incorporates it into Mississippi Territory.

April 16: British native allies raid Fort Vallonia, Indiana Territory, for second time.

April 19: British native allies raid Kaskaskia, Illinois.

April 22: Provincial Marine (established 1778) disbanded.

April 25:  20-gun sloop-of-war HMS Sir George Prevost launched at Kingston, shortly renamed HMS Wolfe; becomes Yeo’s flagship.

Fort York, Toronto.

PHOTO: KATHY MILLS

April 27: 1,600 American soldiers under Major-General Henry Dearborn capture York (present-day Toronto), capital of Upper Canada. Maj.-Gen. Roger Sheaffe orders British regulars to retreat and blow up powder magazine, which kills Brig.-Gen. Zebulon Pike, in command of landed American troops, and 38 others; another 222 wounded. Local militia left to make best terms they can with Americans.

April 28-30: American troops burn public buildings and loot private homes at York.

April 29: British sailors and marines raid Frenchtown, Maryland, disperse militia and take supplies.

THEN

March 2: War of 1812 symposium, Hamilton.

Fort Ingall Historic Site

PHOTO: RENÉ BOUCHARD, FORT INGALL COLLECTION

March 10: Handover from New Brunswick to Quebec for re-enactment of epic march of 104th Regt., Fort Ingall Historic Site, Cabano, Que.

March 22-23: Thirteenth annual War of 1812 in the West symposium, Arrow Rock State Historic Site, Arrow Rock, Missouri.

April 5-7: War of 1812 symposium, Oswego, N.Y.

April 6: Handover from Quebec to Ontario for re-enactment of march of 104th Regt., Bainsville, Ont.

April 12: Conclusion of re-enactment of march of 104th Regt., Kingston, Ont.

April 26-28: Fifth annual War of 1812 lectures, Ogdensburg, N.Y.

Fort York: The Encampment

PHOTO: FORT YORK

April 27-28: Commemoration of the Battle of York, Toronto.

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