WAR OF 1812 



6141 



WAR OF 1812 



The Embargo Act, strengthened by later legis- 

 lation, embroiled the country in angry discus- 

 sion. It was rapidly destroying industrial life, 

 in New England, especially, and bringing thou- 

 sands to the verge of want; its opponents hit 

 upon a happy phrase to describe its effects by 

 spelling the word backwards and calling it the 

 "O-grab-me" Act. One of the laws passed to 

 strengthen the embargo was known as the Force 

 Act (1809); it forbade loading any cargo with- 

 out an official permit and then only under the 

 hfulness of a revenue officer. To prevent 

 ~tance the military and naval forces were 

 authorized to enforce its provisions. New Eng- 

 land suffered so severely that it threatened to 

 make a separate bargain with England on all 

 points, and even to leave the Union and unite 

 with Canada. 



These acts did not have the effect in Europe 

 that was intended. Both England and France 

 welcomed them, each thinking their operation 

 would weaken the other. In 1809 the acts were 

 repealed, and a Non-Intercourse Act was passed, 

 which opened commerce with all countries ex- 

 France and Great Britain (see page 4245). 

 In the midst of the alarming situation Jefferson 

 retired from the Presidency and James Madison 

 succeeded him. 



A month after Madison's inauguration Brit- 

 :un announced it would suspend all Orders in 

 Council directed against the United States; in 

 return, the Non-Intercourse Act was suspended, 

 and peaceful relations were promised. How- 

 r, for reasons not made known, England's 



orders were not repealed ; they were made more 

 stringent. Congress passed the Macon Act, for- 

 bidding trade with any nation showing itself 

 hostile to the United States. Napoleon was 

 about to confiscate millions of dollars' worth of 

 American shipping, but in the Macon Act he 

 saw an opportunity to serve his interests, so he 

 manifested every evidence of friendship, with 

 the result that President Madison revoked all 

 trade restrictions against France and strength- 

 ened those against England. 



The irritating and oppressive measures im- 

 posed by England were not abated, and could 

 no longer be endured. In a summary of offenses 

 against the United States President Madison, 

 in advocating war, laid the following charges 

 against the government of Britain: 



( 1 ) The impressment of American seamen into 

 the British navy. 



(2) Virtual blockades of United State* waters. 



(3) The Orders in Council, which dro\ 

 commerce of the states from the seas. 



(4) The belief that British agents had insti- 

 gated several Indian outbreaks in the West 

 (which ended in the defeat of the Indian Tecum- 

 seh by William Henry Harrison). 



New England and some of the Middle States 

 were opposed to war. While the debate on the 

 war resolution was pending, but unknown to 

 America, the obnoxious Orders in Council wen 

 repealed, upon the insistent demand of English 

 merchants. War was declared June 18, 1812, 

 and by reason of the turn of events the only 

 important issue upon which it was fought was 

 the impressment of seamen. 



Story of the War 



Attitude of the Nation. Division of opinion 

 respecting the events of six years preceding the 

 war was not ended by the debates in Congress 

 on the war resolution. In the Senate nineteen 

 .iit.cn opposed the reso- 

 lution. In the House seventy-mil. 

 war and forty-rum- were against it. The reso- 

 lution passed by a majority of only thirty-six. 



Hi. .mint i \ \v.-i.s ill prepared for a hostile 

 ! u, "n-ti.it ion or for defense; preparation was 

 :\ in.-i.l. <|u it. Tin- Treasury contained 

 hut little mnn. y. !<>r revenues had shrunk be- 

 cause of the crippling of commerce. The army 

 numbered but 10,000 men at the outset; many 

 soldiers were recent recruits, almost 

 wholly untrained, and competent officers were 

 i- \\. In tin- navy, to be pitted against the 

 world's sea power, were only eight frigates, two 

 sloops and five brigs. 



Harrison's Indian Campaign. Reference was 

 made above to the belief that prior to the war 

 British agents had persuaded the Indiana of 

 the West to form a league against the nation. 

 Tecumsch was the leader of the red men in the 

 enterprise. William Henry Harrison, g 

 of the grrat Indian. . . had purchased 



from H ribes a vast region in the Wa- 



bash valley. Tecumaeh demanded that it 1. 

 ceded back to the In. Inn*, on pain of warfare 

 u it wore not dour. Harrison believed war in- 

 evit.'ihle.Miid in t h :mt miin of 181 1 he advanced 

 upon Tipi> vmor. an Indian village, routed its 

 defenders and burned it . ! y frustrated 



the formation of a powerful Indian com 

 tion which might have been a source of much 

 danger. During the next three years thousands 

 of Indians gave th* I'.ntish effective aid, but 

 n on a colossal scale was d< 



