Before There Was a Vietnam War Protest, We Had a War of 1812 Protest

From the History Site.

The first war to be declared by the United States, the War of 1812,  sparked one of the strongest anti-war movements in American history.  As a matter of fact, this anti-war protest almost went as far as certain states seceding from the United States.  Even stranger, these were the states MOST against the southern states seceding in the middle part of that century.

The Federalist Party held sway in the New England states and they especially opposed the war on economic and political  grounds.

New England Federalists  viewed the War of 1812 as a partisan crusade launched by  Democratic-Republican  President James Madison that would disrupt the region's  shipping and fishing industries.

Advocating states rights, the governors of Massachusetts and Connecticut denied  use of their state militias in the service of :Mr. Madison's War."  As a matter of fact, Massachusetts even  attempted to negotiate a separate peace.

In December 1814, 26 New England Federalist leaders convened in the Connecticut capital of Hartford and threatened secession.  The Hartford Convention's proposal to amend the U.S. Constitution arrived in Washington, D.C.  just after news of the war's conclusion.

All this led to the eventual collapse of the Federalist Party amid charges of treason.

--Brock-Secessionist

How the British Invasion of Maine During the War of 1812 Led to Statehood-- Part 1

From the March 9, 2020, TV 13 CBS News by Bill Trotter.

The War of 1812 came to Maine in 1814 in a big way.  That's when the powerful British Navy descended upon the towns of Eastport, Machias and Castine.  What is today Maine, was at the time a part of Massachusetts.

The British controlled much of the Maine coast between Penobscot and Cobscook bays for most of a year, raiding towns along the Penobscot River and attacking Hampden and Bangor before returning to Castine.

The war had been going on for two years already, but divided support in the United States as well as the British being more involved with Napoleon had kept the fighting away from Maine.  That is, other than a sea battle between the USS Enterprise and the HMS Boxer which the American ship won.

Initial support for the war was weakest in New England, where the Federalist Party favored strong ties with England and merchants conducted significant trade with the British colony of Canada.  The New Englanders went so far as to almost have secession, something they opposed when the Southern states did so some fifty years later.

--Brock-Perry

Captain James Sever-- Part 8: Society of Cincinnati

The article showed a portrait miniature of James Sever that recently was sold and from the face, you can see that Mr. Morris' thoughts on his captain were confirmed.

James Sever left the U.S. Navy in 1801 and did not serve again, even though he was alive during the War of 1812.  He must have become persona non grata with someone.  In later years he became involved with the Massachusetts Society of Cincinnati (officers in the American Revolution).

According to historian Christopher McKee , Sever was "an avid and vocal Federalist" which might explain his presence at the launch.  The USS Constitution frigate was seen as a triumph for Boston federalists., while the Democratic press presented the ship  and the failed launches as little more than a costly farce.

It would have been easy for Sever to visit Boston, especially since the ship construction he was superintending had been halted.  But, that still doesn't explain why so few sources even mentioned him as being there.

--Brock-Perry

James Lingan, Revolutionary War Hero and Victim of Baltimore Riots-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

Born May 15, 1751   Died July 28, 1812 (age 61, Baltimore, Maryland)

Died in the Baltimore Riots

Officer in the Continental Army and a senior officer in the Maryland State Militia.

Taken prisoner at Fort Washington early in the American Revolution and spent several years aboard a British prison hulk ship.  Always and outspoken advocate of the freedom of the press, at  the beginning of the War of 1812, Lingan was murdered by a  while defending the office of an anti war Federalist newspaper in Baltimore.

--Brock-Perry

"Light-Horse Harry" Lee-- Part 4: The Baltimore Riots of 1812

Lee retired from public service in 1801 and lived at Stratford Plantation, but did a poor job managing it.  Financial misfortunes followed him until in 1809 he was bankrupt and served one year in debtors prison.  After his release he moved his family to Alexandria, Virginia.

During the Baltimore Riots of 1812 he received grave injuries while resisting an attack on his old friend, Alexander Contee Hanson, editor of the Baltimore newspaper, the Federal Republican, a strongly anti-Madison and War of 1812 paper.

On July 27, 1812, a Baltimore Democrat-Republican mob attacked and Lee and Hanson and two dozen other Federalists had taken refuge in the newspaper offices.  They surrendered to Baltimore city officials the next day and were jailed for their safety.

Laborer George Woolslager led a mob that forced its way into the jail.  They removed Hanson, Lee and the other Federalists and beat and tortured them over the next three hours.  All were severely injured and one of them, James Lingan, and American Revolution hero, died.

--Brock-Perry

Alexander Cortee Hanson-- Part 3: After the Baltimore Riots

I had never heard of the Baltimore riots of 1812 before until I found out about Mayor  Edward Johnson of Baltimore's role in it.

After the Riots:  A Political Career

In 1812, Hanson was elected  as a Federalist representing the 3rd District of Maryland to the 13th and 14th Congresses, serving from  March 4, 1813, until he resigned in 1816.  he also became a member of the American Antiquarian Society in 1815.

In 1816, he was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the Maryland House of Delegates, but was elected as a Federalist to the U.S. Senate to fill the tenure of Robert Goodloe Harper who had resigned.  He served that post from  December 20, 1816,  until his own death on his estate "Belmont"  near Elkridge, Maryland.  (This  place still stands.)

In 1805, he was married to Priscilla Dorsey.

--Brock-Perry

Alexander Cortee Hanson and the Baltimore Lynch Mob-- Part 1

In the last post I mentioned how Baltimore Mayor Edward Johnson risked his life to save this man and Robert E. Lee's father, Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee from a lynch mob in Baltimore in 1812.  I'd never heard of this before so some more research was in order.

From Wikipedia.

February 27, 1786 to April 23, 1819

Lawyer, publisher and statesman.  Born in Annapolis, Maryland.

He studied law and was admitted to the Maryland bar and had a practice in Annapolis.  From 1811 to 1815, he was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates.

Hanson established and edited the Federalist Republican an extreme Federalist newspaper in Baltimore.  On June 22, 1812, four days after the declaration of war on Britain, a mob that was irritated by  his articles denouncing the Madison administration destroyed his office.

Anti-Federalists?  --Brock-Perry

James McHenry-- Part 3: Adams Asked for Resignation

As Secretary of War, McHenry argued against reducing military forces.  He was instrumental in organizing the U.S. Army into four regiments, a troop of dragoons and a battery of artillery.  He is also credited with establishing the United States Depart of the Navy.

When John Adams became president, he kept McHenry on as Secretary of War.  Bit things went sour between them and in May 1800, he asked for McHenry's resignation which he did.

Leading up to the War of 1812, McHenry was a Federalist.

An attack of paralysis in 1814 left him without the use of his legs and in severe pain.  He died two years later in 1816 and is buried in Baltimore's Westminster Burying Ground.

Fort McHenry was named for him.

--Brock-Perry

James A. Bayard, Delaware Senator and the Treaty of Ghent

From Wiipedia.

1767-August 6, 1815.

Politician from Wilmington, Delaware.  U.S. Representative and Senator.  As a Federalist, he opposed "Mr. Madison's War" and urged caution as the war approached.  he was particularly concerned with Delaware's lack of preparedness for war in both military and vulnerability of the coast.

On June 17, 1812, he was one of  the 13 U.S. Senators who voted against the declaration of war.  But after the war came, he supported it.

He was the only Federalist to negotiate the Treaty of Ghent.  President Madison afterwards offered him a post as minister to Russia, but Bayard declined it saying that a Federalist could hardly represent a Democratic-Republican government.

He spent several months in Europe, but became sick and died just five days after returning to the United States.

--Brock-Perry

The State of the War February 19, 1813-- Part 1

From the Andrew Jackson War of 1812 Blog.

From the Feb. 19, 1913, Raleigh (NC) Register "Notes from Washington City, February 13, 1812.

There was a bill for the exclusion of foreign seamen from serving on Navy vessels and merchant service which had passed a third reading in the House of Representatives,  "Many gentlemen from the federal side of the House voted for the bill and some against it."

Federalists would be primarily from New England.  North Carolina would be more of a Democrat-Republican state.  I'm not sure exactly why there would be a split in Federalist voting.

Brock-Perry

The NPS' Road to War

These were some of the major reasons leading to the War of 1812:

MARITIME ISSUES  Since 1803, the British Navy impressed 6,000 American merchant sailors which violated our neutrality.  Britain and France were at war and making American trade with Europe difficult.  Between 1807 and 1812, some 900 American merchant ships were seized.

POLITICS  The Democratic Republican Party was in power, but had split into factions.  A war would rally the party together and stifle the anti-war Federalists.

NATIONAL HONOR  Americans were outraged by the trampling of perceived national rights.

WESTERN EXPANSION  The British were an obstacle to land opportunities in the West and on the northern borders..  Plus, there was the tempting prize of British Canada just waiting for annexation.  A victory in a war would also stop British support of Indian resistance to westward expansion.

Possibly Biting Off More Than One Could Chew In This Case.  --Brock-Perry