Ten Things You Didn't Know About the War of 1812-- Part 2

3.  THE ROCKETS REALLY DID HAVE A RED GLARE AND THE BOMBS DID BURST IN THE AIR

The Congreve Rockets looked like giant bottle rockets.  They were canisters loaded with gunpowder, tar and shrapnel that spun in the air when fired, putting out a red glare.  They were essentially very inaccurate, but intimidating, kind of an 1814 version of "shock and awe."

The bombs bursting in air were 200 pound cannonballs designed to explode over a target and rain shrapnel down on the defenders

The British fired about 1500 rockets and bombs at Fort McHenry, but only four Americans died from the bombardment.

Of course, I have often heard the lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner," but had not known what the rockets were called.


4.  UNCLE SAM CAME FROM THE WAR EFFORT

In Troy, New York, a military supplier named Sam Wilson packed meat rations into barrels marked U.S..  According to local lore, a soldier inquiring as to what the initials stood for was told "Uncle Sam" Wilson who was feeding the American Army.

However, images of the white-bearded recruiter and symbol of the country did not appear until over a century later, during World War I.

I'd heard this story before.

Six More to Come.  --Brock-Perry

Ten Things You Didn't Know About the War of 1812-- Part 1

From the May 22, 2012, Smithsonian by Tony Horwitz and Brian Wolly.

I knew some of these, but not others.  Until I started this blog (and I didn't want to start it as I already had six blogs) I have to admit that I knew very little about the war as it turns out, but more than most Americans.

1.  THE WAR NEEDS REBRANDING

It was not just one year as the name suggests.  It was actually 39 months, longer than the Mexican, Spanish-American wars and the U.S. Involvement in World War I.

The Battle of New Orleans took place two weeks after the treaty to end  the war was signed, but even so, the war was not to officially end until Feb. 16, 1815 when the Senate and Madison ratified it.

Britain called it the American War of 1812 to differentiate it from their current war with Napoleon in Europe.

(I knew that the war lasted from 1812 to 1815 and that the Battle of New Orleans was fought after the war was over.)


2.  IMPRESSMENT MAY HAVE BEEN A TRUMPED-UP CHARGE

One of the main reasons for the American declaration of war in June 1812 was the impressment of American sailors being forced into service in the Royal Navy.  The practice was fairly common at the time among the world's navies.

President Madison reported 6, 257 Americans impressed between 1807 and 1812.  there is some question as to the accuracy  of these numbers.

It was the British support of the Indians that led many South and West senators to lean toward war.

Obviously More to Come.  --Brock-Perry