HMS Albion Stamp from Turks and Caicos

Turks and Caicos are British Islands in the Bahamas Chain, northeast of Cuba.

They have put out a stamp honoring both Admiral Alexander Cochrane and the HMS Albion.

The Albion was stationed  off Chesapeake Bay, part of a force that  harried the coastline of that bay during the War of 1812.

The Albion operated all the way up the Potomac and Patuxent rivers destroying large amounts of American shipping as well as U.S. government property.

This operation ended when peace was declared in 1815.

--Brock-Perry

Historic Black Settlement of Willow Grove to Be Honored on Canadian Stamp-- Part 1

From the November 22, 2020, CBC by Jordan Gill.

A community outside of  Saint John will receive a stamp during next year's Black History Month according to Canada Post.

For Ralph Thomas, a descendant  of the residents of Willow Grove and a proponent of black history, the honor is a long time in coming.  "We have gone through the years without being recognized with some of our great folks that came to these parts and  went through a very tough time to get started in life."

The community was founded in 1815 as a result  of an 1812 British call to anyone living in the United States would be welcomed in the British Empire.  This was primarily aimed at Blacks, both enslaved and free.  Thousands of the Blacks took them up on it along the coast and especially from the Mid-Atlantic states and ended up living in  New Brunswick looking for a better life.

--Brock-Perry

Battle of New Orleans Interesting Facts-- Part 3: Johnny Horton's Song and Andrew Jackson

**  In 1959, singer Johnny Horton recorded the song "The Battle of New Orleans" written by Johnny Driftwood.   It told the story of the battle from the viewpoint of a regular soldier.

The record went to #1 on the national Billboard charts.

**  Although Andrew Jackson had previously been a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, it was this victory that made him a household name and helped catapult him to the U.S. presidency.

**  In 2015, the U.S. Postal service issued a postage stamp commemorating the battle.

--Brock-Perry

Fort McHenry Stamp-- Part 3: George Armistead, the Fort's Commander

On the back of the sheet is written:

Picture of George Armistead who served as the commander of Fort McHenry during the British assault on Baltimore in the War of 1812.

THE WAR OF 1812: FORT McHENRY

Baltimore was the third largest city in the country and an important commercial hub.  It boasted an energetic militia of some 10,000 citizens who had recently constructed an extensive system of earthworks in preparation for a British assault by land.

The city was also protected by Fort McHenry, a star-shaped fortification built in the 1790s at the narrow entrance to Baltimore's harbor.

--Brock-Perry

Fort McHenry Stamp-- Part 2: Twenty Stamps on Sheet

There are twenty stamps on the sheet.

On the front is written:

The War of 1812: FORT McHENRY

In the summer of 1814, Britain launched an offensive "into the very heart of America," as one British officer put it.

Burning the White House and other public buildings in the nation's capital in August, the British then sailed up the Chesapeake Bay to attack Baltimore, Maryland.

--Brock-Perry

Fort McHenry Stamp-- Part 1: A Mighty Colorful Stamp

Today, I had a letter to mail and went to the post office in Spring Grove and was able to find a flat of Fort McHenry stamps commemorating that battle in the War of 1812.

It is a very colorful stamp showing a group of artillerists around a cannon at the the fort firing at the at the British fleet with all the shells and Congreve rockets coming at them and a huge American flag flying off to the right of them.

I don't know if this is the flag that flew during the battle or the famous one that Francis Scott Key saw flying in the early morning hours of the next day.

--Brock-Perry

Historic Battle of New Orleans Stamp Issued Back in January-- Part 2

Continued from January 6, 2015.

The Battle of New Orleans will have a re-enactment January 9-Jan 11th in which 1500 British and Americans will have encampments in Chalmette, where the battle took place.

They will act out five of the different battles that took place during the New Orleans Campaign.  This will take place about a mile away from the federal Chalmette Battlefield where the battle actually took place.  re-enactments are not allowed on federal battlefields.

I wish they would be allowed, however.

--Brock-Perry

Got My Battle of Lake Erie Stamps-- Part 5

With several surviving sailors, Perry boarded a small boat and made his way to the Niagara through a hail of gunfire. (This is the scene depicted on the stamps.) Famously, he took with him the private flag displaying the words Captain Lawrence spoke as he lay mortally wounded, 'Don't Give Up the Ship.'

"After taking command of the Niagara, Perry sailed across the enemy line. While attempting to maneuver in response, the Detroit and Queen Charlotte collided and became entangled in their rigging. Niagara could now fire down the length of both ships, making the situation for the British hopeless. The Royal Navy's four largest ships surrendered and Pery's smaller vessels captured the other two.

"In his after-action report to General William Henry Harrison, Perry penned perhaps the most memorable phrase of the war: 'We have met the enemy and they are ours."

A Good Account of the Battle. --Brock-Perry

Got My Battle of Lake Erie Stamps-- Part 4

"On the morning of September 10, Perry's fleet of nine vessels engaged a British fleet of six vessels off Put-in-Bay at the western end of Lake Erie. (Put-in-Bay is on South Bass Island near Sanduskey, Ohio, and home of the Perry Peace Monument.)

The British seized the advantage early in the battle, mainly due to their superior long-range guns. When the winds changed, Perry was able to close his flagship Lawrence, within range, where his firepower (Perry's ship mounted carronades with much shorter range) was almost twice that of the British. For most of the battle the Lawrence fought the two largest British vessels, the Detroit and the Queen Charlotte, unaided.

"After two harrowing hours, all three ships were badly damaged. 'Nearly the whole crew and officers' of the Lawrence, recalled Sailing Master William V. Taylor, were 'prostrated on the deck, interlined with broken spars, rigging, sail, and in fact one confused heap of horrid ruins.'"

 Hard-Fought Battle. --Brock-Perry

Got My Battle of Lake Erie Stamps-- Part 3

Text from the back of the War of 1812 Battle of Lake Erie stamps.

 "THE BATTLE OF lAKE ERIE: MASTER COMMANDANT OLIVER H. PERRY was only 27 years old in the spring of 1813 when he was charged with building a fleet at Lake Erie. Coming from a prominent naval family, he eagerly left his post at Newport, Rhode Island, for a shot at glory.

"The most critical ships of his fleet were the two identical 20-gun brigs Lawrence (named in honor of Perry's friend, Captain James Lawrence) and Niagara. Master shipbuilder Noah Brown completed work on these 500-ton ships by midsummer."

Lawrence had been killed earlier in the war when his ship, the USS Chesapeake, was defeated and he was killed.

The Perry in My Sign-Off Name Is Perry's. --Brock-Perry

Got My Battle of Lake Erie Stamps-- Part 2

On the back of the sheet, there is a painting of Oliver Hazard Perry, (Old Sideburns. He does sport quite an impressive set of sideburns.) Under it says: "With his victory at the Battle of Lake Erie, Oliver Hazard Perry (1785-1819) forced the British and their Indian allies (and Canadians) to abandon their outposts on the Detroit frontier. *(And, very importantly, the loss of Detroit itself.) Perry was immediatelty celebrated as a natinal hero."

The reason I sign off these blog entries with Brock-Perry is half because of Oliver Hazard Perry.  The Brock comes from Canadian/British hero Isaac Brock.

My Hero. --Brock-Perry

Got My Battle of Lake Erie Stamps-- Part 1

Monday, I bought my set of twenty Forever U.S. Postal Service stamps at the Spring Grove, Illinois, post office. Along with the twenty stamps, on the front it read "The War of 1812: The Battle of Lake Erie. The Battle of Lake Erie on September 10, 1813, produced an American naval hero, Oliver Hazard Perry, and helped the United States take back territory lost to British forces in the opening months of the war."

Of course, it wasn't just the British who took our territory, but also their close allies, the Canadians and Indians. The most important part of territory they were referring to was Detroit.

--Brock-Perry

Battle of Lake Erie Stamp Out Today

From the September 9, 2013, WFMT NBC TV.

The U.S. Postal Service issued their second of four stamps commemorating the bicentennial of the War of 1812 today. It is taken from a famous painting of Oliver Hazard Perry's victory done by Ohio artist William Henry Powell.

The first of the four planned stamps came out last year and was of the USS Constitution which defeated five British ships in August 1812. Two more stamps are planned.

This stamp shows Perry in the process of being rowed from his stricken flagship, the USS Lawrence to the USS Niagara.

Today is the bicentennial of the battle. Powell's painting was commissioned by the U.S. Congress in 1865 and after it was finished, was hung in the east stairway of the Senate Wing of the U.S. Capitol. It is believed to be either still there or at the Smithsonian.

--Brock-Perry

Bits of War: Olympics Money-- USS Constitution Stamp-- Savannah and the War

Bits of News About the War.


1.  OLYMPICS MONEY--  It was estimated that the Canadian government spent $1.65 million on the War of 1812 commercials it ran during the Olympics.


2.  USS CONSTITUTION STAMP--  Some 25 million stamps of the famous ship went on sale last August.  People could get First-Day-of-Issue Stamp at the Charleston Navy Yard next to the "Old Ironsides."


3.  SAVANNAH AND THE WAR--  From the August 20, 2012, Savannah Morning News--  Hull Street is named for the captain of the USS Constitution.  The live oak that gave the ship its strength along the hull was cut and milled near St. Simons, Georgia.

In 1815, Savannah named through streets after U.S. Navy captains:  Hull, Perry, Mcdonough and two squares, Orleans and Chippewa, were named after key battles.

Now, You Know.  --Brock-Perry

100th Post: Those USS Constitution Forever Stamps

This being my 100th post in this, my newest, and hopefully, LAST blog.

I came across an alert that the US Post Office had a First-Day-of-Issue USS Constitution Forever Stamp yesterday, so got myself over to the Spring Grove one and bought two sheets for $9 apiece.  I was just getting one, but wanted to mail myself a letter with the stamp on it and they only come in sheets.

The stamp features a painting of the Old Ironsides under full sail and the words "USS CONSTITUTION: War of 1812."

The front of the sheet has:
"THE WAR OF 1812" and another painting of several ships.
"On June 18, 1812, the United States declared war on Great Britain.  President James Madison charged the British with violatingthe nation's sovereignty by restricting American trade with Europe and by removing seamen from American merchant ships and forcing them to serve in the Royal Navy."

I believe this is the first commemorative stamp for the War of 1812 Bicentennial issued by the United States.  Canada already has released two of them.

I was surprised there wouldn't be anything about the ship on the front, but if this is the first one for the war, I guess you need to have some background.

America's Forgotten War?  Well, Not Here.  --Brock-Perry

The USS Constitution Gets Its Nickname

Tomorrow, 200 years ago, the frigate USS Constitition came up against the British frigate HMS Guerriere and won a decisive battle.  In the process, British cannonballs bounced off the sides of the ship, earning it the name "Old Ironsides."

The Constitution has always been afavorite ship of mine, dating back to 3rd, 4th or 5th grade when we had to memorize that famous poem, "Aye, tear her tattered ensign down, long has it flown on high."  That's all I remember now.  I think it was written during an effort to raise money to save the ship in the 1800s.

Sure glad they did.

I have actually seen the ship.  During a trip to Boston and up the coast to Maine, we went to the ship and saw it, but didn't go aboard because of a rather really long line.

This morning, I went to the post office and bought two sheets of the Day-of-Issue USS Constitution stamps and even sent a letter to myself with one of the stamps.

Tomorrow, the ship goes for a sail under its own power.

That Is Something I Really Wish I Could See.  --Brock-Perry

Brock and Tecumseh Stamps Issued in Canada

From the May 7th Canada.com "Brock and Tecumseh reunited in 1812 commemorative stamps" by Randy Boswell.

Sie Isaac Brock and Tecumseh, who "died as allies thwarting an American invasion of Canada" will have stamps in their honor issued in June.  These are the first in a series of commemorative stamps for the War of 1812's bicentennial to be issued overthe next three years. (I know of no American stamps being issued.)

They will come out June 15th, three days before the U.S. declaration of war.  The Royal Canadian Mint has already begun selling commemorative coins. 

Tecumseh was a Shawnee chief killed at the Battle of the Thames, October 1813.