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Hi,The war of 1812 was in no way an effort by Britain to recapture the valuable American colonies. It was largely fomented by southern and mid-western American politicians like Henry Clay who wanted to eliminate British ownership and influence in the midwest and open it up for American expansion. The impressment of American sailors was a major irritant but it did not start the war. By then, the British could not care less about their old American colonies because they had much more lucrative possessions in India, Africa, and the West Indies. Indeed, before Madison asked congress to declare war on Britain, Britain had satisfied almost all of America's complaints including impressment of sailors. They were preoccupied with Napoleon and the American war was a side show until after he was eliminated. That a tiny British army contingent could reek such havoc in America during the first part of the war is an indictment of how poorly prepared the United States was to defend itself under Jefferson and Madison. The only bright spots were our tiny Navy at sea and on the Great Lakes, and Jackson's campaign in New Orleans after the war was officially over. We disgraced ourselves during most of the campaigns along the St Lawrence River, and around Washington, DC. dave
Hi,
The war of 1812 was in no way an effort by Britain to recapture the valuable American colonies. It was largely fomented by southern and mid-western American politicians like Henry Clay who wanted to eliminate British ownership and influence in the midwest and open it up for American expansion. The impressment of American sailors was a major irritant but it did not start the war. By then, the British could not care less about their old American colonies because they had much more lucrative possessions in India, Africa, and the West Indies. Indeed, before Madison asked congress to declare war on Britain, Britain had satisfied almost all of America's complaints including impressment of sailors. They were preoccupied with Napoleon and the American war was a side show until after he was eliminated. That a tiny British army contingent could reek such havoc in America during the first part of the war is an indictment of how poorly prepared the United States was to defend itself under Jefferson and Madison. The only bright spots were our tiny Navy at sea and on the Great Lakes, and Jackson's campaign in New Orleans after the war was officially over. We disgraced ourselves during most of the campaigns along the St Lawrence River, and around Washington, DC.
dave
