"This led me to assume that while Canada is a wonderful place to live, it lacked a rousing origin story.Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the story of the birth of Canadian-ness - which began 200 years ago this week - is as rollicking, bloody, stirring and inspiring as they come."
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.bbcimg.co.uk%2Fmedia%2Fimages%2F60990000%2Fjpg%2F_60990677_chauteguay-464x261.jpg&hash=85d83d8539533edc9fcd0f8d687188e9cec5191d)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18497113 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18497113)
NPR did a nice piece on how differently the War of 1812 is perceived and taught in the US and Canada.
http://www.wbur.org/npr/155308632/teaching-the-war-of-1812-different-in-u-s-canada
I got a kick out of the song "Secord's Warning"
http://soundcloud.com/lynnoel/secords-warning
Quote
So all you Yankee soldier lads who dare to cross our border
Thinking to save us from ourselves
Usurping British order
There's women and men Canadians all
Of every rank and station
To stand on guard and keep us free
From Yankee domination
Kinda catchy ;D
The tall ship parade in the Inner Harbor in Baltimore was cool, as were the flyovers by the Blue Angels.
Anybody who wants a casual introduction to the maritime conflicts of the time ought to read Six Frigates. It's an interesting and thought-provoking analysis of the birth of the high seas US Navy, culminating in the War of 1812.
Quote from: FarAway Sooner on June 19, 2012, 10:21:23 PM
Anybody who wants a casual introduction to the maritime conflicts of the time ought to read Six Frigates. It's an interesting and thought-provoking analysis of the birth of the high seas US Navy, culminating in the War of 1812.
Good call.
Six Frigates was a great read. I'm currently reading
Pacific Crusade by the same author, Ian Toll.
After the Battle of Lake Erie
Quote
Dear General:
We have met the enemy and they are ours. Two ships, two brigs, one schooner and one sloop.
Yours with great respect and esteem,
O.H. Perry
Just FWIW...as I have quoted elsewhere (grognews), the War of 1812 provides ample material for some interesting war-gaming scenarios...raids, skirmishes, guerrilla warfare, seiges, amphibious attacks, river defense, set-piece battles, and naval engagements on the open ocean and inland lakes. The combatants include seasoned veterans, new rankers, rangers, first nations tribes, and militia.
A great "what if"for a limited campaign would be the british attack on New Orleans.
If almost any reasonable general of the british army had ben in charge, instead of Pakenham, it would have been much more interesting, and maybe a british victory.
A sad waste of tested veterans. Reminds me a lot of the French generals in Spain. Without boney's drive and strategy, they were at a loss when confronted with the unexpected.
Once Jackson settled into the fortifications he built, Pakenham barely could think of anything but a frontal assault.
Pakenham's battle plan called for a flanking attack to capture the American battery on the west side of the river. These guns were then to be used to enfilade Jackson's line in support of the main attack. That shows Pakenham definitely did consider other options rather than a frontal assault. The fact that the plans fell apart were due mostly to communication difficuties, good ole river mud and a serious "fog of war". Anyone who has ever spent time near the Mississippi River can tell you that fog can be VERY dense.
He did make an attempt on the far bank, but it was only a prelude to the main assault on Jackon's fortified line.
The attack by the light troops under Colonel Rennie, showed how it could have been done, by a sudden surprise attack.
However, Pakenham's lack of direction caused a lot of problems. Not checking that the Highlanders had the assault ladders and bundles (and knew what was expected) or using the West Indian contingent to carry them forward in the lead when their morale was bad, Using rockets to tell the force on the west bank to attack (which really only warned the americans), and using a barely adequate force on the other bank.
A number of historians have noted that the american strength was based on the fortifications. With over half the force being militia (and much only local militia), forcing Jackson out of his fortified line, would immensely weaken the defenders and provide a major advantage to the veteran british troops. The greatest potential way of doing that, would be a strong attack on the american position on the west bank under Morgan. Once this position was taken, Jackson's line would be flanked, and artillery make it like Bloody Lane.
A frontal assault into the american strength would not have been required.