War of 1812 History: Timeline: War of 1812 Bicentennial

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War of 1812 History: Timeline

Here is a brief timeline of the War of 1812. Major events from the Napoleonic wars are also given, with the date in italics.

June 18, 1812: The United States declare war on Great Britain.
June 19, 1812: United States president James Madison issues a proclamation declaring that a state of war exists.
June 23, 1812: The British government, not yet aware of the declaration of war, revokes the orders-in-council regarding American ships.
July 17, 1812: British forces capture Fort Michilimackinac.
July 22, 1812: Battle of Salamanca; British victory.
August 15, 1812: Indians allied with the British capture Fort Dearborn (where Chicago, Illinois is now located).
August 16, 1812: American Brigadier General William Hull surrenders Detroit to British Major-General Isaac Brock.
August 19, 1812: The USS Constitution captures the HMS Guerrière.
October 13, 1812: Battle of Queenston Heights; British victory, but British Major-General Isaac Brock is killed.
October 13, 1812: Great Britain issues a declaration of war against the United States.
October 25, 1812: The USS United States captures the HMS Macedonian.
January 22, 1813: Battle of Frenchtown; British victory.
February 22, 1813: British forces capture Ogdensburg, New York.
April 27, 1813: American forces capture York (now Toronto), the capital of Upper Canada. They would sack the town over the next few days.
April 28–May 9, 1813: British unsuccessfully besiege Fort Meigs.
May 3, 1813: British burn Havre de Grace, Maryland.
May 27, 1813: American forces capture Fort George.
May 29, 1813: British attack Sackett's Harbour, but are repulsed.
June 1, 1813: The HMS Shannon captures the USS Chesapeake off Boston harbor.
June 6, 1813: Battle of Stoney Creek; British victory.
June 21, 1813: Battle of Vittoria; British victory.
June 24, 1813: Battle of Beaver Dams; British victory.
August 2, 1813: Battle of Fort Stephenson; American victory.
August 30, 1813: Fort Mims massacre takes place.
September 5, 1813: The USS Enterprize defeats the HMS Boxer off the Maine coast.
September 10, 1813: Battle of Lake Erie; American victory.
October 5, 1813: Battle of the Thames; American victory; death of Tecumseh.
October 26, 1813: Battle of Châteauguay; British victory.
November 11, 1813: Battle of Crysler's Farm; British victory.
December 10, 1813: American troops evacuate Fort George and burn the adjacent town of Newark.
December 19, 1813: British forces capture Fort Niagara; over the next few days, the British would burn the settlements on the American side of the Niagara River.
March 27, 1814: Battle of Horseshoe Bend; American victory over the Creek Indians.
March 30, 1814: Second Battle of Lacolle Mills; British victory.
April 6, 1814: Napoleon abdicates as ruler of France.
May 5–6, 1814: British troops capture Fort Oswego.
May 15, 1814: American raid on Port Dover.
July 3, 1814: American troops capture Fort Erie.
July 5, 1814: Battle of Chippawa; American victory.
July 18, 1814: British capture Eastport.
July 20, 1814: Americans surrender Fort Prairie du Chien.
July 25, 1814: Battle of Lundy's Lane; the result is indecisive; each side sustains nearly 1,000 casualties.
August 4, 1814: Battle of Michilimackinac; British victory.
August 15, 1814: Battle of Fort Erie; American victory.
August 24, 1814: Battle of Bladensburg. The British are victorious, advance to Washington, D.C. and sack the city.
September 11, 1814: Battle of Plattsburg; American victory.
September 12, 1814: Battle of North Point. The British are victorious, but sustain heavy losses and the Americans buy time to defend Baltimore.
September 13–14, 1814: Fort McHenry resists British bombardment, inspiring Francis Scott Key to write The Star-Spangled Banner.
December 24, 1814: The Treaty of Ghent is signed in Ghent, Belgium.
January 8, 1815: Battle of New Orleans; American victory; British suffer 2,000 casualties.
January 15, 1815: British naval forces capture the USS President.
February 11, 1815: British capture Fort Bowyer.