Another giant WTF involving history.

I just finished watching a couple documentary's on the War of 1812. In the last two days I found out some really strange stuff. 
At the time, 1812, England was at war with Napoleon. America was remaining neutral (neutral being another word for being able to sell anything to both sides ($$))
England was not particularly pleased with this so they started inspecting ships cargoes. If they found weapons or such supplies bound for France they seized the cargo, the ship and the crews. Understandable, we would do the same today.

The powers that were in place in the States legislators saw this as an opportunity, declare war, invade and capture the British controlled land to the north - Canada. We mounted at least 5 assaults on Canada, losing every battle including one against the French Canadiens, who didn't like the British but trusted them more than us.

A native American tribal leader named Tecumseh joined the British war effort. He had plans for a united Native American front, stopping the whites progress west. He was later killed in battle and for some reason immortalized in statue at one of our military schools and painted up in war paint before we go to war.  A look into his history is really impressive and can't be done justice here. 

The War of 1812 also saw the first attacking of civilians and burning of towns instead of the previous following of European war rules. This started because the Americans attacked York Canada and burned it, retaliation followed retaliation.

With the fall of Napolean England was free to send its entire army here. President Madison saw this and sent a peace delegation to talk with the British, the Russians mediated. No outcome was resolved, Madison ordered the delegates to keep trying. 

With the Army free, England sent the largest armada ever to war . They marched on Washington and after a token battle where the US troops fled, they walked into a deserted Washington. The Presidents wife (Dolly Madison) was one of the last to leave since she was trying to save a portrait of George Washington. Another person whom I can' remember the name was in charge of escaping with the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and many other needed official documents. The British burned the Capitol and the White house and when leaving were hit with a hurricane and a tornado.

The British, now with a major victory in the books headed for Baltimore. The people of Baltimore were a little different from those in Washington. They gathered together, built earthworks and gun emplacements at Fort McHenry. They also built earthworks and emplacements on the opposing shore, and sank their vessels in the harbor to form a blockade.  The naval battle lasted all day and all night with the fort bombarded and the land action against the Baltimorians fared no better.  Both the land force and armada turned away. This is the battle where Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner. Actually it had a different name at the time, when put in print it was the Star Spangled Banner, which wasn't adopted as the national Anthem until 1931.

With peace talks going on both sides wanted to be able to bargain from strength, The British decided to attack new Orleans and work north to Canada controlling the center of the continent. 

Meanwhile, the Politicians in New England got together with the British and held a meeting in Hartford Connecticut with a discussion about seceding from the United States. This was 1814, just 38 after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 

The British attack on New Orleans failed miserably, with massive casualties to the British forces and the annihilation of their command structure. This entire battle occurred AFTER the signing of a Peace Treaty in Belgium with the British, but since the fastest way for news to travel was horse and ship, it would be about a month later before the peace was announced. 

In the 1959 a man named Johnny Horton wrote a song about the Battle of New Orleans. It went right up the charts. The English heard the song and the general thought was confused. "What War of 1812?"

You see, to the English, the War of 1812 was not even a public matter, the main concern was the War with France which had gone on for what seemed like forever, the U.S. war was a minor side bar.

The Battle of New Orleans

If they made a series about the War of 1812 it would make the games of thrones look pale, Generals who needed hot water bottles because they were old, generals who didn't lead the troops, Fort commanders sitting on the floor drinking and spitting tobacco juice on themselves out of fear. Troops on the same side attacking each other. Advantages gained, advantages lost.
Both armies making river crossings without taking current into effect. Reserve forces arriving at the center of battle and engaging in battle before the attack force. Court Martial of generals for cowardice, Aboriginal leaders riding in and putting a stop to massacres while the "civilized" race stands back and watches. Rampart attack troops forgetting their scaling ladders, Fast attack forces stopping in front of firing lines to return fire.

Shooting messengers yielding white flags in the middle of the message. Moving elderly people out into the snow so you could burn their house down. Snipers taking out the commander of the entire ground force. Small gunboats fighting to the last man against warships. Scalping, torture, murder, arson, rape, looting.
Army, civilian, natives, frontiersmen, and pirates fighting side by side.   Heros, Cowards, Doubters, Patriots, Civilians, and traitors, Men, women, white, black, and native American.