But while things had thus gone ill on land, the navy had in a measure restored American confidence. The frigate Constitution, Capt. Isaac Hull in charge, met the British Guerriere about 800 miles northeast of Boston on 19 Aug. 1812 and captured her after a fight of 30 min utes. Hull reduced his enemy's ship to a com plete wreck, killed or wounded one-third of their crew and received the remainder as pris oners of war. On 18 October, the American sloop, Wasp, met the British sloop, Frolic, and completely demolished her and on the 25th the United States, a frigate of 44 guns, fought the ,British frigate, Macedonia, 38 guns, and gained• as signal a victory as that of Hull over the Guerriere. This telling work of the navy took the world by surprise. England forbade her sea-captains to fight American ships of supe rior tonnage. American privateers swarmed the Atlantic. They did effective work. It be came dangerous for an English merchantman to cross the English Channel. They captured 500 vessels during the fall and winter of 1812 13. Marine insurance for the Irish Sea rose to 13 per cent.
The campaign of 1813 centred about Lake Erie. Gen. William Henry Harrison had led an army of militia, volunteers and regulars from Kentucky during the preceding summer with the object of reconquering Detroit. The winter and spring of 1812-13 were practically wasted; but news reached him, while still in upper Ohio, 12 Sept. 1813, that Commodore Perry had annihilated the enemy's ships on Lake Erie, and he began to move forward more rapidly. Perry had devoted the spring and summer to the construction of a fleet which he thought would break the power of the Brit ish on the lake. On 10 September Perry came up with the enemy's vessels under command of Captain Barclay. After a serious mishap to his flagship Perry took command of the Niag ara, came within close range and after two and a half hours of heroic fighting completely de feated him. Thenceforth the lake remained in American hands. Harrison was now on the offensive. With the aid of R. M. Johnson's regiment of cavalry he forced Proctor, the English commander, across the Detroit. Proc tor remained a few days at Malden, but, very much to the chagrin of his Indian allies, he continued his retreat northward. On 5 Oc tober, on the north side of the river Thames, he gave battle to his pursuers. Proctor lost his entire army; the Americans lost 15 killed and 30 wounded. Upper Canada fell into American control. At the eastern end of the lake and looking to the gaining of Lake Huron, General Dearborn made several half-hearted moves. On 27 April 1813, the town of York (now Toronto) was 'attacked. A sharp battle ensued. The Americans were successful and in the disorder which followed the victory the government house was burned. A month later Commodore Chauncey compelled the Eng lish to evacuate Fort George on the Niagara, while the English made an unsuccessful at tempt on Sackett's Harbor. An expedition to Montreal under the command of General Wil kinson proved a signal failure. The year closed with Lake Ontario still in English hands. At sea the Americans were unable to hold their own. On 1 June the frigate Chesapeake, com manded by Captain Lawrence, was defeated and destroyed by the British frigate Shannon. The
enemy now blockaded the whole Atlantic sea board.
The year 1814 brought Napoleon's over throw and consequently peace in Europe. Vet eran troops were sent to Canada and to the South. But the Americans were becoming in ured to war; there was a more general sup port of the administration. After some feeble movements in the spring a third invasion of Canada was begun. The Americans numbered 4,700; the enemy was equally strong. At Chip pewa an attempt was made to check the inva sion but without success. On 25 July Lundy's Lane, the bloodiest battle of the war, was waged. The British were 3,000 strong; the Americans 2,600. The greatest valor was manifested on both sides; the losses amounted to about one-third of the forces engaged. Both sides claimed the victory; but the invaders held their ground until autumn when they withdrew to the Niagara. In September an invasion of New York was attempted from the Canadian side. The line of Lake Cham plain and the Hudson River was selected; but Commodore McDonough foiled the plan in the famous battle of Plattsburg on Lake Cham plain on 11 Sept. 1814. The campaign closed with no serious advantage gained on either side. To divert attention from Canada the British Cabinet had sent an army of 3,500 men under General Ross to threaten Washington. Finding the capital so poorly defended, Ross landed his force, marched directly on the city, and, though meeting with some feeble resistance at Bladens burg, drove the government into the woods and set fire to the public buildings —in retaliation for the destruction of the public building at York a year before. Ross now turned his at tention to the city of Baltimore. Here he met with some resistance, the general himself being killed in the attack.
New Orleans was the next object. There was chance here of Indian support from north western Georgia. An army of 6,000 British regulars sailed for the Mississippi under com mand of General Pakenham. It appeared a few miles southwest of New Orleans (q.v.) on 23 Dec. 1814. The Americans were com manded by Gen. Andrew Jackson. Before the decisive engagement occurred both armies had been augmented to about 8,000 men each. Jack son fortified himself a few miles below the city and awaited the approach of Pakenham; on 8 January at early dawn the battle began. See ing his men waver, Pakenham undertook to rally them. He was instantly killed; repeated efforts were made to carry the American works, but without avail. The English with drew, having lost 2,036 men killed or wounded. Jackson's loss was 71.
On 24 Dec. 1814 the treaty of peace had been signed in Ghent. No mention was made in the treaty of impressment of sailors, of the right of search or of the status of neutral trade. The fall of Napoleon had made these questions obsolete. As to boundaries neither party gained anything. The cost of the war had been $100,000,000, 1,400 ships of all kinds, 21,000 sailors and about 30,000 soldiers killed or injured. Its benefits were the rise of a truly national spirit, the weakening the State su premacy of former days and the consequent overthrow of the half-treasonable opposition of New England. For bibliography see CAUSES