War of 1812 History: Timeline
This is the mobile site for warof1812-bicentennial.info. View this page on the full site.
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.