The War of 1812 was fought in four major theaters: the Atlantic Coast, the Canada–US border, the Gulf Coast, and the American West. There were also numerous naval battles at sea, almost all of them in the Atlantic. Actions along the Canadian border occurred in three sectors (from west to east): the old Territory, the Niagara Frontier, and the St. Lawrence River.[a]
Capture of the Cuyahoga Packet (July 2, 1812): On the Detroit River, a Canadian Provincial Marine under Frédérick Rolette captured U.S. merchant schooner Cuyahoga Packet, containing valuable U.S. military intelligence of brigadier general William Hull (unaware that war had been declared).
Hull's Campaign on the Detroit River (July 12–August 8, 1812): A failed attempt by Hull to invade Upper Canada across the Detroit River. U.S. forces did not capture Fort Amherstburg, and withdrew to Detroit at the news of British reinforcements.
Skirmish at Maguaga, Michigan Territory (August 9, 1812): A minor U.S. victory, when an American detachment tried to reopen the supply line between Frenchtown (present-day Monroe) and Detroit was ambushed by British regulars and Tecumseh's native warriors.
Investment of Fort Harrison, Indiana Territory (September 3–16, 1812): A large party of Kickapoo, Miami, Potawatomi, Shawnee and Winnebago warriors from Prophetstown, Indiana Territory attacked the U.S. fort (located on the Wabash River just north of present-day Terre Haute, Indiana) defended by about 60 U.S. soldiers under Zachary Taylor. The Natives withdrew when U.S. reinforcements arrived.
Investment of Fort Wayne, Indiana Territory (September 5–12, 1812): An unsuccessful attempt by about 600 warriors from the Ottawa Nations to infiltrate and attack the American garrison at Fort Wayne at the confluence of the Maumee, St. Joseph and St. Mary Rivers in northeastern Indiana Territory.
Harrison's campaign in the Northwest (September 17, 1812 – October, 1813): A campaign by William Henry Harrison, tasked with reestablishing security in the Old Northwest and retaking Detroit. He oversaw the construction of Fort Meigs in early 1813, secured his supply line, and reoccupied Detroit following the American naval victory on Lake Erie.
Destruction of Prophetstown, Indiana Territory (November 19, 1812): An attack ordered by Harrison on the Indian settlement near the junction of the Tippecanoe and Wabash Rivers north of present-day Lafayette, Indiana, that had been the site of the Battle of Tippecanoe in November, 1811. The village was not occupied at the time of the attack.
Battle on the Mississinewa River, Indiana Territory (December 17–18, 1812): A battle that occurred during an expedition against Delaware and Miami villages at a location where the Mississinewa River flows into the Wabash River near present-day Marion, Indiana.
First British raid at Charlotte, New York (October 1, 1812): British raid seizing U.S. merchantman Lady Murray and a smaller boat, with no U.S. resistance.
Capture of HMS Caledonia (1807) and HMS Detroit (1812) at Ft. Erie, Upper Canada (October 9, 1812): 100 U.S. soldiers raided across the Niagara River from Buffalo and captured two Provincial Marine brigs. The Caledonia was recovered, but the Detroit ran aground and was scuttled to prevent British recapture.
Battle of Frenchman's Creek, Upper Canada (November 28, 1812): An American raid across the Niagara River, spiking British artillery at Red House to enable a future American landing, but failing to destroy a bridge over Frenchman's Creek to prevent British reinforcements.
Smyth's failed invasion of Upper Canada (November 28 – December 1, 1812): U.S. officer Alexander Smyth tried and failed to get his invasion force assembled to cross the Niagara River and invade Upper Canada, following which he cancelled the entire operation.
Occurrence at Carleton Island (June 26, 1812): Four U.S. civilians captured a British sergeant and three privates of the 10th Royal Veteran Battalion on Carleton Island, the first POWs of the war.
Battle of the Julia versus the Earl of Moria and the Duke of Gloucester on the St. Lawrence River (July 31, 1812): A standoff between a small American schooner, the Julia, and two larger British ships heading downriver toward Ogdensburg, New York, to attack six American schooners moored there. Both sides retired after a three-hour exchange of fire off Elizabethtown, New York.
Battle of Matilda (Toussaint's Island) (September 16, 1812): A failed attempt by a small force of Americans from Ogdensburg, New York, to intercept a British supply convoy of forty bateaux coming up the St. Lawrence River.
Assault on Ogdensburg (October 4, 1812): A failed British amphibious attack on Ogdensburg, a supply transshipment point on the St. Lawrence River, repelled by American artillery.
Skirmishes at Akwesasne and French Mills (October 23 – November 23, 1812): A temporary victory by New York State Militia who captured a British post at Akwesasne. British troops recaptured it and the nearby U.S. post at French Mills a month later.
Skirmish at Lacolle, Lower Canada (November 20, 1812): A battle at Lacolle, where confused U.S. troops attacked each other, who were then in turn attacked by British/loyalist troops. U.S. retreated to Champlain, and Maj. Gen. Henry Dearborn called off his planned invasion of Lower Canada.
Investment of Fort Madison, Missouri Territory (September 5–12, 1812): Sauk and Fox warriors failed to capture a fort on the upper Mississippi River at the location of present-day Fort Madison, Iowa.
USS NautilusversusHMS Shannon (1806) (July 17, 1812): The American brig Nautilus was pursued and captured by the British frigate Shannon off the coast of New Jersey.
USS EssexversusHMS Alert (1804) (August 13, 1812): A battle off the Azores in which the British sloop Alert surrendered to the American frigate Essex after an engagement lasting only about eight minutes.
Wasp (1807) versus HMS Frolic (1806) (October 18, 1812): An engagement c. 300 miles north of Bermuda, seriously damaging both sloops. The British sloop surrendered after being boarded by the American sloop. Later in the day, while crews from both ships were making repair, HMS Poictiers captured the Wasp and recaptured the Frolic.
USS United States vs HMS Macedonian (October 25, 1812): A two-hour-long engagement c. 500 miles west of the Canary Islands; British frigate Macedonian surrendered to American frigate United States, and was acquired by the U. S. Navy.
Vixen (1803)versusHMS Southampton (1757) (November 22, 1812): Pursuit and capture of U.S. brig Vixen, c. 90 miles east of St. Augustine, Florida, by British frigate Southampton. Both vessels were wrecked on a shoal near Concepcíon Island on November 27; the crews were rescued and taken to Jamaica.
ConstitutionversusHMS Java (1811) (December 29, 1812): A two-and-a-half-hour battle off the coast of Brazil during which the British 38-gun fifth-rate Java suffered such serious damage that its captain ordered it scuttled.
^Most of the information in this list has been extracted from Robert Malcomson's "Historical Dictionary of the War of 1812,"[better source needed] augmented in some cases .by information from other Wikipedia articles[circular reference] and from John Mahon's "The War of 1812."[better source needed]
