History That Doesn't Suck - 24: From Granny to Old Ironsides: The Campaigns of 1812 and 1813.

Episode Date: September 17, 2018

“Don’t give up the ship!”  This is the story of the first two years of the War of 1812, and it seems quite backward. Despite expectations, the Americans are trying and failing (miserably) to invade Canada. The only thing more confusing is that the US Navy is holding its own against the British on the high seas ... well, at first, that is. Several major events happen in these two years: Indian coalition leader Tecumseh makes his last stand; the USS Constitution earns an enduring nickname; and the US Navy acquires a new saying that will stick with it through the centuries: “Don’t give up the ship!” In short: welcome to the War of 1812. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations join discussions in our Facebook community get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette  come see a live show get HTDS merch or become an HTDS premium member for bonus episodes and other perks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. Red One. We're coming at you. Is the movie event of the holiday season. Santa Claus has been kidnapped? You're gonna help us find him. You can't trust this guy. He's on the list.

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Say it. Alright. Let's save Christmas. There it is. Only in theaters November 15th. Welcome to History That Doesn't Suck. I'm your professor, Greg Jackson, and as in the classroom, my goal here is to make rigorously researched history come to life as your storyteller. Each episode is the result of laborious research with no agenda other than making the past come to life as you learn. If you'd like to help support this work, receive ad-free episodes, bonus content,

and other exclusive perks, I invite you to join the HTDS membership program. Sign up for a 7-day free trial today at htdspodcast.com slash membership, or click the link in the episode notes. Welcome to History That Doesn't Suck. I'm your professor, Greg Jackson, and I'd like to tell you a story. Isaac Hull stares at the sails on the horizon with determination. The 39-year-old, blue-eyed, dark-haired, highly capable and battle-proving captain of the USS Constitution set off with his crew of just over 450 men two and a half weeks ago on August 2nd in search of a British man of war to take to task.

And now, at 2 p.m., August 19, 1812, in latitude 41, 30 minutes north, and 55 degrees west, or to put that another way, roughly 700 miles off the coast of Boston, Isaac and his men have got one. And as they close in, it soon becomes apparent it isn't just any British man of war. It's the HMS Guerriere, or Guerriere. Call all hands, make sail for her. Isaac hollers at one of his officers. Ah, the Guerriere. Don't let the French name fool you. Captain by James Dakers, this is a British frigate, a man of war. It formed part of the fleet that tried and failed to chase down the constitution just last month, so Isaac knows it well. And now that he's caught it by its lonesome, the hunters become the hunted. Clouds choke the sky as fresh northwest winds give both ships the means to maneuver.

Around 4.30 p.m., the Constitution and the Guerriere shorten sails and raise their colors. It's time to do battle. At 5 p.m., while weaving back and forth, the Guerriere unleashes a broadside windward at its American pursuer. But the shots fall short. James has the Guerriere swing around and unleash another broadside, this time from its port guns. With the exception of two balls, the overcompensating guerriere shoots clean over the yawing and dodging constitution, coming to essentially the same outcome. A swing

and a miss. Now Isaac's ready to take a crack at things. As the guerrilla maneuvers for another pass, he orders just three or so port guns to fire. The two ships repeat this same ineffectual song and dance a few times over the 5 o'clock hour. By 6 p.m., the distance between them is growing short. Isaac now orders more of the constitution sails set to close the gap fast. Now close with them, alongside with her, sailing master. And as the ships become parallel within pistol range, no less, both unleash hell. Now here's the thing. These two frigates are fairly well matched, but the Constitution is a superior ship, no doubt. The Guerriere has 49 guns, the Constitution 55.

Perhaps more importantly, the Guerriere's biggest guns are 18-pounders. The Constitution is rocking mostly 24 are 18-pounders. The Constitution is rocking mostly 24 and 32-pounders. Get the picture? If you didn't, the impact of this exchange should drive the point home. The Constitution takes out the guerrillas' mizzenmast, that is, the furthest back of its three masts, which crashes down on the starboard quarter.

Oh, and the constitution? Meh, it's fine. Huzzah, boys! We've made a brig of her! Next time we'll make her a sloop! Calls out an American sailor who clearly hopes they level yet another mast on the next barrage.

This unnamed sailor's enthusiasm isn't far off. Isaac now brings the constitution around to his opponent's bow and lets another broadside fly. This one demolishes the main yard rendering the main sail useless. The fighting gets close now as the Guerriere's bowsprit gets caught in the Constitution's fallen mizzen rigging.

The odd position and rough sea prevent either crew from boarding, but the British and American sailors exchange musket balls from their respective ships. Both sides suffer losses. Notably, American Marine Lieutenant William Bush, who boldly attempts to jump onto the guerrilla's deck. He's shot while standing on the Constitution's throne. Meanwhile, the British not only lose more life, including two lieutenants in this fire fight, but Captain James Dacres takes a shot in the back. Once the ships finally come free of each other, the British warship takes the final nail in the coffin. Its last two masts snap like toothpicks and fall starboard. That does it. As Isaac prepares his crew to engage the British once more, the guerrilla fires a shot away from the Constitution.

Ah, that's likely a signal of surrender. So Isaac has Lieutenant George Reed take a small boat over to the British ship to see if they are ready to call it quits. Commodore holds compliments and wishes to know if you have struck your flag, the lieutenant asks. And by the way, striking your flag, that is, lowering it, is how a ship communicates to an opponent that it's surrendered. Now, I have to give James credit. Despite losing the battle, his ship, and the death and injury inflicted upon his crew, as well as his own injuries, he keeps his dry British wit about him. He replies, well, I don't know. Our mizzenmast is gone. Our main mast is gone.

And upon the whole, you may say we have struck our flag. Welcome to the War of 1812. Most of the world has no idea this war even happened. And those who do, Americans, Canadians, and like 10 people in Britain, often know little about it. So let's change that. Today we're going to hear the stories of the 1812 and 1813 campaigns, because despite its name, this war lasts longer than a year. We'll do this in two parts. First, we'll hear how an overconfident, poorly led, and ill-prepared American army learns that while Canadians are polite, they make no apologies about shooting invaders. Yes, it's true that America will produce some heroes, and Tecumseh's India coalition will fail, but the U.S. Army is not going to perform as well between 1812 and 1813

as they thought they would. After that, we'll rewind and go over the same period of time on the high seas where an underfunded U.S. Navy is somehow holding its own against the mighty British Navy, at least for a little while. By the time we're done, we'll also know the USS Constitution's new and enduring nickname, as well as why the phrase, Don't give up the ship, has so much meaning to America's aquatic defenders. Shall we then? Let's start this war then with the less than stellar U.S. Army.

All right, quick refresher. President James Madison signed Congress's declaration of war on June 18, 1812. That's all well and good, but to actually wage war, heroes like Captain Isaac Hull need a well-staffed, well-funded war department that has their backs. This could be a problem. As Georgia Congressman and Warhawk George M. Troop puts it,

quote, in the wretched, deplorably wretched condition of the War Department, it was impossible either to begin war or conduct it. Close quote. He's not too far off. The War Department is woefully understaffed. It only has 11 clerks. And the current Secretary of War,

whom we met in the last episode during the Battle of Tippecanoe, William Eustace, sucks at his job. In fact, to quote the Congressman again, Our Secretary of War is a dead weight in our hands. His unfitness is apparent to everybody but himself. And thanks to William's shoddy leadership, the War Department ends up with equally underwhelming officers and generals at the head of the Army. But before we meet a few of these jokers,

you need to know that with such a mess in the War Department, it's hard to even get men to enlist in the Army. I mean, the Army offers bounties and good pay. They even offer land grants. But they still end up with undisciplined men who desert regularly. And the state militias are even less impressive. Then there's the problem of getting the promised pay, to say nothing of clothes and food, into the hands of the soldiers who do stick around. Hmm, this story sounds vaguely familiar. Maybe if the war hawks had listened to episodes 11 and 13, where revolutionary soldiers nearly revolt for want of pay,

they would pass the bills needed to fund the war and we wouldn't be in this mess. Okay, now that you know how pervasive the army's problems are, let's meet the Secretary of War's disappointing appointment as General of the Army. Henry Dearborn. Don't get me wrong, I mean no disrespect to Henry. It's just that his glory days are long behind him. He served faithfully as an officer and surgeon during the War of Independence and definitely did right by the Revolution. But he's grown soft and hesitant in his old age. His men even call him Granny behind his back.

And since he's going to lead the army in this episode and we don't want to lose track of him, we'll just follow the example of his men and call him Granny too. So it's up to Granny Dearborn to plan and carry out the invasion of Canada. Now let me explain why Americans are even invading Canada in the first place. I mean, we declared war on Britain and Canada is a British colony, but if sailors' rights and maritime trade are the issues at hand, why attack barely populated Canada? It's strategic. Canada has become valuable to beleaguered Britain, which relies on Canadian lumber and farm goods to supply its Caribbean colonies. So many Americans hope to take Canada and hold its goods hostage

in order to bring Britain to heel. Other Americans think that the British use Canada to supply and support Indian attacks on American settlements. They figure if we can cut Canadian supply lines, the Indian threat to American western settlement will end. So with these goals in mind, Granny plans to attack our northern neighbors from three places simultaneously. Ready for this? He sends 1. Brigadier General William Hull to attack Upper Canada. We call it Ontario in the 21st century. From Fort Detroit

in the Michigan Territory. 2. Major General Stephen Van Rensselaer to cross the Niagara River and attack the city of York. Modern day Toronto, by the way. And three, Granny himself will invade Quebec to take control of the all-important St. Lawrence River. On paper, this is a great plan. It divides the small forces of British regulars and Canadian militia and gives the larger American army the advantage. But can this past his expiration date general pull it off? Well, let's start with General William Hull's move on Upper Canada. And yes, he is related to the USS Constitution's daring Captain Isaac Hull that you heard about earlier in this episode. Isaac is William's nephew. The elder Hull is currently serving as governor of Michigan Territory,

but he has far more in common with Granny than with his naval rock star nephew. William also served in the Revolution with valor, but the aging veteran takes command of the Northwest forces with, quote, great reluctance, close quote. Add to this reluctance the ill effects of his recent stroke and his mortal fear of American Indians, and William's forces are doomed. In the summer of 1812, newly minted General Hull marches his men from Ohio up to Fort Detroit. It's a small fort overlooking the not yet thriving metropolis of 700 people on the west bank of the Detroit River,

and William makes a huge mistake on the way. To save time and effort, he puts a bunch of supplies, including his battle plans, on the schooner Cuyahoga. The small vessel sails up the Maumee River, through Lake Erie, and up the Detroit River, right past the British fort Amherstburg. William figures that, since he hasn't heard about a formal declaration of war, the British will leave his schooner laden with military supplies and his plans alone. Yeah, no. The British stationed at Amherstburg are well-trained,

plus they've actually heard the war is on. And Canada's regiments may be small, but they are full of competent soldiers and officers. Okay, so the real all-stars of the British army are in Europe fighting Napoleon, but sadly, even British B-listers are better than America's gone-to-seat generals. So they seize William Schooner and read

the campaign plans. British Major General Isaac Brock even says, Till I received these letters, I had no idea General Hull was advancing so large an army. But even after William realizes that the enemy

knows his battle strategy, he doesn't adjust his plans at all. He crosses the Detroit River into Canada on July 12th. Here's the crazy thing. The American invasion still works initially. Even as nearly 300 Ohio militiamen refuse to cross the border, William crosses into Canadian territory with sufficient men and ammunition to take Fort Amherstburg and maybe get his stuff back. But he dawdles. Instead of attacking the fort right away,

the over-cautious general wastes too much time trying to establish supply lines between his forts, which allows the British and Indian forces to gather reinforcements. And now driven by his irrational fear of Indian warriors, the timid general retreats back to Fort Detroit without firing a single shot. One of William's officers writes that the general, quote, is a coward and will not risk his person. Close quote.

But the British general, Isaac Brock, he's no coward. He takes the fight to the Americans. Now, Isaac may be stuck in the Canadian backwater while his friends are having all the fun fighting the French in Europe. But this guy is no B-lister. He knows how to work with local Indian tribes. And he gets the Indian coalition leader we met in the last episode, Tecumseh, on his side. Isaac also inspires confidence and makes the most of his small forces. So when he shows up at Fort Detroit in mid-August 1812,

he doesn't just start blasting away and hope to drive out the 2,000-plus strong U.S. Army. Isaac plays on William's Achilles heel, his fear of Indian attacks, and writes to the American general, quote, It is far from my inclination to join in a war of extermination, but you must be aware that the numerous body of Indians who have attached themselves to my troops will be beyond control the moment the contest commences.

Close quote. He's totally bluffing. The British general has no intention of allowing gratuitous violence, but since William's fear of Indians makes Sheldon Cooper's germophobia on the Big Bang Theory look rational, the frail old general freaks out. Our terrified American commander, William, crouches in a corner in the fort, literally drooling on himself, while the British blast a few shells into the fort. He surrenders the fort to the smaller enemy force without consulting a single one of his officers. Captain Robert Lucas says, with grammar only befitting the frontier, quote, even the women was indignant at the shameful degradation

of the American character, close quote. While this disaster is going down in Detroit, other American forts in the region come under attack as well. On July 17, 1812, a large British force surrounds the American fort on the island of Mackinac, which sits in the strait between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. The 60 American soldiers under the command of Lieutenant Porter Hanks don't even know that the war has started until they see the British cannon aimed at their fort. Now, this island is a great place to vacation, or at least it will be in the future. But Porter realizes that's not why the British are here, so he surrenders the fort without a fight. And because of the loss of this crucial island fort, the overly cautious William figures that Fort Dearborn, which sits at the south end on Lake

Michigan near modern-day Chicago, is also in danger. On August 9th, he orders Captain Nathan Heald not to defend it, but to abandon it. Now, Nathan doesn't like this idea. I mean, he promised the local settlers protection from the Potawatomi Indians, some of whom are looking to avenge the Battle of Tippecanoe that you heard about in the last episode. But Nathan follows orders. He offers the local Indian chief, Blackbird, possession of Fort Dearborn, its public lands, and all the fort's provisions in exchange for the soldiers and civilians having safe passage. Bad idea.

Nathan may as well have hung a neon sign that says, Attack us now on the fort. On August 15th, the captain and his 54 soldiers, 12 militiamen, 9 women, and 18 children, only go a mile and a half down the road before walking into Chief Blackbird's ambush. Nathan sees the Indians waiting behind some nearby sand dunes. He leads a charge over the dunes in an attempt to head off the attack. But this ill-considered move divides his already small force. Nathan says, quote,

in about 15 minutes, they got possession of all our horses, provisions, and baggage of every description. Close quote. Nathan regroups with his remaining men, and Blackbird does the same. The American officer meets with the chief and says that, quote, after shaking hands, Blackbird requested me to surrender, promising to spare the lives of all the prisoners. On consideration, I concluded it would be most prudent to comply with his request. Close quote. In all, 26 of Nathan's men and all of the militia are dead. Two women and 12 children are also killed. Local trader John Kinsey says the battle scene is, quote,

one of the most shocking scenes of butchery perhaps ever witnessed. The tomahawk and knife performed their work without distinctions of age or conditions. Close quote. The survivors of the decisive battle are divided among the local Indians and the American fort is burned to the ground. These deplorable losses have one newspaper freaking out that Americans have opened, quote, to the ravages of the merciless foe, the whole extent of our western frontier. Close quote.

So much for invading Canada from the west in order to cut off British supply lines to the Indians. The only victory out here belongs to a young captain named Zachary Taylor. You're going to want to remember that name. Foreshadowing. He leads a courageous and successful defense of Fort Harrison that September and is promoted to major for it. But otherwise, America's yet to get on the scoreboard.

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military man and has almost zero battle experience. His men call him the Patroon, which roughly translates to spoiled rich dude. Stephen gets his cousin, Colonel Solomon Van Rensselaer, to help him carry out the campaign, and the War Department assigns Brigadier General Alexander Smith, with about 3,500 regulars and militia, in his charge to aid in the Niagara invasion. Alexander is supposed to report to Stephen, but as you'll see, this pompous leader doesn't play well with others

So these three guys March their men to the Niagara River And set up camp in the small town of Lewiston New York Across from the Canadian town, Queenston Well that's what Stephen and Solomon do Alexander keeps his men Up river at Buffalo

See what I mean About not playing well with others? There's always one of them in the group. Well, it's early October 1812, and the Van Rensselaer cousins plan to cross the Niagara River on the 11th, even without the help of the insubordinate Alexander and his troops. After a few delays, including most of the oars for their boats disappearing, they end up launching their attack on October 13th. The invasion starts out perfectly. The advance guard, about 500 men under Solomon's direction, crosses the Niagara River and

uses an unguarded fisherman's path to gain access to the hills overlooking the town called Queenston Heights. They take control of the 18-pound cannon that is shooting at the other American boats carrying soldiers across the river. But within a few hours, the British move to retake the hill and their cannon. The first two raids up the hill fail, but Major General Isaac Brock, who we met in Detroit and is now in charge of Queenston, gathers volunteers from the village and leads a third charge to retake the summit himself. Surrounded by village men and boys in their homespun clothes, the brave leader is far too obvious of a target in his bright red uniform. He's shot in the left breast only a few minutes into the

charge. Now, legend holds that he calls out, push on brave York volunteers as he falls to the earth. But 15 year old Canadian volunteer George Jarvis says that, quote, our gallant general fell on his left side within a few feet of where I stood. Running up to him, I inquired, are you much hurt, sir? He placed his hand on his breast and made no reply and slowly sunk down. Close quote. The beloved general's leadership in the face of such overwhelming odds earns him a lasting place in Canada's heart. All morning and into the afternoon, Americans storm into Queenston. But their officers get wounded, and the New York militia refuse to cross the Niagara to back up the regulars fighting to maintain their positions. One frustrated lieutenant, Jared Wilson, says the militia, quote,

could not be prevailed upon to mingle with their associates in arms to oppose the foe. Close quote. Meanwhile, the British and Canadian soldiers regroup and launch an impressive counterattack. By four o'clock, the exhausted and overwhelmed Americans are waving the white flag. Some soldiers are so desperate to get back to New York, they jump into the river and try to swim to safety. British soldiers, unaware that a surrender is being negotiated right under their noses, take pot shots at the fleeing swimming Yankees. In all, Stephen estimates that 60 soldiers die in the fight with another 170 wounded without any help from alexander's forces or leadership from granny dearborn the campaign to take queenston is a total loss but the granny general is too distracted to worry about the

debacle in niagara he's in charge of the third prong of this northern invasion, remember? So he's focused on lower Canada or Quebec to all of us in the 21st century. Granny runs into some serious resistance from New England Federalists who oppose the war. One drafted Vermont Federalist writes to the Bennington Newsletter saying, quote, Now, Mr. Editor, pray if you can inform me what single solitary good thing will or can accrue to Uncle Sam, the U.S., for all the expense, marching, and counter-marching,

pain, sickness, death, etc. among us. Close quote. This is, by the the way the first reference to the US army or government as Uncle Sam and the term catches on quickly in New England like Brangelina in the 21st century except

this term is going to last a little longer anyway the war department wants Granny to ignore the anti-war federalists and get on with invading Canada, but instead, the tired General scraps the entire third piece of his Canadian invasion strategy. Congressman Charles Ingersoll is so disgusted with the total failure of this three-pronged invasion, he describes the General's plan as a, quote,

miscarriage without even the heroism of disaster. Close quote. So much for holding Canada ransom and bringing Britain to the negotiating table. Now, this isn't good for President James Madison either. He's up for reelection and losing a war isn't helping. So little Jimmy is, as Secretary of War William Eustace puts it, eager to, quote, regain the ground that has been lost by the surrender of Detroit and the Army under General Hull. Close quote. Many Americans, even Virginian Republicans, blame James for the failure of the 1812 campaigns, saying, quote, With the bad press and growing unpopularity of the war, the commander-in-chief barely beats his VP, George Clinton, in the election of 1812.

But after the hard-won election, little Jemmy ceased making some personnel changes. With only one tally in the win column and a court-martial coming his way, General William Hull needs to be replaced. The re-elected president reluctantly appoints popular Battle of Tippecanoe hero William Henry Harrison as general over the Western campaign. He also makes some cabinet changes, replacing the ineffective War Secretary William Eustace with the former French minister John Armstrong in early 1813. It would be great to get rid of that dead weight that is the granny, but lacking viable

candidates? He lives politically to fight another day. Now, newly minted General William Harrison gets right to work out west, trying to get the army into decent shape and mitigating the damage done by his incompetent predecessor. He sends Brigadier General James Winchester to the Momi Rapids with orders to scout out the area for a possible fort. Well, James, who really wanted the general position for himself and is having a hard time taking orders, gets a better idea. Or what he thinks is a better idea.

He heads to Michigan Territory's French town on the Raisin River to oust the British and Indian forces there. You'd think after the losses of last year, the Americans would be a little cautious, but they don't even put centuries on the only road into town. So British Colonel Henry Proctor, with about 1,200 soldiers and Indian braves, takes the 1,000 Americans by surprise in the early morning of January 22, 1813. James is forced to surrender and his men are taken prisoner.

The British colonel doesn't have enough stretchers to take all the wounded prisoners with him though, so a few American army surgeons volunteer to stay behind and care for the remaining injured men. The British promise to return the next day with carts and stretchers to take them to Fort Detroit. But their Indian allies do not honor the American surrender. Before the British return, they surround and attack the cabins where the injured Americans are recuperating. Army surgeon Gustavus M. Bowers describes the brutal attack.

Gus is standing close enough to another man being tomahawked that he receives, quote, the brains and blood after the fatal blow on my blanket, close quote. Sources are unclear, but between 30 and 60 men die on the banks of the Raisin River. After this alarming defeat, William gets his troops to build a stronghold called Fort Meigs on the Momay River. Everyone from the re-elected president to barely hanging on General Granny Dearborn wants 1813 to be the year that the U.S. occupies Canada, from Fort Malden to Halifax. But with Republicans refusing to fund a sufficiently

large army or a large naval expansion on the Great Lakes, the military has to take baby steps. While Granny would love to attack the British naval base at Kingston, that place is fortified to the hilt. He sets his sight on York, modern-day Toronto. The new Secretary of War, John Armstrong, tells the General, we need a win, to quote him, the good effects of which would be felt throughout the campaign. Close quote. So Henry asks Captain Isaac Chauncey, the newly appointed commander of Lake Naval Operations, to sail 1,800 soldiers and 800 marines from Sackett Harbor to York. Henry and Isaac have to wait for the ice to break up, but they leave as soon as possible on April 23rd, 1813. The American fleet reaches York on April

26th and finds about a thousand British troops defending the small upper Canadian capital. Okay, I'm being generous. There might have only been 700 or 800 defending the town, but no matter the number, these guys are seriously outgunned. Even with the advantage, Granny Dearborn stays safe and warm on the flagship while his troops go ashore under the direct command of Brigadier General Zebulon Pike. The Americans storm the town early on April 27th with help from the cover fire of the guns on the schooners And encounter very little resistance See, an accidental explosion in one of the British batteries

Weakens the already small force So British Major General Roger Schaaf Orders his men to retreat to Burlington Heights On the way out of town They torch the government house British Major General Roger Schaaf orders his men to retreat to Burlington Heights. On the way out of town, they torch the government house in order to keep their supplies from falling into American hands. But the fire causes the magazine, with over 200 barrels of gunpowder plus other munitions, to explode. Windows at Fort Niagara, over 30 miles away, rattle from the force of the blast.

And in the chaos caused by this blast, the British Army makes a clean getaway. The blast also injures and kills hundreds of American soldiers, putting nearly 20% of Granny's forces out of commission. Army Dr. William Beaumont says he wades, quote, in blood, cutting off arms, legs, and trepanning, or boring holes in, heads. I cut and slash for 48 hours without food or sleep, close quote. So the Americans take York, which helps in the struggle to control British supply lanes on the lakes, but the victory comes at a terrible price and without capturing

most of the enemy's army. Our war secretary is beyond pissed at Granny Dearborn. He writes to the hands-off general that, quote, battles are not gained when an inferior and broken army is not destroyed, close quote. Come June, Granny orders an attack on Burlington Heights to try to strengthen his hold on Lake Ontario. But once again, he makes a series of bad decisions that leads to American defeats at Stony Creek and Beaver Dams. Even the old general's friends can't defend him anymore. So finally, decision makers in Washington D.C. force him to retire. Congressman Charles Ingersoll says, quote, the news from Beaver's Dam threw us into indignation. We have deposed General Dearborn, who is to be removed to Albany.

Close quote. With Granny Dearborn's departure, the U.S. military has shed one of its last inept leaders, meaning that maybe it can start turning things around up here. And that's just what's going to happen on the lakes of Ontario and Erie. Our American commander, Commodore Isaac Chauncey, who's been here since late 1812, has three naval yards working to build a fleet that can take control of these vital waterways.

Now, the British know how bad it would be if the Americans take the lakes. Before he died, British General Brock said, The enemy is making every exertion to gain a naval superiority on both lakes, which, if they accomplish, I do not see how we can retain the country. And that's just what Isaac hopes to do. So with local resources and expert shipbuilders on site, he's creating a small but powerful American fleet during the summer of 1813. And while he's busy on Lake Ontario,

the Commodore has another eager and able officer named Oliver Hazard Perry handling things on Lake Erie. Isaac tells the 20-something sailor, quote, you are the very person that I want for a particular service in which you may gain reputation for yourself and honor for your country. Close quote. Oliver soon gets his chance to gain that reputation in the Battle of Lake Erie. This throwdown gets going when British Captain Robert H. Barclay, a one-armed vet of the Battle of Tra Erie. This throwdown gets going when British Captain Robert H. Barclay, a one-armed vet of the Battle of Trafalgar,

sails his squadron across Lake Erie to get supplies for his, quote, perfectly destitute, close quote, troops. While doing so, his six British ships, armed with guns from the fort, meet Oliver's nine ships at dawn on September 10th. The battle lasts five hours. Americans have the weather gauge, meaning the wind is at their backs,

for most of the battle. Oliver says, quote, I made sail and directed the other vessels to follow for the purpose of closing with the enemy. Close quote. The flagship, the USS Lawrence, flying a flag that reads, don't give up the ship,

takes broadside after broadside from two British ships. It ends in, as one sailor says, quote, one confused heap of horrid ruins. Close quote. Amid the wreckage, Oliver is forced to board the USS Niagara, captained by Jesse Elliott.

But since Jesse's middle name is Duncan, not Hazard, he sails with way too much caution for Oliver's liking. Even with his handicap, when the HMS Detroit and Charlotte get their riggings tangled, Oliver is able to blast those ships to pieces. After the British ships strike their flags, the intrepid Oliver scribbles a note to General William Harrison, saying only, quote, We have met the enemy and they are ours. Two ships, two brigs, one schooner, and one sloop. Close quote.

Actually, the Americans take two ships, two schooners, a brig, and a sloop. But hey, who's counting? With this victory, the Americans take control of Lake Erie. Oliver spends a few weeks repairing his ships so they can transport American troops and supplies across the lake. But while Oliver has enjoyed a summer of success, newly promoted Major General William Harrison is having a trying time. By July 1813, William only has 2,500 guys based at the newly built Fort Meigs on the headwaters of Ohio's Momi River. He needs more men and he's trying to recruit them, but since army pay sucks,

that's a tough row to hoe. So William asks Kentucky Governor Isaac Shelby, and I know everyone is named Isaac in this episode. It's like Ashley in the early 2000s. I'm sorry. But anyhow, he asks this Isaac, nicknamed Old King's Mountain because he fought in the Battle of King's Mountain from episode 12 for backup. And you know, Old King's Mountain steps up to the plate.

He calls for volunteers and promises, quote, I will lead you to the field of battle and share with you the dangers and honors of the plate. He calls for volunteers and promises, quote, I will lead you to the field of battle and share with you the dangers and honors of the campaign. Close quote. More than 3,000 men take the 63-year-old war hero at his word and join up, giving William enough men to take on the British at Forts Malden in Detroit. Ah, but recently promoted British Major General Henry Proctor, who is holding these forts, knows he's screwed if he stays put. Thanks to the Battle of Lake Erie,

the Americans now control the waters, meaning his supply lines are toast. He puts it more eloquently, quote, the loss of the fleet is a most calamitous circumstance. Close quote. So on September 27th, 1813, he evacuates. He begins marching his men toward Burlington Heights,

following the Thames River. That's the Canadian Thames, by the way, for any of you who are wondering if we just switched continents. Yeah, people of the era are as original in naming places as they are in naming their kids. I'm looking at you, Isaacs. Anyway, this is where Takumza comes back into the picture. He's pissed about this retreat.

To quote him, When we see you are drawing back, we must compare your conduct to a fat animal that carries its tail upon its back. But when affrighted, he drops it between his legs and runs off. Close quote. All the same, the Shawnee warrior hopes to defeat any American army that may give chase. And with his Kentuckian reinforcements, William is definitely going to give chase.

He and his men catch up with the British near the Canadian hamlet of Moravian Town on October 5th, 1813. This forces the British to turn and fight, and when they do, Tecumseh and his warriors are ready to jump in. The combined British and Indian forces are around 1,300. Henry commands about 800 Tecumseh has 500 The British general sets his men in two thin lines Between the banks of the river and a large swamp With only one cannon

A wimpy little six-pounder He also stations a few regiments in the woods Although this defensive position is of little value Ensign James Cochran complains that stations a few regiments in the woods, although this defensive position is of little value. Ensign James Cochran complains that, the trees were rather of a late growth, but not sufficiently large to afford protection to the numbers that crowded behind them. Close quote.

Meanwhile, Tecumseh's men also wait in the trees, planning to flank the American army. William arrives with over 3,000 men. Remember the Raisin! They shout as they charge straight into the scanty British lines. Yeah, long before Remember the Alamo becomes a rally cry, that massacre at the Raisin River you heard about earlier in this episode serves the same purpose.

The Redcoats fire a volley at the charging Americans, but it's futile and the British break ranks. Tecumseh and his men, however, fight bravely for the better part of an hour. Former Congressman Colonel Richard M. Johnson leads the Kentucky regiments into battle against the Braves and claims to be the one who kills Tecumseh. But so do pretty much every other man who fights that day. Alfred Goodman says that, quote, I helped kill Tecumseh and helped skin him and brought two pieces of his hide home with me to my mother and my sweethearts. Close quote. No matter who actually fires the fatal shot, when the Indians hear that their leader is dead, they give up the fight.

In all, only seven Americans die and almost 600 British are taken prisoner. This battle has huge ramifications. It puts an end to Tecumseh's dream of a unified American Indian Confederacy and almost completely wipes out the British presence in the Northwest. It's taken a year and a half, but finally, by the end of 1813, you can see that America's military has managed to ditch enough crappy leaders to get its act together and actually turn the tide a little on the Canadian front. But we still need to figure out what's going on in the other major theater of war, the high seas. So let's head back to the summer of 1812 and hear how the American

Navy is holding up against the naval might of Britannia. You know how we do that. Rewind. Growth is essential for every entrepreneur. At BDC, we get that. And the businesses we support grow at double the average rate, accelerating the pace. We're on it. BDC, financing, advising, know-how. Want to learn how you can make smarter decisions with your money? Well, I've got the podcast for you. I'm Sean Piles, and I host NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast. On our show, we help listeners like you make the most of your finances. I sit down with NerdWallet's team of nerds, personal finance experts in credit cards, banking, investing, and more. We answer your real-world money questions and break down the latest personal finance news. The Nerds will give you the clarity you need by cutting through the clutter and misinformation in today's world of personal finance. We don't promote get-rich-quick schemes

or hype unrealistic side hustles. Instead, we offer practical knowledge that you can apply in your everyday life. You'll learn about strategies to help you build your wealth, invest wisely, shop for financial products, and plan for major life events. And you'll walk away with the confidence you need to ensure that your money is always working as hard as you are. So turn to the nerds to answer your real-world money questions and get insights that can help you make the smartest financial decisions for your life. Listen to NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Ah, the British Navy.

This is serious stuff. Everyone knows you don't mess with the Brits on the high seas. At this point, His Majesty's Navy has over 500 ships, and more than 100 are ships of the line. These suckers have at least two decks and carry at least 50-plus guns. That is is cannons. And those ones are weak sauce. The first rate ships of the line have as many as three decks and carry over 100 guns. Woo!

And going one step down from ships of the line, Britain also has 126 of the usually single-deck 28-50 gun ships called frigates. I'm not even going to bother detailing the other 300 or so smaller ships. I think you get my point. Britain's reputation as the mistress of the seas is well earned. As for the United States, well, you'd be forgiven for thinking its Navy is a joke in 1812. What can I say? The cuts to the military permitted by Republican presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison have hit the Navy as much as they hit the Army. The U.S. Navy has a whopping 17 ships. So that's a few less than Britain's 500 plus. It has zero ships of the line.

The most powerful ships in the U.S. Navy are seven frigates. So not quite Britain's 126. After that, America has a single 28-gun sloop of war and nine smaller ships rated for 10 to 20 guns. Naturally, they cram more than that on board, but that's the rating. Oh, and the Secretary of the Navy, Paul Hamilton, is a land loving rice planter from South Carolina who's as clueless about water as he is intimate with alcohol. And given that he is known for often being fully wasted by 12 noon, that's saying something.

Yet America is proving to be the David to Britain's Goliath. I'll give you two reasons for this. The first is Napoleon. Britain's so tied up fighting this Europe-conquering Frenchman, it only has one ship of the line, five frigates, and 19 smaller ships in North American waters. That's still more ships than the entire U.S. Navy, but it's a far more level playing field than 17 versus 500 plus. The second reason is the

American super frigate. These bad boys are still frigates, but their thicker hulls and heavier guns are a serious upgrade, and three of the U.S. Navy's seven frigates fall in this camp. This means that even though Britain has the most powerful ship in North American waters, the three next most powerful ships are American. And at the start of the war, one super frigate in particular is taking names and kicking sail. The USS Constitution. Captained by Isaac, definitely not my general uncle Hull, the Constitution sets sail on July 12th, 1812. You know, just a few weeks after Congress's declaration of war to join the American squadron

so they can patrol the waters together. Come the afternoon of July 17th, Isaac spots a group of four sails on the horizon. so they can patrol the waters together. Come the afternoon of July 17th, Isaac spots a group of four sails on the horizon. Okay, that's got to be the squadron, he figures. So they head toward it. But to their horror, Isaac and his crew realize all too late

that this isn't an American squadron. It's British. And it's not four ships, it's five. One ship of the line and four frigates. Isaac and his novice crew are outgunned and outnumbered. But they won't be out-sailed. Isaac mounts guns on the stern and sends rowboats out to tow the Constitution. This makes them faster, but the British soon follow suit.

Fine. Isaac ups his game. He kedges, or warps, meaning he has his men row out half a mile ahead of the ship with an anchor, then drop it. As he pulls in the anchor, it drags the Constitution forward. They wet their sails to better catch wind, and the men sleep in shifts as the crew works nonstop during this 57-hour chase. It ends with a victorious USS Constitution pulling into the safety of Boston Harbor. In doing so, Isaac has astonished and awed friend and foe alike. Now, you already know what Isaac and his crew pull off the next month.

August 19th is when they crush one of the very ships that chased them the month prior, the HMS Guerriere. That's the scene with which we open the episode today, so I won't recount the tale again. All the same, I do have one fun detail for you. During the battle, the super frigate design really shows its value as some of the guerrilla's cannonballs bounce, literally, off of the constitution's reinforced hull. Seeing this, it's said some unnamed sailor cries out, Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron. That's how the USS Constitution gets its nickname, Old Ironsides. And if you'd like to see this ship, which remains a commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy more than two centuries later, you can usually find it docked in waiting for visitors

to come aboard toward the end of Boston's Freedom Trail, near Bunker Hill. Now a Congressional Medal-bearing hero, Isaac hands command of the Constitution over to another capable commander, William Bainbridge. Under William, Old Ironsides engages the.49-gun HMS Java near Brazil in December 1812. Like the Guerriere before it, the Java meets its watery grave. After taking the surrendering British crew on board, William sinks the once proud British frigate's remains. Other victories followed the U.S. Navy in 1812 as well. Come October, the 56-gun USS United States clashes with the 49-gun HMS Macedonian several hundred miles west

of the Madeira Islands. The USS United States not only wins, it takes the British frigate as a prize. Well, hey, that's one way to build the U.S. Navy. After this, we get into smaller classes I won't detail, but suffice it to say, America's smaller 10 to 20 gun ships are winning most of their engagements, and its privateers are racking up hundreds of prizes too. So as we move into 1813, America has demonstrated that its sailors, foreign or native born, are skilled, disciplined, and frankly, often better shots than their British counterparts. Now, this pisses off many a Brit. I mean, I don't know if you're familiar with the tune, Rule Britannia, but its lyrics aren't,

Rule Britannia, Britannia rule the waves, Britons never, never, never shall be slaves. For nothing. So many Britons start doing some serious government bashing, like this bit on American naval victories from the London Chronicle. Quote, Every individual in this country must feel humiliated at the succession of disasters,

which thus mock and render nugatory our boasted naval superiority. Close quote. Sadly for the United States, its naval success has come to an end. For one thing, its own success is working against them as Britain realizes it might need to actually take American sailors seriously. His Majesty's Navy isn't going to keep engaging these American super frigates in one-on-one scenarios. Oh, and merchant ships are to travel in convoys too. So they aren't such easy pickings. But perhaps most importantly, Napoleon's conquest of Russia isn't going so great. This means Britain needs fewer ships in Europe so it can send more of its 500-plus naval vessels at America. Come summer 1813, it's got 129 ships taking on the U.S. Navy, including 10 ships of the line and 38 frigates.

Damn, Britain, that's up in your game. We don't have as many naval engagements in 1813 as we did last year, partly because a number of ships, like the legendary Old Ironsides Constitution, are getting spruced up or are otherwise in port. But nonetheless, we do still have a particularly impactful, albeit quick, naval battle between the 50-gun USS Chesapeake and the 52-gun HMS Shannon. Despite the British Admiralty wanting its warships to avoid one-on-one battles, and despite the U.S. Navy wanting its warships to focus on damaging British trade, the young up-and-coming captains of both ships are itching for a fight.

Both seek glory, but especially British Captain Philip Brooke. He feels the need to restore Britain's tattered naval reputation. With news of the Shannons' proximity to Boston, Captain James Lawrence gladly sails the Chesapeake out with a white banner reading, Free Trade and Sailor's Rights, Blowing in the Wind. James finds his most worthy adversary about 30 miles out from the coast on June 1st, 1813. Now, James is a good commander, and his men, despite myths to the contrary, are also quite capable and not drunk. Mostly not drunk. They do have some bad black powder though. The officers are a bit wet behind the ears and James, in his hubris, is sailing into this battle

despite not having trained much with this crew since taking this relatively new command. Compare that to our British captain, Philip, who's commanded the Shannon for over half a decade, drills his men constantly, and has dropped his own money on modifications to the ship that enables his gunners to have even greater accuracy than a usual frigate. Oh, the two ships are drawing close. They're about to pull up side by side and unleash broadsides. Given my description of the two crews, want to take a guess at how this is going to go?

Don't give up the ship! James yells out, likely numerous times, as British gunners with unparalleled precision devastate his crew and board his ship. Though he'll suffer for three days before succumbing, our young American captain suffers a mortal wound. Despite his unyielding disposition, roughly half of his crew is either dead or wounded, and the British capture the ship. The battle only lasts 15 minutes, but its effect will be felt deeply. First, how ironic is it that the ship of the

Chesapeake affair fame will now sail under the Union Jack? Second, Philip just restored British honor. Despite the saber injury he suffered, he'll be known as Philip Brooke of the Shannon and be a national hero to Britain long after his death. And despite losing, the deceased James will become an American hero. Some 50,000 attend his funeral in New York. The whole nation mourns his passing. Oh, and do you remember earlier in the episode when we talked about the September 1813 Battle of Lake Erie, that Oliver Perry's ship was called the Lawrence and flew a flag reading,

Don't give up the ship. That was all in tribute to the Chesapeake's deceased captain, James Lawrence, and his words at this June 1813 battle. And the motto sticks. Don't give up the ship will not only become the new rally cry of the War of 1812, it will endure in the U.S. Navy.

If you ever find yourself at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, you can see Oliver's flag from the Battle of Lake Erie on display in the U.S. Naval Academy Museum at Preble Hall. And if you have the chance to go inside Bancroft Hall, find your way to its Memorial Hall. And if you have the chance to go inside Bancroft Hall, find your way to its Memorial Hall. Inside this large, ornate, Beaux-Arts room, adorned with murals and two chandeliers hanging from a large oval skylight, is a sizable plaque. It's, quote, dedicated to the honor of those alumni who have been killed in action defending the ideals of their country. I'm sure you won't be surprised to learn this plaque that honors the brave dead of

the U.S. Naval Academy has an American flag and U.S. Navy flag on its sides. But there's one more flag prominently displayed above the plaque in a glass case. With a solid blue background and white letters, it's a replica of Oliver's five-word flag quoting the dying Chesapeake captain, James Lawrence. Don't give up the ship. And while he might have lost the day, I think there's something poetic about quoting a dying yet still fighting American naval officer at a memorial to the dead. Perhaps it's for the best James didn't live to see the next few months. Yes, there are some successful American privateers, and the 16-gun USS Enterprise succeeds in a fight against the 14-gun HMS Boxer near the coast of Maine in August 1813. But the tide has turned on the Navy.

By November, Britain's naval commander in North America, Rear Admiral Sir John Borliss Warren, has established a full-on blockade of major American ports, including Georgia, the Middle States, and southern New England. Then come early 1814, the U.S. Navy suffers another heavy blow as the 46-gun USS Essex is defeated near Chile. America's naval successes of 1812 are starting to look like a distant memory. In all, things might be looking up a little for America on its Canadian front, but on the seas where it's most exposed, things have never been worse. And it's only going to get more dire in the months to come. History That Doesn't Suck is created and hosted by me, Greg Jackson. Research and writing, Greg Jackson and C.L. Salazar.

Production and sound design, Josh Beatty of J.B. Audio Design. Musical score, composed and performed by Greg Jackson and Diana Averill. For a bibliography of all primary and secondary sources consulted in writing this episode, visit historythatdoesntsuck.com. Join me in two weeks where I'd like to tell you a story. And a special thanks to our members, whose monthly gift puts them at producer status. Bernie Lowe, George Sherwood, Gerwith Griffin, Henry Brunges, Jake Gilbreth, James G. Bledsoe, Janie McCreary, Jeff Marks, Jennifer Moods, Jennifer Magnolia, Jeremy Wells, Jessica Poppock, Joe Dobis, John Frugaldugel, John Boovey, John Keller, John Oliveros, John Radlavich, John Schaefer, John Sheff, Jordan Corbett, Joshua Steiner, Justin M. Spriggs, Justin May, Kristen Pratt, Karen Bartholomew, Cassie Conecco, Kim R., Kyle Decker, Lawrence Neubauer, Linda Cunningham,

Mark Ellis, Matthew Mitchell, Matthew Simmons, Melanie Jan, Nick Seconder, Nick Caffrell, What did it take to survive an ancient siege? Why was the cult of Dionysus behind so many slave revolts in ancient Rome? What's the tragic history and mythology behind Japan's most haunted ancient forest? We're Jen and Jenny from Ancient History Fangirl. Join us to explore ancient history and mythology from a fun, sometimes tipsy perspective. Find us at ancienthistoryfangirl.com or wherever you get your podcasts.