Celebration Of Those Who Fought For Our Freedom Part II

~ Fort Henry ~

Francis Scott Key wrote the

Star Spangled Banner here during the

War of 1812

I must admit that I know very little about the War of 1812. I have seen it referred to as "the forgotten war". I do know I had ancestors who fought in it so I decided to include this war in my remembrance of our veterans posts. We had many Americans who fought and died for our freedom during this war.

President George Washington(1790's) kept the United States neutral in the conflict between France and Great Britain. He believed that neutrality was the safest policy for our young nation, and also that it was wisest for the U. S. to stay out of European affairs.

During its wars with France in 1790s and early 1800s, Great Britain refused to respect the rights of U. S. ships and sailors on the high seas. The British navy was the strongest in the world in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. British ships would board U. S. merchant ships and force that ship's sailors into the British navy. The British government claimed it was targeting deserters, but it also claimed the right to "recruit" any British subject. They took them right on the spot. The British government argued that since all of these sailors had been born in the British colonies, they were British, despite the fact that they now lived in the independent United States. They violated the right of the U. S. to govern itself, and the ability of the U. S. government to protect its citizens. Now - to me, that's just wrong.

The President in 1812 was James Madison, a Democratic-Republican. The newly elected members to the New York state assembly were from the opposing party - the Federalists. The Democratic-Republicans were in favor of war with Britain, while Federalists were against it. Federalists supported trade and commerce and war with Britain would definitely hurt trade with European countries.

When diplomacy and trade restrictions failed, President Madison declared war. The two countries fought for two years before agreeing to a treaty. I believe that war was necessary to reign in Britain and to keep them from taking over the U. S. again. Looks to me like they would have already learned not to mess with us but they evidently didn't. Yea! America!

The War of 1812 began for us on June 18, 1812 and lasted until March 23, 1815. There were 2,260 Americans killed in action, 4,505 Americans wounded and an estimated 17,000 who died from disease. Again - they were HEROES! Thank you for your service.