The War of 1812
In June 1812, during President James Madison's administration the congress of the United States declared war on Britain. The main reasons that led to the declaration of the war were led by a powerful motivation to uphold national honor in face of what the American considered British insults. The British attempted to restrict the highly profit American trade with Napoleonic France that was locked in a long and bitter conflict with them. The British Royal navy seized American ships, cargoes, and American sailors under the act of impressment. The British removed the sailors from their American ships and forced them to serve on British vessels. Britain claimed that those mariners were deserters from the Royal navy even though the majority of them had documents proving that they were American citizens. Second was the British support to the Indians in the Northwest Territories of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin that prevented an American expansion to this area.
English: Portrait drawing of United States General...
Tecumseh und der Prophet
English: Maj. Gen. Sir Isaac BrockIn addition was an American desire to annex the British colonies of North America in what was later known as the Province of Canada.
The British forces were heavily engaged in the war with Napoleonic France and most of their army was deployed in Europe. That is why the British supported the Indians and recruited them as allies against their mutual enemy; the Americans. British commander-in-chief in North America Lieutenant General Sir George Prevost maintained a defensive strategy with his Indian and Canadian allies to defend Lower Canada from the American invading force led by Brigadier General William Hull who crossed the Detroit River on July 12, 1812.
As soon as he learned of the outbreak of war British commander in Upper Canada Major General Isaac Brock ordered Captain Charles Roberts to capture Fort Mackinac, an American fort situated...