It was a nasty little war that divided the country politically, had the appearance of a land grab aimed at Canada, and resulted in the burning of Washington, D.C. But the War of 1812 also gave us a National Anthem at Fort McHenry, and a future president in Andrew Jackson, who emerged at the battles of Horseshoe Bend and Chalmette. In the Indian wars that were a prelude to the struggle with Great Britain, William Henry Harrison at Tippecanoe also made a reputation that would take him to the White House. Commodore Perry became a national hero with his victory over the British fleet on Lake Erie. For the most part, though, it was a war fought in small engagements, such as Fort Meigs and Frenchtown, and with murderous ferocity.
War of 1812 Sites
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