Michigan Once More Fell To The Ownership Of The United States

Fort Michilimackinac (On The Shore Of The Straits Of Mackinac)

Michigan History, Volume 5:

"The War for American Independence brought this area in name only under the control of the new American Government since it was not until 1798 that the British soldiers relinquished the military posts on the American side of the international boundary and the feebleness of the American hold upon all this region is well illustrated by the ease with which it was reconquered by the English in the War of 1812. The treaty of peace which terminated this war restored the easternmost of the Great Lakes as a part of the international boundary and Michigan once more fell to the ownership of the United States."

Dow Gardens In Midland, Michigan

Jackson Ordered To St. Louis

Andrew Jackson Statue In New Orleans

"Over in Missouri, however, Illinois Indians continued a constant warfare well into the year 1815, after the Treaty of Ghent had been signed and promulgated... .  They continued until the war department assigned Andrew Jackson to this department, with orders to report to St. Louis there to attach himself to the head of the troops he would find awaiting him and march against the Rock River Sacs... .  Duncan Graham, head of the British intriguers at that point, had formed a profound respect for Andrew Jackson, by reason of the New Orleans affair and other events, and without ceremony at once fled to Canada." [Source]

Disregarding The Treaty Of Greenville

Source

From History of the Late War in the Western Country:

The various tribes, who were in the habit of visiting Detroit and Sandwich, were annually subsidized by the British. When the American agent at Detroit gave one dollar by way of annuity, the British agent on the other side of the river, Detroit, would give them ten. This course of iniquity had the intended effect; the Indians were impressed with a great aversion for the Americans; and disregarding the treaty of Greenville, they desired to recover the lands which they had ceded...".

They wished also to try their strength again with the "Big Knife," as they called the Kentuckians, in order to wipe away the disgrace of their defeat by General Wayne. And they were still promised the aid of the British, in the event of a war between the British and Americans. 

Bouchette's Reports

Source [Quebec Pre-War]

From The diary of Mrs. John Graves Simcoe...:

Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Bouchette('s) reports seem to have led to the arrest of Colonel McLean, afterwards executed as a spy.  In 1804, he (Bouchette) was appointed Surveyor-General of Lower Canada, raised a regiment, Quebec Volunteers, in 1812, and in 1813 was appointed lieutenant-colonel and transferred to staff and intelligence service. In August, 1814, Bouchette left for England, and while there was nominated Surveyor-General under the several articles of the Treaty of Ghent, for establishing the boundary between the United States and His Majesty's possessions in America. 

Little Turtle, Blue Jacket, And The Schemes Of The British Agents

A preliminary view of Indian affairs will enable us to understand this commencement of the war. By the combined counsels and schemes of the British agents, and some of the principal chiefs among the Indians, the seeds of hostility were sown among them soon after the peace of Greenville, and were gradually nurtured into war.

At that time, Little Turtle and Blue Jacket were the leading chiefs among the northwestern tribes. They had disagreed about the manner of opposing [General Anthony] Wayne s army. The plan of Blue Jacket was adopted, and eventuated in the total defeat of the Indians, as predicted by the other. After this event, Little Turtle continued friendly to the United States. He was of opinion, that the Indian tribes were unable to contend against the Americans; that no material aid would be furnished them by the British; and that would only be the means of their losing more of their lands. Blue Jacket had more confidence in the British; he thirsted for revenge against the Americans; and he wished to regain the lands which had been ceded by the treaty of Greenville. [Source]


Also see the Aug 2013 post, Native American And British Influence At The Close Of The Revolutionary War.

Back To The Same (Pre-War) Footing

Portrait Of William Clark (St. Louis Arch Museum)

From Oklahoma State:

Treaty With The Sioux Of St. Peter's River

Ratified Dec. 26, 1815

"THE parties being desirous of re-establishing peace and friendship between the United States and the said tribe...on the same footing upon which they stood before the late war between the United States and Great Britain...".

A few of the signatories and witnesses:

William Clark, [L. S.]

Ninian Edwards, [L. S.]

Auguste Chouteau, [L. S.]

Wasoukapaha, the Falling Hail, his x mark, [L. S.]

Manpinsaba, the Black Cloud, his x mark, [L. S.]

John T. Chunn, brevet major of the U. S.Army

Near The Rapids Of The Maumee

Maumee River In Ohio

At the close of the Anglo-Indian war of 1791, the British Government still held, in contravention of the treaty of 1783, a strongly built fortress, near the foot of the Rapids of the Maumee, and which was persistently held by that Government for a length of time, and only vacated by British troops after many complaints and many remonstrances on the part of our Government. [Source]

Violations Of The Treaty Of Paris

Fort At Michilimackinac

"By the Treaty of Paris, in 1783, Great Britain recognized the independence of her American colonies. But she gave them up reluctantly, and soon proved that she would yield no more than she was compelled to. In violation of the terms of the treaty she kept garrisons for a dozen years at several western outposts--notably Niagara, Detroit, and Michilimackinac--and incited the Indians to harass the settlers who were crossing the Alleghenies. (The Americans were far from blameless. We had refused to pay debts owed to British merchants or to compensate Loyalists for the loss of their property. We had agreed to do both.)." [Source?]

Battle Of The Sink Hole

Photo From An Adjacent County Of The Sink Hole Site

From Wikipedia:

The Battle of the Sink Hole was fought on May 24, 1815, after the official end of the War of 1812, between Missouri Rangers and Sauk Indians led by Black Hawk. The Sauk were unaware, or did not care, that their British patrons had signed the Treaty of Ghent with the U.S.

The most famous of these expeditions was that made in 1814 by a company of mounted rangers raised by Peter Craig of Cape Girardeau county. Many of the members of the company had served under Captain Ramsay in 1813; they were now enlisted for a period of one year to serve on the frontiers of Missouri and Illinois, and they became a part of a regiment commanded by Colonel William Russell.

After the company was organized...it was sent to North Missouri and while there fought the battle of the Sink Hole (Lincoln County, near Cape au Gris). [Source]

Source

1815 Letter Written Near Cat Island

Ship Island (Adjacent To Cat Island)

LETTER OF A BRITISH OFFICER 

[C. J. Forbes]

On Board H. M. S. Alceste
Off Cat Island, 28th Jan., 1815

Source [ Excerpted Letter]

A summary of Charles Forbes and his letter (Trent University Library):

While in the British Army, Charles Forbes was present for the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. Our donation contains a letter written 29 Jan. 1815 on board H.M.S. Alceste, off Cat Island (near New Orleans), and sent to James Cobb, Secretary, East India Company (a cousin). In the letter Charles says that the information given to the Admiral was “fallacious” and that unlike what they had been led to believe, no “settlers of Louisiana and the Floridas” flocked to join the British cause and hence they had insufficient troops for the encounter with the Americans. It’s interesting to note that even by the end of January, Charles did not know that a treaty to end the War had been signed.

Divided Into Three Great Periods

Surrender of Detroit (Beginning Of The 2nd Period)

The military heroes of the war of 1812: with a narrative of the war:

The war of 1812 naturally divides itself into three great periods. The first embraces the origin of the war. This will necessarily contain a review of the conduct of Great Britain towards the United States, from the peace of 1783, to the declaration of hostilities on the 19th of June, 1812; comprise an account of the celebrated Berlin and Milan decrees, and of the British orders in council; and furnish a narrative of the origin, exercise, and perversion of the claim of England to impress seamen.

The second opens with the surrender of Detroit; records the failure of Harrison's winter and autumnal campaigns in 1812; and explains the miscarriages of Dearborn, Wilkinson, and Hampton, on the Lakes and St Lawrence, during the spring, summer and autumn of 1813. This was a period of almost universal defeat for the armies of the United States. Inefficient Generals and undisciplined troops to cover the nation with disgrace. During this interval the war in the south occurred. But for some brilliant successes at sea, and for the victory of the Thames in October, 1813, these first months of the contest would have presented only unmitigated disaster.

The third and last period opened in the spring of 1814, with the most gloomy anticipations. The subjugation of Napoleon left England free to employ all her strength against the United States. The veteran troops of Wellington were accordingly poured into Canada. Boasts of permanently annexing a portion of New York, or of New England, to the British dominions were publicly made by the English officers. But suddenly the scene changed. These splendid veterans were defeated in every contest, by our comparatively raw troops. Instead of gaining a foothold in the United States, the enemy was everywhere beaten on his own soil. These results proceeded from placing bolder and younger men in command of the army; from disciplining the troops thoroughly; and from the spirit of patriotism which was now fully aroused to meet the impending crisis. From this hour the arms of the United States were in the ascendant. Success had at first receded from us further and still further, like a wave withdrawing from a beach; but suddenly the tide turned, it rolled in, and towering higher and prouder, broke over us in triumphs.

After The Treaty Of Paris

Source - Map Ca 1784

THE NEW NATION GROWS:

"By the Treaty of Paris, in 1783, Great Britain recognized the independence of her American colonies. But she gave them up reluctantly, and soon proved that she would yield no more than she was compelled to. In violation of the terms of the treaty she kept garrisons for a dozen years at several western outposts--notably Niagara, Detroit, and Michilimackinac--and incited the Indians to harass the settlers who were crossing the Alleghenies. (The Americans were far from blameless. We had refused to pay debts owed to British merchants or to compensate Loyalists for the loss of their property. We had agreed to do both.)."

The War In West Florida And Louisiana

An Historical memoir of the war in West Florida and Louisiana in 1814-15 : with an atlas (1816):

Source

The volume which I [Major A. LaCarriere LaTour] present to the public is devoted to the relation of the campaign of the end of 1814 and beginning of 1815: that is to say, from the first arrival of the British forces on the coast of Louisiana, in September, until the total evacuation, in consequence of die treaty of peace, including a period of about seven months.

A review of Major LaTour's book can be found here.

Difficulty In Reducing The Debt

Albert Gallatin Statue

From the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission:

Once in office, he [Albert Gallatin] vigorously attacked the public debt, and through careful management of the country's finances he was able to reduce the debt materially until the War of 1812 made this policy impossible.

After 1811, it became increasingly unpleasant for him to remain as secretary of the treasury. It was with a feeling of great relief that in May, 1813, at the request of President Madison, he went to Russia to study the details of a Russian offer to mediate Anglo-American differences. He stayed in Russia several months, but nothing came of the Russian offer. In 1814, he was one of the five American commissioners who negotiated the Treaty of Ghent which ended the war. It was now that he was officially replaced as secretary of the treasury.

The War Was Over; The Hornet And The Penguin Hadn't Heard The News

One of the holdings of the University of Michigan's Clements Library:


Title: HM Sloop Penguin collection
"Abstract: The HM Sloop Penguin collection contains watercolor illustrations, photographs, a crew member's letter, and a journal...".

"The USS Hornet captured the 20-gun cruiser on March 23, 1815, near the island Tristan da Cunha, over a month after Britain and the United States signed the Treaty of Ghent, ending the war. The Penguin and the Hornet were, however, stationed in one of the most remote areas of the Atlantic Ocean and had not yet heard the news."


From Description of American Medals:

Source

The Treaty Of Peace Arrived In NY

"On February 11, 1815, the British sloop of War, Favorite, arrived in New York harbor with the Treaty of Peace concluded at Ghent, and ratified by the Prince Regent of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland." [Source]

A Christmas Eve Signing

Source

The Our Documents website included the Treaty of Ghent:

"In 1814, both sides were working to come to a resolution and agreed to discuss peace terms. A meeting in Belgium of American delegates and British commissioners ended with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent on December 24, 1814." 

Biography Of Col. Richard M Johnson

The Authentic biography of Colonel Richard M. Johnson, of Kentucky was published in 1833.

Richard Mentor Johnson, the third son of Colonel Robert Johnson, was born in the autumn of 1780/1, in Kentucky, which was then a county in Virginia.  After some local schooling, Richard M. Johnson attended Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, and then studied law.  He represented the citizens of Scott County, Kentucky, when he was quite young, and took his seat in the U.S. Congress in October of 1807.  While in Congress the whole country was in an uproar when the British frigate Leopard attacked frigate Chesapeake.

Source

The other dispute referenced above occurred in 1802 when the Spanish Intendant closed the Port at New Orleans to the United States, in violation of a treaty.  War was anticipated, especially in the Western States.  Richard Johnson, at age 20, volunteered for military service and was elected to command a company.  The dispute was settled peacefully.

Richard M. Johnson, while still a member of Congress, offered to be an aid to General Harrison, who was then in charge of the Kentucky troops as well as his own Indiana soldiers, and also offered to recruit for the military.

Other posts relating to Richard Johnson here.

England's Opportunity

From the Albert Gallatin biography:

"And there is on record the expression of Lord Sheffield, when he heard of the rupture in 1812, "We have now a complete opportunity of getting rid of that most impolitic treaty of 1794, when Lord Grenville
was so perfectly duped by Jay.""

Battery On Bois Blanc

Source

"During last war, a small battery was erected on the lower point of Bois Blanc, which is now deserted, and the island now serves as a camping ground for the [Native Americans] who visit Amherstburg. This island will be one of he most important points which the commissioners, under the treaty of Ghent, will have to determine." [Source]