The Other Side of the Atlantic
When one studies the ramp-up to the War of 1812, one must look at what was happening in Europe to understand British foreign policy toward its former colony. Since 1808, England, Portugal, and Spain have been trying to push the French Army out of Portugal and Spain in what is known as the Peninsula War.
By early 1812, Portugal had been freed, and a British Army under Wellington had the French Army retreating. Then, on June 24th, 1812, Napoleon invaded Russia.
Understand, when Napoleon invaded Russia, he had already defeated the Prussian, Austro-Hungarian, Italian, and other armies and now controlled most of central Europe, i.e., modern-day German, Austria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, parts of Italy, Poland, and more. Napoleon was implementing his reforms via the Napoleonic Code throughout his controlled territory.
Russia was the one remaining great land power that Napoleon had not defeated and forced to sign a peace treaty. Tsar Alexander I refused to stop trading with the British and was committed to restoring the Bourbon monarchy in France. Therefore, he would not sign a peace treaty unless that was a condition.
English foreign policy toward the United States was to ensure that, if it did not become an ally, it would remain neutral. However, English definition of neutrality included a “no trade” clause with nations with which it was at war, to wit, the France, Kingdom of Naples, the Duchy of Warsaw, and Denmark which in those days, included Norway.
The British Parliament passed a series of laws requiring any ship headed for Continental Europe to stop in an English port, be inspected for contraband, and pay customs fees before continuing to its destination. Those ships that did not comply would be seized.
To enforce this policy, the Royal Navy maintained a blockade of all French-controlled ports on its Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts throughout the Napoleonic Wars and the French Revolutionary Wars.
Its ships were authorized to seize any ship sailing to Europe, bring it to a British port where a determination would be made as to whether the ship and cargo would be sold at auction or the vessel allowed to continue. Both the U.S. government and merchants vigorously protested this violation of Admiralty Law, but their pleas fell on deaf ears.
By 1812, the U.S. economy had recovered from Jefferson’s Embargo Act of 1807. U.S. merchants were profiting from selling manufactured goods, food and raw materials to war ravaged Europe. The industrial revolution was well underway. On the way home, U.S. ships were filled with immigrants as well as goods that were not yet made in the U.S.
Worse, the “once an Englishman, always an Englishman,” mentality influenced British views of sailors on U.S.-flagged merchant ships. Remember, anyone born in the Thirteen Colonies before 1783 was an English citizen. In the eyes of the British government, they still were, even if they lived in a now independent country.
Add in the desperate need for manpower, and you have the policy of impressment which by 1812 had resulted in approximately 25,000 U.S. citizens who were “impressed,” a better word is kidnapped, into the Royal Navy. When the War of 1812 ended, less than 5,000 returned.
Lastly, some British leaders still believed the United States could be forced to return to the Empire. As such, it continued to assist Native Americans to resist the westward movement of settlers into land ceded to the U.S. by the Treaty of Paris. Tecumseh’s Indian Confederacy allied itself with the British who promised that when the U.S. was defeated, Tecumseh could form a nation on land that is now Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Canadian land bordering Lake Superior, Huron, Michigan and Ontario.
From one sitting in Westminster, the issues were straight forward. If U.S. merchants wanted to trade in Europe, you had to trade only with our allies. Even though England was our largest trading partner, this demand was unacceptable, as was the impressing of U.S. seamen and British support for Native Americans attacking settlers.
Hence, one has the reasons for the U.S.’ Second War for Independence.
Map of the French Empire in 1812 when it was at its greatest by Alexander Altenhof.