War of 1812Second War of Independence Flag of the United States of America during the War of 1812 |
 U.S.S. Chesapeake, launched at the Gosport Navy Yard. Portsmouth, Virginia, 2 December, 1799. Painting by F. Muller. (Public Domain). |
||||||||||
|
U.S.S.
Chesapeake was on the way to the Mediterranean, in June 1807,
when she was
intercepted by the British ship, HMS Leopard. Chesapeake was not ready
for battle as she was carrying munitions and stores when the Leopard
stopped her and demanded Chesapeake be searched for British
deserters.. When Chesapeake refused, Leopard fired on the practically
defenseless American ship, killing and wounding several of
her
crew. Chesapeake surrendered and Leopard boarded her and searched for
supposed deserters. A few members of the crew; were
taken and she was allowed to return to
Virginia for repairs. This event became known as the, "Leopard Affair,"
and
was one of many incidents that culminated in the War of 1812. Chesapeake was captured during the war by HMS Shanon, and put into service by the Royal Navy. In 1820 she was broken up. Much of the material from Chesapeake was used as building material by the British. |
||||||||||
 Bickerstaff,
Robert: Commissioned
as an Ensign in the War of 1812 in Captain Leonard Worty's Company of
Infantry, Wooten's Detachment, Georgia Militia, from 7 August 1814, to
5 February 1815. He was killed by the Indians in Alabama
near Loachapoka. A Mr. Alexander Nynn states this proof in his column,
OPELIKA-AUBURN NEWS.; also per Sue Bickerstaff Gillispie Wooton's
Detachment, Georgia Militia. Visit our Bickerstaff
page.Bickerstaff,
Henry: 36th
Regiment, Tennessee Militia, Private. Source: Roll 17, Extraction 602.Bickerstaff,
John:
Tennessee Militia, Sgt. Source: TENNESSEANS IN THE WAR OF 1812, By
Byron and Samuel Sisler, 1992.Clay,
Green: Clay
served in the militia in the Revolution and served in the Virginia
Legislature from 1788-89, in the Virginia
convention that ratified the U.S. Constitution. He was in the Kentucky
Constitution Convention in 1799, in the Kentucky Legislature and
Senate, and as an officer in the Kentucky Militia; .Brigadier
General,
Clay's Kentucky
Volunteers. Source: Roll Box 41,
Extract 602. The
commander of the American
forces in
the western territories that ran to the Canadian line was William Henry
Harrison, (a governor of Indiana and later President of the United
States). Harrison was defeated in the battle of Raisin River,
the
British and
their
Indian allies under famed Chief Tecumseh, lay siege to Fort Meigs.
The fort was located on the Maumee River in upper Ohio. Clay
and
his
Kentuckians were sent to relieve the fort. Clay's forces
arrived by boat and, suffered heavy losses. But, Green's Kentuckians
were able to get into
the fort
and break the siege. As a result of this military service,
Clay
added the title of
General to
his honors. Clay,
Henry: Member
of U.S. House of Representatives, Speaker of the House and U. S.
Senator. He was born in Hanover County Virginia , 12 April 1777.,
attended public schools and studied law in Richmond, Virginia. He was
admitted to the bar in 1797. He practiced law in Lexington, Kentucky.
He was a member of the State House of Representatives in
1803,
and elected to fill a vacancy in the U. S. Senate and served from 19
November 1806 to 3 March 1807, even though younger
than the
constitutional age limit of thirty years. He served again in the House
of Representatives 1809-1809 and as speaker in 1809. He again, was
elected to fill a vacancy in the Senate, serving from 4 January 1810 to
1811. Then he served in Congress from 4 March, 1811
to 19
January 1814, when he resigned. He was appointed one of the
commissioners to negotiate the peace treaty with Great Britain in 1814.
Then he was elected to the Fourteenth Congress 4 March 1815 -
3
March 1817. His seat was declared vacant by the Governor of Kentucky
caused by the acceptance of Henry Clay to sign a commercial
convention as minister plenipotentiary to Great Britain. He was elected
in a special election to fill his own vacancy on, 30 October 1815;
reelected to the 15th and 16th Congress and Speaker of the House of
Representatives in the 14th, 15th and 16th Congresses. Clay was elected
to the 18th and 19th Congresses, serving again in the 18th Congress as
Speaker of the House. He was appointed Secretary of State by
President John Quincy Adams 1825-1829, then elected to the United
States Senate on 10 November 1831 to fill a vacancy starting 4 March
1831. He was reelected in 1836 and served from 10 November
1831
to 31 March 1842 when he resigned During the 23rd and 24th Congresses
he served as on the Foreign Relations Committee and Committee on
Finance during the 27th Congress. Clay was am unsuccessful
candidate for president three times. He was elected again to the Senate
in 1849 and served until his death, 1 July 1852. His body lay in state
in the Rotunda at the Capitol. Funeral services were held in the Senate
Chamber. He was buried in Lexington , Kentucky. Vist our Clay page.Cole, Jesse: Jesse
Cole was a Captain of Militia under
Colonel Snodgrass in Crocker's Brigade, General Andrew Jackson's
Division, Tennessee
Militiamen. Son
of Sampson
and Lydia Wheeler Cole.Patterson,
Andrew: A
Captain in the 70th
Regiment Virginia Militia. He received a Land Grant in Washington
County, Virginia, and his wife Elizabeth Cole Patterson, daughter of
Sampson and Lydia Wheeler Cole, received a pension. He owned land
on the South Fork of the Holston River. Andrew also owned a
grist mill as well as a saw mill. He
was a Baptist minister, probably at Rush Creek Church, as he is shown
as officiating marriages in records from 1846 - 1851. At a 1845
session of the Church Assoication meeting held at Glade Hollow
Church in Russell County, an Elder John Wallis was elected moderator
and Elder Andrew Patterson elected, clerk. According to historian,
Redmond Cole. Andrew was also a county justice. He and his
wife were the parents of eight children, all born in Washington
County. They lived at a farm near Friendship, Virginia.
Andrew and Elizabeth Patterson are at rest in Moore
Cemetery, the Old Edmondson's Fort Estate, in
Washington County, Virginia.Patterson,
William, Jr.: :Private
in Virginia Militia. Born: circa 1760 in
Montgomery County, Virginia Died: 8 February 1825 in Wythe County.
Source: Virginia History Magazine, Vol. 47, pp 38
Description: Captain
Buchanan, Montgomery County. Wife: Agnes Patton, born in Virginia and
died 25 Dec. 1843 in Gates County, Virginia. They were married
10
June 1789 and had a son, James.St.
John, Abram: 4th Regiment (Greenhill's) Virginia
Militia,
Private |
 What caused the War of 1812?All anyone has to do is a look at Trafalgar Square
in
London to realize
the Battle of Trafalgar was a fairly important event in
British
history. Admiral Lord Nelson,was fatally wounded, but the Royal Navy
really handed the French and Spanish a "good
licking" in this important sea battle. Napoleon countered by
heading an economic "no trade
agreement", with all countries under French control, against
Great
Britain. This tactic didn't help the British economy, so
Britain
struck back by imposing a blockade of France. The
young U. S., with
no
significant Navy, tried to remain neutral.
It got to the point 1807, the U. S. was
having trouble trading with
France due to a British decree called, " an Order in Council," noting
anyone trading with a country on the continent must first stop in
England. France countered by declaring any neutral ship
submitting to search by the British would be seized. This is the
climate in which the U.S.S. Chesapeake (shown above)
was
seized by H.M.S. Leopard.
Interruption of trade was heavily
contributing to a depressed
economy in the United States. Many people wanted to
go to
war with Great Britain. By 1810 there were several Republican
congressmen elected who were advocating war. American sailors had been
impressed into British service and there had been intense interference
with shipping from the U.S.
The group of Republicans who pushed for war
was led by one of
my
ancestors, Henry Clay of Kentucky; the group was called the
"War
Hawks' by many. Clay became Speaker of the House. Congress passed
several resolutions to strengthen the armed forces.
So
the stage was set; Congress called upon
President James
Madison to declare war on the British in June 1812. The War
Hawks, led by Virginia born Henry Clay, swung the vote to
a declaration
of war 18 June, 1812.
Some say the War Hawks and others wanted to
invade and annex Southern
Canada. I say, Henry Clay was not unlike Patrick Henry,
another
Virginia "firebrand" during the Revolutionary War, who
wanted Canada invaded as well. As a national
news network denotes, "We report, you decide".
Neale Clifton Three men involved in the War of 1812
St.
John, Abner: Bradley's Regiment, Virginia
Militia,
Private St.
John, Berry: Virginia Militia, 5th Regiment,
Private:
Smyth County, Virginia and Virginia Militia, 7th Regiment (Saunders),
Private. Source: War of 1812 Service Records Administration, Index to
Compiled Military Service records for Volunteer Soldiers Who Served
During the War of 1812, Washington, D.C. National Archives and Records
Administration. Rolls M602 Data Base is a listing of men mustered
into the Armed forces between 1812 and 1815. Visit our
St. John page.St.
John, John: 19th Regiment (Ambler's),
Virginia
Militia, Private. Pension: 1788-1872. Copy of
pension application when he was 85
years of age and residing in Cannon County, Tennessee, 29 April 1972;
O. B. Vance, Clerk. St.
John, Samuel: Bradley's
Regiment,
Virginia Militia, Private St.
John, Thomas: 5th Regiment, Virginia Militia,
Private St.
John, William: Bradley's Regiment, Private |
||||||||||
Click
on
or
[ Back To Areas Of Interest Index ] [ Trafalgar Square ]
You might also like to review our Revolutionary War section.
Neale & Kathy Clifton
Copyright 1997 - 2011 L. Neale Clifton
Revised 18 August 2011
