An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir September 2014 www.dfmagazine.ie 28 | T he War of 1812 also known as America's second War for Independence, was a military conflict that lasted two- and-a-half years between the United States of America and the United Kingdom, including its North American colo- nies and its American Indian allies. The United States had declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions brought about by the British war with France amongst other issues which remained from the first American War of Independence (1775-1783), but involved no boundary changes. After the victory over Napoleon in 1814, the British turned their attention to the re-establishment of their dominance over the new Republic of the United States. In essence, their war aims were similar to those of 1775-1783; an attempt to par- tition the United States by driving down the Champlain and Hudson Valleys to cut off New England from the rest of the country, and to control both sides of the Great Lakes. The Duke of Wellington, in planning the campaign, had determined that the British invasion force would not march south along the Champlain and Hudson Valleys without waterborne communications and logistical support. A similar campaign by Burgoyne had come to a disastrous end with British defeat and surrender at Saratoga on 17th October 1777. Wellington recognised that any invasion force from Canada required control of Lake Champlain and the Hudson River. Therefore the "Crown" forces in Canada built a fleet of vessels armed with 24-pounder guns (which could fire over a mile) at the north end of Lake Champlain. Less than a hundred miles to the south, on the Otter Creek near Vergennes, Vermont, the Americans built their own squadron of vessels to defend the Lake from invasion. They were armed mostly with carronades - shorter range, but fir- ing heavier shot. In command of the American activity was an officer described by The Harper Encyclopedia of Military Biography (Edison, NJ: Castle Books, 1995) as an "aggressive, thorough and dedicated naval commander," Master Comman- dant Thomas Macdonough. Thomas Macdonough (1783-1825) was born in New Castle County, Delaware, 31st December 1783. He was the grandson of James Macdonough, who had emigrated from Kildare to Delaware about 1730. His father, Thomas McDonough, was a physician, and had served as a major in the Delaware Regi- ment in Washington's Continental Army. In 1798, after the death on active naval service of his older brother, Thomas Macdonough joined the United States Navy of Commodore John Barry (the founder of the US Navy and a native of Wexford). Macdonough saw action in the quasi-War with France (1798-1800) and in the Tripolitan War (1801-1805). One of the bones of contention between the United States and the British Empire during the great conflict between Britain and France was the impressment of American seamen into the Royal Navy; Britain never recognised that anyone born a British subject could become an American citizen, immune from their law, nor could they tolerate the American doctrine of Freedom of the Seas. As a young naval lieutenant, Thomas Macdonough had distinguished himself by recovering a seized neutral American merchant seaman from under the guns of a Royal Navy frigate at Gibraltar. Decisive Naval Battle on Lake Champlain For the northern invasion of the United States, Wellington by LIAM MURPhy "The almighty has been pleased to grant us a signal victory…" Commodore Thomas Macdonough, USN "The Hero of Lake Champlain", as painted by Gilbert Stuart (1755 – 1828). "The Battle of Plattsburgh" aka The Battle of Lake Champlain painted by James Hardy lll, a British artist, born in 1937. An example of a Carronade on the main deck of the USS Constitution. "Macdonough's Victory on Lake Champlain, 1814", watercolour by Edward Tufnell, depicting the US Sloop Saratoga (left centre) and the US Brig Eagle (right) engaging the British flagship Confiance (centre) off Plattsburg, New York, 11th September 1814. Saratoga was flagship of the American commander, Master Commandant Thomas Macdonough. US Naval History and Heritage Command photograph courtesy of the Navy Art Collection, Washington, DC.

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