The following timeline of the events of the War of 1812 was copied from the website of the General Society of the War of 1812.
1809
President James Madison inaugurated, March 4
1811
War Congress convenes, November 4
Battle of Tippecannoe, November 7
1812
United States declares war on Great Britain, June 18
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Baltimore Riots, June – August
United States doubles Customs Duties, July 1
General William Hull enters Canada, July 12
Fort Michilimackinac surrenders to the British, July 17
Fort Dearborn massacre, August 15
General William Hull surrenders to General Isaac Brock at Detroit, August 16
The Constitution defeats HMS Guerrière, August 19
General Isaac Brock is killed at the Battle of Queenston Heights, October 13
The Wasp defeats HMS Frolic, October 18
The Wasp captured by HMS Poictiers, October 18
The United States defeats HMS Macedonian, October 25
Madison wins reelection, fall
British blockade South Carolina and Georgia, November
Americans retreat from eastern Canada, November 23
Americans attack outlying positions at Fort Erie, November 27
William Eustis resigns as Secretary of War, December 3
Monroe serves as Secretary of War, December 3 to February 5, 1813
Great Britain proclaims blockade of Chesapeake and Delaware Bays, December 26
The Constitution defeats HMS Java, December 29
Paul Hamilton resigns as Secretary of the Navy, December 29
1813
William Jones assumes his duties as Secretary of the Navy, January 12
Battle of Frenchtown, January 22
River Raisin massacre, January 23
John Armstrong becomes Secretary of War, February 5
The Hornet defeats HMS Peacock, February 24
Captain David Porter of the Essex rounds Cape Horn and sails into the Pacific to prey upon British
whaling ships, March
Oliver Hazard Perry arrives at Presque Isle, Pennsylvania, to assume responsibility for constructing a fleet on Lake Erie, March 27
British naval forces raid in the Chesapeake Bay area, March to December
British blockade extended from Long Island to the Mississippi, March 30
Americans occupy part of west Florida, April 15
Wilkinson occupies Mobile, April 15
Americans capture York (Toronto), April 27
British burn Havre de Grace, May 3
Siege of Fort Meigs begins on May 1 and ends on May 5
British blockade additional middle and southern states, May 26
Americans capture Fort George, May 27
British forces repulsed at Sackett’s Harbor, May 29
HMS Shannon defeats the Chesapeake, June 1
Detachment of Americans defeated at Stoney Creek, June 6
Battle of Norfolk, June 22
Battle of Beaver Dams, June 24
British attack Hampton, June 25
Siege of Fort Madison begins, July
Battle of Burnt Corn, July 27
Major Croghan successfully defends Fort Stephenson against British attack, August 1
Battle of Fort Stephenson, August 2
Admiral Perry gets his fleet over the bar at Presque Isle and into Lake Erie, August 4
Fort Mims massacre, August 30
Battle of Lake Erie, September 10
Harrison lands in Canada, September 27
Battle of the Thames, October 5
Battle of Leipzig, October 16-19
Battle of Chateauguay, October 25-26
Battle of Tallushatchee, November 3
Great Britain offers United States direct peace negotiations, November 4
Battle of Talladega, November 9
Battle of Chrysler’s Farm, November 11
British extend blockade to all middle and southern states, November 16
Fort George evacuated and Newark burned by Americans, December 10
United States adopts embargo, December 17
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Fort Niagara occupied by British, December 18
Lewiston, Fort Schlosser, Black Rock, and Buffalo destroyed by the British, December 19-31
1814
Battle of Emuckfau, January 22
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Battle of Enotachopco, January 24
Battle of Horseshoe Bend, March 27-28
HMS Phoebe and HMS Cherub defeat the Essex, March 28
Napoleon abdicates French throne, April 11
United States repeals Embargo and Nonimportation Law, April 14
HMS Orpheus defeats the Frolic, April 20
British extend blockade to New England, April 25 – May 30
The Peacock defeats HMS Epervier, April 29
The Wasp II defeats HMS Reindeer, June 28
British occupy eastern Maine, July – September
Americans capture Fort Erie, July 3
Battle of Chippewa, July 5
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Battle of Lundy’s Lane, July 25
United States public credit collapses, August
U.S banks suspend specie payments, August
Peace negotiations begin in Ghent, August 8
Great Britain outlines initial peace terms, August 8
The Creeks sign a treaty at Fort Jackson ceding much of their land, August 9
Siege of Fort Erie begins August 13 and ends September 21
British occupy Pensacola, August 14
Battle of Fort Erie, August 15
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British land near Benedict, Maryland, August 19
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Battle of Bladensburg, August 24
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British burn Washington, August 24-25
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British capture Alexandria, Virginia, August 28
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Nantucket declares Neutrality, August 28
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General George Prevost moves south toward Plattsburg, end of August
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Armstrong resigns and Monroe takes over as Secretary of War, September 4
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Battle of Plattsbugh, September 11
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Battle of Lake Champlain, September 11
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Prevost retreats to Canada, middle of September
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British repulsed at Mobile, September 12-16
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British bombard Fort McHenry, near Baltimore, September 13-14
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Battle of North Point, near Baltimore, September 14
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British abandon attempt to take Baltimore, September 14
Francis Scott Key writes the Star Spangled Banner, September 15
Americans sortie from Fort Erie, September 17
British squadron captures General Armstrong, September 26
Great Britain offers peace on basis of uti possidetis, October 21
Americans evacuate Fort Erie, November 5
Jackson seizes Pensacola, November 7
Jackson returns to Mobile, November 11
Jackson leaves for New Orleans, November 22
British fleet sails from Jamaica for New Orleans, November 25
Great Britain drops the uti possidetis, November 27
British overwhelm American gunboats on Lake Borgne, December 14
Hartford Convention, December 15 – January 5
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United States adopts additional internal taxes, December 15 – February 27, 1815
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British land their troops below New Orleans, December 23
General Andrew Jackson attacks in a surprise night battle, December 23
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Preliminary battles around New Orleans, December 23 – January 1
Peace of Ghent signed, December 24
United States rejects conscription proposal, December 28
1815
Americans defeat British in the Battle of New Orleans, January 8
Final Battle of War of 1812 at Point Peter, Georgia, January 11
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United States adopts second enemy trade law, February 4
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United States rejects National Bank proposal, February 17
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Ratifications of the Peace Treaty exchanged and President Madison declares the war at an end, February 17