When a British naval vessel in June 1807 attacked and disabled the USS Chesapeake and impressed several members of the crew, a general wave of indignation rose in which even the maritime interests joined. More serious than the loss of a few hogsheads of fl our or molasses.

To the country at large the seizure of American seamen was much Impressments, on the other hand, presented no such fi nancial hardship to the ship owners, whatever the consequences for the unfortunate seamen, and the maritime interests tended to minimize it. In the latter case the maritime interests of the eastern seaboard protested vigorously and demanded naval protection, but rather than risk having their highly profi table trade cut off by war with England, they were willing to take an occasional loss of cargo. The reaction in the United States to impressments differed from that aroused by the seizure of ships and cargoes. Search for deserters, who, the British claimed, had taken employment Outraged the United States by capturing men from American vessels forįorced service in the Royal Navy. Although France had declared a counterblockade of the British Isles and had seized American ships, England was the chief offenderīecause its Navy had greater command of the seas. Ships and their cargoes for allegedly violating the British blockade ofĮurope. One was the seizure and forced sale of merchant Insults and injuries to American seamen by the British Navy, and rapidĮxpansion of the American frontier. The immediate causes of the war were seizure of American ships, Without settling any of the issues that had induced the nation to go to

The war with confused objectives and divided loyalties and made peace The Americans it was neither simple nor clear. To the Canadians it was clearly a case of naked American aggression. O Great Britain the War of 1812 was simply a burdensome adjunct of its greater struggle against Napoleonic France.

American navy uniform war of 1812