ABSTRACT
The War of 1812 was both a war of expansion and a second war of independence for the young United States. On June 1, 1812, President James Madison delivered a message to Congress declaring that a state of war existed between the United States and Great Britain. The Army turned its attention toward the Niagara River frontier and Lake Ontario. In October 1812, Major General Stephen Van Rensselaer planned to lead his mostly militia force across the Niagara River against Queenston. Efforts to assess the successes and failures of the military after the War of 1812 had already become clouded by selective memory and political purpose. The Navy also received a much-needed boost from the war. The military strategy to achieve and maintain American political objectives had also matured to include strong coastal defense, an established navy, a peacetime army of some size, and continued reliance upon militia to expand both the Army and Navy in times of danger.
