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This page is for discussions about changes to the article. There has been considerable debate over "who won the war" (please refer to
/Archive 8,
/Archive 9,
/Archive 14,
/Who Won? and
Wikipedia:Mediation Cabal/Cases/2009-11-11/War of 1812 for the most recent discussions). Historians and the editors have various viewpoints on which side won, or if there was a stalemate. For more information, see the section *Memory and historiography, Historian's views*. However, the consensus, based on historical documentation, is that the result of the war was per the Treaty of Ghent, i.e.,
status quo ante bellum, which, in plain English means "as things were before the war."
Please do not use this page to continue the argument that one or the other side "won" unless you are able to present citations from
reliable and verifiable sources to support your claims. Per the principle of
neutral point of view and
due and undue weight, the article can only claim a side's victory if there is a verifiable general agreement.
Infobox and belligerents, with Spain on the list
As things as they currently are, I have 3 observations
Strength of US Allies is only 125 Choctaw. Surely, there must be more numbers for the various tribes?
The Regency of Algiers has been added in good faith, but I do not think this should remain for much longer.
Spain is listed. Given the
Peninsular War was taking place, it did not have the resources to actively intervene, to launch an offensive, in overseas territories. (Simon Bolivar took advantage of Spain's weakness at this time.) A jittery Governor of Pensacola,
Mateo González Manrique had his territory and his neutrality violated by the British officer
Edward Nicolls, then Jackson came along and violated the neutrality. When Nicolls left, he took half the Spanish garrison away, which was stranded elsewhere for the remainder of the conflict.
There is no declaration of war on the part of Spain against the US, or vice versa. There was effectively a border dispute with the
Battle of Pensacola (1814), but the impotence of the Spanish was not going to see any ongoing conflict on their part.
I don't see the US Navy listed as pro-Arab forces in the Six Day War, and I don't see the Brazilian armed forces, or the Finns, as combatants in the War in the Pacific from 1942 to 1945.
I think as it currently stands, it is misleading, and implies Spanish forces engaged from 1813 through 1814. I am only aware of the capture of Pensacola on November 7, 1814 as the one time Spanish forces were engaged against the US Army during the War of 1812. I don't think being sandwiched between the fiery and ill-tempered personalities of Jackson and Nicolls was a particularly appealing prospect!
Keith H99 (
talk)
20:05, 24 April 2024 (UTC)reply
Where one side fights two separate wars at the same time, it does not mean that they are the same war or that the belligerents against a common belligerents are cobelligerents - unless the sources explicitly tell us otherwise. That two things happen at the same time does not mean they are the one thing.
Cinderella157 (
talk)
01:27, 26 April 2024 (UTC)reply
Per sources that I currently have available at hand (I'll find more later), but I've read about the British-Spanish alliance for years now.
"The Slaves Gamble: Choosing Sides in the War of 1812 by Gene Allen Smith (pg156)
"The rising fear that Andrew Jackson's army would soon descend on Pensascola convinced West Florida governor Mateo González Manrique to request British assistance, and within days the entire British Gulf force occupied Pensacola. Nicolls hoisted the Union Jack over the city in mid-August 1814 and declared himself the military commander of the city." Per Smith, the plan by Nicolls at Pensacola was to use the British forces (including the Colonial Marines), native tribes, and any available Spanish forces (with townspeople). The Spanish slaves were recruited from the city and this was a cause of friction because of their alliance.
"The Slaves Gamble: Choosing Sides in the War of 1812 by Gene Allen Smith (pg157)
"Cochrane had instructed Nicholls not to recruit Spanish slaves because Britain and Spain were then allies."
"The Maroons of Prospect Bluff and Their Quest for Freedom in the Atlantic World by Nathaniel Millett (pg47)
"“For centuries Spanish Florida had relied on blacks and Indians to defend itself against the aggressive encroachments of the British and the Anglo Americans. Now the Spanish were forced to rely on the British to defend them against the United States in an alliance that would have mystified earlier generations on both sides of the border." Millett notes that West Florida (Mobile) was mentioned by the British as part of the United States's violated of Article IX in the Treaty of Ghent.
"The Maroons of Prospect Bluff and Their Quest for Freedom in the Atlantic World by Nathaniel Millett (pg88)
“In the same month that the war officially ended, Alexander Cochrane expressed an opinion shared by many British politicians and military leaders when he wrote that Britain must take active measures, "for relieving West Florida from the usurped authority of the American Government (being a colony belonging to Spain) and at the same time to afford to the Indian Nations an opportunity of recovering territories of which they have been so unjustly deprived by the United States." The British feared an American Florida and wanted their Red Stick allies to recover the lands taken from them by the Treaty of Fort Jackson. These two goals were intertwined with the realization that a strong and well-armed Red Stick and Seminole presence in the Southeast represented the most realistic hope for Spain to maintain possession of the Floridas. With this in mind, the British encouraged the Red Sticks to endorse the Treaty of Ghent because of the inclusion of Article 9, calling for the restoration of Indian lands to their 1811 boundaries. Accordingly, Cochrane instructed Nicolls to "tell our Indian Allies that they have been included [in the treaty] and that they are placed as to territory as they were in 1811[.] If the peace shall not be ratified, you will have a large reinforcement sent to you at Apalachicola."
"The Greatest Fury: The Battle of New Orleans and the Rebirth of America by William C. Davis" (pg333)
"In fact, Britain's existing alliances with Spain and the Indian tribes complicated adherence to Ghent's territorial provisions. Spain wanted a friendly buffer state between an expansionist United States and its colonial possessions in Texas, Mexico, East Florida, and that part of West Florida east of the Pearl River." Davis ends the paragraph with, "Returning New Orleans or any part of Louisiana defeated both goals and left the Americans poised to spread west across the Mississippi, and east to Spanish East Florida's doorstep. That could only complicate British relations with its Spaniard allies. It came down to the value Whitehall put on those alliance." Davis noted that forces on the ground (Colonel Thorton and Captain Roberts) planned to ransom New Orleans back to President Madison. Bathurst envisioned the possibility of keeping all or part of Louisiana indefinitely.
"The Greatest Fury: The Battle of New Orleans and the Rebirth of America by William C. Davis" (pg334)
"Whitehall repeatedly emphasized that the United States had no lawful title to Louisiana. It explicitly told Cochrane and Pakenham they could encourage Louisianans to seek independence from the United States or a return to Spanish dominion so long as they did not promise British assistance or alliance. Pakenham was actually told that New Orleans would probably be handed over to Spain, and Spaniards shared that expectation."
Ironic Luck (
talk)
21:15, 13 June 2024 (UTC)reply
Britain and Spain were allied against France. I don’t believe there was an alliance against the US and none of the sources you have quoted remotely suggest that there was.--
Ykraps (
talk)
19:47, 14 June 2024 (UTC)reply
Did France ever plan to attack Pensacola in 1814? I am aware of the British-Spanish alliance against the French. Jackson tested the neutrality of the local Spanish authorities at Pensacola with a flag of truce brought forth by Major Pierre, but he (Pierre) was immediately fired upon. Jackson additionally charged the local Spanish authorities with "providing shelter to British troops" (per Daughan) for his reasoning to storm Pensacola.
"1812: The War Nobody Won by Albert Martin" (pg142)
"As soon as the war began, the War Department asked Tennessee's governor for militia units to drive the British out of Florida. Florida at this time belonged to Spain, Britian's ally in the Napoleonic Wars. Although neutral in the American struggle, Spain went out of its way to be "neutral" in favor of Britain. The Royal Navy freely used Florida's harbors, especially Pensacola, as if they were home ports."
I would add Ronald Drez's book (which also called out the British-Spanish alliance), but I was informed that he is considered non-RS per the current Wikipedia standards.
Here is what I see as a reasonable change: "Spanish Floridas (1814)" instead of "Spain (1813)"
The Spanish military had abandoned the local Spanish authorities, but this was primarily due to their decline. Professor McDougall notes this in his book:
"Freedom Just Around the Corner: A New American History 1585-1828 by Walter A. McDougall" (pg423)
"The War of 1812 settled the matter. Britain held Canada, but failed to arrest the growth of the United States. Spain gripped her empire with no more than one legal finger. All Indians within reach were vanquished."
The sources that I note above clearly have it written that there was an alliance between the local Spanish authorities and the British government. And it seems more than coincidental that there were discussions related to U.S. territory upon that British-Spanish alliance.
Ironic Luck (
talk)
12:28, 15 June 2024 (UTC)reply
I was, of course, referring to a formal Spanish-British alliance; an alliance between the governments of Spain and Britain, not a temporary co-operation between local authorities and British troops, against an American land-grab. I don’t see anything in your sources to suggest the former and, in fact, one specifically states that Spain was neutral in the American struggle.--
Ykraps (
talk)
18:24, 15 June 2024 (UTC)reply
Martin noted that it was not really neutral, hence he used "neutral" with quotation marks in his book. Spain needed the British support and the local authorities asked for it. The British were driven out; this outcome also hurt their reputation among the allied-Creeks. The books that I cited do not refer to this as a "temporary co-operation." Personally, I see it as fair to change it to Spanish Floridas (1814) as they were the ones whom executed the support for the British.
Ironic Luck (
talk)
00:57, 16 June 2024 (UTC)reply
Irrespective of Martin's confusion over what the terms of the neutrality were, he notes that they were neutral. Monroe also considered them neutral, writing to Jackson to tell him to not risk war with Spain. You are of course free to propose whatever changes you wish to the infobox. Personally, I would like to see an end to infoboxes entirely, not just here, simply because they cannot convey the whole story accurately.--
Ykraps (
talk)
07:55, 16 June 2024 (UTC)reply
I think there is more merit with Spanish Florida (1814) than what there currently is.
Keith H99
The Patriot War, which took place at the same time as the War of 1812, appears to be so insignificant that it does not have a corresponding article in the Spanish language!!!
Keith H99 (
talk)
17:58, 2 May 2024 (UTC)reply
Looking through the references posted here (I admit, I haven't read much on Spain and the war apart from this) it would seem Spain was officially neutral, so should be removed from the infobox as a belligerent. As a comparison, Ireland was officially neutral in WW2, even though it favoured the UK rather than German, but certainly isn't listed as a belligerent against Germany in the WW2 article.
Deathlibrarian (
talk)
08:30, 24 June 2024 (UTC)reply
Also, as per User:Cinderella157's comment I had also assumed there must be more US native allies than just 125 Choctaw. I knew the numbers favoured the UK, but only 125???
Deathlibrarian (
talk)
08:45, 24 June 2024 (UTC)reply
The belligerent should be changed to "Spanish Florida (1814)" based on the material cited. It's neutral on paper but not in practice; hence Spain (as a country) wanted Louisiana back and Spanish Floridas wanted British protection from the United States. Was there ever an Irish city that Germany military took over and where (local) authorities were legally charged by Germany with "providing shelter to British troops" in comparison?
Ironic Luck (
talk)
07:57, 4 July 2024 (UTC)reply
Capitalisation of "house" and "senate"
Em3rgent0rdr, the house and the senate per Merriam-Webster are often used in capitalized form as the shortened name of a specific house [or senate] such as in the US Congress.
[1][2] Proper nouns are always capitalised - not just often. These are not examples of proper nouns|names. While they may often be capped, this does not mean that capitalisation is necessary per the general advice at
MOS:CAPS. Capitalisation of such shortened forms is sometimes done for significance but per
MOS:SIGNIFCAPS, we don't do that.
MOS:INSTITUTIONS more specifically addresses this issue and tells us not to cap in such instances. The matter of capitalising shortened forms of formal names has been specifically discussed
here and rejected by the community. We have our own style guide to follow. You reversion to capitalise these words
here is quite contrary to guidance.
Cinderella157 (
talk)
10:48, 7 June 2024 (UTC)reply
MOS:INSTITUTIONS literally says "Also treat as a proper name a shorter but still specific form, consistently capitalized in reliable generalist sources (e.g., US State Department or the State Department, depending on context)."
Em3rgent0rdr (
talk)
14:02, 7 June 2024 (UTC)reply
"Americans were able to end the impressment of their citizens"
I noticed this in the historiography section. Of course, the US didn't end impressment, this is a bit of a misconception - the Brits dropped it because they no longer needed sailors because the war with Napoleon was going well. When the US asked for it to be dropped as policy at the Treaty of Ghent, the Brits refused, and the US ratified the treaty anyway.
If this para is saying that American Historians believe this to be the case, then may be the wording needs to be changed to reflect that, but presently this is basically repeating a misnomer and is misleading. It's also unsourced.
Deathlibrarian (
talk)
04:26, 21 June 2024 (UTC)reply
It stopped simply because the Royal Navy did not want to pay for sailors it did not need. The right to press however was retained until superseded by conscription at the start of WWI. There was a slight change to the law in 1836 to prevent anyone being pressed more than once and to limit the service of a pressed man to five years but the right to press was very much reiterated. It was never the intention to press Americans (which would have been illegal) but of course there were some mistakes. The British compensated and repatriated 3,800 of those taken after they were found to be American citizens. Do you have a suggestion for rewriting that particular sentence? --
Ykraps (
talk)
07:14, 22 June 2024 (UTC)reply
Yes, indeed, thanks for that extra detail, I knew it was kept on the books for potential use for a while after, but wasn't sure of the details. My point of course is that the US didn't somehow force the UK to end Impressment. Simplest thing is just to remove the reference.
Current wording: With the failure of the invasion of British Canada advancing the concept of Canadian identity, and of Canada as a distinct :: region that would continue to evolve into a nation.[381] Americans were able to end the impressment of their citizens and enforce their sovereignty. Both the restoration of honor and what has been called the Second War of Independence are important themes in American historiography, and are considered significant results by historians.[382] Indigenous nations are generally held to have lost in the war.[383]
Suggested rewording:
With the failure of the invasion of British Canada advancing the concept of Canadian identity, Canada remained a distinct region that would continue to evolve into a nation.[381] Americans were able to enforce their sovereignty, and both the restoration of honor and what has been called the Second War of Independence are important themes in American historiography, and are considered significant results by historians.[382] Indigenous nations are generally held to have lost in the war.[383]