Publisher's Synopsis
The Combat Studies Institute is pleased to publish this staff ride handbook for the War of 1812 in the Niagara region. Between 1812 and 1814, the US Army fought a series of actions centered on the thirty-seven mile river boundary separating the United States from what was then the British province of Upper Canada. These battles are interesting for a variety of reasons. The War of 1812, during which the Niagara frontier saw the majority of ground combat, is often cited as an example of national unpreparedness leading to a series of military defeats and a failure to accomplish the national goals.The conflict also saw the transformation of the US Army from a frontier constabulary into the tactical equal of one of the most professional armies of its time - the British Army in Canada. The tactical actions then showed a slow maturation of capabilities on the US side. This evolution was difficult, with more defeats than victories accruing to American arms. Yet through it all, the emergence of effective and determined leaders and trained organizations established a legacy still valid for today's fighting forces. Indeed, the lineage of several Army organizations begins with service at Chippawa and Lundy's Lane. Graduates of the fledgling US Military Academy who were present on these battlefields, although few in number, established by word and action that institution's creed of Duty, Honor, Country. The Army that emerged from this conflict started on a path to professionalization that we continue to travel today.
