In 1812, the United States declared war on Britain and immediately set its sights on conquering Canada. American leaders were so confident that Thomas Jefferson claimed taking Canada would be "a mere matter of marching." What followed was one of the most embarrassing military disasters in American history: three separate invasions, all ending in failure, surrender, and humiliation. From a general who surrendered an entire fort without firing a shot to militia who refused to cross the border, this is the story of ambition meeting reality in the most spectacular way possible.

Sources:

USS Constitution Museum: War of 1812 Overview (https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/major-events/war-of-1812-overview/)

History.com: How U.S. Forces Failed to Conquer Canada (https://www.history.com/articles/how-u-s-forces-failed-to-conquer-canada-200-years-ago)

Wikipedia: Siege of Detroit (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Detroit)

National Park Service: Surrender of Detroit (https://www.nps.gov/articles/surrender-of-detroit.htm)

The Canadian Encyclopedia: Capture of Detroit (https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/capture-of-detroit-war-of-1812)

Wikipedia: Battle of Queenston Heights (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Queenston_Heights)

American Battlefield Trust: Queenston Heights Battle Facts (https://www.battlefields.org/learn/war-1812/battles/battle-queenston-heights)

Wikipedia: Battle of Lake Erie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lake_Erie)

American Battlefield Trust: Lake Erie Battle Facts (https://www.battlefields.org/learn/war-1812/battles/battle-lake-erie)

Wikipedia: Battle of York (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_York)

The Canadian Encyclopedia: War of 1812 (https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/war-of-1812)

Lost at Sea Shanty by legacyAlli Link: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/legacyalli/sound-phrases/rf-lost-at-sea-shanty/

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/