Lusitania

Donor
Thomas Jefferson said that conquering Canada is "Merely a matter of marching." Jefferson, and his party, held in contempt, that which they did not understand. Those topics included military affairs, banking, and economics. Jefferson's party was incapable of managing the War of 1812 decisively. Note they failed to extend the charter of the Bank of the US when the VP voted against it to break the tie in the Senate.
Bless his heart I guess we should build a state in his honour here in Canada.
 
Or pick a better side. If the "war of 1812" is the US name for their participation in the Sixth Coalition rather than against it, then their chances improve considerably.
who would the US be fighting against? French Canada is long gone, the US just bought the LA territory, Spain is an ally, so no going after adjacent Spanish territory, etc... I suppose you could have a POD where the LA Purchase didn't happen, and the US invades it...
 

Lusitania

Donor
who would the US be fighting against? French Canada is long gone, the US just bought the LA territory, Spain is an ally, so no going after adjacent Spanish territory, etc... I suppose you could have a POD where the LA Purchase didn't happen, and the US invades it...
If the French had been able to put down the Haitian rebellion and reestablish French control Napoleon would not of sold French Louisiana to the Americans since his goal was to use the profits from the sugar industry in French Caribbean to fund the settler colony of French Louisiana. On plus note to the Americans the population of French Louisiana would of been smaller due to it having been increased by fleeing French from Haiti.
 
Henry Dearborn needs to go. He purged the army of Federalist-leaning officers, and was an ineffective commander in 1812. Perhaps Jefferson is persuaded to keep on Samuel Dexter, who made a good impression on Gallatin when temporarily filling in at Treasury during the transition period. As Secretary of War, Dexter tried to get Congress to reform the role of staff officers, so it's possible he could have made other improvements given the time to do so. Have the moment shift further in Dexter's direction due to the Chesapeake-Leopard incident, and then you could have a much more capable force by 1812. Then give command of the armies in New York to someone more capable like Jacob Brown, and then things look alright.
 
Despite its name the War of 1812 lasted three years, from 1812 to 1815. While the US saw its capital burned and the invasion of Canada failed, America didn't technically lose the war and the peace was negotiated on favorable terms. At the same time the US didn't decisively win either.

So how could America have decisively won the War of 1812?

The US also fought against Tecumseh's confederacy and won that theatre decisively. Wars can be complicated...
 
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