CaliGuy said:
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What if, for whatever reason, the War of 1812 would have lasted longer?
What would the battles and outcome of this war be in such a scenario?
Militarily, the United States despite a well earned victory in New Orleans, and victorious battles against mostly British allied Native Americans, (Tippecanoe), was never in a great position to fight a war with a major power as Great Britain. Even with Britain downsizing due to the end of the Napoleonic Wars, she still had the one thing that even in a downsized mode the United States could not counter with, and that is a well trained, financed, and armed professional military.
A regular army, which the founding fathers (Washington the exception,) frowned upon and the US attitude and dependence on the "well regulated militia," (refer to the Second Amendment of the Constitution) instead of a professional standing army proved disastrous in this war when they faced regular British troops. And even with the good showing the small US Navy put up, its limited ability against the might of the British fleet leaves the US in a position of ultimate defeat and probably worse terms than were rendered in 1815. We can say all we want about "patriotism", and growing "Nationalism," and that the advantage of defending ourselves in our own homeland against an invading force from far away would eventually win out as it did in the Revolutionary War, but we didn't have the French Army and Navy and finances to help us this time or even the Spanish. As was mentioned before, Britain had regular forces garrisoned all over Canada and the Caribbean to defend against possible French attacks, which after Napoleon's defeat were now free to be used in the War of 1812, which some were, and it should be noted that many were not used that could have been had they been needed.
The war was not as popular especially in New England as President Madison would have liked, and yes the United States was on the brink of bankruptcy attempting to finance this war. With all that, the question becomes just how much more would the nation as a whole support and be willing to go on. In the end the best weapon the United Stated had was Britain itself which no doubt after almost 30 years of war, was ready to just stop fighting and concentrate on policies at home. Call it a win, (which we really can't), a loss (which we really should), or a tie, (which many prefer), a longer War of 1812 would do the United States much more harm than any good.