Henry Bathurst British The Battle of Plattsburg Bay

Lord Bathurst was a powerful minister throughout the reign of George III. Under Lord Liverpool, he served as secretary of war of the colonies. This made him directly responsible for Britain’s war with the United States. Until 1814, he was primarily concerned with the war against Napoleon. Bathurst was content ordering minor punitive expeditions against the Americans and saving his resources for the conflict in Europe. After the fall of Napoleon however, he turned his full attention to North America. In the spring of 1814, Bathurst ordered the occupation of the islands in Passamaquoddy Bay, on the border between Maine and New Brunswick. By June, he felt that enough veteran troups had been transferred to Canada from Europe and ordered Governor General George Prevost to mount an ambitious offensive. Prevost was told to attack Sacket’s Harbour and Plattsburg, as well as to destroy U.S. naval establishments on Lakes Champlain and Erie. Bathurst also told Prevost to retake Detroit and establish the Michigan Territory as a First Nations homeland. The British losses at Plattsburg and Baltimore in the fall of 1814 undermined Bathurst’s plans. Despite these military setbacks, Bathurst took a hard-line position at the Ghent peace negotiations. He insisted that Britain be allowed to retain the territories it had gained during the war. Bathurst only changed his position when the Duke of Wellington advised him that this approach was unrealistic. Bathurst consequently authorized the British negotiators to accept a return to the territorial status quo which existed before the war. Within in a month, the peace treaty was signed.