Dolley Madison Saves Famous Washington Portrait
On August 24, 1814, as British troops approached the American capital, First Lady Dolley Madison insisted on saving important historical relics, including a portrait of our first president.
War of 1812
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First Women Enlist in the Marines
On August 13, 1918, Opha May Johnson became the first woman to enlist in the US Marine Corps Reserve. By war’s end, a total of 305 women had enrolled and served in the Marines.
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Founding of West Point
On March 16, 1802, the Military Academy at West Point was founded. America’s oldest military academy, West Point prepared some of our most accomplished Army officers for service.
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The Battle of New Orleans Begins
On January 8, 1815, future president Andrew Jackson began the Battle of New Orleans, two weeks after the Treaty of Ghent was signed. It was the last major battle of the war – and the most one-sided.
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The Battle of Lake Erie
On September 10, 1813, Oliver Hazard Perry won an important War of 1812 victory on Lake Erie. That victory helped change the course of the war, leading to America’s absolute independence from Britain.
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Birth of Oliver Perry
Oliver Hazard Perry was born on August 23, 1785, in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. Serving with distinction during the War of 1812, he was known as the “Hero of Lake Erie.”
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USS Constitution Earns Much-Needed American Victory At Sea
On August 19, 1812, the USS Constitution dueled with the British HMS Guerriere and reigned victorious. During the fighting, one sailor noted that the British cannonballs simply bounced off the Constitution’s oak hull, proclaiming it was “made of iron.” This earned the ship its famous nickname – “Old Ironsides.”
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Kearny Expedition
On August 18, 1846, Stephen W. Kearny declared himself military governor of the New Mexico Territory. He had captured Santa Fe without firing a shot, as part of the Kearny Expedition.
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Birth of John Quincy Adams
America’s sixth president, John Quincy Adams was born on July 11, 1767, in Braintree (present-day Quincy), Massachusetts. He was the first president’s son to become president.
