1812

This article is about the year 1812. For the work by Tchaikovsky, see1812 Overture.For the war, seeWar of 1812.For other uses, see1812 (disambiguation).

1812(MDCCCXII) was aleap year starting on Wednesdayof theGregorian calendarand aleap year starting on Mondayof theJulian calendar,the 1812th year of theCommon Era(CE) andAnno Domini(AD) designations, the 812th year of the2nd millennium,the 12th year of the19th century,and the 3rd year of the1810sdecade. As of the start of 1812, the Gregorian calendar was 12 days ahead of the Julian calendar, which remained in localized use until 1923.

Millennium:	2nd millennium
Centuries:	18th century 19th century 20th century
Decades:	1790s 1800s 1810s 1820s 1830s
Years:	1809 1810 1811 1812 1813 1814 1815

1812 in variouscalendars

Gregorian calendar	1812 MDCCCXII
Ab urbe condita	2565
Armenian calendar	1261 ԹՎ ՌՄԿԱ
Assyrian calendar	6562
Balinese saka calendar	1733–1734
Bengali calendar	1219
Berber calendar	2762
British Regnal year	52Geo. 3– 53Geo. 3
Buddhist calendar	2356
Burmese calendar	1174
Byzantine calendar	7320–7321
Chinese calendar	Tân vịNiên (MetalGoat) 4509 or 4302 — to — Nhâm thân niên (WaterMonkey) 4510 or 4303
Coptic calendar	1528–1529
Discordian calendar	2978
Ethiopian calendar	1804–1805
Hebrew calendar	5572–5573
Hindu calendars
-Vikram Samvat	1868–1869
-Shaka Samvat	1733–1734
-Kali Yuga	4912–4913
Holocene calendar	11812
Igbo calendar	812–813
Iranian calendar	1190–1191
Islamic calendar	1226–1227
Japanese calendar	Bunka9 ( văn hóa ９ niên )
Javanese calendar	1738–1739
Julian calendar	Gregorian minus 12 days
Korean calendar	4145
Minguo calendar	100 beforeROC Dân tiền 100 niên
Nanakshahi calendar	344
Thai solar calendar	2354–2355
Tibetan calendar	Âm kim dương niên (female Iron-Goat) 1938 or 1557 or 785 — to — Dương thủy hầu niên (male Water-Monkey) 1939 or 1558 or 786

March 16–April 6:Siege of Badajoz

Events

January–March

• January 1– TheAllgemeines bürgerliches Gesetzbuch(the Austriancivil code) enters into force in theAustrian Empire.
• January 19–Peninsular War:The French-held fortress ofCiudad Rodrigois stormedby theAnglo-Portuguese Army,under theEarl of Wellington.
• February 7– The lastNew Madrid earthquakestrikesNew Madrid, Missouri,with an estimatedmoment magnitudeof over 8.
• February 12–Napoleonauthorizes the usage ofMesures usuelles,the basis of themetric system.
• February 13– The first Chilean newspaperAurora de Chiledeals with political philosophy, and stands in favor of the new national government.
• February 27
  • Argentine War of Independence:Manuel Belgranoraises theFlag of Argentina(which he designed) in the city ofRosario,for the first time.
  • English poetLord Byrongives his first address as a member of the BritishHouse of Lords,in defense ofLudditeviolence againstindustrialism,in his home county ofNottinghamshire.
• February 24– Prussia and France sign theTreaty of Paris.
• March 14– Prussia and Austria sign theTreaty of Paris.
• March 15–Ludditesattack thewool-processing factory ofFrank VickermaninWest Yorkshire.
• March 16–April 6–Siege of Badajoz(Peninsular War): TheAnglo-Portuguese Army,under theEarl of Wellington,besiegesBadajoz,Spain and forces the surrender of the French garrison.
• March 19– TheCortes of Cádizcreates the first modernSpanish constitution.
• March 26
  • In the United States, theBoston Gazetteprints a political cartoon coining the termGerrymander,after formerMassachusettsGovernorElbridge Gerry's approval (on February 11) of legislation creating oddly shaped electoral districts, designed to help incumbents win re-election.
  • The1812 Caracas earthquakedestroysCaracas,Venezuela.

April–June

• April 4– U.S. PresidentJames Madisonenacts a 90-dayembargoon trade with the United Kingdom.
• April 8– The capital of Finland is moved fromTurkutoHelsinki,when Russia's Tsar Alexander I signs an edict moving the Government Council of theGrand Duchy of Finland.
• April 30–Louisianais admitted as the 18thU.S. state.
• May 11–John BellinghamassassinatesBritishPrime MinisterSpencer Perceval,in the lobby of theBritish House of Commons.
• May 16– Russian field marshalMikhail Kutuzovsigns theTreaty of Bucharest,ending theRusso-Turkish War (1806–12)and annexingBessarabiatoImperial Russia.
• May 25–Felling mine disaster:A mine explosion at theFellingcollierynearJarrow,England, leaves 96 dead.
• June 1–War of 1812:U.S. PresidentJames Madisonasks theU.S. Congressto declare war on the United Kingdom.
• June 4– FollowingLouisiana's admittance as aU.S. state,the territory by that name is renamed theMissouri Territory.
• June 16– New York State charters the City Bank of New York (laterCitibank).
• June 18– TheWar of 1812between the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom begins withUS declaration.
• June 22– Francedeclared war on Russia.
• June 24–Napoleon'sGrande Arméecrosses theNeman River,andinvades Russia.

July–September

• July 12– Americans invade Canada atWindsor, Ontario.
• July 18–Russia's Patriotic War–Battle of Klyastitsy:KulnevdefeatsOudinot,but sustains a mortal wound.
• July 19–BeethovenandGoethemeet each other inTeplice,Bohemia.
• July 22–Peninsular War–Battle of Salamanca:British forces led bythe Earl of Wellingtondefeat French troops nearSalamanca,Spain.
• August 5–War of 1812:Tecumseh'sIndianforce ambushesThomas Van Horne's 200 Americans at Brownstone Creek, causing them to flee and retreat.
• August 12–Peninsular War:The combined English and Portuguese army under the command ofWellingtonentersMadrid,following theBattle of Salamanca.
• August 15–War of 1812–Battle of Fort Dearborn:Potawatomiwarriors overrun the United States fort inIllinois Territory.
• August 16–War of 1812:American GeneralWilliam HullsurrendersFort Detroit,without a fight, to the British Army.
• August 19–War of 1812:USSConstitutiondefeatsthe BritishfrigateGuerriere,off the coast ofNova Scotia.The British shot is said to have bounced offConstitution's sides, earning her the nickname "Old Ironsides".
• September 7–Napoleonic Wars–French invasion of Russia–Battle of Borodino:The bloodiest battle of the Napoleonic Wars ends in atactical victoryfor Napoleon. There are at least 70,000 casualties, with a minimum of 6,562 dead from the FrenchGrande Arméealone.
• September 14–French invasion of RussiaandFire of Moscow:Napoleon's troops enter Moscow, which is deliberately seton fireby Muscovites, on orders ofFyodor Rostopchin.Later accounts report that France lost 40,000 troops during four days of fire between September 17 and 20, and that 20,000 Russian soldiers were killed in what would be described in 1876 as "the greatest example in history of national self-sacrifice for the destruction of an invader."

October–December

• October 9–War of 1812:American naval forces underLieutenant Jesse Duncan Elliottcapture two British warships,HMSDetroitandHMSCaledonia.
• October 12– The capital ofPennsylvania,United States, is permanently moved fromLancastertoHarrisburg.
• October 13–War of 1812–Battle of Queenston Heights:As part of theNiagara campaigninOntario,Canada, United States forces under GeneralStephen Van Rensselaerare repulsed from invading Canada by British and native troops, led by SirIsaac Brock(who dies during the battle).
• October 18–20–Second Battle of Polotsk– Russians attack and defeat a Franco-Bavarian force inBelarus.
• October 19–Napoleonbegins his retreat from Moscow.
• October 23–Malet coup of 1812:GeneralClaude François de Maletattempts unsuccessfully to overthrow the Napoleonic régime in Paris.
• October 24–Napoleonic Wars–Battle of Maloyaroslavets:An inconclusive encounter between the Frenchvanguardand a Russian force leadsNapoleonto decide to retreat along the same line as his advance, with disastrous results.
• November 3–Napoleonic Wars–Battle of Vyazma:The rearguard of Napoleon's retreating army is defeated.
• November 5–1812 United States presidential election:James MadisondefeatsDeWitt Clinton.
• November 10–1812 United Kingdom general election:TheToryParty is victorious, underRobert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool.
• November 15–18–Napoleonic Wars–Battle of Krasnoi:Napoleon's retreating army is again defeated in a series of skirmishes.
• December 8– The M6.9–7.5San Juan Capistrano earthquakeaffectsAlta Californiawith a maximumMercalli intensityof VII (Very strong) to IX (Violent), killing 40 parishioners atMission San Juan Capistrano.
• December 14– TheFrench invasion of Russiacomes to an end as the remnants of theGrande Arméeare expelled from Russia.
• December 20– The first volume ofGrimms' Fairy Talesis published in Germany.
• December 29–War of 1812:USSConstitutiondefeats the British frigateHMSJava,off the coast ofBrazil.
• December 30– TheConvention of Tauroggenis signed.

Date unknown

• TheBishop James Madison Societyis founded at theCollege of William & Mary,Williamsburg, Virginia.
• TheWoodford ReserveBourbon whiskeydistillery,established in1780alongGlenn's CreekinWoodford County, Kentucky,passes to the control of Oscar Pepper.
• TheRanikot Fortis reconstructed inSindh.
• Approximate date –Battle of Shela:The people ofLamu Islandare victorious against those from other parts of theKenyacoast.

Births

Charles Dickens

Henry Wilson

Fernando Wood

Louisa Hamilton, Duchess of Abercorn

• January 6–Melchora Aquino,Filipino revolutionary hero (d.1919)
• January 13–Victor de Laprade,French poet, critic (d.1883)
• February 3–William Fraser Tolmie,Scottish-Canadian scientist, politician (d.1886)
• February 7–Charles Dickens,English novelist (d.1870)
• February 11–Alexander Hamilton Stephens,Vice President of the Confederate States of America(d.1883)
• February 15–Charles Lewis Tiffany,American jeweler, co-founder ofTiffany & Co.(d.1902)
• February 18–Nils Johan Berlin,Swedish chemist, professor (d.1891)
• February 29– SirJames Milne Wilson,Premier of Tasmania (d.1880)
• March 1
  • Nicolae Crețulescu,2-time prime minister of Romania (d.1900)
  • Augustus Pugin,English-born architect (d.1852)
• March 6–Aaron Lufkin Dennison,American watch manufacturer (d.1895)
• March 22–Stephen Pearl Andrews,American anarchist, abolitionist (d.1886)
• April 14–George Grey,Portugal-born British colonial governor, 11thPremier of New Zealand(d.1898)
• April 20–Pauline Åhman,Swedish harpist (d.1904)
• April 22–Solomon Caesar Malan,Swiss-born orientalist (d.1894)
• April 23–Frederick Whitaker,English-New Zealand lawyer, politician, 5th Prime Minister of New Zealand (d.1891)
• April 27
  • Friedrich von Flotow,German composer (d.1883)
  • William W. Snow,American politician (d.1886)
• April 29–Emilie Högquist,Swedish dramatic star (d.1846)
• May 6–Madame Restell,American abortion provider (d.1878)
• May 7–Robert Browning,English poet (d.1889)
• May 12–Edward Lear,English artist, nonsense poet (d.1888)
• June 9–Johann Gottfried Galle,German astronomer (d.1910)
• June 13–Gustavus H. Scott,American admiral (d.1882)
• June 14–Fernando Wood,American politician,U.S. House of RepresentativesfromNew Yorkand 2-timeMayor of New York City(d.1881)
• July 2–Nathaniel de Rothschild,French wine grower (d.1870)
• July 8–Louisa Hamilton, Duchess of Abercorn(b.1905)
• August 8–John Rodgers,American admiral (d.1882)
• August 25
  • Percival Drayton,United States Navy officer (d.1865)
  • Nikolay Zinin,Russian organic chemist (d.1880)
• August 27–Bertalan Szemere,3rd Prime Minister of Hungary (d.1869)
• September 2–William Fox,2ndPremier of New Zealand(d.1893)
• September 18–Herschel Vespasian Johnson,American politician (d.1880)
• October 12–Ascanio Sobrero,Italian chemist (d.1888)
• October 20–Austin Flint I,American cardiologist (d.1886)
• November 14–Aleardo Aleardi,Italian poet (d.1878)
• November 19–Edmond Jurien de La Gravière,French admiral, naval historian, and biographer (d.1892)
• December 6–Ana María Martínez de Nisser,Colombian heroine and writer (d.1872)
• December 8–Henry Varnum Poor,American financial analyst (d.1905)
• December 14–Charles Canning, 1st Earl Canning,British Viceroy of India (d.1862)
• December 17–Vilhelm Petersen,Danish painter (d.1880)
• December 24–Karl Eduard Zachariae von Lingenthal,German jurist (d.1894)

Deaths

Spencer Perceval

Mayer Amschel Rothschild

• January 23–Robert Craufurd,British general (mortally wounded in battle) (b.1764)
• February 2–Isaac Titsingh,Dutch scholar, merchant-trader and ambassador (b.1745)
• March 7–Isaac Swainson,English botanist (b.1746)
• March 11–Philip James de Loutherbourg,English artist (b.1740)
• April 14–William Nicholas (officer),English army officer, at theSiege of Badajoz(b.1785)
• April 15–Michael Atkins,Irish actor and theatre manager (b.1746)
• April 20–George Clinton,4thVice President of the United States(b.1739)
• April 25–Edmond Malone,Irish scholar (b.1741)
• May 11–Spencer Perceval,Prime Minister of the United Kingdom(assassinated) (b.1762)
• May 12
  • Martha Ballard,American diarist and midwife (b.1734or1735)
  • Charles Sturt,English politician (b.1763)
• May 18–John Bellingham,British assassin of Spencer Perceval (b.1769)
• May 27–Manuela Gandarillas,Bolivian freedom fighter (born c. 1740s)
• July 4–Victurnien-Jean-Baptiste de Rochechouart de Mortemart,French general and politician (b.1752)
• August 1–Yakov Kulnev,Russian military leader (b.1763).
• August 12–Anna Strong,Patriot spy during the American Revolutionary War (b.1740)
• August 30–George Mathews,American army officer and politician (b.1739)
• September 13–Leonardo Bravo,Mexican general who fought in theMexican War of Independence,father ofNicolas Bravo,executed (b.1764)
• September 19
  • Auguste-Jean-Gabriel de Caulaincourt,French general (b.1777)
  • Mayer Amschel Rothschild,German banker (b.1744)
• September 21–Emanuel Schikaneder,German dramatist, actor and singer (b.1751)
• September 24
  • Pyotr Bagration,Russian general and prince of Georgian origin (b.1765)
  • Juana Galán,Spanish heroine (b.1787)
• October 13–Isaac Brock,British general (killed in action) (b.1769)
• December 15–Schneur Zalman,Polish rabbi and founder of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement (b.1745)
• December 20–Sacagawea,Shoshone guide (b. ca.1788)
• December 24–George Beck,American artist and poet (b.1749)

See also

• 1784

Further reading

• Louis Heilprin(1885)."Chronological Table of Universal History".Historical Reference Book.New York: D. Appleton and Company.hdl:2027/wu.89097349187– via Hathi Trust.1812