History of North Carolina |
---|
![]() |
The War of 1812 occurred during the administration of William Hawkins. France and Great Britain, fighting on the high seas, had been a threat to American peace for a number of years. With the impressment of American seamen, the balance against Great Britain led to a declation of war by Congress on June 18, 1812. The militia was organized in several counties and fortifications along the North Carolina coast were reinforced. With 15,000 men on the militia rolls, Governor Hawkins found no difficulty in furnishing the 7,000 artillerymen, cavalrymen, infantrymen, and riflemen requested by U.S. President James Madison.[1]