Military history of Canada Washington, DC, in September at the Battle of Bladensburg, the British troops burned down the White House and other government buildings, only to be repulsed as they moved north for the Battle of Baltimore, while the forces attacking during the Battle of New Orleans were routed after suffering severe casualties. During the War of 1812, Nova Scotia’s contribution to the war effort was made by communities either purchasing or building various privateer ships to lay siege to American vessels. Three members of the community of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia purchased a privateer schooner and named it "Lunenburg" on August 8, 1814.
USS Sea Horse (1812) Her commanding officer, Sailing Master William Johnson, then beached her and burned her to prevent capture. USS Sea Horse (1812) The first USS "Sea Horse" was a one-gun schooner that the Navy purchased in 1812 for service on Lake Borgne, near New Orleans, Louisiana. She saw action as part of a squadron of gunboats, under the command of Lieutenant Thomas ap Catesby Jones, that opposed the British advance on New Orleans in December 1814. She was one of 15 vessels available to Commodore Daniel Todd Patterson in New Orleans at the outbreak of war with Britain in 1812. In an