<P> American public opinion was outraged when Madison published the demands; even the Federalists were now willing to fight on . The British had planned three invasions . One force burned Washington but failed to capture Baltimore, and sailed away when its commander was killed . In northern New York State, 10,000 British veterans were marching south until a decisive defeat at the Battle of Plattsburgh forced them back to Canada . Nothing was known of the fate of the third large invasion force aimed at capturing New Orleans and southwest . The Prime Minister wanted the Duke of Wellington to command in Canada and take control of the Great Lakes . Wellington said that he would go to America but he believed he was needed in Europe . Wellington emphasized that the war was a draw and the peace negotiations should not make territorial demands: </P> <P> I think you have no right, from the state of war, to demand any concession of territory from America...You have not been able to carry it into the enemy's territory, notwithstanding your military success and now undoubted military superiority, and have not even cleared your own territory on the point of attack . You cannot on any principle of equality in negotiation claim a cessation of territory except in exchange for other advantages which you have in your power...Then if this reasoning be true, why stipulate for the uti possidetis? You can get no territory: indeed, the state of your military operations, however creditable, does not entitle you to demand any . </P> <P> The Prime Minister, Lord Liverpool, aware of growing opposition to wartime taxation and the demands of Liverpool and Bristol merchants to reopen trade with America, realized Britain also had little to gain and much to lose from prolonged warfare especially after the growing concern about the situation in Europe . After months of negotiations, against the background of changing military victories, defeats and losses, the parties finally realized that their nations wanted peace and there was no real reason to continue the war . The main focus on British foreign policy was the Congress of Vienna, during which British diplomats had clashed with Russian and Prussian diplomats over the terms of the peace with France, and there were fears at the Britain might have go to war with Russia and Prussia . Now each side was tired of the war . Export trade was all but paralyzed and after Napoleon fell in 1814 France was no longer an enemy of Britain, so the Royal Navy no longer needed to stop American shipments to France, and it no longer needed to impress more seamen . It had ended the practices that so angered the Americans in 1812 . The British were preoccupied in rebuilding Europe after the apparent final defeat of Napoleon . </P> <P> British negotiators were urged by Lord Liverpool to offer a status quo and dropped their demands for the creation of an Indian barrier state, which was in any case hopeless after the collapse of Tecumseh's alliance . This allowed negotiations to resume at the end of October . British diplomats soon offered the status quo to the U.S. negotiators, who accepted them . Prisoners were to be exchanged and captured slaves returned to the United States or paid for by Britain . At this point, the number of slaves was approximately 6,000 . Britain eventually refused the demand, allowing many to either emigrate to Canada or Trinidad . </P>

Where was the majority of the war of 1812 fought