>>65699254The problem is that the US didn't even expect a fight, they thought they'd be greeted as liberators.
"The acquisition of Canada this year, as far as the neighborhood of Quebec, will be a mere matter of marching, and will give us the experience for the attack on Halifax, the next and final expulsion of England from the American continent"
-Jefferson
Up until that point, America thought that having a standing army was evil and imperialistic, so relied entirely upon state militias. Because of this, everyone involved in the war of 1812 was either an old veteran from the Revolution 30 years prior, or inexperienced recruits.