Many famous Americans fought and served during the War of 1812.
Many prominent leaders in the War of 1812 later became prominent Americans. William Henry Harrison, the famous hero of Tippecanoe in 1811, gained more fame from the war, leading successful campaigns against the British and Native Americans in the Northwest. The Whigs used his reputation as a rugged general and frontiersman, despite actually being from the elite Virginia aristocracy, to secure a presidential bid in 184.
General Winfield Scott would first gain military experience in the War of 1812, fighting in the Niagara frontier. After experiencing the ill-trained citizen militias of the war, he worked to establish a permanently trained American army. In 1821 Scott wrote General Regulations for the Army, the first American set of systematic military bylaws. He later commanded the campaign to take Mexico City during the Mexican American War, along with designing the Anaconda plan for the Civil War.
And the American who gained the most fame from the war was Andrew Jackson. Jackson served as a major general of the Tennessee militia during the War of 1812, first fighting in the Creek War. After accepting the Creek surrender in 1814, he was given command of New Orleans and promoted to General. Especially after the victory at the Battle of New Orleans, Jackson was made a national hero; he became known as the savior of New Orleans. His national recognition and military record helped him win the contested presidential election of 1828.
