▁thought ▁that ▁the ▁first ▁state ▁to ▁be ▁admitted ▁from ▁the ▁Louisiana ▁P urchase ▁should ▁bear ▁the ▁name ▁Louisiana , ▁so ▁on ▁June ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 1 2 , ▁Louisiana ▁Territ ory ▁was ▁renamed ▁Missouri ▁Territ ory . ▁ ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 8 1 2 ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁serious ▁test ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁territorial ▁milit ia ▁came ▁during ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 8 1 2 ▁which ▁last ed ▁from ▁June ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 8 1 2 , ▁to ▁February ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 8 1 5 . ▁The ▁British ▁provided ▁arms ▁to ▁their ▁Indian ▁al lies ▁to ▁conduct ▁attacks ▁on ▁American ▁sett lers ▁in ▁Missouri ▁and ▁the ▁North west ▁territ ories ▁for ▁several ▁years ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁comm enc ement ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁The ▁British ▁viewed ▁the ▁Indian ▁Nations ▁inhab iting ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁River ▁Valley ▁as ▁valuable ▁al lies ▁and ▁a ▁buffer ▁to ▁its ▁Canadian ▁colon ies . ▁The ▁Sau k ▁and ▁Fox ▁tribes ▁were ▁key ▁British ▁al lies ▁in ▁the ▁war ▁along ▁the ▁western ▁front ier . ▁While ▁no ▁major ▁land ▁batt les ▁were ▁fought ▁in ▁the ▁region ▁during ▁the ▁war , ▁the ▁sk irm ishes ▁with ▁the ▁Indian ▁nations ▁and ▁their ▁British ▁al lies ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁Missouri ▁River ▁continued ▁throughout ▁the ▁war ▁and ▁until ▁well ▁after ▁the ▁official ▁conclusion ▁of ▁the ▁war ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 5 . ▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 8 1 3 , ▁the ▁Milit ia ▁of ▁the ▁Territ