The Night Britain Set Fire to the White House

From the September 20, Ottawa (Canada) Citizen by Neil Tweedie, LDT.

The White House was just 14 years old at the time and known as the President's House, when the British burned it in 1814.  They also burned the U.S. Capitol, the Library of Congress, all 3,000 volumes in it.

It took place in the last hour of August 24, 1814 and was America's greatest humiliation.

The War of 1812 has also been called Mr. Madison's War, the president at the time, by those who were against it, principally New Englanders.

What enabled the British to march into the capital was the stunning victory at the Battle of Bladensburg where 4,500 British regulars routed an American force of 6,000.

At the time, Washington's population consisted of just 17,000 inhabitants and the British only burned public buildings.  Most looting was done by the American citizens themselves.

There are still scorch marks on the White House from the fire.

--Brock-Perry