The Burning of Washington, D.C.-- Part 1: Brookeville, Md., U.S. Capital for A Day

From Wikipedia.

August 24, 1814

After the Americans were routed at the Battle of Bladensburg, outside Washington, D.C., on August 24, the British Army under General Robert Ross occupied the city and set about burning down a lot of buildings, including the White House, the Capitol and other government buildings.

This burning was partly in response to American sacking and burning of Port  Dover and York (Toronto today) in Upper Canada earlier in the war.  This marked the first and only time since the American Revolution that the nation's capital has been occupied by a foreign country.President Madison, military officials and other government people gad hurriedly abandoned the city as soon as they learned of the defeat at Bladensburg.

They made it to Brookeville, Maryland, and found refuge for the night.  Today, Brookeville bills itself as the "United States Capital for a Day."  Madison spent the night at the home of Caleb Bentley and the house still stands and is known today as the Madison House.

--Brock-Perry

Brookeville Steps Back in Time

From the October 29, 2013, Maryland Gazette Net by Terru Hogan.

In 1814, James Madison fled from Washington, D.C., when the British Were Coming and went to Brookeville and was accompanied by remnants of the American Army.  He was shown hospitality by the village which in fact became the temporary White House.

On October 27th, 2014, the Madison Supper was hosted at the Inn at Brookerville Farm.  Some 300 attended to raise funds for the planned War of 1812 bicentennial activities to be held in 2014.

--Brock-Perry

This Is a Good One: 5 Tips for That War of 1812 Party You're Planning

From the June 18th Mental_Floss Blog "5 Tips for That War of 1812 Bicentennial Party You're Probably Planning" by Ethan Trex.

I got a kick out of reading these suggestions.

1.  DO NOT kidnap and sailors. (Especially those from the Sailabration.  This could cause your neighbors to call the cops.)

2.  DO pace yourself.  Not a whole lot really happened.  Most fighting in 1813, treaty ratified 1814, deciding battle 1815. (Well, I'm not sure how it can be a deciding battle if the war is over.  Probably the best-known battle, though.)

3.  DON'T even think about looting the White House.  Besides getting yourself arrested and in big trouble, the ship carrying the captured loot from it sank off Nova Scotia coast on the way back and the British never got any of it. (Crime doesn't pay.)

4.  DO launch bottle rockets to get some of that red glare in your backyard.  These were Congreve rockets, a giant iron bottle rocket mounted on a 15-foot-long bamboo pole that could go a mile and create quite a bit of destruction but were extremely inaccurate.  (You might hit some neighbors mad at you for destroying their house.)

5.  DON'T forget to visit Brookeville, Maryland.  President James Madison hid here August 26, 1814.  It was a little rural settlement 18 miles from Washington, D.C..  Madison ran the country from here for a day.  The town's 140 residents still call their town "U.S. Capital for a Day."  (I didn't know that.  On my travel itinerary now.)

I Wonder If They Drank Beer Back Then?  Gotta Have Beer At a Backyard Cookout.  --Brock-Perry