Along with the Executive Mansion (White House), the War Department, the State Department, the Treasury and many government offices were burned. And, of course, the Capitol , along with the original Library of Congress, was also destroyed.
The British policy was to leave private property alone. However, the fires threatened to spread out of control. The city was in jeopardy.
The next day, August 25, as fires still raged, a massive storm hit Washington,. The driving rain put out most of the fires threatening the city. Perhaps, more importantly, the invading British were so battered and demoralized by the storm (tornado included),it caused them to cut short their occupation of the city.
The storm (tornado) was so severe that it tore buildings apart, literally lifting them off their foundations. The winds uprooted trees and knocked men to the ground. A number of houses collapsed, killing British soldiers taking cover in them.
One British officer reported seeing cannons lifted off the ground and thrown through the air. British soldiers out in the streets to maintain order, were forced to lie prostrate in the mud.
This Was a Tornado. --Brock-Perry
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