British soldiers out on the streets of Washington, D.C., on patrol when this hit were forced to lie prostrate in the mud.
Based on the first-hand accounts, weather historians generally agree that the storm that struck the city on August 25, 1814, sparked one or more tornadoes. It does seem hard to believe that none of the soldiers or residents would have remarked about a funnel cloud.
There can't be much doubt that the tornado(es) that struck that day saved Washington, D.C., by putting out the fires and giving the British cause to leave the city (although I don't think it was their intention to permanently occupy it).
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From the Vintage News, "War of 1812: The burning of Washington and how a freak storm saved the day" by Ian Harvey.
Two British cannons were lifted up and moved by the storm.
According to the Smithsonian, there have only been seven other tornadoes reported in Washington, D.C. since then.
The storm and tornado also caused damage to the General Post Office and Patent Office which had their roofs torn off by it.
--Brock-Perry
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