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On this day, August 24, 1814, the British set the Presidential Mansion and the Capitol on fire.
Burning of Washington
The burning of Washington depicted in an 1816 portrait of the same name by Paul de Rapin
Date: August 24, 1814
Location: Washington, D.C., U.S. 38.9101°N 77.0147°W
Result: British victory
British and American movements during the Chesapeake Campaign 1814
The Burning of Washington was a British invasion of Washington City (now Washington, D.C.), the capital of the United States, during the Chesapeake Campaign of the War of 1812. To this date, it remains the only time since the American Revolutionary War that a foreign power has captured and occupied the capital of the United States.
Following the defeat of American forces at the Battle of Bladensburg on August 24, 1814, a British force led by Major General Robert Ross marched to Washington. That night, British forces set fire to multiple government and military buildings, including the White House (then called the Presidential Mansion), the Capitol building, as well as other facilities of the U.S. government. The attack was in part a retaliation for the recent American destruction of Port Dover in Upper Canada, as well as American forces burning and looting the capital of Upper Canada the previous year. Less than a day after the attack began, a heavy thunderstorm —possibly a hurricane — and a tornado extinguished the fires. The occupation of Washington lasted for roughly 26 hours, and what the British plans were beyond the damage are still a subject of debate.
President James Madison, military officials, and his government evacuated and were able to find refuge for the night in Brookeville, a small town in Montgomery County, Maryland; President Madison spent the night in the house of Caleb Bentley, a Quaker who lived and worked in Brookeville. Bentley's house, known today as the Madison House, still exists. Following the storm, the British returned to their ships, many of which required repairs due to the storm.
{snip}
The burning of Washington depicted in an 1816 portrait of the same name by Paul de Rapin
Date: August 24, 1814
Location: Washington, D.C., U.S. 38.9101°N 77.0147°W
Result: British victory
British and American movements during the Chesapeake Campaign 1814
The Burning of Washington was a British invasion of Washington City (now Washington, D.C.), the capital of the United States, during the Chesapeake Campaign of the War of 1812. To this date, it remains the only time since the American Revolutionary War that a foreign power has captured and occupied the capital of the United States.
Following the defeat of American forces at the Battle of Bladensburg on August 24, 1814, a British force led by Major General Robert Ross marched to Washington. That night, British forces set fire to multiple government and military buildings, including the White House (then called the Presidential Mansion), the Capitol building, as well as other facilities of the U.S. government. The attack was in part a retaliation for the recent American destruction of Port Dover in Upper Canada, as well as American forces burning and looting the capital of Upper Canada the previous year. Less than a day after the attack began, a heavy thunderstorm —possibly a hurricane — and a tornado extinguished the fires. The occupation of Washington lasted for roughly 26 hours, and what the British plans were beyond the damage are still a subject of debate.
President James Madison, military officials, and his government evacuated and were able to find refuge for the night in Brookeville, a small town in Montgomery County, Maryland; President Madison spent the night in the house of Caleb Bentley, a Quaker who lived and worked in Brookeville. Bentley's house, known today as the Madison House, still exists. Following the storm, the British returned to their ships, many of which required repairs due to the storm.
{snip}
Fri Aug 2, 2024: On this day, August 2, 1814, the Declaration of Independence was smuggled out of DC to keep it from being burned.
Thu Aug 24, 2023: On this day, August 24, 1814, the British set the Presidential Mansion and the Capitol on fire.
Wed Aug 2, 2023: August 2, 1814: the Declaration of Independence is smuggled out of DC to keep it from being burned
Wed Aug 24, 2022: On this day, August 24, 1814, the British set the Presidential Mansion and the Capitol on fire.
Tue Aug 24, 2021: On this day, August 24, 1814, the British set the Presidential Mansion and the Capitol on fire.
Mon Aug 24, 2020: White House after it was torched by British, today 1814:
White House after it was torched by British, today 1814: #Munger
Link to tweet
Fri Aug 2, 2019: August 2, 1814: Declaration of Independence smuggled out of DC to keep it from being burned
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
We should have hidden an iceberg in front of the Titanic. Did that.
We could demand ransom for Queen Mary or the original London Bridge.
We could deny entry to Earl Grey and his ilk or dump English Breakfast tea into Boston harbor.
We could sue them for naming HP Sauce after Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard.
We could make fun of their enormous expense to rename all their Navy ships from HMS (whatever) after the Queen to HMS (whatever) after King Chucky.
I'm sure there are other ways.
