War of 1812

The Burning of The White House

by Ian Barstow, UK.

In issue 5 I wrote a scenario for the battle of Bladensburg in 1814 and I thought it might be interesting to review what followed - namely the burning of the White House. At the conclusion of the battle the Americans streamed back towards Washington with the British in hot pursuit. In the afternoon of August 24th 1814 a steady stream of routing American troops, including Secretary of War Armstrong, poured into Washington amid warnings of rape and pillage which not unnaturally upset many of the female citizens. At President Madison's house in Pennsylvania Avenue Jim Smith, one of the servants, rode in at 3 o'clock shouting "Clear out, clear out! General Armstrong has ordered a retreat!" The First Lady, Dolley Madison was a calm, prepared woman who promptly arranged a wagon to remove valuables from the premises. Whilst Mrs Madison was calmly removing George Washington from the dining room wall her husband was involved in the rout, watching General Winder twice attempt to rally troops, but not feeling strong enough to stand. Leaving 1200 troops under General Walter Smith, Winder rode for the Capitol looking for Stansbury's Baltimore militia, but they had not stopped and were still heading home. Winder there met Armstrong and Secretary of State Monroe and they together planned what to do next. Armstrong wanted to defend Washington itself, but Winder was dead against the idea. He wanted to retreat to the Georgetown Heights to give his men time to rally and in this he was supported by Monroe who feared encirclement. Outvoted, Armstrong agreed. Regrettably this destroyed the last vestiges of discipline and order. Most men scattered to save themselves. Madison himself arrived back at around 4.30 pm, some 30 minutes after his wife departed and he stopped to rest and talk with two of his aides. Outside, things were getting worse rather than better. Full of whiskey supplied partly by one John P. Van Ness soldiers and civilians began looting government offices. It was obviously time to get out and the Presidential group left at sunset heading for Virginia. Meanwhile in the city, people were wondering where the British actually were. It was some four hours since the end of the battle without any sign of direct pursuit. Rumours of cunning Britain plans abounded - they were coming down the race-track on 14th Street, they were shepherding the American troops into a trap - but none were true. The British advance guard, led personally by General Ross had left Bladensburg at twilight, having rested for a full three hours and approached Washington under cover of darkness. They found the city dark and empty. The British consisted only of the 3rd Brigade consisting of the 21st Foot, the Marines and seamen, about 1500 troops. They were well rested and had received negligible casualties in the battle. They pulled up inside the turnpike gate whilst Ross, Admiral Cockburn and a small party of the 21st Foot advanced down Maryland Avenue towards the Capitol. The drum roll sounding for a parley went unanswered probably because of the local lack of experience in military etiquette and Ross proceeded to the front of the White House itself. Whilst Ross and Cockburn discussed what to do they were fired upon, suffering four casualties plus Ross's horse, which was unfortunate as he was on it at the time. The identity of the firers has never been determined, although a favourite rumour attributed the action to a few locals led by a barber called Dixon! This is unlikely. Cockburn reacted quickly. He went back to get the 21st's light company and the rocket troops and had the rockets fired into nearby houses, causing fires. However, this was overshadowed by the explosion at the Navy Yard where Captain Tingey, USN, had set light to the yard. This thoughtfully lit up the area where the light company was burning any house where ammunition was found. Meanwhile Ross ordered up the whole brigade who formed up in Capitol Square. In a marvelously symbolic gesture Ross formed the brigade into line and fired a volley into the eastern side of the White House. Lieutenant de Lacy Evans led a storming party which forced the doors to find the building deserted, and for the next hour some low key looting was the order of the day. Cockburn himself took a small bound copy of a Treasury Report. Having had a good look around Ross and Cockburn began planning the building's demise. Plan A was to blow the place up, in the belief that it was too well built to burn, but remaining inhabitants quickly complained that it would also destroy their homes and Ross sportingly agreed to find another way, and fire, after all, was decided upon. Lt George Pratt, RN, was put in charge as he had a reputation as an experienced arsonist, but his scheme of starting small fires in every downstairs room was a slow one. Upstairs he tried firing rockets into the Hall of Representatives only to discover that it had a sheet iron roof. Success finally came when a bonfire of furniture was ignited with a few rockets and this was so effective that it was repeated in the Senate wing. Pratt's reputation became enhanced when a breeze got up and soon four more houses were going well, including two built by George Washington. Many congressional papers moved there for safety were thus torched after all. Ross and Cockburn then went on to the President's house where once more Lt. Pratt did his bit and by 10.30 pm it was gone in flames. by this time the fires could be seen 40 miles distant in Baltimore. Luckily for the rest of the city an early morning thunder storm dampened the flames and stopped them spreading further through the city. This was the high point of the invasion, twenty-four hours after entering Washington the British left, amid rumours of 12000 American reinforcements approaching, and by 11.30 pm the following evening the Redcoats had returned to Bladensburg. The raid into Washington was marked by the noticeably civil behaviour of the troops. There was no raping, and the pillaging was remarkably restrained in its manner. Compare it with the excesses of the Peninsular War and you can see how lucky the population of Washington were. Back to Table of Contents -- First Empire #13 Back to First Empire List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1993 by First Empire. 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