WASHINGTON BURNS
After the Battle of Bladensburg, the British Burned government Buildings in Washington, dc
The Battle of Bladensburg had been won, but General ross still had his orders to destroy american property from Governor-general Prevost, in reprisal for similar acts committed by american troops in Canada. Ross had no liking for them, remarking that he had never been asked to do such things to property in france. Nevertheless, he had to obey Prevost.
On 24 august 1814 ross marched with a 200-strong company to washington, DC to burn government buildings there. Not wanting to do this, he tried initially to find an american official, whom he might persuade to make a ransom payment in exchange for not burning the city. But there were no officials to be found, and he rode into the city at the head of his men, whereupon his horse was promptly shot out from under him.
The Capitol building was set ablaze by gunpowder dumped across the floors, helped along by rockets shot straight into the building. The US Treasury was torched, as were the homes of the State and war Departments.
The americans themselves contributed in part to the conflagration. They set the US Navy Yard alight to keep its buildings, stores and two ships still under construction, the sloop-of-war argus and the frigate Columbia, out of British hands.
The presidential mansion, the President’s House (later called the white House), was also on the target list. admiral Cockburn, who had also made the trip with ross to washington, DC, helped himself to the dinner for 40 guests that first Lady Dolley Madison had laid out for her husband, President James Madison and his senior military officers and cabinet members. Cockburn and his companions found President Madison’s wine, which they all agreed was very good, and drank toasts to the prince regent of the United Kingdom, the future King George IV. afterwards, they set the house on fire.