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Summary
Summary
In August 1814, the United States army was defeated just outside Washington, D.C., by the world's greatest military power. President James Madison and his wife had just enough time to flee the White House before the British invaders entered. British troops stopped to feast on the meal still sitting on the Madisons' dining-room table before setting the White House on fire. The extent of the destruction was massive; finished in wood rather than marble, everything inside the mansion was combustible. Only the outer stone walls would withstand the fire.
The tide of the War of 1812 would quickly turn, however. Less than a month later, American troops would stand victorious at the Battle of Fort McHenry. Poet Francis Scott Key, struck by the sight of the American flag waving over Fort McHenry, jotted down the beginnings of a poem that would be set to music and become the U.S. national anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner."
In his compelling narrative style, Peter Snow recounts the fast-changing fortunes of that summer's extraordinary confrontations. Drawing from a wealth of material, including eyewitness accounts, Snow describes the colorful personalities on both sides of those spectacular events: including the beleaguered President James Madison and First Lady Dolley, American heroes such as Joshua Barney and Sam Smith, and flawed military leaders like Army Chief William Winder and War Secretary John Armstrong. On the British side, Snow re-creates the fiery Admiral George Cockburn, the cautious but immensely popular Major General Robert Ross, and sharp-eyed diarists James Scott and George Gleig.
"When Britain Burned the White House" highlights this unparalleled moment in British and American history, the courageous, successful defense of Fort McHenry and the American triumph that would follow, and America's and Britain's decision to never again fight each other.
Reviews (5)
Publisher's Weekly Review
In time for the event's 200th anniversary, British journalist Snow (To War with Wellington) delivers a new telling of how the British Army set the White House on fire. As Snow acknowledges, many historians have tackled the subject before, and his version adds little of moment to what we already know and takes no novel approach. Yet never before has this story been told more fully or more engagingly, with greater empathy for both sides, or with greater balance. The story is familiar enough: the British enter the Chesapeake, attack and burn the nation's incompetently defended seat of government (including the Capitol and White House), then move on to Baltimore, where they're defeated on land and at sea before Ft. McHenry. A national humiliation is then redeemed. The British withdraw, and peace soon ensues. Snow dug deeply into records and reminiscences and, especially for the British side, brought the combatants, simple and august, alive. The pace is brisk, the characterizations sure, the judgments done with a light touch. The book distinguishes itself by rounding off the story of Washington with the subsequent Baltimore attack-both part of the larger British Chesapeake campaign. For the story of that campaign, this is now the narrative to read. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
Veteran journalist Snow (To War with Wellington, 2010, etc.) novelistically recounts the British invasion of 1814.Written from the British point of view, the characters come off as true gentlemen who were polite as they emptied warehouses, burned down homes and ravaged the countryside. In fairness, they only burned private property if the owners put up a fight. Worn out from fighting Napoleon in Europe, England was intent on finishing off this bit of nastiness in its former colony. Britains commander, Vice Adm. Alexander Cochrane, was after prize money in addition to revenge for his brothers death at Yorktown. Naval leader George Cockburn, after savage behavior in the Chesapeake, joined with army leader Robert Ross to lead the attack on Washington, D.C. On the American side, horrendous leadership and coordination ensured a quick defeat. John Armstrong, a useless secretary of war, was President James Madisons first error. His second was political appointee William Winder, a man detested by both Armstrong and Secretary of State James Monroe. The loss at Bladensburg, despite the bravery of Joshua Barneys men, was humiliating, and the complete lack of a standing army or any defensive plan for the capital left it for the takingand burning. That was the tipping point for the Americans. As the capital and White House burned, men raced to fortify and protect Baltimore. The survival of Fort McHenry after intense bombardment ended the battle with little loss. Our national anthem recalls the raising of its oversized U.S. flag. The raising of the star-spangled banner, writes the author, became a symbol of [a] new determination. James Madison and his successors unashamedly abandoned their reservations about defense. They signaled their support for strong regular armed forces, and set the country on a path of expansion on land and at sea.With ample quotes from English letters and diaries, Snow ably brings out the humanity of his subjects. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
In June 1812, outraged by British interference with American shipping, convinced that Britain was supporting Indian attacks on the western frontier, and encouraged by War Hawks with designs on Canada, President Madison and Congress foolishly declared war on Britain. The result was a nasty conflict that left the major sources of hostility unresolved. The U.S. won a few naval battles and destroyed a British invasion force at New Orleans (two weeks after the peace treaty had been signed in Europe). But the U.S. government and people suffered the humiliation of enduring the British invasion of their new capital city and the looting and burning of the White House. Surprisingly, American defenders greatly outnumbered the British, but they were inexperienced and led by incompetents. The British troops were veterans of the Napoleonic wars and well led. Snow has a keen eye for some of the ironies and absurdities of the unnecessary war. This is a well-done chronicle of an episode of the war that helped to shape the special relationship between the U.S. and Britain.--Freeman, Jay Copyright 2010 Booklist
Choice Review
The bicentennial of the War of 1812 has witnessed the publication of a proliferation of books detailing every aspect of the conflict. Historians, journalists, and pundits alike have used the occasion to generate interest in the "forgotten conflict." Yet it is unlikely that many of these books will be read for profit even a few months later. British journalist Snow has embraced this war and the British burning of Washington because he thinks so few people realize that it ever happened. Perhaps that is the case in the UK, as the Napoleonic Wars overshadow all other things during this era, but many Americans are aware of the humiliation inflicted on the US capital. This engagingly written book highlights the August-September 1814 Chesapeake campaign in which British forces sacked and burned Washington, DC, and tried to capture Baltimore. In doing so, Snow develops the historical characters, teases out the excitement of events, and uses the drama to propel his narrative. Although the author ultimately tells a riveting true story, he offers little new about the campaign, which is disappointing. Summing Up: Recommended. Public libraries/general collections. --Gene Allen Smith, Texas Christian University
Library Journal Review
Starred Review. In observance of the "Burning of Washington" bicentennial, Snow (Hussein) offers an excellent account (first published in the UK in 2013) of how the British ignited the White House, the Capitol, and other public buildings on August 24, 1814. The author-historian traces the stationing of Admiral George Cockburn's impressive armada laden with assault troops in Chesapeake Bay, the local militias' inability to stop an invasion of these 4,500 veterans at the Battle of Bladensberg, the subsequent torching of America's seat of government, the Brits' failed attempt to occupy Baltimore, and the redcoats' ultimate stalemate in a sea operation before Fort McHenry. One is reminded that there is still lingering ambiguity as to which side really won the War of 1812, which terminated in a negotiated peace mandating the return of all conquered territory. The reader is left to decide. VERDICT Snow's narrative is authoritative and absorbing, his profiles sure and compelling, his judgments considered and fair, and his documentation most impressive. Wonderful for 19th-century political, military, and diplomatic historians; specialists in Anglo-American relations; general readers; and all libraries. John Carver Edwards, Univ. of Georgia Libs., Cleveland (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
