How did the British capture and burn Washington, D.C., in 1814?

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1812, War of — War of 1812 Battle between the frigates HMS *Shannon* and USS *Chesapeake* off Boston during the War of 1812; detail of a lithograph Louis Haghe after by J.C. Schetky.

During the War of 1812, British forces captured and burned Washington, D.C., as part of a series of successful raids in the Chesapeake Bay region directed by Admiral Alexander Cochrane.1

On August 24, 1814, British troops led by General Robert Ross entered the capital city. They proceeded to set fire to several major government buildings, including the United States Capitol and the White House. The British justified this destruction as an act of retaliation for the American forces' earlier burning of York (modern-day Toronto), the capital of Upper Canada, in 1813.12

While the fire caused devastating damage to the interior of the White House, the exterior walls remained standing, allowing the structure to be rebuilt by architect James Hoban over the following three years.2