Today in History: The Burning of Washington
Today in History–August 19–the Library of Congress features the burning of the capital city by British troops during the War of 1812. On August 19, 1814 the British landed at Benedict, Maryland. Five days later, on August 24, British forces attacked Washington D.C., setting fire to many government buildings including the White House and the Capitol building (which housed the 3,000-volume Library of Congress at the time) before quickly moving on to Baltimore, Maryland. Learn more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access more resources and primary sources for the War of 1812 and the Treaty of Ghent, which marked the war’s end.
1814 Attack on Washington, D.C.
- Second War of American Independence from America’s Library
- Observations on the capture of Washington DC by British troops by James Madison August 24, 1814
- The British Burn Washington, DC, 1814 Eyewitness to History
- The Burning of Washington by Anthony S. Pitch, White House Historical Association
- D.C.’s darkest day, a war that no one remembers Washington Post August 23, 2014
- The fall of Washington–or Maddy in full flight 1814
- The Taking of the City of Washington in America 1814
- A view of the Capitol after the conflagration 1814
- Waterfront fire, probably burning of the Washington Navy Yard, 1814 1815
- Capture of the city of Washington 1815
- Representation of the capture of the city of Washington, by the British forces under the command of Major Genl. Ross and Rear Adml. Sir I. Cockburn 1815
- Sir George Cockburn, G.C.B., rear admiral of the Red (Washington burning in background) 1819
- Capture and burning of Washington by the British 1876
War of 1812 primary source collections
Treaty of Ghent
- Protocol of conference (Treaty of Ghent) December 23, 1814
- Treaty of Ghent December 23, 1814
- Letter from Thomas Jefferson to William H. Crawford concerning the Treaty of Ghent February 14, 1815 (sent one day prior to receiving notice of treaty from James Monroe)
- James Madison congressional communication concerning the Treaty of Ghent February & March, 1815
- Letter from President James Madison to Thomas Jefferson discussing the Treaty of Ghent March 12, 1815
Teaching resources