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The Burning of Washington: The British Invasion of 1814 | 
 enlarge | Author: Anthony S. Pitch
Publisher: US Naval Institute Press
Category: Book
List Price: $36.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  22 reviews
Sales Rank: 466791
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 298
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 6.3 x 1
ISBN: 1557506922
Dewey Decimal Number: 973.523
EAN: 9781557506924
ASIN: 1557506922
Publication Date: June 1998
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Condition: Former Library book. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy!
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Product Description
With all the immediacy of an eyewitness account, Anthony Pitch tells the dramatic story of the British invasion of Washington in the summer of 1814, an episode many call a defining moment in the coming-of-age of the United States. The British torched the Capitol, the White House, and many other public buildings, setting off an inferno that illuminated the countryside for miles and sending President James Madison scurrying out of town while his wife Dolley rescued a life-sized portrait of George Washington from the flames. The author's gripping narrative--hailed by a White House curator, a Senate historian, and the chairman of the National Geographic Society, among others--is filled with vivid details of the attack. Not confining his story to Washington, Pitch also describes the brave, resourceful defense of nearby Fort McHenry and tells how Francis Scott Key, a British hostage on a ship near the Baltimore harbor during the fort's bombardment, wrote a poem that became the national anthem.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 17 more reviews...
 War up close October 5, 2008
While Americans are quite familiar with the story of the Revolutionary War, far less has been written about the War of 1812. "The Burning of Washington" should help to redress the balance.
I personally could have settled for less gore, but the research that went into the book was meticulous and the many details of the observations and actions of individuals (on both the American and British side) ring true.
How sad that the final battle (of New Orleans) was for naught. The two countries had already signed a peace treaty in Europe, but word of this had not yet reached the British forces in America.
The other time the US was invaded... April 9, 2005
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Since Pearl Harbor was technically a territory in 1941, United States soil has endured only two attacks since the American Revolution: the War of 1812 and September 11th, 2001. The second of these was a terrorist attack, and still in recent memory. The first of these comprised an invading and occupying army, and a big one at that. After all, the British still ruled the waves in 1814 regardless of seeing defeat at the hands of the upstart American colonies. Doubtless the proud British Empire still felt a slight sting at the humiliating defeat and loss of the colonies not thirty years before. It seems they stopped taking America seriously, and this led to what some have called America's "second war of independence".
The War of 1812 seems almost forgotten these days. Maybe because modern Americans are not comfortable talking about their country's defeats or humiliations in warfare. In 1814 the British agonizingly humiliated the neophyte country by burning its capital. Yes, the city of Washington (it wasn't called Washington D.C. until 1871) was literally sacked on August 24, 1814.
Anthony Pitch tells this amazing story with page-turning intensity. The events surrounding the entire War of 1812 unfold. From its inception by the impressment of American sailors by the British, to the violently split public on the question of the war, to the final Battle of New Orleans (fought after the peace treaty was signed), this book tells a great story. In the process one learns about the historical signficance of Baltimore, and the origin of the national anthem (the significance of its lyrics will ring out clearly after reading this book; many people likely sing it without knowing exactly what it's talking about, though only one of the four verses typically gets sung these days).
The book begins with a teeth-clenching account of the fate of antiwar publisher Alexander Contee Hanson. Anyone thinking that the United States is a violent place these days has only to read what happens to Hanson and his entourage at the hands of a Baltimore mob. Things used to be much worse.
The book also includes descriptions of the early capitol. Things have also vastly improved there. Many in 1812 described it as a fetid swamp.
The occupation and burning of Washington by the British gets an entire chapter. Pitch recounts the interior of the President's House and the original Congress building with heartbreaking detail. Even some British solidiers asked their superiors whether destroying the building was the right thing to do. The architecture was apparently that impressive.
The book also includes detailed accounts of the war's major battles: Blandesburg, North Point, Baltimore, New Orleans (sometimes compared to Agincourt, and where Andrew Jackson came to public acclaim). Pitch is also not afraid to describe some of the unpleasantries that typically accompany war. Some of these passages stick for a long time.
This book serves as a great introduction to a very neglected but pivotal event in American history. After the War of 1812 America saw its reputation rise globally. And many big names took part: President James Madison, Dolley Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, James Buchanan, and others. Also, many historical documents (e.g., the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence) were miraculously saved from the flames by very driven individuals (names that are now sadly obscure). This book provides an excellent introduction to this neglected time of American history and the forgotten people who made this history happen.
Decent Account of the Burning of Washington in 1814 September 7, 2003
5 out of 7 found this review helpful
'The Burning of Washington' by Anthony Pitch is a detailed and well written account of the British invasion of 1814 during which the British defeated the opposing American forces before marching into the Capital and putting parts of Washington to the torch, including the White House. This book is a most enjoyable read and in my mind is as good as Walter Lord's book 'The Dawn's Early Light' which was first published in the early 1970's.The book covers the Battle of Bladensburg, the abandonment of the Capital and its subsequent occupation and destruction by the British. The narrative then continues with the fighting around Baltimore and the end of the war after the British defeat at the Battle of New Orleans. The author also tells the story of Francis Scott Key and birth of the American national anthem, an interesting story in itself. Anthony Pitch has used a number of first-hand accounts taken from the letters of participants on both sides of the conflict including, soldiers, sailors and civilians. Material has been utilised from diaries, journals and newspaper accounts to fill in this stirring and vivid narrative of this fascinating period of American history. Overall this is a decent piece of historical writing and I am sure that most people will enjoy the author's account of the invasion of 1814. The one negative point that I have to raise in regards to this book is the lack of detailed maps to follow the invading forces and the subsequent battles.
 interesting revisit May 20, 2002
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is an excellent study into the social and political aspects of the incident. Details the actions of the people of Washington and each, and it would seem every, dish that was broken. The battles are cover only mildly to bring you to the 'burning' and afterwards to bring conclusion. A wonderful book for the interested reader, but not so much for military battle analysis. This book only goes into details of the 'burning' making it more of a tour guide than a history of the invasion. On the invasion there are far better titles.Honestly, I found Walter Lord's book to be worth a second read and not happy with this title. Make SURE this book is what you want to read about.
Wonderfully Detailed Stories - Needs Maps April 29, 2002
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Anthony Pitch gives wonderful tours of Washington DC, which is how I first happenned across this fine book. The book captures a superb level of detail which lends personalities and stories to historical people and places, as any good tour guide should. Pitch gives the reader a great sense of the confusion and fear that Washington residents felt, and the difficult decisions that were pushed upon them. He frames the burning of Washington with early unrest in Baltimore and later American victories in Baltimore and New Orleans which lends perspecitve, and places the burning of Washington in the proper context of the overall war. The book needs more maps to acquaint the reader visually with the movements of individuals, ships, and armies. I highly recommend reading the book with a map on the side, to complete your immersion into this fine book.
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