During the War of 1812, relations between the United States and Great Britain deteriorated, leading to military engagements and heightened hostilities. In 1814, British troops under the command of Major General Robert Ross launched a campaign to seize Washington, D.C., the nation’s capital. On August 24, they engaged American forces at the Battle of Bladensburg, resulting in an American defeat. The British army then advanced into the capital, where they began to systematically torch significant government buildings the following day, including the Library of Congress and the Department of War.
As the British forces methodically destroyed these landmarks, they sought to not only strike at the heart of the American government but also to send a strong message of retribution for prior American raids into Canada. The attacks were characterized by their thoroughness, leaving the capital in flames and causing panic among its inhabitants. This act of destruction was particularly symbolic as many viewed the loss of the capital as a profound embarrassment and a serious blow to American morale.
The burning of Washington was a stark display of the power that Britain wielded at the time, and it unfolded in a broader context of British naval dominance and military strategy during the conflict. The destruction prompted changes in American military approaches and policies regarding national defense in the ensuing years.