5.was about to execute it: “Capture of the City of Washington,” Annals of Congress, 13th Congress, 3rd Session, November 1814, 524–95, http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwac.html.
6.was only balancing: Ibid.
7.The committee sincerely: Annals of Congress, 13th Congress, 1st Session, Library of Congress, 88.
8.restored health: Ibid.
9.That the Senate: Ibid., 89–90.
10.that they do not: Ibid.
11.That the granting: Ibid.
12.rights of the Senate: Ibid.
13.You have heard: Shulman, Dolley Madison Digital Edition.
14.Nothing however: Ibid.
15.Mr. A will tell: Ibid.
16.We console ourselves: Ibid.
17.Had you been: Hamlin, Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 392.
18.if I reproached you: Shulman, Dolley Madison Digital Edition.
19.every hour of your: Ibid.
20.and that the public: Ibid.
21.We are in: Ibid.
22.Poor Mr. Gaston: Ibid.
23.Oh my friend what: Ibid.
24.Kingston, therefore: Skeen, John Armstrong, Jr., 158.
25.a pleasant work: Ibid.
26.You will learn: Madison, The Writings of James Madison, 252.
27.It is not easy: Ibid., 253.
28.It was calculated: Ibid., 254.
29.Should the mediation: Ibid.
30.a temper in the: Ibid., 255.
31.I have just recovered: Ibid., 255–56.
32.The physicians prescribe: Ibid.
33.be intercepted: Ibid.
34.I feel it right: Dudley, The Naval War of 1812, 365.
35.furnish with promptitude: Skeen, John Armstrong Jr., 158.
36.under a wise organization: Madison, The Writings of James Madison, 246.
37.Bidding adieu:, Hamlin, Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 396.
38.starving doctors: Ibid.
39.The more your stir it: Ibid.
40.So you really think: Ibid.
41.As general, honest: Ibid.
42.All who have: Maryland Gazette, July 16, 1813; King, The Life and Correspondence of Rufus King, 321.
43.His talents are: Ibid.
44.and we do not think: Ibid.
45.With such a man: Ibid.
46.If ever there is: Ibid.
47.One thousand dollars: “One Thousand Dollars Reward,” Democratic Press, August 16, 1813, www.genealogybank.com.
PART II—1814: WHITE HOUSE ABLAZE
1.There is a secret in life: “Dolley Madison: America’s First Lady.”
CHAPTER 12—THE WHITE HOUSE
1.I will turn Jefferson: “General Eaton Is Reported,” Republican Watch-Tower, January 30, 1807, 3.
2.If the dispatches: Ibid.
3.the American people: “To James Madison,” Baltimore Whig, April 25, 1810.
4.duty to steer: Ibid.
5.you hear no language: Ibid.
6.the next presidential: “To James Madison,” Freeman’s Friend, May 19, 1810.
7.dazzled with the blaze: Ibid.
8.enveloped in the smoke: Ibid.
9.we have ladies: Shulman, Dolley Madison Digital Edition.
10.the White House: “Tyro to the Editor, dateline Washington, December 20, 1813.”
11.You can little: Ibid.
12.There is an utter: Ibid.
13.splendor: Ibid.
14.There are no museums: Ibid.
15.I must not forget: Ibid.
16.It was a novelty: Ibid.
17.It was with: Ibid.
18.Refreshments were very: Ibid.
19.The president: Ibid.
20.But for the drawing room: Ibid.
21.and the men: Ibid.
22.By appropriating two: Ibid.
23.General. Harrison was there: Ibid.
24.If you have not: Ibid.
25.My observations at: Ibid.
26.The little president: Ketcham, James Madison: A Biography, 565.
27.In fine, the war: Madison, The Writings of James Madison, 265.
28.We have met the: Ketcham, James Madison: A Biography, 565.
29.that the union of these States: Madison, The Writings of James Madison, 265.
30.to the decisions of: Ibid.
31.At 10 AM: Washington Irving, “Biography of Oliver Perry,” Analectic Magazine, 501.
32.the dying words: Ibid.
33.don’t surrender the ship: Irving, “James Lawrence, Esq. New Brunswick,” 41.
34.don’t give up: Irving, “Biography of Oliver Perry,” 501.
35.In future times: Ibid, 508.
36.The fisherman: Ibid.,167
37.Whatever we may: Irving, Life and Letters of Washington Irving, 150.
38.He who fancies: Ibid.
39.Whenever our arms: Ibid.
40.Other nations will: Ibid.
41.but will extend to: Ibid.
CHAPTER 13—HOSPITALITY AND HOSTILITY
1.Messrs. King and Gore: Shulman, Dolley Madison Digital Edition.
2.we may conclude: King, The Life and Correspondence of Rufus King, 356.
3.With sixty thousand: Ibid.
4.The report of the: Ibid.
5.We shall expect: Dudley, The Naval War of 1812, 33.
6.The enemy has a: Ibid.
7.her hair bound tight: Madison, Selected Letters of Dolley Payne Madison, 93.
8.more like a harvest-home: Ibid., 46.
9.she thought abundance: Ibid.
10.arouse from the happy: Ibid.
11.The other evening: Madison, Selected Letters of Dolley Payne Madison, 61.
12.mentioned that the: Ibid.
13.Mrs. M. instantly: Ibid.
14.I fear he: Dudley, The Naval War of 1812, 17.
15.Have you quite: Shulman, Dolley Madison Digital Edition.
16.I wrote a few: Ibid.
17.Your winter campaign: Ibid.
18.My husband desires: Ibid.
19.having met with: Ibid.
20.to know that is: Ibid.
CHAPTER 14—NOSES FOR NEWS
1.Armstrong was decided: King, The Life and Correspondence of Rufus King, 370.
2.That an understanding: Ibid.
3.What a golden: “Wilkinson to Armstrong,” Annals of Congress, 13th Congress, 1st Session, Library of Congress, 244–45.
4.That Mr. Armstrong: King, The Life and Correspondence of Rufus King, 370.
5.speaks respectfully: Ibid., 371.
6.Wilkinson and Hampton: Ibid.
7.if you could possibly: Shulman, Dolley Madison Digital Edition.
8.everybody, affected or disaffected: Allen Culling Clark, Life and Letters of Dolly Madison (Washington, D.C.: W. F. Roberts Company, 1914), 157.
9.Her majesty’s appearance: Ibid.
10.The members of Congress: Shulman, Dolley Madison Digital Edition.
11.They have a report: Ibid.
12.Should Mr. G: Ibid.
13.The policy which: Ketcham, James Madison: A Biography, 568.
14.A bad cold which: Shulman, Dolley Madison Digital Edition.
15.While I was nursing: Ibid.
16.You are at perfect: Dudley, The Naval War of 1812, 51.
17.Their government authorizes: Ibid.
18.they must be made: Ibid.
19.This is now: Ibid.
20.system of retaliation: Ibid., 28.
21.Their seaport towns: Ibid., 52.
22.It is therefore: Ibid.
23.Allow me: Ibid., 41.
24.all your views: Ibid., 46.
25.but the conduct of: Ibid.
26.and induces me: Ibid.
27.I have just: Ibid., 54.
28.each wishing: Ibid.
29.We were doing: Ibid.
30.I supposed whatever: Ibid., 15.
31.everything that can: Ibid., 54.
32.It would appear: Ibid.
33.I enclose you the: Ibid.
34.I do not know: Ibid.
CHAPTER 15—NOT YOUR AVERAGE
NEWS DAY
1.There will be: King, The Life and Correspondence of Rufus King, 390.
2.Your have then: Ibid.
3.I have altered: Ibid.
4.a war pulse: Ibid.
5.In this case: Ibid
6.Are you not mistaken: Ibid.
7.What reason have: Ibid.
8.It cannot: Ibid., 391.
9.Do you believe: Ibid.
10.I do not: Ibid.
11.It is to be sought: Ibid.
12.was at no loss: Ibid.
13.If there be a: King, Ibid., 392.
14.If Congress remain: Ibid.
15.If ministers be: Ibid.
16.moreover dispatches: Ibid.
17.I hope that if: Ibid.
18.The turn of recent: The James Madison Papers at the Library of Congress.
19.I am just possessed: Ibid.
20.The admonish us: Ibid.
21.to indicate the: Ibid.
22.Would it not be: Ketcham, James Madison: A Biography, 148.
23.to depend as: Ibid., 149.
24.among those the: The James Madison Papers at the Library of Congress.
25.What, though the enemy: Charles Ingersoll, Historical Sketch of the Second War Between the United States and Great Britain (Philadelphia: Lea & Blanchard, 1849), 157.
26.the neighboring militia: Ibid.
27.We have powder and ball: Ibid., 158.
28.As to his near approach to the capital: Ibid., 157.
29.Yesterday a gentleman: Dudley, The Naval War of 1812, 99.
30.that if they: Ibid.
31.I had him arrested: Ibid.
32.The militia have: Ibid.
33.The enemy has come: Ibid., 101.
34.The American Papers: Ibid., 65.
35.I am sure: Ibid.
36.and the government: Ibid., 66.
37.I am rather surprised: Ibid.
CHAPTER 16—SUPERABUNDANT FORCE
1.the convenience and: “Capture of the City of Washington,” 580.
2.Shall a treaty of: Madison, The Writings of James Madison, 280–81.
3.received intelligence that: Dudley, The Naval War of 1812, 76–77.
4.will be their: Ibid., 80.
5.It is manifest: King, The Life and Correspondence of Rufus King, 397.
6.I am of a: Ibid.
7.I think England: Ibid.
8.The continent is: Ibid.
9.Spain, Portugal: Ibid.
10.I mean peace consistent: Ibid.
11.We must not: Ibid.
12.a long time cannot: Ibid.
13.The president must: Ibid.
14.Not only can: Ibid.
15.I pushed on towards: Dudley, The Naval War of 1812, 113.
16.and as Marlborough: Ibid.
17.and we were allowed: Ibid.
18.I am decidedly: Ibid., 116.
19.but the country: Ibid.
20.they have induced: Ibid., 65.
21.and I can truly: Ibid., 117.
22.but should you: Ibid., 122.
23.This kind of warfare: Ibid., 204
24.Deserters, of whom: Ibid.
25.The force of the enemy: Ibid.
26.Such as force will: Ibid., 106.
27.Hence I believe: Ibid.
28.A well-organized and: Henry Adams ed., The Writings of Albert Gallatin, vol. 1 (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund Inc., 1879), 602–7.
29.and they will: Ibid., 620.
30.How ill-prepared we: Ibid., 602–7.
31.The hope: Ibid.
32.In the intoxication: Ibid.
33.To use their own: Ibid., 617.
34.You are sufficiently: Ibid., 602–7.
35.The numerous English: Ibid., 616.
36.and agreed to by: Madison, The Writings of James Madison, 280–81.
37.This morning at 4 AM: Dudley, The Naval War of 1812, 123.
38.after two hours: Ibid.
39.I am moving up: Ibid.
CHAPTER 17—TWENTY THOUSAND REINFORCEMENTS
1.Lord Hill and 15,000: Dudley, The Naval War of 1812, 129.
2.by the account I have: Ibid.
3.with them [slave soldiers]: Ibid.
4.Barney had got: Ibid., 151.
5.Mr. Madison: Ibid.
6.10,000 militia: Madison, The Writings of James Madison, 282.
7.the Secretary of War: Ibid.
8.the other more: Ibid.
9.a circular communication: Ibid.
10.adequate portions: Ibid.
11.them in the best: Ibid.
12.the intention: “Capture of the City of Washington.”
13.if it were: Ibid.
14.if it were: Ibid.
15.It was decided: Ibid.
16.Annapolis is tolerably: Ibid.
17.Together with: Ibid.
18.a small work: Skeen, John Armstrong, Jr., 188.
19.Baltimore is likewise: Ibid.
20.and a fort: Ibid.
21.to put Washington: Ibid.
22.bayonets are known: Ibid.
23.But both Annapolis: Ibid.
24.and from the moment: Ibid, 139.
25.and popular clamor: Ibid.
26.Boston, and New York: Dudley, The Naval War of 1812, 133.
27.that the most advantageous: Ibid.
28.After leaving Baltimore: Ibid., 134.
29.Should Washington: Ibid.
30.could not be warned: Ibid.
31.If troops arrive: Ibid., 131.
32.in case of actual: Ibid., 189.
33.You are hereby: Ibid., 140.
34.her proportion: Ibid.
35.my belief is: Skeen, John Armstrong, Jr., 188.
36.in short it is: Dudley, The Naval War of 1812, 135.
37.Thus, I foresee: Ibid.
38.and popular clamor: Ibid.
39.I can only say: Ibid.
40.He consoled the: Ibid., 167.
41.I have no hesitation: Ibid.
42.advantages might: Ibid., 138.
43.by an assurance: Ibid.
44.I therefore most: Ibid.
45.always so great: Ibid.
46.as the other places: Ibid.
47.One day a lady: “Dolley Madison; America’s First Lady.”
48.I wish you would: Madison, Selected Letters of Dolley Payne Madison, 70.
49.You know I am: Ibid.
50.nor will there be: Ibid.
51.Yours of the first: Ibid., 72.
52.Your question as: Ibid.
53.If a general war: Ibid.
54.The power: Ibid.
55.We have been in: Shulman, Dolley Madison Digital Edition.
56.and the disaffected: Ibid.
57.such a place: Ibid.
58.I wish (for my own part): Ibid.
59.among other exclamations: Ibid.
60.I am not the least alarmed: Ibid.
61.our preparations for: Ibid.
62.I desired Mr. Astor: Ibid.
63.It had a distressing effect: Ibid.
64.I find that I owe: Madison, The Writings of James Madison, 287.
65.without the knowledge: Ibid.
66.subsequently made: Ibid.
CHAPTER 18—HANGING MADISON
1.All letters giving: Madison, The Writings of James Madison, 287.
2.The charge that opposition: King, The Life and Correspondence of Rufus King, 405.
3.That such opinions: Ibid.
4.To produce such: Ibid.
5.If war suppresses opposition: Ibid.
6.Neither the administration: Ibid.
7.have no confidence: Ibid.
8.have not brought: Adams, The Writings of Albert Gallatin, 616.
9.If you prosecute: King, The Life and Correspondence of Rufus King, 406.
10.a belief is said: Adams, The Writings of Albert Gallatin, 617.
11.We are still: Shulman, Dolley Madison Digital Edition.
12.If you have not: Ibid.
13.I write you: Ibid.
14.Not a line from: Ibid.
15.No
thing has occurred: Ibid.
16.The British on our: Ibid.
17.If the war: Ibid.
18.farewell, may Heaven: Ibid.
CHAPTER 19—INVASION
1.Their Lordships entrust: Dudley, The Naval War of 1812, 72.
2.as it will rarely if: Ibid.
3.You will also: Ibid., 73.
4.Rear Admiral Cockburn: Captain James Scott, Recollections of a Naval Life, vol. 3 (London: Richard Bentley, 1834), 272–73.
5.They were as wild: Ibid.
6.It is a singular fact: Ibid.
7.Oh yes!: “Capture of the City of Washington,” 580.
8.but they certainly: Ibid.
9.No, no! Baltimore: Ibid.
10.If the force of the: Madison, The Writings of James Madison, 291.
11.want of precaution: Ibid.
12.He may be bound: Ibid.
13.to accompany him: “Capture of the City of Washington,” 580.
14.I acknowledge the justness: Dudley, The Naval War 1812, 108.
15.Appearances indicate: Ibid.
16.If however their force: Ibid.
17.I determined not: “Capture of the City of Washington,” 581.
18.I plainly discovered: Dudley, The Naval War of 1812, 196.
19.Here, then, was: Scott, Recollections of a Naval Life, 277.
20.The admiral, dashing: Ibid.
21.we observed the sloop: Dudley, The Naval War of 1812, 196.
22.And in a few minutes: Scott, Recollections of a Naval Life, 277.
23.almost cracked the drums: Ibid.
24.The enemy are: Madison, James. The Writings of James Madison, 293.
25.The papers of all: Ibid., 292.
26.fear not much: Ibid.
27.But the crisis I: Ibid.
28.No complete organization: “Capture of the City of Washington,” 526.
29.no part of it: Ibid., 524.
CHAPTER 20—THE BRITISH ARE COMING
1.All my affection: Madison, Selected Letters of Dolley Payne Madison, 71.
2.Give Miss P.: Ibid.
3.to find that you love: Ibid., 67.
4.My husband left me: Shulman, Dolley Madison Digital Edition.
5.Dear Sister: Ibid.
6.He inquired anxiously: Ibid.
7.beseeching me to: Ibid.
8.A number of valuable: National Intelligencer, May 13, 1814.
9.has been anxious: Shulman, Dolley Madison Digital Edition.
10.I have therefore: Ibid.
11.Nearly all the rumors: Joseph Gales, National Intelligencer, August 23, 1814.
12.Each man brings the: Ibid.
13.I have since: Shulman, Dolley Madison Digital Edition.
14.The reports as to: Madison, The Writings of James Madison, 293.
15.unless it be from: Ibid., 293–94.
16.they may have a: Ibid.
17.the last is alarming: Shulman, Dolley Madison Digital Edition.
18.that the enemy: Ibid.
The Burning of the White House Page 37
