The Burning of Washington: The British Invasion of 1814

Rating:
Summary: Decent Account of the Burning of Washington in 1814
Review: '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.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully Detailed Stories - Needs Maps
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Sequel to Mel Gibson's "The Patriot"
Review: Anthony S. Pitch is a first class story teller. From the humiliating defeat of the panic-stricken American troops at Bladensburg, Maryland (north of Washington, D.C.) to their magnificent victory over the British army at New Orleans (under the command of the immortal Andrew Jackson), it's all here. I found it difficult to put this riveting book down. As a native of Baltimore, I particularly enjoyed the author's fact filled account of the important battle at Fort McHenry and the birth of our National Anthem. The heroics of American Generals George Armistead, Samuel Smith, and John Stricker are faithfully retold, along with rich details about many other gallant defenders of the then-young Baltimore City. I grew up during WWII on Locust Point, in south Baltimore, where the Fort still stands as a sentinel, jutting out into the Patapsco River. Pitch's research of the combatants' competing military strategies in that seminal battle is very illuminating, indicative of the author's background as a journalist. The death of British General Robert Ross, just before the start of the decisive land battle at North Point (just east of Fort McHenry) at the hand of two sharp shooting patriotic riflemen, Henry McComas and Daniel Wells, deserves a chapter all to itself. Pitch also describes marvelous anecdotes about the torching of the city of Washington by the British that should be read by every American that cares about his country's history. I never fully realized just how close our nation came to again becoming a province of the British Empire. Pitch relates it was a lot closer then most of us ever imagined. I can't wait for this well-documented book to become a movie. It would make a great sequel to Mel Gibson's splendid film, "The Patriot."

Rating:
Summary: Authoritative Anecdotal History in its best form!
Review: Finally a book that takes the dates, debates and fates of our loosely memorized historical facts and breathes veritable life into the gripping events of 1814. America IS more than mere facts. 1814 SHOULD be remembered with a spirit of honor and respect for those who fought and for those who lived through the tumultuously passionate early childhood of our nation.
If you need a map to keep the geography in order, get one. It's not a necessity! The masterful unveiling of this moment in our history is so thoroughly documented and equally expressed it drives this book to become a must on every bookshelf, whether you are a history buff or not! Read it, remember it and tell a friend. Its great conversation!

Rating:
Summary: Authoritative Anecdotal History in its best form!
Review: Finally a book that takes the dates, debates and fates of our loosely memorized historical facts and breathes veritable life into the gripping events of 1814. America IS more than mere facts. 1814 SHOULD be remembered with a spirit of honor and respect for those who fought and for those who lived through the tumultuously passionate early childhood of our nation.
If you need a map to keep the geography in order, get one. It's not a necessity! The masterful unveiling of this moment in our history is so thoroughly documented and equally expressed it drives this book to become a must on every bookshelf, whether you are a history buff or not! Read it, remember it and tell a friend. Its great conversation!

Rating:
Summary: WASHINGTON SACKED BY FOREIGN ARMY !!
Review: I imagine most Americans would think the above title reflected historical fiction rather than fact.

The fact is that most contemporay Americans thought the Burning of Washington would live on forever in the American mind as an ignoble moment of shame and humiliation. That it has largely been forgotten is a testament to how America has changed and grown since 1814 -- rendering what has become one of our "little wars" largely to the history books with an occasional reprieve when the Star Spangled Banner is considered. It is worth considering that President Madison is remembered today as the father of the Constitution, and not as the rascal who allowed the White House and the Capitol to be burned by a foreign army during a war so ineptly fought by our side. I imagine that had this occurred in any number of other countries, his moment of singular presidential humiliation would attach itself more largely to his name. We remain an optimistic people.

Anthony S. Pitch has written a very good account of the British occupation and sacking of Washington, D.C. in his book "The Burning of Washington. The British Invasion of 1814." The author makes good use of contemporary sources and observations from American and British combatants as well as civilians. The background is sketched well enough to allow the reader to understand why the British stood at the mouth of the Potomac River ready to invade our capitol city. Personalities of American and British commanders as well as President Madison and especially Secretary of War John Armstrong - to whom can be attributed the immediate blame for Washington's unprepardness - are well summarized to give the reader a good feel for how individuals affected the events covered in the book.

The story covers the Battle of Bladensburg, the march on and occupation of Washington, the burning of the public buildings (focusing on the Capitol and White House), as well as the British attempt to take Baltimore, which failed before the walls of Ft. McHenry. Francis Scott Key's penning of our national anthem is also covered, as well as the British retreat. The book ends with summaries of the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the war, as well as Jackson's incredibly lopsided victory over Gen. Packenham before New Orleans.

All in all this is a good and interesting book. The author keeps the pace moving while giving enough detail to both satisfy curiosity as to why events are unfolding as they did as well as add the flavor and feel that can come from a judicious use of diary entries and contemporary accounts. I recommend this to any history buff who would like to know more about a now overlooked -- but still astonishing - part of American history.

Rating:
Summary: A breathtaking account of Washington's survival
Review: The "Burning of Washington" is a fast-paced and moving book that reads like a novel, yet is flawlessly researched and based totally on first-hand accounts and historic records. The author engages the reader's imagination to such an extent that it has the feel of a movie. From the opening paragraph the reader is immediately swept up into the chain of events not merely as a spectator, but as one of the cast. Such is Anthony Pitch's talent that one can hear the shots whistling past, feel the ground shake with the explosion of the fearsome, newly invented Congreve rockets, and experience the shock and horror of its citizenry as they are caught up in the catastrophe. What soon becomes apparent is how ill prepared the country was to defend itself and why the burning of Washington need never have happened. One is confounded at the number of hapless accidents which paved the way for calamity. The foibles of many in command seem almost comical had they not had such tragic consequences. At the same time one rejoices in the courage and bravery, along with the many small acts of kindness on both sides. Dolley Madison, ever gracious and calm, keeps her head while all about are losing theirs and sacrifices self interest for the national good. This is a tale that has been too long neglected, perhaps because of the abject humiliation experienced. But it is a tale that MUST be told and kept alive in the national consciousness, and no one tells it better than Mr. Pitch. His brilliant command of the English language allows him to weave together the wealth of factual details he has so carefully researched into a rich tapestry that grips the reader from start to finish. It definitely rates five stars.

Rating:
Summary: EXTRAORDINARY ACCOUNT
Review: This book grabs you from the 1st paragraph and holds your interest to the last page, hard to put down. Very well documented. I hope this is not Mr.Pitch's first and last book. He has a knack for making history come alive. This is a "five star" read.

Rating:
Summary: interesting revisit
Review: 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.