Table of Contents Introduction 6 Chapter One Shaping A New Nation 10 Chapter Two Conflicts with France and Britain 28 Chapter Three Going to War 40 Chapter Four War in Madison’s Second Term 48 Chapter Five Restoring Peace 62 Chapter Six Domestic Policy 72 Chapter Seven Madison’s Final Years 82 Timeline 93 Source Notes 94 Glossary 97 Selected Bibliography 98 Further Information 99 Index 101
Introduction It t ook mere hours for the British to deliver one of the most crucial defeats of the War of 1812 1812 1815 By early afternoon on August 24 1814 British forces had overrun the inexperienced American forces at Bladensburg Maryland clearing a path for the British to take over the nearby US capital city As the American lines started to collapse President James Madison who had accompanied his outmatched troops into battle to inspire confidence retreated on horseback to Washington DC After making sure the White House had been evacuated Madison rode out of Washington DC appearing calm to onlookers despite his knowledge that the city was about to be destroyed by British troops As nightfall descended the hilltops along the Potomac River gave him a view of the battle’s aftermath Attorney General Richard Rush who accompanied him later described the devastating scene The columns of smoke and flame descending through the night from the Capitol the president’s house and other public edifices as the whole were on fire some burning slowly others with bursts of flame and sparks rising high up in the dark horizon But faced with this grim scene the president refused to appear defeated Villagers who encountered him on this journey described him as tranquil as usual and though much distressed by the dreadful event which had taken place not dispirited A summer storm soon extinguished the flames and word arrived that the British had departed the burned city Madison 6
decided the best course of action was to return as quickly as possible This would demonstrate that while the city had fallen the US government had not and the president remained in power Madison sent word to the rest of his cabinet to join him On August 26 Madison rode the streets of Washington DC with Rush and his secretary of state James Monroe The walls of the White House were burned blackened and crumbling The dome of the Capitol Building had collapsed and the Library of Congress within it had been destroyed The Navy Yard lay in ruin while private residences also had been set aflame and dead horses littered the streets Even in the dire surroundings the president maintained his usual calm demeanor As Monroe located new positions for British troops set fire to buildings in Washington DC on August 24 1814 7
