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Capture of the City of Washington
James Cundee, 1815
In the War of 1812, British forces burned a large number of public buildings in DC. This image shows the fire destroying the Capitol (left) and White House (right). The British faced minimal resistance from the small American forces. While the British had not set out to damage private residences, a tornado struck DC during the attack. The storm put out the flames, but it also tore apart local residents' homes, adding to the destruction. |