Then part of the land making up the district of columbia. This was a very wealthy port on the potomac. And they also could pose a threat to other targets in washington that hadnt been taken by the british army. Though they dont know this at this point. Georgetown had been left alone by the british and theres an important foundry that makes weapons for the u. S. Navy that is still sitting untouched. In any event, they were proceeding up river when theyre hit by the huge storm. The remarkable storm that comes through washington on august 25th sweeps down river and severely damages several of the ships in gordons squadron. And they have to stop to make repairs. They almost considered turning back at that point. But they keep coming up river. They sailed past mt. Vernon, which was just down river from here. And finally on august 27th, they come in sight of ft. Washington, which is the last fortress guarding the Potomac River as they on the approach to alexandria in washington. This was the
Many of his lectures and programs have been broadcast for them before. Were lucky to have him tonight. Ladies and gentlemen, mr. Anthony pitch. N÷ thank you veepjz much for coming. Just put that down. Its raining outside and so im very flad to see a lot of people here tonight. I want to tell you that a few years ago i escorted somebody into the white house, and his name was major ed ross, the same name Major General robert ross who burnt the white house. He was a descendant. And he wanted to see the scorch marks that i told him were there. They are under the front door and theres a big stone archway where you can see massive scorch marks from the fires set by the british in 1814. And n the pastry chef who has offices close by couldnt stop giggling. He thought heres a man whos come to finish the job. I like to write stories that are epic, true and sad. People ask me why dont you write something funny . I cant. I really like to write epic stories. Vietnam was one and then i wrote the bu
Arrive in washington. Theyre so great. They had a fire in the middle of the 19th century but you can see what remains of them in curved bookcases at the library of congress and its incredible. This man, this renaissance man, every subject you can think of is there. Archaeology. History. Art. Farming. Its all there in different languages. That was thomas jefferson. Amazing. Well, two days before the british arrived, the commandant ordered the navy clerk to get a hold of transport to take 124 barrels of gun powder out of the navy yard into the safety of virginia. Booth settled up across into georgetown and saw a wagon outside a store. He rode up and told the two apparent owners he was impounding it for the department of navy. This is wartime. And so some citizens who might normally have buckled to bureaucratic pressure bustled chasing off government officials with abuse and profanities. This is exactly what happened to booth. In a vivid chronicle written two weeks after the departure of
Country, that thats more than just a raid, that its a significant moment in International History and so i severely disagree with my canadian counterparts that what happened here was a very important moment in both british and American History. Ive even had canadians say they got the white house. Lets do this. So thats the last question and want to give everyone 30 seconds to close up and geez. So sum up the war of 1812 in 30 seconds and i dont want the audience to forget they will be around, there will be book signings. You dont want to miss that opportunity. Doctor, please start us off. 30 seconds. I did an analysis of raids, skirmishes and battles of war of the 1812. Province of ontario and state of maryland tied on the numbers and virginia came in third. I find that very interesting. So the chesapeake theater had more raids, skirmishes and battles than any other theater during the war of 1812 to canada needs to start thinking about that. And id like to just end on a little bit of a
Limits. We passed through the map room, socalled because theres a map of europe over the mantelpiece and it shows the swastika symbols which plot the nazis theres a Little Medicine chest nearby about so big. And its got holes for vials of medicine and you can pull out the drawers. 1 in 1939, a canadian wrote to president roosevelt and his name was archibald canes. And he said, my grandfather was a paymaster aboard the british warship devastation which came up the Potomac River at that time and laid siege to alexandria and oversaw the raiding of the warehouses of Agricultural Produce. But i checked it up. Thomas canes was the paymaster of the devastation but none of the crew set foot in washington. So either he exchanged booty with another briton or archibald canes the canadian is mistaken as is the white house. Well, we then went to see the portrait of George Washington. They took away the rope that keeps you about 20 feet away and then for the first of countless times i saw the artis