In honor of its anniversary, here are some useless facts:
- James Madison was the only president to face enemy gunfire while in office.
When the British invaded and burned Washington, D.C. in the War of 1812, Madison
took command of a battery of artillery, exercising his authority as commander-in-chief. - Even when the British attacking forces were nearing the White House, Dolly Madison refused to leave until she could take with her a portrait of George Washington.
- The Battle of the Brass: The battle of Bladensburg in August 1814 was the only battle in American history where the President, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of State were all present. The Americans lost.
- The British army in Canada lived largely on American beef smuggled openly across the borders of New York and Vermont.
Do you have any to add?
Posted in American History, to 1877, War of 1812 | 
6 Comments » | June 18th, 2009
