The war, characterized by blunders on land
and brilliant successes on the ocean, really resulted without victory to
either side, and, indeed, was very nearly a defeat for America; but in
the end, it enabled us to regain possession of the posts which
England had persisted in occupying along the western boundary, and
banished forever any fear that she might, at any time in the future,
attempt to reassert her sovereignty over the United States.
Madison was also fortunate in his wife, the beautiful and brilliant
Dolly Payne Todd, who played so prominent a part in the social life of
the time, and who, when the British were marching into Washington to
sack that city, managed to save some of the treasures of the White House
from the invaders. It is difficult for us to realize, at this distant
day, that our beautiful capital was once in the enemy's hands, given
over to the flames; that was one of the great disgraces of the War of
1812; for the only force which rallied to the defense of the city was a
few regiments of untrained militia, which could not stand for a minute
before the British regulars, but ran away at the first fire.
Madison and his wife, however, soon came back to the White House from
which they had been driven, and remained there four years longer, until
the close of his second term, in 1817.
Pages:
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102