The Burning of Washington: The British Invasion of 1814

Anthony S. Pitch is a first class story teller. From the humiliating defeat of the panic-stricken American troops at Bladensburg, Maryland (north of Washington, D.C.) to their magnificent victory over the British army at New Orleans (under the command of the immortal Andrew Jackson), it's all here. I found it difficult to put this riveting book down. As a native of Baltimore, I particularly enjoyed the author's fact filled account of the important battle at Fort McHenry and the birth of our National Anthem. The heroics of American Generals George Armistead, Samuel Smith, and John Stricker are faithfully retold, along with rich details about many other gallant defenders of the then-young Baltimore City. I grew up during WWII on Locust Point, in south Baltimore, where the Fort still stands as a sentinel, jutting out into the Patapsco River. Pitch's research of the combatants' competing military strategies in that seminal battle is very illuminating, indicative of the author's background as a journalist. The death of British General Robert Ross, just before the start of the decisive land battle at North Point (just east of Fort McHenry) at the hand of two sharp shooting patriotic riflemen, Henry McComas and Daniel Wells, deserves a chapter all to itself. Pitch also describes marvelous anecdotes about the torching of the city of Washington by the British that should be read by every American that cares about his country's history. I never fully realized just how close our nation came to again becoming a province of the British Empire. Pitch relates it was a lot closer then most of us ever imagined. I can't wait for this well-documented book to become a movie. It would make a great sequel to Mel Gibson's splendid film, "The Patriot."

The "Burning of Washington" is a fast-paced and moving book that reads like a novel, yet is flawlessly researched and based totally on first-hand accounts and historic records. The author engages the reader's imagination to such an extent that it has the feel of a movie. From the opening paragraph the reader is immediately swept up into the chain of events not merely as a spectator, but as one of the cast. Such is Anthony Pitch's talent that one can hear the shots whistling past, feel the ground shake with the explosion of the fearsome, newly invented Congreve rockets, and experience the shock and horror of its citizenry as they are caught up in the catastrophe. What soon becomes apparent is how ill prepared the country was to defend itself and why the burning of Washington need never have happened. One is confounded at the number of hapless accidents which paved the way for calamity. The foibles of many in command seem almost comical had they not had such tragic consequences. At the same time one rejoices in the courage and bravery, along with the many small acts of kindness on both sides. Dolley Madison, ever gracious and calm, keeps her head while all about are losing theirs and sacrifices self interest for the national good. This is a tale that has been too long neglected, perhaps because of the abject humiliation experienced. But it is a tale that MUST be told and kept alive in the national consciousness, and no one tells it better than Mr. Pitch. His brilliant command of the English language allows him to weave together the wealth of factual details he has so carefully researched into a rich tapestry that grips the reader from start to finish. It definitely rates five stars.

If you have seen Mr. Pitch on PBS you might find it hard to believe he just as great in print as he is on television. The depth of his research and his ability to relate this story reflect his love of history. I particularly enjoyed his insights into the psychology of warfare. The defenders of Baltimore were ready to capitulate after the sack of Washington but because of a delay in attacking by the British they were able to regain thier resolve to resist. Timing is everthing. A great read, I could not put it down.

The author has done a superior job researching the subject and documenting the work. The author basically integrates paraphrased commentary from his research sources and offers few, if any, editorial comments. Don't expect a grand plot except that formed from the facts themselves.

Anthony Pitch brilliantly illuminates a brief but crucial period in the history of the United States of America. His descriptive power, his ability to capture and project the personalities astride the U.S. political and military stage in the second decade of the 19th century, his grasp of straightforward but compelling language, and his obvious love of the subject at hand, all of these leave the reader with a feeling of having personally witnessed a devastating national trauma. The book should be on everyone's reading list. Once having poked a nasal hair across the threshold, one is trapped, mesmerised and bolted to the pages, until the very end. Pitch displays a special joy in connecting the crucible of the past to an understanding of the present, and has performed a dutiful and generous service to the country. The work is thorough, yet brightly readable. It truly straddles the field of the academic and the realm of the popular and, I believe, should satisfy readers in! both camps. Neither too long nor too short, neither too heavy nor too light, the book passes the Goldilocks rule, and is just right. Prediction: a movie before long. Question: why is it in such short supply in, of all places, major bookstores in the national capital itself?