1814 — Aug 25, Tornado, primarily invading British Troops, Washington, D.C. — ~30

–~30 Cornell, James. The Great International Disaster Book (Third Edition). 1982, p. 220.
—<30 Watson. “History of Tornadoes in Washington D.C.” Sterling Reporter, V1, Is. 5, 2003, 6 Narrative Information Ambrose: “During the summer of 1814, British warships sailed into the Chesapeake Bay and headed towards Washington. The warships sailed up the Patuxent River and anchored at Benedict, Maryland on August 19, 1814. Over 4,500 British soldiers landed and marched towards Washington. The British mission was to capture Washington and seek revenge for the burning of their British Capitol in Canada, for which they held the United States responsible. A force of 7,000 Americans was hastily assembled near the Potomac River to defend Washington. During the afternoon of August 24, in 100°F heat, the two armies clashed. The British Army quickly routed the less disciplined American volunteers, mostly due to a series of American blunders and a new British rocket that did little damage, but unnerved the raw American troops with a very loud, shrill noise. President Madison and Secretary of State Monroe, who had led a group of officials to watch the battle, were almost captured in the confusion. It was noted that the 100°F temperatures added to everyone’s discomfort. “After the battle, the British Army marched quickly into Washington while American soldiers, United States government officials, and residents fled the city. There were no officials left in Washington from whom the British could seek terms of surrender. The British admiral ate dinner in the White House, then gave the order to set fire to Washington. Within hours, the White House, the Capitol, and many other public buildings and residences were burning. “On the morning of August 25, Washington was still burning. Throughout the morning and early afternoon, the British soldiers continued to set fires and destroy ammunition supplies and defenses around the city. As the soldiers spread fire and destruction throughout the city, the early afternoon sky began to darken and lightning and thunder signaled the approach of a thunderstorm. As the storm neared the city, the winds began to increase dramatically and then built into a “frightening roar.” A severe thunderstorm was bearing down on Washington, and with it was a tornado. “The tornado tore through the center of Washington and directly into the British occupation. Buildings were lifted off of their foundations and dashed to bits. Other buildings were blown down or lost their roofs. Feather beds were sucked out of homes and scattered about. Trees were uprooted, fences were blown down, and the heavy chain bridge across the Potomac River was buckled and rendered useless. A few British cannons were picked up by the winds and thrown through the air. The collapsing buildings and flying debris killed several British soldiers. Many of the soldiers did not have time to take cover from the winds and they laid face down in the streets. One account describes how a British officer on horseback did not dismount and the winds slammed both horse and rider violently to the ground. “The winds subsided quickly, but the rain fell in torrents for two hours. (There may have been a second thunderstorm that followed quickly after the first thunderstorm.) Fortunately, the heavy rain quenched most of the flames and prevented Washington from continuing to burn. After the storm, the British Army regrouped on Capitol Hill, still a bit shaken by the harsh weather. They decided to leave the city that evening….” (Ambrose, et al.. “The Tornado…of Washington, Aug 25, 1814,” Washington Weather. 2002.) Ludlum: “August 25, 1814: This tornado struck Northern Virginia and Washington, DC during the burning of the Capitol by British soldiers in the "War of 1812." It was first documented in Leesburg, Loudoun County where a tornado injured two people. The Washington newspaper wrote that there was much forest damage. It is not known if this tornado moved southeast into Washington or if more than one tornado occurred. In Washington the tornado blew off roofs and chimneys through the residential areas. The swirling debris killed and wounded more British soldiers in the city then the American troops did.” (Ludlum. Early American Tornadoes: 1586-1870. 1970.) Myatt: “On Aug. 25, 1814, as British troops occupied a burning Washington, D.C., a powerful thunderstorm hit the city. According to many sources, that severe thunderstorm spawned a tornado that would plow through the heart of Washington….There has been some disagreement over the years about whether the Washington storm of 1814 was a tornado, strictly a severe thunderstorm, or perhaps even some kind of tropical system. However, the descriptions of the storm and the manner of its destruction seem most consistent with a tornado, so this has become a widely accepted account of the storm….” (Myatt, Kevin. “Did Tornado Wreak Havoc on War of 1812?” Roanoke Times, Aug 26, 2006.) Watson: “August 25, 1814. A strong tornado struck the same day British troops set several buildings in the city on fire during the War of 1812. More British soldiers were killed by the tornado than by the American resistance. Raging fires at the Capitol, the White House, and other public buildings were partially extinguished by heavy rain with the storm. The tornado blew off roofs, knocked down chimneys and fences, damaged numerous homes, and lifted cannons and deposited them several yards away. At least 30 Americans were killed or injured and an unknown number of British were killed or injured.” (Watson 2003, 6) Sources Ambrose, Kevin. Dan Henry, Andy Weiss. “The Tornado and the Burning of Washington, August 25, 1814.” Washington Weather – The Book. Historical Enterprises, December 2002. Accessed at: http://www.weatherbook.com/1814.htm Cornell, James. The Great International Disaster Book (Third Edition). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1982. Ludlum, David M. Early American Tornadoes 1586-1870. Boston, MA: American Meteorological Society, 1970. Myatt, Kevin. “Did Tornado Wreck Havoc on War of 1812?” Roanoke Times, 8-26-2006. Accessed at: http://www.roanoke.com/weather/wb/79760 Watson, Barbara (Warning Coordination Meteorologist). “History of Tornadoes in Washington D.C.” Sterling Reporter, Vol.1, Issue. 5, Spring 2003, p. 6. http://www.erh.noaa.gov/lwx/reporter/spring2003.pdf