Somebody Left A Note At The Grave Of The Guy Who Burned Down The White House In 1814, And Honestly, It's WILD
by Kelley Greene · BuzzFeedPosted 2 minutes ago
Recently, a note and a small item were left at the grave of Major General Robert Ross in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
For context, Major General Ross served in the British Army during several wars, including the War of 1812.
The War of 1812 was a battle fought between the United States and the United Kingdom. While the UK battled France during the Napoleonic Wars, it began restricting the US's trade with France, and later began capturing and conscripting American sailors from merchant vessels into the British Navy. The US voted to go to war with the UK in June 1812.
During the war, the US repeatedly attempted to invade British territory in Canada (unsuccessfully) and fought the British on the open seas. After Napoleon abdicated in 1814, the UK was able to focus on pushing back harder against the US, and the two countries eventually signed a peace treaty (the Treaty of Ghent) later that year.
Before the war came to an end, the British Army laid siege to Washington, DC, in retaliation for an attack the US had perpetrated on the city of York in Ontario, Canada. As part of that attack, British troops burned down the White House and Capitol under the command of Major General Ross.
The White House was badly burned, and in fact, only the outer structure of the building remained.
President James Madison and first lady Dolley were unable to return to the White House due to the significant damage. Repairs were finally completed in 1817.
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