How was this a terrorist attack? Except for the terrified American troops that ran from the outnumbered British Army.
The Brits were able to do this only because of the utter disorganization and incompetence of the American war effort.
Luckily for our national self-esteem, a day or so later the defense of Baltimore, and few months later the defense of New Orleans demonstrated conclusively this was not a national characteristic.
Does anyone think the White House would have burned if Jackson had been in charge of the defense of Washington?
The outcome at New Orleans was obvious. The general commanding the British Army was an idiot who decided to assault the walls with ladders that were known to be too short and refused to delay the attack. He ended up being deservedly killed in the disaster of his own making.
Having said that, Britain did win the last battle of the war by taking Fort Bowyer just before the planned assault on Mobile, Alabama. It was only then the word reached that the war was over, and the British left...