It has been nearly 200 years since the near forgotten War of 1812 (an odd name considering it lasted three years). This was the first war since independence was won and as such was the first test for a fledgling nation. The British enemy was far superior in weaponry and veteran service among its men, yet the Americans were not fully defeated. One would be hard pressed to say the Americans won this skirmish, but we can certainly proclaim that we were not conquered as could have been the result.
There is one specific battle that I wish to venture into today; the day the Brits walked on Washington D.C. It was this assault by the Brits that could have changed much of today’s history. At the time the Secretary of Defense did not believe that England would attack the Capital and therefore left few resources for its defense. Instead he believed they would hone in on Baltimore leaving the young capital city at peace. After all Baltimore was a major commercial site and Washington D.C. was little more than a governing city.
Regardless of the contemporary speculations the British did strike Washington D.C. first and were met with little opposition (possibly 500 troops to their thousands). Quickly the British marched into the capital while good old Dolly Madison fled at the last moment with the nation’s beloved first president in portrait under arm and many other citizens full of fear.
Their first stop was the Capitol building where they held a mock congress and voted to burn the city. Then, with the Capitol in flame, they progressed toward the White House and ate the President’s dinner that was still on the table. With much cheer and spirit (or spirits) they then turned the blaze on the President’s home.
One would think this was the end of what was destined to be great. With Washington D.C. taken there was little hope for America. The Brits once again had a stronghold. However, there was a stronger power at play that night and He had a greater plan.
Sometime in the early morning hours the party was harshly interrupted with a great gale wind that swelled into a hurricane quite quickly. Without fair warning, what was a party of the ages quickly became a panic of the century. The winds became so intense that men were holding onto one another as to not be blown away. In the background the flames continued to burn.
Then, without any regard to the life, a tornado touched down in the center of town and ripped and roared through the badly beaten city laying waste to whatever dared remain. The British soldiers were frightened and certainly were praying to whatever God they knew.
As daylight broke the storms subsided and not a single British soldier remained. I can only imagine the prayers of thanks that were being murmured from street to street by the residents of the burned capital. I can only imagine the joy they felt. It is truly inspiring to look back on this day in history and become humbled by a single act of divine interference.
“’Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit’ declares the Lord Almighty.” What a powerful piece of scripture that completely captures the emotion of what happened back in 1814. So often today we try with all of our might and power to make things happen in our life, when instead, we should be allowing the Spirit to open the doors of our progress. It is time we stop watching our city (our lives) burn to ash, and begin to be whisked away by the power of the Lord
There is one specific battle that I wish to venture into today; the day the Brits walked on Washington D.C. It was this assault by the Brits that could have changed much of today’s history. At the time the Secretary of Defense did not believe that England would attack the Capital and therefore left few resources for its defense. Instead he believed they would hone in on Baltimore leaving the young capital city at peace. After all Baltimore was a major commercial site and Washington D.C. was little more than a governing city.
Regardless of the contemporary speculations the British did strike Washington D.C. first and were met with little opposition (possibly 500 troops to their thousands). Quickly the British marched into the capital while good old Dolly Madison fled at the last moment with the nation’s beloved first president in portrait under arm and many other citizens full of fear.
Their first stop was the Capitol building where they held a mock congress and voted to burn the city. Then, with the Capitol in flame, they progressed toward the White House and ate the President’s dinner that was still on the table. With much cheer and spirit (or spirits) they then turned the blaze on the President’s home.
One would think this was the end of what was destined to be great. With Washington D.C. taken there was little hope for America. The Brits once again had a stronghold. However, there was a stronger power at play that night and He had a greater plan.
Sometime in the early morning hours the party was harshly interrupted with a great gale wind that swelled into a hurricane quite quickly. Without fair warning, what was a party of the ages quickly became a panic of the century. The winds became so intense that men were holding onto one another as to not be blown away. In the background the flames continued to burn.
Then, without any regard to the life, a tornado touched down in the center of town and ripped and roared through the badly beaten city laying waste to whatever dared remain. The British soldiers were frightened and certainly were praying to whatever God they knew.
As daylight broke the storms subsided and not a single British soldier remained. I can only imagine the prayers of thanks that were being murmured from street to street by the residents of the burned capital. I can only imagine the joy they felt. It is truly inspiring to look back on this day in history and become humbled by a single act of divine interference.
“’Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit’ declares the Lord Almighty.” What a powerful piece of scripture that completely captures the emotion of what happened back in 1814. So often today we try with all of our might and power to make things happen in our life, when instead, we should be allowing the Spirit to open the doors of our progress. It is time we stop watching our city (our lives) burn to ash, and begin to be whisked away by the power of the Lord
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