It's always interesting reading history from another point of view...
One of the "neat" things I picked up while studying history was the raid on Washington, DC.
American forces landed ashore near Fort York (now Toronto, but at the time a small garrison of British soldiers) hoping to receive the surrender of the fort as the defenders were vastly outnumbered. The locals, largely "American" but loyal to the British king were often related to or otherwise knew some of the landing forces, thereby possibly making them somewhat sympathetic to the invaders.
Upon the landing, the British commander ordered the destruction of the magazine (gunpowder storage and weapons supply) so it would not fall into enemy hands.
The resulting detonation killed scores of landing troops, a tactic which angered the Americans and they consequently burned down Fort York which had been vacated by the British (they retreated to higher ground which is now just north of Bloor Street) until nightfall. The still angry landing forces began looting and upsetting the locals who were now no longer willing allies.
Having the advantage of darkness and local familiarity, the British countered the American incursion and the Americans fell back to their ships and went home.
Retaliation for the destruction of the Fort was organized by Major General Robert Ross, who sailed a flotilla from Halifax down the eastern seaboard, up the Potomac and a landing party subsequently burned down the White House (then a wooden structure). President Madison had sought safer ground nearby.
