9781422287576

11 Perilous Moments

Dolley Madison felt that the Executive Mansion should be the center of Washington society, a place where the president would meet and entertain visiting digni- taries from foreign nations, and where parties would be held cel- ebrating important national events. Washington Irving, the American author, attended one of Mrs. Madison's parties in 1811. He wrote that Dolley Madison was a “fine, portly, buxom dame who has a smile and pleasant word for everybody.”

the American Revolution. After the war ended in 1783, the British continued fighting with the French, their long-time enemies. Because Great Britain needed sailors for its navy, in 1802 English warships started kidnapping American sailors and pressing them into service. Within a few years, the British began to attack American ships sailing to France. Congress called on American ships to return fire. Finally, on June 18, 1812, President Madison declared war on Britain. The war did not go well. On August 24, 1814, Mrs. Madison found herself rushing about the Executive Mansion, hastily packing her family’s belongings into crates. A British army was advancing on Washington. The president was safely away from Washington at the time, but Dolley knew she would have to flee the capital or risk capture by the British.