War of 1812
1814 Secretary of War James Monroe’s Printed Letter and Charts to the U.S. Senate After the Burning of Washington
November 10, 1814-dated, War of 1812 Period, Imprint titled “Letter from the Secretary of War, ...”, Washington City, printed by Roger Chew Weightman, Fine+.
An original printing of a historic letter and charts presented by Secretary of War, James Monroe to the Senate of the United States, 7.5” x 13.25”, disbound, with two fold out charts, 22” x 18” and 14” x 13”. The complete title reads: “Letter from the Secretary of War, Transmitting a Statement of the Men Who have been Recruited for the Army of United States, During the Present Year.” The first printed chart lists all regiments and corps of the Army, their principle mustering locations and enlisted strengths broken down by duty, non-commissioned officers, musicians and privates. The second chart is titled “An Estimate of the Apportionment of Eighty Thousand Militia Amongst the Several States and Territories. Edge chips, toning, some pages becoming loose from the string bindings. Includes a printed integral letter from John R Bell, as Inspector General, trying to explain where recruiting monies had been spent. Very scarce.
This document was presented by newly appointed Secretary of War, James Monroe after the resignation of Armstrong and the burning and destruction of Washington by British forces a few months earlier in August.

After the British invasion, the only Government building left not destroyed was the Post Office. The British were only driven out by a sudden hurricane and tornado that touched down in the city, squelching the fires and devastating the invading force. Armstrong had played down the possibility of attack and basically left the city undefended.

On September 11, 1814, the British attacked Baltimore and Fort McHenry, prompting Francis Scott Key to write the Star Spangled Banner while watching the bombardment of that Fort.