美英之间二度开战美国独立之后,美英矛盾并未减弱,并于1812年再度开战。战争之初,英军忙于欧洲战事,不得不在北美多个战场处于守势。1814年4月,法国皇帝拿破仑被击败,英国腾出手来开始增兵北美战场。同年5月,美军跨过伊利湖攻占加拿大境内的多佛港,他们不仅破坏粮食储备,还毁坏私人房屋和其他财产,英军指挥官强烈要求采取报复行动。新任北美及西印度舰队总司令亚历山大·科克伦海军中将计划通过攻击弗吉尼亚州和新奥尔良市,把战火引向美国本土。在北美作战经验丰富的乔治·科伯恩少将则建议进攻防守薄弱的华盛顿——攻占美国首都将产生巨大的政治影响。接下来第二天,科克伦授权科伯恩对美国本土城镇展开报复性军事行动,摧毁易受攻击的美国城镇。美军高层此时仍看不清英军的作战意图。尽管英军明显在朝华盛顿进军,美国 After the United States and Britain waged their second war between the United States and the United States, the contradictions between the United States and Britain have not diminished and the war re-started in 1812. At the beginning of the war, the British were busy with the war in Europe and had to keep their defensive positions in many battlefields in North America. In April 1814, the French Emperor Napoleon was defeated, and the British made a hand to begin the troop increase in the North American battlefield. In May of the same year, the U.S. forces crossed Lake Erie and captured Dover Port in Canada. They not only damaged the grain reserves but also destroyed private houses and other property. The British commanders urged the retaliation. Admiral Alexander Cochrane, commander-in-chief of the new North and West Indian Fleet, plans to lead the war to the United States by attacking Virginia and New Orleans. Major General George Coburn, who has experienced combat in North America, has suggested offensive defensive Washington - capturing the United States capital will have a huge political impact. The next day Cochrane empowered Coburn to retaliate against the native American towns and destroy the vulnerable U.S. towns. At this time, the U.S. military leaders still can not see clearly the intention of the British military. Although the British were clearly marching toward Washington, the United States