The full story of the final British campaign of the War of 1812 describing in full the events of 1814, including the destruction of Washington and culminating in the Battle of New Orleans. - First published in 1974, sales exceeded 200,000 copies in hardcover and this is the first paperback edition. - In 1814, the final year of the War of 1812, Britain, with forces made available by the defeat of Napoleon, mounted a massive seaborne assault against the United States. - British forces burned military installations and public buildings in Washington, forcing President Madison and his cabinet to leave the city. - The British then sailed southward to launch a risky attack on New Orleans, but were defeated by American forces under the inspired leadership of Andrew Jackson. The British at the Gates is a fascinating blend of diplomatic, political, social and, above all, military history. It sets the battle within the complete context of the War of 1812, which has sometimes been called the Second War of Independence, describing the issues that led the United States to declare war on Britain.