The attack on Washington D.C. and the subsequent burning of most of the government buildings was devastating to the young republic. We were lucky for our central government to survive such an attack. My question is, what may have happened if the burning of D.C. resulted in a collapse of the U.S. government. Let's say that President Madison is killed or captured, and the rest of the government has scattered and there is no one to take charge. What happens? Is a new government formed? Do states start acting of their own accord and make seperate peace with the British? Do the British win?