We all know how the British sacked Washington and burned the White House. But what if they were just a bit faster and found the President and First Lady? Does that change anything?
Would have to say that would have been a major piece of bad luck for the British. Far better they ran away than they were captured. I would think far more downsides than there would be upsides in that situation.
It would be a tremendous blow to the US, compounding the burning of D.C. The real question is how would this affect the war effort. How does Congress and the VP deal with the President being hostage? Would the US decide to begin negotiations? Would the British try to negotiate a treaty with their captive? Would public outrage lead to a renewed offensive against say Canada?
well the good news is the US still has a Vice President (who dies Nov 23, 1814). The bad news is that the word 'gerrymandering' is named in honor (?) of him
luckily James Monroe is Secretary of State and at that time is next in line after the VP
If the VP dies and the President is captured there might be a succession crisis. IIRC doesn't it go president pro tempore of the senate? And Galliard (South Carolina) wasn't elected to that position until after Gerry's death OTL. If he isn't, then it goes to the Speaker of the House (Langdon Cheves, South Carolina), and he was only elected to that position since Henry Clay was part of the delegation to Ghent. If Galliard does get elected, Clay's supporters in the house might rally against him and attempt to make his position sound illegitimate.
After there that, due to many political shenanigans and ambitions a lot could happen.
The Marylanders still kill Ross at North Point and repel the British at Hampstead Hill, Fort McHenry, and Ferry Branch; MacDonough and Macomb still destroy Downie's squadron and repel Prevost at Plattsburgh; the treaty of Ghent is still signed in December, 1814; Pakenham and Gibbs et al still take a shot at New Orleans in January and still get killed; the treaty still gets ratified in February, the war ends, and Napoleon escapes from Elba in February.
Best,
Of course, Acting President Gerry could call Congress into Session (perhaps in Philadelphia if Washington still seemed unsafe) and allowed a new President Pro-tempore to be chosen - or even an Act of Congress adding Cabinet officers tot he line of succession.