All language subtitles for The White House s01e07 The British Are Coming.eng

(crowd cheering)

(bright music)

(tense music)

- [narrator] the british
have captured fort mackinac,

And there has been a
massacre of u.S. Soldiers

And civilians at fort dearborn.

(tense music)

- More bad news, clay?

- General hall has
surrendered detroit.

Our forces outnumbered
them two to one,

And that old fool
raises the white flag.

(guns firing)

Defeat after defeat
after defeat.

(guns firing)

These reverses cannot be
sustained, mr. President.

The people fear a return
to british rule in america.

- I'll never allow
that to happen.

(building dramatic music)

(classical music playing)

- Don't look so downcast, jimmy.

Our troops are
making some headway.

- Not enough, dolley.

We've been routed
too many times.

Look at them...

Smiling when they see that
I'm looking their way,

But whispering and plotting

The second that
my back is turned.

- The war of 1812 is the
second time the united states

Has declared war
against great britain.

And one of the
challenges they faced

Was how unprepared,
militarily, they were.

And really, the united
states are soon wracked

By a series of
losses and defeats,

And there's real fear
in the united states

That they may lose this war.

- We gotta deal
with that blow-hard.

- Mrs. Madison.

Mr. Madison.

- Mr. President, is what
I think you mean to say.

- Of course.

So, mr. President,
mr. President.

I am surprised to see you
so publicly celebrating.

Is there some great victory
of which we are yet unaware?

Oh, has canada fallen?

- Well, when that happens, clay,

You'll be the first to know.

- That is a shame.

The people need to be fed
a steady diet of victories.

Currently, they're
being served scraps.

Pretty soon they may
turn on the chef.

- It was often called,
"mr. Madison's war,"

Particularly by his enemies.

He's the president,
he approved of it.

There's also some sarcasm in it

Because james madison has never
heard a shot fired in anger,

And now he's a war leader.

- What in the name of hell?

(tense music)

- Oh, great, more bad news.

I knew that old man
was too weak, too old.

(tense music)

- [dolley] from where
did you receive this?

(tense music)

- Ladies and gentlemen,

This brave sailor has brought
news of a great victory.

The uss united states
engaged the british frigate,

Hms macedonian, off
the coast of madeira.

Despite being outgunned,

The united states
defeated the macedonian

And captured her crew.

Victory!

(crowd applauding)

Long live the united states!

- The funny thing
about the war of 1812

Is that the very few victories

That the americans had over
the british were naval,

Which was very surprising
on both sides, may I say,

Since the british navy was
sort of world celebrated,

But there it is.

- That victory really
gives americans hopes

That they can beat the british,

That there is a path forward,
and that all's not lost.

- Please, excuse me.

(classical music playing)

James...

What did we talk about
avoiding the french ambassador?

Well?

Jimmy?

- Seems our moment of
triumph is short lived.

The ambassador just told
me that napoleon's armies

Are in full retreat in russia.

- Unfortunate for the french,
but how does that hurt us?

- 'cause if napoleon falls,

The british will be able
to divert all their forces

Away from the french
and towards us.

We will face the greatest
military power alone.

Keep everyone entertained.

I...

I need a few minutes
just for myself, please.

(tense music)

- Oh, it's an outrage.

It's a goddamn war
crime, hampton.

Look, "on the night
of the 25th of June,

British troops
landed near hampton.

The 400 local militiamen
gathered to oppose them

Put up a tough but
brief resistance

Before being beaten back
and compelled to flee

Through the nearby wood.

While rounding up prisoners,

One captured american officer
was relieved of his epaulets

By several foreigners
and murdered,

While another militiamen
man was robbed,

Led into a false
sense of security

And then deliberately
executed in cold blood."

Goddamn it!

"hot on the heels of
the retreating militia,

The british troops quickly
moved into hampton,

Dispersing to plunder
in every direction.

They inflicted brutal
treatment on several peaceable

Inhabitants whose
age or infirmities

Rendered them unable
to get out of the way,

Therein committing every
horror with impunity,

Rape, murder, pillage."

The british are laughing at us!

They think our army men
are president are weak.

Madison is living
on borrowed time.

- The president is worse today.

- I have to get back to work.

There's so much to do.

The war...

(dolley shushing)

- Your cabinet and
the chiefs of the army

And navy have everything
under control.

- What day is it?

(tense music)

- Tuesday.

- In the summer of 1813,

James madison is going
to fall violently ill.

- [catherine] he has diarrhea,

He's vomiting bile,
he's got fevers.

- Congress...

I'm meant to be
attending congress.

You need to think
of an excuse for me.

(tense music)

- Freeman, please
tell mr. Monroe

To draft a letter to congress.

Tell them the president

Won't be able to
attend today because...

- What would you like me
to tell then, mrs. Madison?

- Tell mr. Monroe to think
of a suitable reason.

Come back to me, james.

Please.

I need you.

Our nation needs you.

Please, my love.

(tense music)

- The president must
be given more time.

- More time? The president
hasn't been seen in weeks.

Where is he?

- I am assured
that the president

Is working from the
president's house.

- The british are
beating us bloody.

We want the truth!

- Rumors of madison's
illness spread far and wide.

Even john adams
hears that madison

Is taking so much laudanum

That he's delirious and
may not live much longer.

And in this war that
was already divisive,

His illness only kind of

Strengthen the voices
of his opposition.

- [clay] stand out of the way!

- [servant] the president is
not admitted visitor, sir.

- [clay] step aside or
I'll have you flayed alive!

- What is the meaning of this?

- Mrs. Madison.

So, it is true.

Dear god, he looks half dead.

- You must not judge the
president as you see him now.

He suffers badly today,

But most days he is
busy at his work.

Please...

Don't ruin him.

- Oh, you misjudge
me, mrs. Madison.

James?

- Clay...

- There he is.

Hey.

All right, now don't say
anything, you just listen now.

There's talk about an
amendment to the constitution.

The nation is in peril
and many in congress,

Not just your enemies but
men in your own party,

They think it's time to act
now before the worst happens.

- They think james will die?

- Some think he's already dead

And you're just hiding the fact.

- At the time, the
constitution is very clear

On what happens if a
president passes away.

It's not clear on what happens

If a president is incapacitated.

And so, the question
is very much open about

Who should be leading
this war effort

In the absence of the
commander in chief.

- James, you need to get well.

Okay?

And to come back to congress

And show those naysayers
that you are still

In command of your
body, of your faculties.

Gotta fight, james. Fight.

There's a war to be won and we
need our commander in chief.

(gentle music)

I will go back to congress.

I'll tell them that
I've seen the president,

That he's still alive.

And that will,
it'll buy some time,

But you need to rouse
him out of that bed.

- I shall.

You're not what I
thought, senator.

- I'm a man who loves this
country, mrs. Madison.

(tense music)

- Gentlemen, sad to say I have

No new updates on the
president's condition,

So we must press...

(tense music)

Mr. President, happy to see you.

(tense music)

- Who would like to begin?

Mr. Monroe...

What news from the
atlantic theater?

- The war still isn't
going very well.

The ground forces
are going nowhere.

With napoleon's defeat,
the british can start

To focus more on
the united states.

And as part of
that, britain starts

To go more of an offensive war.

- John...

Is it true?

- It's true.

The british have
landed in benedict.

- And where they heading?

- The president was
hoping baltimore, but no.

Looks like they're
fixing the head our way.

- And if they March
on washington,

How long before they arrive?

- Four days.

Five, tops.

- The british realize
that dc may be vulnerable.

It is still a young city.

It does not have the
same fortifications or natural defenses

That some other ports in
the united states have.

And so they decide to launch
an invasion of the capital.

- America's last line.

Local boys with guns and knives.

- During the war of 1812,

The white house really
sat as an open target.

It didn't have any
of the security

That you'd associate with
what is the president's home.

- There is just a
small militia force

Guarding the white house.

There was no fence, you could
just walk onto the lawn.

- What the hell?

(tense music)

- A message from the
british high command.

- Oh?

- What is it?

- It's not for me.
It's for you, dolley.

- From admiral sir
george cockburn,

Commander, british
forces in maryland.

- What does it say?

- That he soon expects to take
his bow in my drawing room.

How dare he?

You can tell the admiral
we'll see him soon enough.

But he can kneel, not bow.

- Aren't you quakers
supposed to be pacifist?

- Yes.

But it never suited me anyway.

You don't have to do this.

You have generals, admirals.

They must fight the battle,
and you must guard the nation.

If you are injured or killed,

It will serve no cause other
than the british king's.

- Dolley, we've
been through this.

Imagine how it would look, me,
asking our fellow americans

To lay down their
lives if I will not.

Anyways, my lack of height
will finally be an advantage,

With all those british
bullets flying over my head.

(tense music)

- I love you.

Now, go and kick
those british bastards

All the way back
into the potomac.

- Yes, ma'am.

- James madison is
going out into the field

To try to gather
intelligence about

Where the british
are going to attack.

(tense music)

- He has to borrow a horse

And he has to borrow
a dueling pistol,

'cause he doesn't own
any weapons himself.

- James madison
becomes the first

And only president
to ride into battle.

(cannon firing)

(tense music)

- We're all gonna die, ain't we?

- Yes.

But only the lord
above us knows the day.

Maybe he ain't ready
for us just yet.

(tense music)

I heard some of the
english soldiers

Heading our way is
free black folk,

Signed up on the same
pay as white soldiers.

Same pension too.

All they gotta do is
sign a bit of paper

And there it is, they're free.

(tense music)

Now, I wouldn't judge
a man for doing it,

But me, I'm sticking
by the mistress.

Make sure she doesn't
get into any mischief.

See, mrs. Madison is too
damn brave for her own sakes.

If I leave her to her own
devices, she'll be running

Towards the red coats
with a pair of pistols.

- For many african americans,

It had to be a huge temptation.

But instead of joining
with the british

When they invaded washington dc,

The enslaved africans
owned by president madison,

They stay with the first lady.

(gentle music)

- But early in the day for
stargazing, mrs. Madison.

- I was hoping to catch
sight of my husband.

Or maybe the british.

But all I've seen so far

Is a lot of our fellow
washingtonians fleeing.

And an impressively randy bull

Having fun in the lower fields.

What's on your mind, john?

- I came up to see if
you wanted to continue

With the preparations
for dinner tonight?

- Of course. Why ever not?

4:00 pm. It must all
be ready for 4:00 pm.

- She's determined that
she's going to receive

James madison back
in the white house

And they're going to have
dinner together that night.

- Well, damn. She wasn't
lying about that bull.

(cannons firing)

- Madison's decision
to visit the troops,

It's a daring, risky decision.

- He would've seen a
ragtag outfit of us militia

Who are trying to put up
the best fight they can

Against trained
british regulars.

But by about 2:00 o'clock
pm, it's very clear

That the american forces are
not going to win this battle.

- Will these men
stand if the first

Lines of defense are breached?

- [soldier] I can't swear
to it, mr. President.

- Well, how far is
the president's house

From here would you
say? Seven miles?

- [soldier] about that.

- Dolley...

Dolley...

(tense music)

- The blade itself incites
the deeds of violence.

- I'll have your
head for this! Go!

- Cowards!

British troops are expected to
be here in a matter of hours.

- [john] ain't nothing
a man wouldn't do

When he's survived
being shot at.

- Do you think the english
is going to kill us?

- For king george!

(fire roaring)

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