During the War of 1812-1814, the British burned down Washington D.C. in return for the looting and buring of York’s (known as Toronto) Parliament Buildings of Upper Canada. The British would have burned down every building in Washington, if it were not for the officers ordering them not to burning of private buildings.

http://rosettasister.wordpress.com/2008/12/page/2/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_of_Washington