Mike: In the same vein of thought, the British were trying to reclaim land in the War of 1812. Besides, at the time, the White House, and DC, for that matter, really was not the massive target that we now think of today. DC, as a city, had been up for only about twenty years at this point.
Besides, the Americans don't brag about burning Toronto to the ground, do they?
All in all, the War of 1812 was a draw, and ultimately led to better relations between GB and the US.