Who saved White House treasures?

Answer 1

Dolley Madison

The troops turned northwest up Pennsylvania Avenue toward the White House. After the US government officials fled, the First Lady Dolley Madison remained behind to organize the slaves and staff to save valuables from the British.[11] Her role increased her popularity, even as it was embellished by newspapers.

James Madison's personal servant, the slave Paul Jennings, was an eyewitness at the age of 15.[12] After purchasing his freedom later from the widow Dolley Madison, he published his memoir in 1865, considered the first from the White House:It has often been stated in print, that when Mrs. Madison escaped from the White House, she cut out from the frame the large portrait of Washington (now in one of the parlors there), and carried it off. She had no time for doing it. It would have required a ladder to get it down. All she carried off was the silver in her reticule, as the British were thought to be but a few squares off, and were expected any moment.[13]

Jennings said that the people who saved the painting and removed the objects were:John Susé [Jean-Pierre Sioussat] (a Frenchman, then door-keeper, and still living) and Magraw [McGraw], the President's gardener, took it down and sent it off on a wagon, with some large silver urns and such other valuables as could be hastily got hold of. When the British did arrive, they ate up the very dinner, and drank the wines, &c., that I had prepared for the President's party.