How should I demolish the brick wainscoting on my house's exterior wall?
From the top down, one brick at a time. 

All your chisels strikes should impact towards the lower and next brick, laterally or directly downwards. Place the chisel point in the mortar bed, drive it under the brick, and voilà. If the top row abuts something, these bricks may be difficult, but the rest will come right out once two adjacent sides are free.

This is how I'd attack most brick walls anyway, that I couldn't just push over; using my chipping hammer. Let this be your excuse to buy a rotatory chipping hammer (that toggles to just impact) or have fun with your 5 pound sledge and a cold chisel. (zoro.com)



-Swinging hammers sucks; popping out a single row of bricks (from the top) is child's play with a chipping hammer.