Today in history is the Battle of New Orleans victory of US Major General Andrew Jackson’s army against overwhelming odds of the British army under Major General Sir Thomas Pakenham on January 8, 1815. The battle took place 18 days after the signing of the Treaty of Ghent which formally ended the War of 1812 on December 24, 1814 as news of the treaty had not yet reached the armies in the US. Despite a large British army with advantages in numbers, training and experience, the American forces defeated a poorly executed assault in a little more than two hours. What events led to the battle? What occurred during the battle for the Americans to win overwhelming odds? How was the battle remembered and memorialized?
Major General Pakenham was ordered to continue the war even if he heard rumors of peace. This order was given under the impression that the US would never ratify a treaty and the war would continue. The British hoped to take New Orleans in order to separate Louisiana from the US. The British would send 11,000-14,450 troops to the area (State of Louisiana). Pirate Jean Lafitte warned the Americans of this plan (Editors, 2019) as 60 British ships anchored in the Gulf of Mexico, east of Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne by December 14, 1814. The much smaller American force, appropriately 3,500-5,000 men (State of Louisiana), set up a fortilla of five gunboats which prevented the British access to the lakes as Jackson hastened to the city and set up defenses by December 1, 1814 (Lohnes, 2021). After a brief attack, British soldiers were able to establish a garrison east of New Orleans. General John Keane decided to camp at the Villere Plantation and wait for reinforcements. Major Gabriel Villere escaped his home and warned Jackson of the British army's positions. Due to this information, the American forces were able to fortify the Rodriguez Canal which came to be known as Line Jackson.
The American forces were Tennessee and Kentucky frontiersmen, Louisiana militia, New Orleans businessmen, Free Men of Color, Choctaw Indians, pirates, sailors and US Marines (American Battlefield Trust). They were able to create three lines of defenses, firmly entrenching themselves at the canal. The British battle plan was to attack against the 20-gun west bank, then use the guns for their frontal assault. Early morning on the 8th, Pakenham gave the orders for the attack.The main attack began in darkness and heavy fog. When the fog lifted, British neared the American mainline. However, Lt. Colonel Thomas Mullions, the British commander of the 44th (East Essex) Regiment of Foot, forgot the ladders and facines needed to cross the 8 foot deep and 15 foot wide canal and scale the fortifications. The British forces soon fell into confusion and the American forces were able to push back the British forces until they retreated. The Battle Of New Orleans would be over in approximately two hours. The final causality numbers have been up for debate for many years since the numbers. The official numbers state that the Americans suffered approximately 60 casualties while the British suffered over 2,000.
The Battle of New Orleans had no influence on the outcome of the war as the treaty was signed weeks before and the British turned their attention to Europe as a renewed war with France brewed when Napoleon escaped Elba and was restored to power in February 1815. However, it had historical significance in the years to come. The victory helped elevate national pride which suffered during the war (Editors, 2019). Jackson’s political reputation would be built on the victorious battle and glorified his heroic image. The Battle of New Orleans would also be the last armed engagement between the United States and Great Britain (Editors, 2019). When I was in high school, my US history teacher played Johnny Horton’s 1959 song The Battle of New Orleans as part of his lesson. Written by Jimmy Driftwood, a principal in Arkansas, wrote the song with the hopes to engage the students in history. The song was set to the melody of a well-known American fiddle tune, “The 8th of January,” it told the story of the battle in a light and comical tone. It has been recorded and performed by many artists, the most famous is Johnny Horton’s version which would be a number hit in 1959. In conclusion, the Battle of New Orleans had no effect on the outcome of the War of 1812; however, it helped elevate national pride at a time when Americans had suffered losses at the hands of the British. News of the victory in New Orleans and the treaty ended the war would reach the American people around the same time leading to a greater sense of national identity. It would also help build the reputation of Andrew Jackson, leading him to the presidency in 1828. It is also another example of when sheer numbers do not always lead to victory. Poor planning, poor communication and a costly frontal assault led to the defeat of the British Army.
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