FACTS ABOUT THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS

On December 8, 1814, a British fleet reached Ship Island 60 miles east of New Orleans. British rowboats armed with small carronades and carrying British soldiers ran off a motley American flotilla. The British crossed bayous to put an army on the east bank of the Mississippi River, south of the city.

Jackson was already in New Orleans with a motley army of Louisiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee militiamen, the 7^thS. Rifles, free African-Americans, Choctaw warriors, and pirates. The pirates were provided by the infamous Jean Lafitte. He had accepted an offer from the British to become an officer in their navy, some land and some money, but he switched sides. He and his men were pardoned for their piracy and smuggling activities. Jackson was suffering from dysentery and commanded his army from his cot. He had about 5,700 men. Pakenham had 8,000. Many of them were veterans of the Peninsular War in Spain against Napoleon’s forces.

On Dec. 23, the British vanguard marched towards the city, but halted short of it when it could have continued to the city. The owner of the plantation where it encamped rushed to see Gen. Andrew Jackson with word of the British advance. Jackson exclaimed: “By the eternal, they shall not sleep on our soil!”

On the night of Dec. 23, Jackson launched an attack in the dark. It hit the British, but the dark caused confusion and the Americans were forced to retreat. The attack did take the British by surprise and made them more wary. It gave Jackson more days to prepare his defenses.

Jackson had his men entrench at the Rodriguez canal which ran into the river. The rampart was ¾ miles and ended at a swamp so it could not be flanked. The rampart consisted of wood, earth, and cotton bales (which have been disputed by some historians). It was a very strong position.

On Dec. 27, Gen. Edward Pakenham (Wellington’s brother-in-law) arrived to take command of the British army that was encamped at the Chalmette plantation. He ordered a reconnaissance in force. Part of his assault force caused the militiamen it faced to run and it could have taken the rampart, but on the rest of the field the British took a beating, so Pakenham ordered a retreat, not knowing of the success.

On Jan. 1, the British tried an artillery barrage, but they had the worst of the duel against Jackson’s 32-pounder, three 24-pounders, 18-pounder, three 12 pounders, and three 6-pounders. The pirates helped man the cannons. The loss in this engagement caused British morale to decline.

The battle took place on Jan. 8, 1815. Gen. John Keane led the assault on the left. Maj. Gen. Samuel Gibbs led the main attack. Lt. Col. Thomas Mullins was in charge of bringing sugar bales to fill in the canal and ladders to climb the rampart. He forgot to bring them. The British blamed him for the loss because the few British that made it to the rampart had no way to get over.

The British redcoats were flayed by American artillery fire on their approach. The cannister was devastating. And the rifle fire, especially from the Kentucky and Tennessee riflemen was deadly. Gibbs was mortally wounded. A British unit managed to capture an unfinished redoubt on the left, but could not hold it under the artillery and rifle fire. When Pakenham and his staff rode forward to rally his men, he was shot and killed.

A Kentuckian described the battlefield: “When the smoke had cleared and we could obtain a fair view of the field, it looked at first glance like a sea of blood. It was not blood itself, but the red coats of the British soldiers. The field was entirely covered in prostrate Bodies.”

A British force which had crossed the river to assault an American redoubt on that side ran off a militia force and was preparing to fire the cannons against the east bank line when it was recalled because the main force had failed.

The British lost over 2,000 men with almost 300 killed. Jackson lost 71, with only 13 dead.

The battle was famous for being fought after the Treaty of Ghent was signed on Dec. 24. Due to slow communications back then, neither Jackson, nor Pakenham knew the War of 1812 had ended. However, the treaty did not go into effect until Feb. 16, so it is not true that the battle was unnecessary. If the British would have captured New Orleans, they probably would not have given it back.

Another result of the battle was it made Andrew “Old Hickory” Jackson famous and helped him win the Presidency in 1828.

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