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EspañolBATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS
:''For other uses of the name, see Battle of New Orleans (disambiguation)''
The 'Battle of New Orleans' took place on January 8, 1815, and was the final major battle of the War of 1812.[1] American forces under General Andrew Jackson decisively defeated an invading British army intent on seizing New Orleans and America's western lands. The Treaty of Ghent had been signed on December 24, 1814, but news of the peace would not reach New Orleans until February.
By December 12, 1814, a large British fleet, under the command of Sir Alexander Cochrane, with more than 10,000 soldiers and sailors aboard had anchored in the Gulf of Mexico east of Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne. Preventing access to the lakes was an American flotilla, commanded by Thomas ap Catesby Jones, consisting of five gunboats. On December 14, British sailors in rowing boats, each boat armed with a small cannon, captured the vastly outnumbered gunboats in a brief but violent battle. Now free to navigate Lake Borgne, thousands of British soldiers, under the command of General John Keane, were rowed to Pea Island, about 30 miles east of New Orleans, where they established a garrison.
On the morning of December 23, Keane led a vanguard of 1,500 British soldiers from the island to the east bank of the Mississippi River, less than ten miles south of New Orleans. Keane could have attacked the city by advancing for a few hours up the river road, which was undefended all the way to New Orleans, but he made the fateful decision to wait for the arrival of reinforcements. Early that afternoon, when news of the British position reached Jackson at New Orleans he reportedly said, "Gentlemen, the British are below, we must fight them tonight." Jackson quickly sent about 2,000 of his troops from New Orleans to a position immediately north of the British to block them from making any further advances toward the city. Jackson, because he needed time to get his artillery into position, decided to immediately attack the British.
On the night of December 23, Jackson personally led a three-pronged attack on the British camp which lasted until early morning. After capturing some equipment and supplies, the Americans withdrew to New Orleans suffering a reported 24 killed, 115 wounded and 74 missing or captured, while the British claimed their losses as 46 killed, 167 wounded, and 64 missing or captured.
This stalled the British advance long enough for the Americans to bring in their heavy artillery and establish earthworks along a portion of the east bank of the Mississippi River. On Christmas Day, General Edward Pakenham arrived on the battlefield and ordered a reconnaissance-in-force against the American earthworks protecting the roads to New Orleans. On December 28, groups of British troops made probing attacks against the American earthworks.
When the British troops withdrew, the Americans began construction of artillery batteries to protect the earthworks which were then christened “Line Jackson”. The Americans installed eight batteries, which included one 32-pound gun, three 24-pounders, one 18-pounder, three 12-pounders, three 6-pounders and a 6-inch howitzer. Jackson also sent a detachment of men to the west bank of the Mississippi to man two 24-pounders and two 12-pounders from the grounded warship ''Louisiana''.
The main British army arrived on New Year's Day, and attacked the earthworks using their artillery. An exchange of artillery fire began that lasted for three hours. Several of the American guns were destroyed or knocked out, including the 32-pounder, a 24-pounder and a 12-pounder, and some damage was done to the earthworks. While the Americans held their ground, the British guns ran out of ammunition, which led Pakenham to cancel the attack. Pakenham decided to wait for his entire force of over 8,000 men to assemble before launching his attack.[2]
In the early morning of January 8, Pakenham ordered a two pronged assault against Jackson's position: a small force on the west bank of the Mississippi and the main attack in three columns (1. along the river, 2. along the swamp line, 3. in reserve) directly against the earthworks which were manned by the vast majority of American troops.[3]
The attack began under darkness and a heavy fog, but as the British neared the main enemy line, the fog lifted, exposing them to withering artillery fire. The British commander of the 44th Regiment had forgotten the ladders and fascines needed to cross a canal and scale the earthworks, and confusion evolved in the dark and fog as the British tried to close the gap. Most of the senior officers were killed or wounded, and the British infantry either flung themselves to the ground, huddled in the canal, or were mown down by a combination of musket fire and grapeshot from the Americans. A handful made it to the top of the parapet but were either killed or captured. An American advance redoubt next to the river was overrun by British light infantry but without reinforcements could not hold the position nor storm the main American line behind.
The two large, main assaults on the American position were repulsed. Pakenham was fatally wounded, while on horseback, by grapeshot fired from the earthworks. General John Lambert assumed command and ordered a withdrawal.
The only British success was on the west bank of the Mississippi River, where a 700-man detachment attacked and overwhelmed the American line. They were sent orders to withdraw after the defeat of their main army on the east bank, and withdrew taking a few American prisoners and cannons with them.
At the end of the day, the British had 2,037 casualties: 291 dead (including three senior generals), 1,262 wounded and 484 captured or missing.[4]. The Americans had 71 casualties: 13 dead, 39 wounded and 19 missing.[4]
With the defeat of the British Army and the death of Pakenham, Lambert decided that despite reinforcements and the arrival of a siege train to besiege New Orleans, continuing the battle would be too costly. Within a week, all of the British troops had redeployed onto the ships and sailed away to Biloxi, Mississippi, where the British army attacked and captured Fort Bowyer on February 12. The British army was making preparations to attack Mobile when news arrived of the peace treaty. The treaty had been ratified by British Parliament but would not be ratified by Congress and the President until mid-February. The treaty however did resolve that hostilities should cease and the British sailed home. While the Battle of New Orleans had no influence on the terms of the Treaty of Ghent, the stinging defeat at New Orleans did compel Britain to abide by the treaty.
Americans had believed that a vastly powerful British fleet and army sailed for New Orleans (Jackson himself thought 25,000 troops were coming), and most expected the worst. The news of victory, one man recalled, "came upon the country like a clap of thunder in the clear azure vault of the firmament, and traveled with electromagnetic velocity, throughout the confines of the land."[6] The news turned a frustrating war into a triumph and created a surge of American nationalism. Andrew Jackson won the reputation that propelled him to the White House.
A federal park was established in 1907 to preserve the battlefield; today it features a monument and is part of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve.
1. Also known as the "Battle of Chalmette Plantation".
2. The British regulars included the 7th, 44th, 21st, 93rd (Highland) Regiments, a 500 man "demi-battalion" of the 95th Rifles, and 14th Light Dragoons. Other troops included Native American members of the Hitchiti tribe, led by Kinache, and several hundred black soldiers in two Regiments from the British West Indies colonies.
3. United States forces (3,500 to 4,500 strong) were composed of U.S. Army troops; state militiamen from Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Louisiana; U.S. Marines; U.S. Navy sailors; Barataria Bay pirates; Choctaw Indians; "freemen of color" (such as Beale's Rifles), and freed black slaves (a large amount of the work building the parapet however was done by local black slaves). Major Gabriel Villeré commanded the Louisiana Militia, and Major Jean-Baptiste Plauché headed the New Orleans uniformed militia companies.
4. Remini (1977) p. 285
5. Remini (1977) p. 285
6. Ward, p. 4-5
★ Owsley, Frank. ''Struggle for the Gulf borderlands: the Creek War and the battle of New Orleans 1812-1815'' (1981)
★ Pickles, Tim ''New Orleans 1815''; Osprey Campaign Series, #28. Osprey Publishing, 1993.
★ Remini, Robert V. ''Andrew Jackson and the Course of American Empire, 1767-1821'' (1977)
★ Dunbar Rowland; ''Andrew Jackson's Campaign against the British, or, the Mississippi Territory in the War of 1812, concerning the Military Operations of the Americans, Creek Indians, British, and Spanish, 1813-1815'' (1926), online version
★ John William Ward, ''Andrew Jackson, Symbol for an Age.'' 1962.
★ Stanley, George F.G. "The War of 1812 - Land Operations" . MacMillan & N
★ ational Museum of Canada (1983)
★ Brown, Wilburt (Maj. Gen. USMC, retired) "The Amphibious Campaign for West Florida and Louisiana, 1814-1815" University of Alabama Press (1969)
★ Latour, Arsene LaCarriere, Major, principal engineer 7th Military District US Army "The Historical Memoir of The War in West Florida and Louisiana in 1814-15, with an Atlas" originally published 1816. The Historic New Orleans Collection and University of Florida Press. reprint 1999 - expanded edition edited by Gene A. Smith
★ Forrest, C.R. "The Battle of New Orleans - A British View", the Journal of Major C.R. Forrest, Asst. Quarter Master General, New Orleans Campaign. Intro and annotations by Hugh F. Rankin. The Hauser Press, New Orlean (1961)
★ Reilly, Robin "The British at the Gates - The New Orleans Campaign in The War of 1812" Putnam, NY (1974)
★ Gleig, G. R. "The Campaigns of the British Army at Washington and New Orleans, 1814-1815" London (1827)
★ Hickey, Donald R. "The War of 1812 - A Forgotten Conflict" Univ. of Illinois Press (1989)
★ Surtees, W. "Twenty-Five Years in the Rifle Brigade" (1833) Reprint by Greenhill Books
★ James, Wm. "A Full and Correct Account of The Military Occurrences of the Late War Between Great Britain and the United States of America" (1818)
★ Cooper, John Spencer "Rough Notes of Seven Campaigns in Portugal, Spain, France and America, 1809-1815 by John Spencer Cooper, late Sergeant, 7th Royal Fusiliers" Reprint of 1869 publication by Spellmount (1996)
★ Brooks, Charles B. "The Siege of New Orleans" Univ. of Washington Press (1961)
★ Smith, Sir Harry "Various Anecdotes and Events of my Life - The Autobiography of Lt. Gen. Sir Harry Smith, covering the period 1787 to 1860" First published in 2 volumes, edited by G.C. Moore, London (1901)
★ Maass, Alfred R. (1994), "Brownsville's steamboat Enterprize and Pittsburgh's supply of general Jackson's army", ''Pittsburgh History'', '77': 22-29
★ Battle of New Orleans: Myths and Legends - detailed account by military historians
★ Map
★ The Battle of New Orleans — summary account by the Louisiana State Museum, with photographs
★ ★ class=wikiexternal target=_blank>.html History of Louisiana, Vol. 5, Chapter 10 — detailed account by Charles Gayarré
★ ★ class=wikiexternal target=_blank>.html The Battle of New Orleans — detailed account by John Smith Kendall
★ ★ class=wikiexternal target=_blank>.html The Glorious Eighth of January — colorful account by Grace King
★ Battle of New Orleans - song lyrics by Jimmy Driftwood, which won two 1959 Grammy Awards
Johnny Horton sang a song documenting and hyperbolizing the Battle of New Orleans, entitled 'The Battle of New Orleans.'
Country legend Johnny Cash included a shorter version of the same song on his album ''.
★ Jackson's Military Road
★ Chalmette National Cemetery
★ Our Lady of Prompt Succor
The 'Battle of New Orleans' took place on January 8, 1815, and was the final major battle of the War of 1812.[1] American forces under General Andrew Jackson decisively defeated an invading British army intent on seizing New Orleans and America's western lands. The Treaty of Ghent had been signed on December 24, 1814, but news of the peace would not reach New Orleans until February.
| Contents |
| Prelude |
| Battle of January 8 |
| Aftermath |
| Notes |
| References |
| External links |
| Pop/Culture Reference |
| See also |
Prelude
Eighteenth century map of southeast Louisiana
By December 12, 1814, a large British fleet, under the command of Sir Alexander Cochrane, with more than 10,000 soldiers and sailors aboard had anchored in the Gulf of Mexico east of Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne. Preventing access to the lakes was an American flotilla, commanded by Thomas ap Catesby Jones, consisting of five gunboats. On December 14, British sailors in rowing boats, each boat armed with a small cannon, captured the vastly outnumbered gunboats in a brief but violent battle. Now free to navigate Lake Borgne, thousands of British soldiers, under the command of General John Keane, were rowed to Pea Island, about 30 miles east of New Orleans, where they established a garrison.
On the morning of December 23, Keane led a vanguard of 1,500 British soldiers from the island to the east bank of the Mississippi River, less than ten miles south of New Orleans. Keane could have attacked the city by advancing for a few hours up the river road, which was undefended all the way to New Orleans, but he made the fateful decision to wait for the arrival of reinforcements. Early that afternoon, when news of the British position reached Jackson at New Orleans he reportedly said, "Gentlemen, the British are below, we must fight them tonight." Jackson quickly sent about 2,000 of his troops from New Orleans to a position immediately north of the British to block them from making any further advances toward the city. Jackson, because he needed time to get his artillery into position, decided to immediately attack the British.
On the night of December 23, Jackson personally led a three-pronged attack on the British camp which lasted until early morning. After capturing some equipment and supplies, the Americans withdrew to New Orleans suffering a reported 24 killed, 115 wounded and 74 missing or captured, while the British claimed their losses as 46 killed, 167 wounded, and 64 missing or captured.
This stalled the British advance long enough for the Americans to bring in their heavy artillery and establish earthworks along a portion of the east bank of the Mississippi River. On Christmas Day, General Edward Pakenham arrived on the battlefield and ordered a reconnaissance-in-force against the American earthworks protecting the roads to New Orleans. On December 28, groups of British troops made probing attacks against the American earthworks.
When the British troops withdrew, the Americans began construction of artillery batteries to protect the earthworks which were then christened “Line Jackson”. The Americans installed eight batteries, which included one 32-pound gun, three 24-pounders, one 18-pounder, three 12-pounders, three 6-pounders and a 6-inch howitzer. Jackson also sent a detachment of men to the west bank of the Mississippi to man two 24-pounders and two 12-pounders from the grounded warship ''Louisiana''.
The main British army arrived on New Year's Day, and attacked the earthworks using their artillery. An exchange of artillery fire began that lasted for three hours. Several of the American guns were destroyed or knocked out, including the 32-pounder, a 24-pounder and a 12-pounder, and some damage was done to the earthworks. While the Americans held their ground, the British guns ran out of ammunition, which led Pakenham to cancel the attack. Pakenham decided to wait for his entire force of over 8,000 men to assemble before launching his attack.[2]
Battle of January 8
The battlefield at Chalmette Plantation on January 8, 1815
In the early morning of January 8, Pakenham ordered a two pronged assault against Jackson's position: a small force on the west bank of the Mississippi and the main attack in three columns (1. along the river, 2. along the swamp line, 3. in reserve) directly against the earthworks which were manned by the vast majority of American troops.[3]
The attack began under darkness and a heavy fog, but as the British neared the main enemy line, the fog lifted, exposing them to withering artillery fire. The British commander of the 44th Regiment had forgotten the ladders and fascines needed to cross a canal and scale the earthworks, and confusion evolved in the dark and fog as the British tried to close the gap. Most of the senior officers were killed or wounded, and the British infantry either flung themselves to the ground, huddled in the canal, or were mown down by a combination of musket fire and grapeshot from the Americans. A handful made it to the top of the parapet but were either killed or captured. An American advance redoubt next to the river was overrun by British light infantry but without reinforcements could not hold the position nor storm the main American line behind.
The two large, main assaults on the American position were repulsed. Pakenham was fatally wounded, while on horseback, by grapeshot fired from the earthworks. General John Lambert assumed command and ordered a withdrawal.
The only British success was on the west bank of the Mississippi River, where a 700-man detachment attacked and overwhelmed the American line. They were sent orders to withdraw after the defeat of their main army on the east bank, and withdrew taking a few American prisoners and cannons with them.
At the end of the day, the British had 2,037 casualties: 291 dead (including three senior generals), 1,262 wounded and 484 captured or missing.[4]. The Americans had 71 casualties: 13 dead, 39 wounded and 19 missing.[4]
Aftermath
Andrew Jackson commanding American troops. Engraving by H. B. Hall after W. Momberger.
With the defeat of the British Army and the death of Pakenham, Lambert decided that despite reinforcements and the arrival of a siege train to besiege New Orleans, continuing the battle would be too costly. Within a week, all of the British troops had redeployed onto the ships and sailed away to Biloxi, Mississippi, where the British army attacked and captured Fort Bowyer on February 12. The British army was making preparations to attack Mobile when news arrived of the peace treaty. The treaty had been ratified by British Parliament but would not be ratified by Congress and the President until mid-February. The treaty however did resolve that hostilities should cease and the British sailed home. While the Battle of New Orleans had no influence on the terms of the Treaty of Ghent, the stinging defeat at New Orleans did compel Britain to abide by the treaty.
Americans had believed that a vastly powerful British fleet and army sailed for New Orleans (Jackson himself thought 25,000 troops were coming), and most expected the worst. The news of victory, one man recalled, "came upon the country like a clap of thunder in the clear azure vault of the firmament, and traveled with electromagnetic velocity, throughout the confines of the land."[6] The news turned a frustrating war into a triumph and created a surge of American nationalism. Andrew Jackson won the reputation that propelled him to the White House.
A federal park was established in 1907 to preserve the battlefield; today it features a monument and is part of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve.
Notes
1. Also known as the "Battle of Chalmette Plantation".
2. The British regulars included the 7th, 44th, 21st, 93rd (Highland) Regiments, a 500 man "demi-battalion" of the 95th Rifles, and 14th Light Dragoons. Other troops included Native American members of the Hitchiti tribe, led by Kinache, and several hundred black soldiers in two Regiments from the British West Indies colonies.
3. United States forces (3,500 to 4,500 strong) were composed of U.S. Army troops; state militiamen from Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Louisiana; U.S. Marines; U.S. Navy sailors; Barataria Bay pirates; Choctaw Indians; "freemen of color" (such as Beale's Rifles), and freed black slaves (a large amount of the work building the parapet however was done by local black slaves). Major Gabriel Villeré commanded the Louisiana Militia, and Major Jean-Baptiste Plauché headed the New Orleans uniformed militia companies.
4. Remini (1977) p. 285
5. Remini (1977) p. 285
6. Ward, p. 4-5
References
★ Owsley, Frank. ''Struggle for the Gulf borderlands: the Creek War and the battle of New Orleans 1812-1815'' (1981)
★ Pickles, Tim ''New Orleans 1815''; Osprey Campaign Series, #28. Osprey Publishing, 1993.
★ Remini, Robert V. ''Andrew Jackson and the Course of American Empire, 1767-1821'' (1977)
★ Dunbar Rowland; ''Andrew Jackson's Campaign against the British, or, the Mississippi Territory in the War of 1812, concerning the Military Operations of the Americans, Creek Indians, British, and Spanish, 1813-1815'' (1926), online version
★ John William Ward, ''Andrew Jackson, Symbol for an Age.'' 1962.
★ Stanley, George F.G. "The War of 1812 - Land Operations" . MacMillan & N
★ ational Museum of Canada (1983)
★ Brown, Wilburt (Maj. Gen. USMC, retired) "The Amphibious Campaign for West Florida and Louisiana, 1814-1815" University of Alabama Press (1969)
★ Latour, Arsene LaCarriere, Major, principal engineer 7th Military District US Army "The Historical Memoir of The War in West Florida and Louisiana in 1814-15, with an Atlas" originally published 1816. The Historic New Orleans Collection and University of Florida Press. reprint 1999 - expanded edition edited by Gene A. Smith
★ Forrest, C.R. "The Battle of New Orleans - A British View", the Journal of Major C.R. Forrest, Asst. Quarter Master General, New Orleans Campaign. Intro and annotations by Hugh F. Rankin. The Hauser Press, New Orlean (1961)
★ Reilly, Robin "The British at the Gates - The New Orleans Campaign in The War of 1812" Putnam, NY (1974)
★ Gleig, G. R. "The Campaigns of the British Army at Washington and New Orleans, 1814-1815" London (1827)
★ Hickey, Donald R. "The War of 1812 - A Forgotten Conflict" Univ. of Illinois Press (1989)
★ Surtees, W. "Twenty-Five Years in the Rifle Brigade" (1833) Reprint by Greenhill Books
★ James, Wm. "A Full and Correct Account of The Military Occurrences of the Late War Between Great Britain and the United States of America" (1818)
★ Cooper, John Spencer "Rough Notes of Seven Campaigns in Portugal, Spain, France and America, 1809-1815 by John Spencer Cooper, late Sergeant, 7th Royal Fusiliers" Reprint of 1869 publication by Spellmount (1996)
★ Brooks, Charles B. "The Siege of New Orleans" Univ. of Washington Press (1961)
★ Smith, Sir Harry "Various Anecdotes and Events of my Life - The Autobiography of Lt. Gen. Sir Harry Smith, covering the period 1787 to 1860" First published in 2 volumes, edited by G.C. Moore, London (1901)
★ Maass, Alfred R. (1994), "Brownsville's steamboat Enterprize and Pittsburgh's supply of general Jackson's army", ''Pittsburgh History'', '77': 22-29
External links
★ Battle of New Orleans: Myths and Legends - detailed account by military historians
★ Map
★ The Battle of New Orleans — summary account by the Louisiana State Museum, with photographs
★ ★ class=wikiexternal target=_blank>.html History of Louisiana, Vol. 5, Chapter 10 — detailed account by Charles Gayarré
★ ★ class=wikiexternal target=_blank>.html The Battle of New Orleans — detailed account by John Smith Kendall
★ ★ class=wikiexternal target=_blank>.html The Glorious Eighth of January — colorful account by Grace King
★ Battle of New Orleans - song lyrics by Jimmy Driftwood, which won two 1959 Grammy Awards
Pop/Culture Reference
Johnny Horton sang a song documenting and hyperbolizing the Battle of New Orleans, entitled 'The Battle of New Orleans.'
Country legend Johnny Cash included a shorter version of the same song on his album ''.
See also
★ Jackson's Military Road
★ Chalmette National Cemetery
★ Our Lady of Prompt Succor
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