BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS

Battle of New Orleans

Battle of New Orleans

In 1814, with the Napoleonic wars end in Europe, Great Britain was free to concentrate on the fight against the Americans in North America. The British plan calls for three year with a major offensive from Canada, another strike in Washington, and the third hit New Orleans. While the thrust of Canada was defeated in the Battle of Plattsburgh, the offensive in the Chesapeake region has seen some success before being arrested at Fort McHenry. A veteran of the last campaign, Vice-Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane to the south within the attack on New Orleans.

Having started from 8.000 to 9.000 men under the command of Maj. Gen. Edward Pakenham, the fleet Cochrane arrived off of Lake Borgne on December 12. In New Orleans, defending the city was in charge of Major-General Andrew Jackson, Commander of the Seventh Military District, and Commodore Daniel Patterson, who oversaw the U.S. Navy forces in the area. Of frantic work, Jackson assembled around 4,000 men which included the 7th U.S. Infantry, a variety of militias, Baratarian pirate Jean Lafitte, and a free and native black Americans.

Fight against Begins:

The hostilities began when Cochrane sent naval forces before sweeping American gunboats on Lake Borgne December 12. Attacking with 42 armed boats, Cochrane force overwhelmed Lieutenant Thomas ap Catesby Jones on the lake. With the lake open, Major-General John Keane has landed on the island of peas and established a British garrison. Pushing forward, Keane and 1,800 men reached the east bank of the Mississippi River on December 23 and encamped on the Villere plantation. Willing to tolerate the British troops on American soil, Jackson sortied city that night.

By early evening, he launched an attack on the camp three components of Keane. In a sharp fight, U.S. forces inflicted 277 (46 dead) losses while supporting 213 (24 deaths). Fall after the battle, Jackson has established a line along the channel furnace Rodriguez miles south of the city in Chalmette. The U.S. attack brought the British off balance, forcing them to delay their advance on the city. Using this time, Jackson's men began to fortify the canal, dubbing it "Line Jackson." Two days later Pakenham arrived on the scene and was angered by the position of the army in front of a fortification increasingly strong.

Pakenham Although initially wanted to spend the army by the Chef Menteur Pass to Lake Pontchartrain, he was persuaded by his staff to move the line Jackson as they believed the small U.S. force could be easily defeated. British attempts to repel the survey on December 28, Jackson's men began to build the batteries along the line and on the west bank of the River. As the main force Pakenham arrived on Jan. 1, an artillery duel began between the opposing forces. While many American guns were disabled, Pakenham decided to delay his main attack.

The Battle of New Orleans:

For his main attack, Pakenham wanted to attack both sides of the ...