Scottish Highlander role players

Scottish Highlander role players fire muskets during a demonstration, in remembrance of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans, Photo by Cpl. Jad Sleiman-

Top 10 Famous Facts about the Battle of New Orleans (1815)


 

 
The Battle of New Orleans began in early 1815. It took place in the Chalmette, Louisiana suburb near New Orleans. It was a short but fierce battle that lasted about two hours.
 
The American troops split on the east and west banks of the Mississippi and others took charge of the Rodriguez Canal. This was the strategy that led to their victory against the British soldiers.
 
Brevet Major General Andrew Jackson was the leader of the United States Army. The British Army had Major General Sir Edward Pakenham as their commander.
 
After the 1815 New Orleans combat, the United States military build confidence and strength. They beat the odds to triumph over advantaged British military numbers, training, and expertise.
 
The American military suffered about 71 casualties. Their opponents were hit hard with over 2000 casualties. Which included their General Sir Edward Pakenham together with his assistant Major General Samuel Gibbs.
 
Learn more about this struggle with these renowned realities about the event. Here are the top 10 famed truths about the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. 

1. The Battle of New Orleans started on January 8, 1815

 

Battle of New Orleans

Battle of New Orleans on the 8th of January 1815, Photo by Yeager, Joseph-

 
The 1815 New Orleans clash was the final major encounter of the War of 1812. Preceding the event were smaller fights. Andrew Jackson the then General commander of the United States Forces led his troops to successful expulsion of the invading British army. 

2. The Battle of New Orleans made the United States win the land War of 1812

 

Battle of New Orleans

Battle of New Orleans, Photo by Currier and Ives-

 
The 1812 war also known as the Gulf Campaign started in September 1814 ending in February 1815. The British hoped to take over United States territory obtained through the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. The British target was to seize New Orleans, West Florida, and Louisiana Territory.
 
Fort Bowyer was where the first engagement of 1812 began. On December 14, 1814, the British Forces pushed their New Orleans campaign further launching the Lake Borgne battle.
 
Countless confrontations followed after the Lake Borgne struggle. The result was the 1815 New Orleans climax. The American militia defeated the British giving them the victory in 1815 and the War of 1812. 

3. New Orleans Battle made Major General Andrew Jackson famous

 

Andrew Jackson in New Orleans 1815

Andrew Jackson commands troops during the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815, Photo by Yohn, F. C. (Frederick Coffay)-

 
Andrew Jackson who led the American military emerged the hero after the New Orleans Battle. They marched against  8000 plus British troops that were more in number, better equipped, and skilled than they were.
 
The United States Army led by Jackson secured victory. The win popularized Andrew Jackson. In later years he won elections as United States’ seventh president. 

4. The 1815 Battle of New Orleans was iconic to the United States

 
Throughout the War of 1812, America experienced poor achievement. So the Battle of New Orleans that marked the end of the War of 1812 redeemed the American army’s glory. Winning the war was proof that the United States could resist the British. This helped restore the country’s honor. 

5. New Orleans Battle forced Britain to quit the conflict with America

 
The United States’ triumph was statement enough that the Louisiana territory belonged to the nation. Even more to that, it meant the U.S had the strength to defend its land from invaders. Britain together with its allies such as Spain only had the option to surrender their territory conquest. 

6. There was a peace treaty signed before the New Orleans battle began

 
The Treaty of Ghent signed between the United States and the United Kingdom aimed at putting an end to the War of 1812. The peace agreement was signed at Ghent in the United Netherlands which is present-day Belgium. The British and the U.S. were participants in the signing event that happened on December 24, 1814.
 
The British parliament approved the treaty and it was signed into law on December 30, 1814, by the Prince Regent-the future King George IV. The news of the consensus reached the United States about one month later after this ceremony. Within that period the New Orleans battle broke out and Andrew Jackson and his American soldiers won. 

7. The Battle of New Orleans was painted by Eugène Lami

 

The Battle of New Orleans

The Battle of New Orleans. January 1815. Copy of engraving by H.B. Hall after W. Momberger, Photo by Henry Bryan Hall-

 
The renowned French painter Eugène Louis Lami is the artist behind the painting of the New Orleans Battle. Lami painted the 1815 New Orleans struggle in the year 1839. This took place 24 years after the original battle. 

8. New Orleans Battle was ended by the Ghent peace treaty

 
The contract that began in Ghent as earlier discussed took effect after the United States Senate embraced it unanimously. This happened on February 16, 1815.
 
James Madison who was the U.S. President during the time signed the document. He then exchanged the final copies to show acceptance with the British ambassador on February 17, 1815.
 
This was the basis for the peaceful relations between the United States and the United Kingdom for generations that followed. Except for a few tensions over time like the Aroostook War from 1838 to 39. Other minor strives were the Trent Affair in 1861, and the Fenian raids that started in 1866 ending in 1871. 

9. The Battle of New Orleans song was written by Jimmy Driftwood

 
Mr. Driftwood was a school teacher that often used traditional folk music to teach his students history. In 1936, Driftwood wrote the song “The Battle of New Orleans”.
 
The song was to assist the students to learn to differentiate between the War of 1812 and the Revolutionary War. But the song was too long to fit radio play so later versions came about to appeal to a larger audience. 

10. Both parties used similar weapons during the war

 
The weapons that the parties involved in the 1815 Battle of New Orleans used resembled. The difference was the expertise and experience of the users that decided the day.
 
Some of the arms used by the American and British soldiers were rifles, pistols, guns, and Mortars. There were also muskets, flints with ammunition, and Howitzers among many more.
 
The Battle of New Orleans was preventable. If both the American and British army’s received word of the Treaty of Ghent signed earlier the war may have never occurred.
 
Yet the 1815 fight was a defining time in military history as well as the history of the United States. It was the source of America’s pride and establishment of its military ability that thrives centuries later in the modern day.

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