**TODAY ONLY**

January 8

Battle of New Orleans
On this day in 1815, US General Andrew Jackson achieved the greatest American victory of the War of 1812 at the Battle of New Orleans. He led a small, poorly equipped army against 8000 British troops. And the War of 1812 Was...? The War of 1812 was a struggle to maintain America's independence from Great Britain. Just One Problem. The Battle of New Orleans occurred two weeks after the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, which officially ended the War of 1812. A Little Background. In September of 1814, an American naval victory on Lake Champlain forced invading British forces back into Canada. This led to the conclusion of peace negotiations in Ghent, Belgium. Although the peace agreement was signed on December 24, word did not reach the British forces attacking the Gulf coast in time to stop a huge battle. On This Day in 1815... the British marched against New Orleans. Their goal: to capture the city and separate Louisiana from the rest of the country.	I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends... Jackson called a conference of engineers to find out how best to seal off New Orleans from invasion. As New Orleans was largely surrounded by swamps, one method was to cut down huge trees to clog the smaller waterways leading to the city. This was done, but not thoroughly enough, so the British still came through in boats. Jackson also accepted the services of Jean Lafitte, a famous local pirate, and 600 free Blacks of New Orleans. With information about the British attack from Lafitte, and with the newly assembled army, the Americans were firmly entrenched at the Rodriquez Canal when the British arrived. And a One, and a Two... Seven thousand five hundred British soldiers, under the command of Sir Edward Pakenham, launched two separate attacks. Jackson's 4,500 troops, consisting of Creole Louisiana militia, sharpshooting Tennessee riflemen, free Negroes, Lafitte's pirates, and city volunteer militia units. They wiped out the attackers. Thirty minutes later, the British retreated. General Pakenham was dead and nearly 2,000 of his men were killed, wounded, or missing. US casualties were light, with only eight killed and 13 wounded.	The Battle of New Orleans, by Eugene Louis Lami (1839) Notable Battle? The battle had no bearing on the War of 1812, which was technically over. But the victory was a boost to national pride. The Battle of New Orleans was also the last armed conflict between the US and Britain. And the victory made Jackson a national hero. He became the seventh president of the United States of America in 1829. Link for More. Jean Lafitte. A brief bio. Andrew Jackson, Citizen Soldier. An Andrew Jackson bio. A gallery of the battle.

TODAY ONLY

January 8

Battle of New Orleans

On this day in 1815, US General Andrew Jackson achieved the greatest American victory of the War of 1812 at the Battle of New Orleans. He led a small, poorly equipped army against 8000 British troops.

And the War of 1812 Was...? The War of 1812 was a struggle to maintain America's independence from Great Britain.

Just One Problem. The Battle of New Orleans occurred two weeks after the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, which officially ended the War of 1812.

A Little Background.

In September of 1814, an American naval victory on Lake Champlain forced invading British forces back into Canada.
This led to the conclusion of peace negotiations in Ghent, Belgium.
Although the peace agreement was signed on December 24, word did not reach the British forces attacking the Gulf coast in time to stop a huge battle.

On This Day in 1815... the British marched against New Orleans. Their goal: to capture the city and separate Louisiana from the rest of the country.

I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends...

Jackson called a conference of engineers to find out how best to seal off New Orleans from invasion. As New Orleans was largely surrounded by swamps, one method was to cut down huge trees to clog the smaller waterways leading to the city. This was done, but not thoroughly enough, so the British still came through in boats.
Jackson also accepted the services of Jean Lafitte, a famous local pirate, and 600 free Blacks of New Orleans.
With information about the British attack from Lafitte, and with the newly assembled army, the Americans were firmly entrenched at the Rodriquez Canal when the British arrived.

And a One, and a Two... Seven thousand five hundred British soldiers, under the command of Sir Edward Pakenham, launched two separate attacks. Jackson's 4,500 troops, consisting of Creole Louisiana militia, sharpshooting Tennessee riflemen, free Negroes, Lafitte's pirates, and city volunteer militia units. They wiped out the attackers. Thirty minutes later, the British retreated. General Pakenham was dead and nearly 2,000 of his men were killed, wounded, or missing. US casualties were light, with only eight killed and 13 wounded.

The Battle of New Orleans, by Eugene Louis Lami (1839)

Notable Battle? The battle had no bearing on the War of 1812, which was technically over. But the victory was a boost to national pride. The Battle of New Orleans was also the last armed conflict between the US and Britain. And the victory made Jackson a national hero. He became the seventh president of the United States of America in 1829.

Link for More.

Jean Lafitte. A brief bio.

Andrew Jackson, Citizen Soldier.

An Andrew Jackson bio.

A gallery of the battle.