The Battle of New Orleans

The Battle of New Orleans took place on January 8, 1815. This battle is also called the
Battle of Chalmette Plantation, because it took place on a plantation located in
Chalmette, Louisiana. The Battle was last battle in the War of 1812. The War of 1812
was technically over because the Treaty of Ghent had been signed two weeks earlier on
December 24, 1814. This treaty brought an end to the war, but the United States had
not ratified it yet. In those days news travel slowly, so the news that the war was over
had not yet reached the Southern front. The British Army was led by General
Pakenham. Great Britain was going to invade New Orleans and seize it in hopes to gain
control over the Mississippi River. The United States Army was over the leadership of
General Andrew Jackson. General Jackson quickly prepared defenses along the city.
At dawn on January 8, the British began their advance to attack. It was very foggy, and
they hoped to take advantage of these conditions. The plan did not go as planned. The
forces on the west bank got a late start and the fogged lifted just as the British forces
began to cross open fields facing the US Army who waiting behind their mud and
cotton-bale barricades. The US had built protection for themselves. To make matters
worst, the British Army and forgot the ladders that they needed to scale the walls and
get close to the US forces. At this main battle, the British suffered over 2,000 deaths
including the dead of General Pakenham. The Americans only had 13 dead, 39
wounded, and 19 missing soldiers. General Lambert took charge of the British Army.
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. The United States had
defeated the Great Britain. General Jackson had saved New Orleans.