The Battle of New Orleans
The Battle for New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans took place on January 8, 1815 and was the final major battle of the War of 1812. American forces, commanded by Major General Andrew Jackson, defeated an invading British Army intent on seizing New Orleans. The Treaty of Ghent had been signed on December 24, 1814, but news of the peace would not reach the combatants until February. The battle is widely regarded as the greatest American land victory of the war.
In the early morning of January 8, British Major-General Edward Pakenham ordered a two-pronged assault against the Americans position. One was for Colonel William Thornton was to cross the Mississippi during the night with his 780 troops then move rapidly upriver and storm the batteries on the flank of the main American entrenchments and then open an enfilading fire on the American line with howitzers. Then, the main attack would be launched in two columns, along the river led by Keane and along the swamp line led by Major General Samuel Gibbs.
Preparations for the attack had been hindered early, as a canal being dug collapsed and the dam made to divert the flow of the river into the canal failed, leaving the sailors to drag the boats of Col. Thornton’s west bank assault force through deep mud and left the force starting off just before daybreak 12 hours late.
The attack began in the darkness and heavy fog. But as the British closed in on the main enemy line the fog lifted leaving the withering artillery fire of the 44th regiment exposed. Lieutenant Thomas Mullins had forgotten the ladders and fascines needed to cross the canal. Thus in the confusion most of the senior British officers were killed or wounded.
For many reasons the 93rd regiment were ordered to leave Keanes assault and join the main force on the right of the field. With the 93rd joining this force they managed to overrun an American advance next to the river but since they had no reinforcements they couldn’t hold their position or further their attack to the main American line. Within minutes of the British overrun of the Americans by the river reinforcements for the Americans arrived helping the Americans to move forward to pound the British until most of the attackers were killed.
In this attack, the British infantrymen flung themselves to the ground, huddled in the canal, or were mowed down by a combination of musket fire and grapeshot from the Americans. A handful made it to the top of the parapet on the right but were either killed or captured. The 95th Rifles had advanced in open skirmish order ahead of the main assault force and were concealed in the ditch below the parapet, unable to advance further without support.
The two large main assaults on the American position had failed. With most of their senior officers dead or wounded, the British soldiers, having no orders to advance further or retreat, stood out in the open and were shot apart with grapeshot from Line Jackson. After about 20 more minutes of bloodletting, General Lambert assumed command and eventually ordered a withdrawal.
At the end of the day, the British had 2,042 casualties: 291 killed, 1,267 wounded and 484 captured or missing. The Americans had 71 casualties: 13 dead; 39 wounded and 19 missing.