The Battle of New OrleansEssay Preview: The Battle of New OrleansReport this essayThe battle of New Orleans was a significant battle in the war of 1812. It was a crushing defeat for the British, increased patriotism, and Andrew Jackson emerged an American hero.
The United States acquired the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803, thereby gaining control of the Mississippi River, and its watershed at the golf of Mexico. The U.S. government realized how important this was and its potential of becoming a great trading post. By 1812 this area called New Orleans grew as expected in size and importance. In peace it was a commercial outlet and trading center of the western United States.
The British chose to attack the Americans from the north by way of Isle aux Pois in the mouth of the Pearl River because this was the only stable water they had found that ships could ride and anchor. When hearing that the british where coming this way, Lieutenant Thomas Ap Catesby Jones and his five gunboats went to try and Barackade the Rigolets trying to make sure they wouldnt enter. His 185 men and 23 guns awaited the British. At 10:30 on December 14th 1814 three columns of British ships, 42 to 45, armed with 43 guns and 1,200 under the command of Captain Lockyer met the American blockade. Fierce fighting began and the British had finally captured the five American boats. Losses were 17 British and 6 Americans killed, 77 British and 35 Americans wounded. This gave Gerneral Andrew Jackson six days more to improve his defenses. The British at the very beginning of the war had demolished almost all of Jacksons sea power. Jackson only had the Carolina, Louisiana, and one gunboat left.
When Jackson heard of the attack on Jones ships on December 15 he issued crises orders to forces nearby. One General by the name of Coffee received orders from Jackson stating “You must not sleep until you reach me or arrive within striking distance.” The next day Jackson placed New Orleans under Martial Law. When General Coffee received his orders he immediately gathered his 1250 men and where off to help Jackson. Each man brought with him a hunting knife and long rifle. The Tenessee brigade commanded by Major General William Caroll arrived on 21st December. Only one in ten of them had a firearm. At 10:00 A.M. 22nd of December, Lieutenant Colonel William Thornton an officer in the British service, led his men from Isle aux Pois to the mainland. He came about half a mile toward New Orleans and stopped. He only had 1600 men.
The Governor of New Orleans had the opportunity to attack. Jackson had his men under Martial Law put on siege of New Orleans. But the Governor, as he called it, was too weak to force any troops to the mainland. Jackson came to make general statements and ordered his own men on horseback to guard the capital against other American attacks. A few days later he had made these statements on the road leading north of New Orleans.
What happened in New Orleans at the time is described from a dispatch received by Lt. General William Caroll from the headquarters at Fort Smith on the west side of New Orleans.
“The enemy has seized four cities. They have come along with three more. They have taken two or three ships out of the sea; the governor of New Orleans has been ordered to stand in his place till the enemy does with its forces a very strong attack and retreats. . . . In effect, the people of New Orleans are being robbed when a foreign power sets up a large garrison there, and is about to execute a policy which is of a different nature from all that are ever conceived or expected of any nation in the English colonies. This is a new danger and a new attack, it is not possible for an enemy to take and hold territory within its own sphere of influence.”
A third dispatch that dated 24th November, 1832, mentions the “extermination of the men of New Orleans,” and was sent to Caroll. This dispatch had a similar dispatch by Colonel John A. Moore that was sent to Colonel Edward W. St. John. He had a detailed report of two men taken down by a man with a rifle in the vicinity of New Orleans at about 1:00 P.M. on December 14.
When the governor of New Orleans called Caroll to ask for military advice the governor came to visit him and warned him that “the people are being robbed of their dignity by a different and more treacherous enemy.”
As the Governor and Caroll were about to leave the governor rode out and began a march against the enemies of the Revolution. His troops were commanded by Colonel Arthur W. Campbell, with the general and eight others. The soldiers were brought into New Orleans to take prisoners. All the prisoners were in various states of debarment and in this way were sent out out to New Orleans in order to make war.[2] There were only three other American prisoners who were left in New Orleans. One was Captain James T. Semenbury, a Confederate general (who was taken in January 1761 by the Revolutionary War in Ireland, under the command of the British Governor of Tennessee, Colonel William C. Ransom). He was taken by the Continental Army on 28th January and then marched to New Orleans. The following dispatch was sent to Colonel MacLean, commanding his company at Fort Smith.
“I am satisfied that the enemy is able and willing to occupy and capture our property . . . it is necessary to draw some military attention to this business. I am willing to recommend myself that you provide military equipment to the enemy and provide them with sufficient supplies to make a successful offensive towards the capital against Colonel Campbell and his other officers by which the enemy has the opportunity to make a good counterattack towards the capital.”