Significance Of The Battle Of New Orleans

The Battle of New Orleans

The Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812, commonly known as the Miracle on the Mississippi, was one of the most famous in American history. This engagement often overlooked was the final major battle of the War of 1812, and the most one-sided battle of the war. General Andrew Jackson 's victory at New Orleans ensured the growth and westward expansion of the country. This battle made General Andrew famous, winning a battle the United States was not prepared to fight. There were vast tactical military and leadership failures that nearly the lost war. Scrutiny of the campaign reveals that there was no certainty of an American victory at New Orleans, for had it not been for the mistakes of the British

The British saw the New Orleans, as a vital seaport considered a getaway to the Untied States. If the territory could be seized Great Britain would gain dominance over the Mississippi river. Ruling the American south trade with a iron fist, therefore, ending the westward expansion of the United States. The Battle of New Orleans was also important because it propelled Andrew Jackson to fame as a war hero. He had a conference of engineers to find out how best to seal off New Orleans from invasion. Jackson emerged from his victory at New Orleans a national hero. He was able to parlay his popularity into a political base of power that propelled him to the presidency in 1828. As Jackson was leaving the White House at the end of his second term in 1837, a congressman asked him if there had been any point to the Battle of New Orleans.After all, it had been fought after the peace treaty was signed. The old warrior gave him one of his patented steely glares and said: ‘If General Pakenham and his ten thousand matchless veterans could have annihilated my little army…he would have captured New Orleans and sentried all the contiguous territory, though technically the war was over….Great Britain would have immediately abrogated the Treaty of Ghent and would have ignored Jefferson’s transaction with Napoleon.’(History,Net

After taking New Orleans, the British would go up the Mississippi Valley to join other troops. Then, the Americans would be surrounded and as Lord Castlereagh, the British foreign secretary and the architect of the Louisiana invasion, put it , would be "...little better than prisoners in their own countryLouisiana must be returned to Britain 's ally Spain, the former owner, or if Spain was too weak after the European conflict to administer it, be given the Britain.(“The battle of New Orleans December 1814 - January 8, 1815,” 2016) The British commissioners knew about the invasion of New Orleans. They would be able to dictate peace terms after signing the Treaty of Ghent. Probably a British colony established in Louisiana or New Orleans. Great Britain would have a stronghold on the Mississippi. Controlling the trade in the Mississippi river valley and the water highways. The American economy would be wreck by this point. General Andrew Jackson would not be a figure in our American