After Britain completed its war with France, it soon turned its attention to the United States and Canada. Britain hoped that by invading and capturing New Orleans, it would separate Louisiana from the rest of the United States. The British, led by Sir Edward Pakenham, marched against New Orleans on January 8, 1815 (Millett et al,. 2012). The arriving British army, however, found strong American troops under the command of General Andrew Jackson, ready for them, and a fierce battle ensued. Jackson’s army although outnumbered two to one, fought bravely resulting in Sir Pakenham’s death, forcing the British to retreat. Andrew Jackson played a crucial role in attaining victory over the army that had just defeated Napoleon. This paper seeks to discuss Jackson’s role, the reasons behind his success and the impact of the Battle of New Orleans on US politics.
First, Jackson’s army benefited much from the previously installed colonial laws in use. When the US was a British colony, the colonial masters expected them to defend themselves from external looming threats such as the one posed by Indians. They passed laws declaring that every able-bodied man between certain ages, belonged to the militia, but certain variations abounded. The normal age limits were from sixteen to sixty, but in some states such as Connecticut, it was gradually reduced to forty-five with a lower age limit of eighteen or twenty-one (Millett et al,. 2012). Men in the militia participated in periodic musters and fines were imposed for nonattendance. The militia was, therefore, a local institution organized for local defense and this culture provided basic training for General Jackson's army to win the Battle of New Orleans.
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Additionally, Jackson's militiamen were better organized, well-driven, and had a geographical advantage over the British. It is believed that Jackson's troops comprised mostly of freed blacks, local merchants, and even pirates. Jackson was a skilled general who recruited people from all walks of life into his cause. As a matter of fact, historians suggest that he got wind of the planned British attack on New Orleans from a pirate, and this made them prepare to hold their defenses early enough. Jackson knew the topography of the land better than the British and marched to Pensacola closing the British preferred route and blocking them from closing an alliance with the Indians, before rushing to New Orleans. He ordered the likely ports to be guarded, assembled a large artillery of foot soldiers including 800 pirates (Millett et al,. 2012).
Impact of the Battle
The battle of New Orleans had several impacts. First, it marked the end of the war that had begun in 1812. After the death of Sir Pakenham, the British army general, Britain lost its ground in the US coupled up with the news of the treaty of Ghent. This treaty was meant to foster peace between Britain and the US and had been signed two weeks before the battle, but the news was yet to reach American shores. Moreover, Andrew Jackson's status and influence greatly improved as a result of this battle. Having overcome great odds to win the battle, his political status was elevated and he became a national hero. As a result of this battle, Jackson gained huge support which helped him become the seventh President of the United States and influenced greatly American politics. Lastly, New Orleans was the largest southern city at the time, this battle, therefore, put New Orleans in the epicenter of reconstruction politics and a critical background in the struggle for the future of southern society (Hogue, 2011).
Conclusion
The Battle of New Orleans is undoubtedly one of the most famous in history. What makes it remarkable was the fact that the mightier power failed miserably. Britain was at the height of its military dominance, yet succumbed greatly to a bunch of inexperienced militiamen under the command of Andrew Jackson. The battle had several impacts as it marked the end of the war between Britain and the US and also contributed greatly to the American politics by giving rise to its future leader.
References
Hogue, J. (2011). Uncivil war . Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press.
Millett, A., Maslowski, P., & Feis, W. (2012). For the common defense (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Free Press.
