The Battle of New Orleans Attack by British Barges on American Boats Gun Boats, December 14, 1814 Further Reading The South in 1814: Background to the Battle of New Orleans Andrew Jackson's Southern Defense Cochrane's Campaign: The British Approach New Orleans The Attack on the Villere Plantation The British Arrive at New Orleans Night Before the Battle Massacre at New Orleans Eyewitness Accounts

The December Defense: Andrew Jackson Arrives at New Orleans On December 12, a flotilla of British warships appeared near the entrance to Lake Borgne. Jackson, knowing nothing about naval warfare, believed that his five gunboats on the lake would offer ample protection on that front. Two days later, Jackson’s confidence plummeted when the British Navy, using a huge flotilla of boats and barges, easily disposed of the American gunboats. Suddenly, Jackson was no longer able to follow British movements on the lake. With this change of events, Jackson was determined to have total control in responding to new developments. The citizens of New Orleans witnessed Jackson’s legendary disciplinary tactics when he imposed a state of martial law on December 15. For the next week Jackson made what preparations he could; sending out pickets to the shores of the lake and ordering tens of thousands of buck-and-ball cartridges to be made. But without boats reporting British movements on the lake, he was like a man stumbling about in the dark. But on December 23, Jackson received a solid piece of information he could grab onto: the British have pressed up the Bayou Bienvenu and are camped on the Villere Plantation, a mere eight miles from New Orleans. Jackson exploded in a fury that these defenses could have been so poorly managed, but soon redirected his anger into devising an immediate strike at the British - "I will smash them, so help me God!" Jackson threw together a ragtag force of 2000 men and led an attack on the British camp on the night of December 23. The fighting was close and intense, ending with a withdrawal by Jackson’s men. The raid proved that Jackson was ready for a fight, which rattled British confidence. This was a factor that would play a significant part in Jackson’s successful defense. Jackson only withdrew his men three miles north and began digging in defenses behind the Rodriguez Canal, a site chosen earlier by his engineers as a strategically secure spot. He ordered men from the city and slaves from nearby plantations to dig a massive trench and construct a large earthen barricade. A second trench was begun more than a mile behind the first. The British would have to get through these lines if they wanted to get at New Orleans.