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Initial engagements

By December 12, 1814, a British fleet, with more than 10,000 soldiers and sailors under the command of Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane, had arrived off the eastern Louisiana coast at Lake Borgne. Protecting the entrance to Lake Borgne were five American gunboats. On December 14, in a brief but violent battle, British sailors in rowing boats, each boat armed with a small cannon, captured the vastly outnumbered gunboats. Now free to navigate Lake Borgne, soldiers of the British Army were rowed to an encampment on Pea Island, about 30 miles from New Orleans.

On the morning of December 23, a vanguard of 1,500 to 2,000 British soldiers, under General John Keane, reached the east bank of the Mississippi River, less than ten miles south of New Orleans. Later that day, when news of the British position reached Jackson at New Orleans he reportedly said, "Gentlemen, the British are below us, we fight them tonight." Jackson quickly sent about 2,000 of his troops from New Orleans to a position immediately north of the British to block them from making any further advances toward the city. Jackson, because he needed time to get his artillery into position, decided to immediately attack the British.

For the entire battle view go to: http://www.answers.com/Battle+of+New+Orleans?gwp=11&ver=2.3.0.609&method=3


The Battle of New Orleans took place in New Orleans, Louisiana.

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9y ago

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