Battle Of New Orleans Essay

The Battle of New Orleans

The Battle of New Orleans occurred on January 8, 1815 and remembered as one of the conflict’s biggest and most decisive battles during the War of 1812. This purpose of this paper is to explore the aspects of the battle and identify key intelligence successes that resulted in a major victory. This paper will also explore an alternate outcome if the United States Forces in Louisiana did not use time-relevant intelligence. The Battle of New Orleans was a strategic and tactical victory for the United States. The success to use time-relevant capabilities resulted in the positive outcome for the battle.

Prior to the Battle

An American naval victory on Lake Champlain forced invading British forces back to Canada, which led

Unaware that the ladders were not in place for his unit, General Pakenham sent his troops forward. As General Jackson saw the British Forces approaching their lines, he ordered his men to fire. General Pakenham’s plan was unraveling. The unit that was supposed to breech from the west bank fell short when its leadership was shot dead, causing them to retreat. The forward assaulting unit had no support. The British began to fall one by one in one of the bloodiest battles of the War of 1812. Not only was these militiamen U.S. Army killing the British Soldiers but also their leadership. The U.S. Army and General Jackson took out all of the British leadership including General Pakenham. With no leadership to guide them the British troops fell back and retreated, the U.S. Army had defeated the British and safeguarded the city of New Orleans. In the ended, the British Forces suffered greatly, General Pakenham was dead, and nearly 2,000 of his men killed, wounded or missing (History.com Staff, 2010). The US Forces only lost 8 men to death and 13 wounded (History.com Staff, 2010). The Battle of New Orleans lasted less than one hour. Although the result of this battle had no effect on the outcome of the War of 1812, the Battle of New Orleans, known as the most victorious

With the use of HUMIT, General Jackson prepared for the battle, but if not for the insight from Jean Lafitte, the battle would have gone differently. The battle, the city, the people and the United States would have seen devastating results.

The Treaty of Ghent was signed in Germany; however, forces were unaware, continuing with mission. If U.S. Forces had not known, the British’s plan to conquer New Orleans the British would have triumphed. The plan for the British was to come in from the Gulf of Mexico. Once in, they were to split into two units. One unit was to utilize the Mississippi River while the other unit was to forward charge into New Orleans. Now if General Jackson and his men were not there due to lack of intelligence that is exactly what would have happened. The lack of intelligence would have caught the United States and the city of New Orleans off guard. The British would have come in exactly as planned, from the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River. The United States only had 2,000-trained US troops and about 2,000 militiamen, while the British had approximately had 10,000. The British would have breached the Rodriquez Canal entering the city of New Orleans from the South. The U.S. Forces and the people of New Orleans would have