Timeline of the Battle of New Orleans
June 18 1812 |
America formally at war with the British Empire, scandal tainted General James Wilkinson in charge of the 7th Military District, hq in New Orleans |
|
|
August 30 1813 |
Massacre at Fort Mims, 400~500 settlers massacred start of Creek War |
|
|
March 15 1813 |
Jackson ordered to New Orleans, only to be counter ordered to disband his troops and return home. In a fury, Jackson ignore orders and force marches his army back to Nashville during a harsh winter and earns the nickname 'Old Hickory.' |
|
|
March 27 1814 |
Jackson defeats Creeks at Battle of Horseshoe Bend |
|
|
April 2 1814 |
British Adm Cochrane, the commander of the newly created North American station, issues proclamation aimed at slaves, declaring any American who wished could join British forces or be relocated in British North America or the Caribbean. Some 300 slaves become British marines. |
|
|
April 6 1814 |
Napoleon abdicates , British able to send much more men and material to the American theater |
|
|
March 15 1813 |
American General James Wilkinson occupies Mobile in Spanish west Florida without a fight, the only permanent acquisition American of the war |
|
|
June 14 1814 |
Jackson given commission of major general and appointment of military commander of the 7th Military District, hq in New Orleans |
|
|
July 30 1814 |
Lord Bathurst directs Gen Robert Ross to sail his army to Jamaica and rendezvous with troops being sent from England |
|
|
Aug 9 1814 |
Andrew Jackson forced the Creeks to sign the Treaty of Fort Jackson, Creek Nation ceded 23 million acres, able to focus on British threat |
|
|
Aug 14 1814 |
Lt. Colonel Nicholls lands in Pensacola with 2 ships and 100 troops and issued proclamations that all slaves who joined him would be free and Indians would regain their lands |
|
|
Aug 22 1814 |
Jackson arrives in Mobile with army |
|
|
|
|
Aug 24 1814 |
Cochrane and Gen Ross capture Washington |
|
|
Sept 12 1814 |
Gen Robert Ross killed by a sniper, Gen Pakenham appointed to take his place |
|
|
Sept 16 1814 |
Failed British attack on Mobile |
|
|
Sept 18 1814 |
Fleet of 60 odd ships departs Plymouth, England with troops under the temporary command of Major General John Keane until Pakenham could arrive. |
Sept 26-27 |
Battle of Fayal in the Azores. HMS Plantagenent of seventy-four guns was commanded by Captain Robert Loyd and was sailing to the West Indies with two other ships for the Louisiana Campaign . Delayed fighting the American Clipper General Armstrong, a brig of seven guns for 10 to 12 days and more at Negril Bay for repairs, giving Jackson time to reach New Orleans. |
Oct 6 1814 |
British fleet sails from Chesapeake to Jamaica |
|
|
Nov 7 1814 |
Jackson capture Pensacola, drives British out |
|
|
Nov 19 1814 |
Jackson returns to Mobile, convinced British will attack again |
|
|
Nov 22 1814 |
Jackson departs for New Orleans |
|
|
Nov 24 |
Ships from England and France arrive at Negril Bay to meet the fleet from the Chesapeake |
Nov 26 1814 |
British armada of over 60 departs Negril Bay, Jamaica sails for New Orleans |
|
|
Sept 3 1814 |
Captain Nicholas Lockyer of the HMS Sophia meets with Jean Lafitte hoping to enlist his and the Baratarians aid in attacking New Orleans. Lafitte sends copies of British offer to the Americans. |
|
|
Sept 13 1814 |
Despite warning the Americans of British threat, Commodore Daniel Patterson leads attack on Jean Laffite's base on Grand Terre, seizing goods and ships and burn down base. Lafitte escapes. |
|
|
|
|
Dec 1 1814 |
Jackson arrives in New Orleans |
|
|
Dec 12 1814 |
British fleet arrives in Lake Borgne |
|
|
Dec 13 1814 |
William Carroll, who replaced Jackson as major general of the Tennessee militia had raised 3 regiments. On this date they reached Natchez. |
Dec 14 1814 |
British defeat American gunboats in Lake Borgne |
|
|
Dec 16 1814 |
British begin landing troops on Pea Island - LA Legislature begins to panic - Jackson imposes marshal law in New Orleans, curfew, sailors impressed |
|
|
Dec 20 1814 |
Jackson orders Coffee and his troops from Baton Rouge to New Orleans |
Dec 22 1814 |
British troops land on Bayou Bienvenu |
|
|
Dec 23 1814 |
British occupy Villere plantation - Jackson launches Indian style night attack on British at Lacoste's plantation, British 46 killed, Americans 24 killed - British led to believe American forces are triple the size they really are. |
|
|
Dec 24 1814 |
Jackson withdraws army to Rodriguez canal, begins building rampart - British finish ferrying troops from Pea Island - Americans and British sign peace treaty in Ghent, Belgium. |
|
|
Dec 25 |
Gen Pakenham arrives, take command of British land forces |
|
|
Dec 27 |
British sink the USS Carolina |
|
|
Dec 28 1815 |
British make probing attacks of American line - Gen Pakenham wishes to attack on Chef Menteur Road but Cochrane does not agree |
|
|
Jan 1 1815 |
Artillery duel that lasts 3 hours.Several American guns destroyed, British guns run out of ammunition |
|
|
Jan 4 1815 |
About 2,000 poorly clothed Kentucky militiamen arrive after floating down the river in New Orleans, only about 50 were armed, their weapons did not arrive till after the main battle and were armed with fowling piece, old Spanish muskets and other arms to be found in the city. Their poor arms were a major cause of the American defeat on the east bank on Jan 8th. |
Jan 8 1815 |
Gen Pakenham launches early morning main attack on the Americans, hoping to start in darkness. Delays cause attack to start at early dawn. Attack on East Bank starts late, defeats American forces there too late. Main British attack on West bank with 8,000 troops is repulsed. Nearly 300 British killed, including Gen Pakenham, Americans 13 killed. General Lambert takes command of British land forces. |
|
|
Jan 8 1815 |
British naval squadron of the Herald, Sophia a brig and a sloop of war bombard Fort St. Phillip for 10 days, hoping to reduce it so the main fleet could sail up the river and bombard New Orleans. Attack fails. Lambert prepare to retreat, with great labor to build roads, bridges and redoubts. Jan 8th becomes a day of major celebration for 50 years, till the Civil War. |
|
|
Jan 18 1815 |
Exchange of prisoners |
|
|
Jan 18 1815 |
Start of British retreat at 9:00 P.M. leaving rear guard. Jackson does not pursue except for ordering a detachment of dragoons to harass. |
|
|
Jan 21 1815 |
Fearing Cholera from the many buried British soldiers, Jackson orders his troops to return to New Orleans |
|
|
Jan 23 1815 |
Victory celebration in New Orleans |
|
|
Jan 27 1815 |
The last of the British army rejoins the fleet - British fleet sails away |
|
|
Feb 4 1815 |
Word reaches Washington of the victory. the people there, expecting disaster, celebrate. |
|
|
Feb 12 1815 |
British capture fort Bowyer outside of Mobile. Plans were made to capture Mobile, which probably would have fallen, when word of the peace treaty arrived. |
|
|
March 13 1815 |
Jackson recieves confirmation of peace treaty and revokes martial law. |
|
|
April 6 1815 |
Jackson and family return to Tennessee |
|
|
1832 |
Cochrane dies |
Jan 8,1840 |
Andrew Jackson revisits New Orleans and the battlefield on the 25 anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans amidst great fanfare. Jackson went to battlefield on Jan 10. Jackson lays cornerstone in Place d'Armes on Jan 13. |
|
|
1844 |
Keane dies |
1845 |
Andrew Jackson dies |
1851 |
Place d'Armes is renamed Jackson square. The statue of Jackson on horseback was added in 1856. |
|
|
1855 |
State of Louisiana acquires property where the battle took place and construction begins on Chalmette monument, finished in 1908. |
|
|
1930 |
War department acquires battlefield site |
|
|
1933 |
National Park Service acquires site |
2005 |
Visitor center on battlefield destroyed by Katrina flooding, since rebuilt. |
|
|
|
||
|
|