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The Battle of New Orleans: January 8, 1815

Louisiana soldier participated in Battle of New Orleans
On the morning of January 8, 1815, British forces attacked American positions outside of New Orleans, Louisiana, resulting in a bloody defeat for the British in the last major battle of the War of 1812.

In the days leading up to January 8, the British and Americans (under Andrew Jackson) had clashed in a series of smaller conflicts, as the British landed in the area to capture New Orleans and continue their campaign to gain a toehold in the Gulf.

In late December, Jackson had his main force dig in south of New Orleans at Chalmette Plantation, building defensive breastworks along a canal that stretched from the Mississippi River to the cypress swamp not far to the east. He also had a smaller force of men man a line across the Mississippi on the west bank.

The British plan was to use their greater number of men to launch an attack on both sides of the river simultaneously, with the British forces on the more heavily defended east bank aiming to hit both the right and left flanks of the American line.

Things didn’t go as planned for the British, however. The smaller group of British troops who were to attack the west bank were delayed, and over on the east bank, the ladders and fascines needed to scale the American defenses failed to arrive when needed. In addition, the bulk of the British forces were commanded to attack the Americans’ left flank on the east bank because it was believed to be weaker, but in reality it was actually more heavily defended.

Soldier served in Tennessee Militia during Battle of New Orleans

Intense fire and a stalwart defense from the Americans on the east bank—combined with the British problems mentioned above—resulted in mass casualties for the British, who in most cases failed to even reach the American line on that side of the river. The British commanding general, Edward Pakenham, was killed during the battle, and other high-ranking field officers—as well as a significant number of the officer corps—were also wounded or killed, leaving the British troops on the field essentially leaderless. When the commander of the British reserves found himself unexpectedly in charge of the British attack, seeing his fleeing soldiers and the carnage on the battlefield, he decided to have the troops withdraw.

Over on the west bank, despite the delayed start, the British were successful in routing the Americans and capturing some of their guns. However, their victory came too late to reverse the disaster on the east bank.

Did you have ancestors who fought in the Battle of New Orleans? Tell us about them! Or get started searching or browsing the War of 1812 Collection for more information about the battle.

100 Comments

  1. M L C says:

    My 3x great grandfather, Francis Smith (7/29/1787-2/21/1868), was a 1st Sergeant in Metcalfe’s 1st WestTennessee Militia, served from Bedford county TN and received a bounty land grant there.

    He later moved to Fayetteville, TN where he lived the remainder of his life. His epitaph, besides the dates of birth and death, reads “A Soldier of 1812. With Gen. Jackson at Battle of New Orleans in 1815”.

    Family lore has it that every year on the anniversary of the battle, he took his rifle and his jug of whiskey and went out into the woods to drink a toast to absent comrades-in-arms. Today, many of his descendants drink a toast to Frank and his service at sundown on January 8th.

    • Matt Mats Mannheim says:

      A fascinating story should be a movie in Hollywood!

    • Larry Kimani says:

      8th January happens to be my birthday so I will drink a toast to all the gallant American soldiers who fought in the battle of New Orleans

  2. Jim Dane says:

    I wrote a book about my Dean family history called “Finding Yesterday”(found thru Barnes & Noble or Amazon). They came to Maryland around 1740 (Scots Irish) and our Joshua Dean fought for the Commonwealth of Virginia and received land in Wayne County, Ky (common for all soldiers of Virginia to receive land in Ky). Joshua Dean’s son, James, fought in the War of 1812.
    My entire chapter 5 is devoted to the War of 1812 and particular attention on Kentucky soldiers who are written as heroes in so many documents. Amazingly, most of those early pioneer families of Wayne County, Ky are still there!! Our county does an excellent job of preserving our history that goes back well over 200 years! In 2013 our county put on a reenactment of our local hero soldiers returning home from the Battle of New Orleans (War of 1812)(they rode down the Mississippi River in boats but had to walk back over 800 miles!). I was so lucky to be dressed out as my 3rd grt grandfather James Dean and I participated. When our county discovers a new grave of a Revolution soldier, War of 1812 or Civil War soldier; we order a govt military headstone and this makes the papers and a celebration takes place with graveside honors and a 21 gun salute!! We should ALL be so proud of America’s soldiers that created our free and independent country and our awesome soldiers of today who still lay everything on the line for you and me. If you are reading this and you are or have been military; Thank you!!!

    • Erick Montgomery says:

      I beleive Joshua Dean of Wayne County, Kentucky may have been a brother of Michael Dean, who moved to Warren County, Tennessee where he died in 1835. Michael married Lucy Sanders, daughter of John Sanders of Wayne County. Lucy was a sister of my ancestor. Would like to discuss this with you. Perhaps we can help one another. My email: [email protected]

    • mike dean says:

      Mr. Dane,

    • mike dean says:

      Mr. Dane, Sorry about the blank email. I just read of your book and will be checking it out, including chapter 5. My Dean’s are in Loudoun Co. Va in 1760, and I’ve never determined when or where they first arrived in the colonies. They served in the VA militia during the Revolution and the Whiskey Rebellion. They to moved to KY abt. 1800. Flemingsburg, and Winchester after traveling south in VA to Amherst and Rockbridge counties.
      I’m familiar with the Dean’s of Dorchester story, and know my line is not part of theirs.
      I would welcome an opportunity to learn more about your Dean line if it is different.
      Thanks
      Mike

    • Jim Dane says:

      Mike, I just love it…Please, gotta call- Jim Dane/Dean-714-335-7439

    • Bill mccord says:

      My grandfather Little page proctor fought at Boonsboro in 1778.

      He is buried in mccleansboro illinois.

      His tombstone picture on find a grave doesn’t look like an official us military stone.

      Could you guide me with a few pointer about me doing this? Thanks so much. Bill McCord. Tindiana

    • Thomas C Munnell says:

      I have a 5th great grandfather, John Adair, 8th governor of Kentucky, who ended up commanding the Kentucky Militia at the battle of New Orleans. Earlier in life he served in the South carolina Militia and was an aide de camp to General Sumter during the Revolutionary War.

      His grandfather Adair emigrated from Antrim in Northern Ireland in early 1700s

      Another roughly 5th great grandfather named Hamilton was a sargent in the Revolutionary War. His name was Hamilton and he arrived from Ireland in Baltimore. His migration went through Chester, PA to Cincinnati (can’t remember the name of the Fort which later became Cincinnati). Then his family settled in Augusta, KY. I was alive, when my great grandmother Hamilton (born Reynolds) died in 1945 in Covington.

      THere is a book called Polk about the President who was Jackson’s protege and lived in Tennessee. What is remarkable is how much politically powerful people lived in Kentucky and Tennessee in the 1815 to 1850 time period.

      in 1850 there were approximately 1500 Hamiltons and an equal number of Reynolds living in Kentucky.

      I’ll track your book down and we can compare notes

      My email is [email protected]

    • Michael P.McCarthy says:

      Great History,

      Looking for information as to who to contact in government to get grave marker for my great Grandfather who fought in Civil war for New York regiment. His grave does not have any marker at all. His wife and two children are there.With a marker.Every Veterans day a flag is placed on the grave, His father was a Irish Immigrant from County Cork in 1800. My great great grand father is Dennis McCarthy.Madison County New York, Buried at Clockville, New York, His Father was Florence McCarthy.
      Thank You for any assistance. Cheers

    • Mike Davis says:

      that is so great. wish all Americans would be so interested.

    • Jim Dane says:

      Thanks for your kind words!! America’s early history is SO exciting & interesting! !
      Hopefully, with a change in leadership, America can start repairing her 19 trillion in debt, stop ISIS, stop doing sad deals with our enemies; we need a Great leader that unites America again…a modern day George Washington. Vote wisely

  3. Millie Starr says:

    This information was gathered at the National Archives a long time ago. I was fortunate enough to be there in person and could read and read and copy and copy. Fold3 does make this so much easier for us now. But none of this has yet reached the site. But you asked for a comment and if this is too lengthy feel free to throw it away, but it is an example of what is there to find if you are willing to do the work.

    All of the McMahon men seemed to be ready to join the fight for their country.
    At the time of the War of 1812, James would have been in his twenties. There were other men by the name of James McMahon who enlisted from Tennessee also, but not identified. His brothers, Richard and Samuel Doak, saw service. In the Bible of Samuel Doak McMahon it says that, ‘James Mc Mahon got wounded on the 23rd of December at New Orleans, was taken by the Brittish, and departed on the 26th inst., 1814. Samuel may have been near when he received his mortal wound. By the time of his death at the end of 1814 he would have only been a bit over 26 years of age.(Bible is in church under glass. Not in Archives)

    A James McMahon was mustered in on September 28,1814 to the 2nd Regiment of Mounted Gunmen Williamson’s Tennessee Volunteers. He served 213 days. He enlisted at Fayettville, said to be of Bedford County and appointed John C McLemon of Davidson County as his attorney. This James is not believed to be ours. James was a private. His muster rolls say that they travelled 25 miles from Shelbyville in Bedford County, place of residence to Fayetteville in Lincoln county, where mustered into service.

    James McMahon, Corporal of Blount County Tennessee,entered service on October 5,1814 and was discharged on April 5, 1815. He served in Captain John Trimple’s Company of East Tennessee Volunteer Mounted Gunmen, Major William Russell’s Battalion. He served 6 months 1 day, and at 10 dollars per month was paid 60 dollars and 29 cents. He was allowed 40 cents per day for his horse. 183 days — 73 dollars and 20 cents. His total pay for his service was 133 dollars and 49 cents. On the 8 of April in 1815 he signed a power of attorney appointing Henderson and John McGhee of
    Blount to collect money due him for duty performed on a campaign against The Hostell Creek or other Enemy, immediately under the command of Majr Genl Andrew Jackson. He signed this with his mark. All of our McMahons
    could read and write. This is not our family.

    James McMahon, Private of Hawkins County served in Captain John Slaten’s Co. 5 Regt E Tenn Militia and Col. Edwin E. Booth’s Regiment of E Tennessee Militia. He served from November 13,1814 to June 2,1815. No relationship established.

    CAPTAIN JAMES MCMAHON was mustered into service on December 18,1813 at Fayetteville. [Each non-commissioned officer, musician and private travelled 105 miles in marching to Huntsville, where mustered in, and returning from Fayetteville to the Court House in Columbia, Maury County, after being discharged.] James was present to February 8, 1814. He is recorded as being in Captain James McMahon’s Co. of Mtd. Gunmen, 1 Reg’t West
    Tennessee Mounted Riflemen.
    Captain James McMahan of the first Regiment of Mtd Inft makes claim on 27 September 1814 for forage for one horses, from 18 Decr 1813 to the 8 Feby 1814 is one month 22 days at eight dollars per month each for a total of 13.67, for his subsistence per account herewith 21.80 total [no amount shown for pay of his private servant] a deduction for forage now in (looks like Rura) 5.41 for a total claim of 30.06. This document has two signatures that appear to be his actual handwriting.
    He was again mustered into service on September 28,1814 to March 28, 1815 at Fayetteville. A roll dated Nashville Sept 28,1814 to April 27,181 5. Says he is of Capt. Samuel Crawford’s company 1 Reg’t Tennessee Vol. Mounted Gunmen. This Roll also states “Died of wounds recd in battle 26 Dec 1814.” It is noted that this company is called at various times McMahon’s and Crawford’s.
    2 months 29 days at 50 dollars per month–146.77. On a muster roll of officers belonging to Brig. Gen. John Coffee’s Brigade of Tennessee Volunteer Mounted Gunmen in the service at New Orleans the 1st day of March 1815, commenced service Sept 28,1814.

    There is a letter in his file–
    Fayetteville 30th Sept 1814
    Captain James McMahan
    Sir
    Yours by express has been this moment handed to me, and the tender of your company will be accepted, provided you can join me before I cross Tennessee River I shall march my command from this place on Sunday morning next, and
    shall cross Ten.River at the upper end of the Muscle Shoals–you will cause your company (Complete) to be mustered in to service by some person for the term of six months unless sooner discharged and forward the Roles thereof certified to Col Robert Hays at Nashville,–you will furnish your company with such camp equippage as will barely serve for their line of march (not tents) without incumbrance, you will furnish Rations to carry them to Fort St. Stephens. Which must be carried by the men without any other means of transportation than thier own——and forage for their support untill
    you join the Brigade–for each and all of those articles- you will be allowed and paid by the proper officers in the respective departments on your keeping regular bills of the purchase and delivery thereof to the company after being mustered in to service,-you must report yourself to me at Fort Hampton on Monday evening next if you engage in the service, where I expect to be on the line of march to the lower country—– I am sorry I have its not in my power to give your company more time, but the circumstances under which wear called in to the field are pressing and the call imperious and we must obey. it will give me much pleasure to Receive you and your Brave Volunteers as a part of my command as I shall have full confidence in all who offer their services to their suffering country at this trying moment.
    I am Sir, with very great regard your obedient Servt
    JnoCoffee
    Brigr Genl
    For the Post script see the
    other page

    P.S. If it will suit your convenience by shortning the distance, to meet me at Levy Colberts in the Chickasaw Nation better than the place appointed and you can be there in time to meet me you are at Liberty to do so.

    (Copy)
    Capt. James McMahan

    Mr. Harden Express ]Columbia

    At the Session of the Maury Tennessee County Court held on the 3rd Monday of February 1815, letters of Administration on the estate of James McMahan deceased were granted to Richard McMahon, his brother and to Callow ay Hardin husband of his sister, Nancy.

    I have only a partial schedule of the property belonging to the Estate James McMahen Dec’d. Taken this 20 Day of February 1815 Viz One waggon and gears ten head of cattle twenty head of hogs six geese twenty ducks three beds and furniture one bedstead two trunks one chest one table twenty chairs two looking glasses one cotton wheel two flax wheels one pare of cotton cards two kettles two pots one oven one potrack one smothing Iron one tea kettle one coffee mill one coffee pott two puter dishes one gallon bas on one half gallon bason one half gallon ditto six plates six knives and forks six earthen plates tea cups and saucers salt sellar and peper box fo ur earthan crocks one pan and
    [this is all of page 233] I do not have 234 and 235.
    On page 236—
    A list of the property Sold March 13th, 1815 With the amount of the Estate of James McMahon Deceased return May term 1815

    1 small vice and pare of pinchers $.50
    two augurs.25
    One lott of chisels.75
    One lott with fleshfork Etc.25
    One Bag nailes.75
    One basket of Iron utensils 2.00
    One handsaw 1.00
    1 Wedge 1.50
    One frow 1.43.25
    one cury comb and garden hoe.25
    One gigg.06.25
    One inch augur.94.5
    1 drawing knife.81.25
    1 spade and Sythe blade.25
    1 cane hoe.43.75
    1 mattock 1.50
    1 pare of tongs 1.00
    1 hoe.81.25
    1 coopers adz.15
    1 lott of shoe makers tools 1.56.25
    p 237[the top of this page is very confused]
    one pole axe .18.75
    ditto 1.60.25
    Old Plough hoe cutter 2.62.5
    1 Small Bell.31.25
    one large Bell 1.00
    One pottrack.25
    one pad lock.37.25
    One pair of chains 2.81.5
    One pare do 3.31.25
    brest chain etc.25
    one log chain 4.25.5
    1 pair of steelyards 3.75.25
    1 piece of leather 1.00
    1 smoothing iron 1.32.5
    1 fattub.50
    2 barrels.87
    1 do.06.25
    1 Bench and Pacell of Walnut plank.25
    1 Barshare plough 8.81.25
    1 briddle.12.5
    1 washing tub.56.25
    1 foot matt and sifter.76.25
    There is a subtotal here of 53.87.5
    [I came up with 51.22]
    1 flax wheel 5.00
    D.50
    one cotton wheel 2.50
    1 Oven lid.12.5
    on coffee mill.50
    Knives and forks 2.43.75
    Six earthan Plates 2.75
    One coffee pott.75
    p. 238
    Cups saucers and spoons 1.37.5
    3 chairs 1.50
    3 chairs 2.00
    A parcell of Bedcovers 10.00
    1 womans saddle 3.00
    1 Black pided cowlooks like 0000
    3 chairs 1.50
    3 chairs 1.68.75
    3 Dito 1.56.25
    3 Dito 1.81.25
    1 Small Dito.56.25
    1 large Dito.81.25
    1 iron kettle 5.25
    1 pott 4.18.75
    1 Small pott 2.12.5
    1 large kettle 1.87.5
    one Small oven 2.6.25
    1 tea kettle 1.93.75
    1 Pickle pott.75
    1 churn 1.62.5
    1 crock.50
    1 Dito.50
    1 Do.56.25
    1 Earthan pan.37.5
    1puter Dish 1.37.5
    1 Doz of puter plates 3.6.25
    4 puter Spoons.31.25
    1 puter dish 2.56.25
    1 old dish.75
    1 Puter Bason.75
    1 tray and coolar.50
    p 239
    1 Water pail.50
    two piggins.68.75
    1 Pitcher.50
    1 grindsone (grindstone) 2.75
    1 Trunk 3.25
    1 Dito 2.31.25
    1 folding Table 6.25
    9 lights window glasses.75
    1 looking glass 1.25
    1 Do 1.81.25
    another sub total 91.56.25
    1 Walnut Chest 6.87.5
    1 pare of cotton cards 1.50.25
    1 Rifle gun 4.00
    One Wagon and gears 50.00
    1 Red Brindle Cow 9.61.25
    One large red Cow 9.56.25
    1 White Pidded Steere 4.25
    1 White & red red cow and calf12.25
    two Small yearlings 5.00
    1 yellow pided yearling 1.62.5
    1 Black Pided Cow 6.00
    1 Red yearling 3.6.25
    24 hogs 17.25
    Fifty four lb of Beacon 4.31.25
    76 lbDo 6.00
    74 lbDo 6.00
    75 lb Dito 6.18.75
    68 lb 6.37.5
    46 lb 4.6.25
    1 bed and furniture 13.31.25
    1 Bed and furniture 22.62.5
    page 240
    One Do and bedstead 23.31.25
    One bridle And Bedmat .81.25
    Six geese 1.25
    Some Powder and led .31.25
    twenty for Ducks 2.50
    1 Bedcord 1.00

    Brought forward from 2nd of collom 91.56.25
    Brought forward from first Dito 53.87.5 One gray horse Sold at Orleans 3.6

    total of property sold $444.75

    One sorell horse and claim in a fishery not yet sold.
    R McMahen
    Calloway Hardin
    Administrators

    In the War of 1812 Soldiers of Maury County Tennessee-DAR GRC Collection, it states that in will Book B, page 246, November 1817, inventory of his estate includes ‘wages while in service of U.S.–$280, amount collected for lost property while in service of U.S. $148.50.’

    There are many pages of claims for rations at various times– December 18, 1813 to February 8, 1814 – 53 days, 3 rations per day for a total of 159 rations at 20 cents per, for a total of 31.20 less 10.00 for rations rec ‘d in kind post or place where due was the Creek nation.

    From 28 September 1814 to 26 December 1814 claims for pay for himself and for one private servant. His pay for 2 months and 29 days at 50 dollars per was 146.77. His servant receive 23.48 for the same time period. Forage for two horses was eight dollars a month each for a total of 46.96 and clothing for his one private servant was three dollars and two cents per month for a total of 8.86 for the time period. Subsistence for myself was 90 days @ 3 meals per day at 20 cents per meal for a total of $54. 00 while his private servant received only 1 meal a day for a total of $18 .00. After deducting for 90 rations rec’d in kind this totaled $280.07. This was paid on the 20th day of May 1816. Signed for by Richard McMahon Administrator.

    Another brother Samuel Doak McMahon in November of 1816 signed an afidavit attesting to a claim for forage that James had purchased from William Glass on October 5,1814. 20 bushels of corn at 30 cents per bushel for a total of $6.00.

    There is testimony from Genl Coffee that Captain James McMahan served in the 1st Reg Ten. Vol. Mounted Gunmen from 28 Sept 1814 to the night of 23 rd December following when he was killed in action below New Orleans and that he performed the marches charged in this…
    His administrator, Cornet Richard McMahan -his brother- had to file much paperwork to obtain payment for his estate, receiving on December 23,1817 payment of $21.20 for the payment in full for the allowance of forty cents per day, for one horse. This was for the time that he served with Colonel William Y. Higgins.

    On the 2nd of December 1816, Richard McMahon, Administrator appoints George W. Martin of Davidson County his attorney in fact to get the pay due f or the service of two horses for James McMahon.

    One of the most interesting is the claim for the cost of transporting of 400 lbs of his private baggage as a captain in the Regiment of Tennessee volunteer mounted gunmen, commanded by Col. R. H. Dyer composing part of Gen l. John Coffee… this is of great interest because it tells where they went.

    miles
    From Fayeteville to Fort Montgomery
    (via, Fort St. Stephens—— 450

    From Fort Montgomery to Pensacola
    and back to Fort Montgomery150

    From thence to Mouth of Sandy Creek
    in the Mississippi 294

    From thence to Camp below New
    Orleans — — — — — –176
    _______
    1070

    For this he was paid 8 cents per mile for a total of $85.60. All these miles between 28 September and his death on the 23rd of December. Roughly three months. This is attested to by Lt. Alexander Glass of Maury County on 6 December 1816. Looking at the map it appears that they missed he 150 miles for the return on the trip from Fort Montgomery to Pensacola and back. It is possible that there was a fort called Montgomery that was much closer to Pensacola at that time, but could not locate in my Atlas of American History.

    Additional inventory of James deceased, November term 1817. ‘Notes and accounts’, Henry Reed; Soloman Huffstatler; Samuel Crawford; ‘wages while in service of United States–$280, amount collected for lost property while in service of United States–$148.50. R. McMahon and Callaway Hardin, administrators.

    A laugh to go with this-I worked for weeks to locate Camp Below New Orleans, until I realized that it was camp below New Orleans.

    • roberta wrigley says:

      Millie, I’m interested in your last name. My husband’s maternal grandmother was a Starr, having descended from Dr. Comfort Starr who immigrated in the 1600s. Family tradition says he sailed on a later voyage of the Mayflower but I haven’t pursued that. He is buried in the Boston area (Find a grave, a free site). My husband’s maternal great grandfather, Raymond Starr was a metallurgist and discovered the process for the hardening of aluminum which he later sold to American Aluminum Co. (Alcoa) for $500. Do you know if this might be your line?

  4. Jim Dane says:

    Great write up, a lot of detail! !
    I love it, thank you.
    P.S.- I looked up Fort Montgomery- War of 1812 and a website from a fort built in 1814 in Alabama for the Creek Indian war. It is in Tensaw, Alabama and super close to Pensacola, Fl.. This is most likely the place you are looking for.
    The fort was abandoned in 1818, so I dont know what is there today. However, Fort Mims was just 2 miles away but was burned down, thus Fort Montgomery was built nearby; it is well known that Gen. Andrew Jackson was there and used Fort Montgomery as a staging area before the battle.
    I hope you go there! I have found that there are so many new things to learn just by visiting these historic sites. Good luck in 2016, Jim

  5. Lethene Parks says:

    Andrew Jackson is my first cousin six times removed. His mother, Elizabeth, and my six times great grandmother, Mary, were two of the five Hutchinson sisters who, with their husbands, came from Scotland to South Carolina about 1750, and settled in the Waxhaws area of South Carolina (present York and Lancaster counties). The five Hutchinson sisters were noted linen weavers. Many of their descendants, including Andrew Jackson’s two older brothers, fought on the Revolutionary War as Patriots (Several fought at the noted Battle of King’s Mountain). The two older brothers were captured by the British and died; young Andrew, about 11 or 12 at the time, was wounded by a British officer who sliced his shoulder with a sword. Andrew and other collateral relatives later moved to the area of present Nashville, Tennessee. Andrew Jackson’s mansion on the east outskirts of Nashville is well worth a visit. It was his experiences during the Revolutionary War that solidified Jackson’s dislike of the British. He is often criticized for his expansionist views and for his role in the “Trail of Tears” removal of the Cherokee Indians from their ancestral home in North Carolina to Oklahoma. This whole story is much more complex than my brief summary. If you want to learn more, read the book “Partisans and Redcoats” by Walter Edgar that tells about the Revolutionary War in the Carolinas, which was quite different from the war in the northern states. Some of the best sources of information we found for this whole period and for Andrew Jackson and related families were: York County, SC Public Library, Kings Mountain Battle Site, SC, Tennessee State Archives, and the Nashville (TN) Municipal Archives. The University of NC Archives also has much information, and county archives in this whole area have many useful records and usually a designated county historian who can be of much help.

    • Jim Dane says:

      Wow! What a great family history you have!!
      I love the whole early American history! It’s so amazing; our fight for independence is such an inspiring, almost unbelievable story .
      Anyway, I know the Jackson family were Scots Irish from County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Andrew Jackson ‘s parents home is still there to visit. Another great book to include is ” Born Fighting” by Jim Webb.
      This is the story of the Scots Irish and the important role they played in forming our country. Of course, Scots alone and Irish as a distinct group also play a huge role in the making of America.
      I can’t get enough of these stories- Jim

    • Bonnie Morris Conrad says:

      We are cousins. Please contact me as we have the same linage and story. Which line do you come down from? I am descended from the sister who married a Leslie.

    • Rachel Lotterhos Wills says:

      My family lines that could possibly connect somehow are from Matthew Moore who married Letitia Dalton, and Joseph Martin who married Susannah Chiles and their son Capt. William Martin who married Rachel Dalton of Albemarle Co., VA to Surry/Stokes Co., NC; James Lyon & Behethland Gaines; Capt. James Gaines who married Elizabeth Strother of Culpeper, VA, d. in Kingsport, TN; Anything familiar?

    • Bonnie Conrad says:

      I will respond in two days . I have all the line s in my ged com file at home . There was a Crawford line, Leslie line, Mckemy line and Jackson line. I am a direct descendant from the Hutchison line which is the nee name of all the sisters and Andrew Jacksons mother also

    • Bonnie Morris Conrad says:

      We are cousins. Contact me at [email protected]

    • marsea says:

      My family from very early 1700’s on, where from the Waxhaws area.
      many many names, Fosters, Brown, Blair, MacDonalds, and much much more….

    • Bonnie Morris Conrad says:

      Looks like I am a descendant of Mary Hutchinson Leslie who was the wife of Samuel and you are the descendant of Mary Hutchinson Leslie the wife of John Leslie. I am from the line of Samuel to John son of Samuel and to Margaret Leslie Vanpool wife of David Vanpool buried in Russellville, Mo. You can find my posts on Find a grave for Margaret and David. Margaret is my gr gr grandmother.

    • Terrence MacArthur says:

      A whole lot of Scots came here in the latter 18th century. I forget just what the relationship is, except that I’m his direct male line descendant, but Ivan MacArthur and his brother, whose name I also forget, arrived in 1756 as an indentured servant to the Ancram Forge in Ancram, NY. The MacArthur family has been in that area of Southeast NY state (Duchess county) ever since. In fact, although I was born in Bronxville, I went to the 6th and 7th grade in Pine Plains, the next town south of Ancram. A lot of Scots were among the founders of this country.

  6. Bonnie Morris Conrad says:

    I am a first cousin 5 times removed. I am a blood relative not from his line of adopted relatives. Also believe his cousin John Leslie was in that Battle too. AJ and I share the same grandparents from Ireland the Hutchinsons on his maternal side also the Leslie line.

  7. Kay Pace Siler says:

    My fourth great grandfather, James Pace, from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was
    killed in one of the early battles on December 23, 1812, leaving a wife and eight children, six daughters and two sons. The two sons were only six and one year old.
    My fourth great grandmother raised all six children and they married and had many
    descendants. I’m glad to see this important battle receive recognition. Our ancestors
    paid a heavy price for the privileges we take for granted now but are too often over-
    looked.

  8. Wynnelle Turner says:

    My 4th great grandmother Elizabeth Donaldson was a 1st cousin of Rachel Donelson Robards Jackson. Rachel left her first husband Lewis Robards and married General Andrew Jackson. Rachel’s father was John and Elizabeth’s father William and they were brothers, whose father was John Donaldson from Scotland about 1716. Rachel had no children of her own but raised a brother and some of the children of her sister.
    My husband and I have been to The Hermitage several years ago. Its a vague tie to President Andrew Jackson, but I’ll take it.

    • Bonnie Morris Conrad says:

      So nice to hear you are connected. I love visiting the Hermitage. Thanks for sharing.

    • Sonia Murray says:

      Did Elizabeth Donaldson have a brother John who married Nancy Turner Murray, widow of John Murray, in Missouri ca. 1856? John Donaldson and Nancy had a son John Donaldson, half brother of Leonidas Murray, and there is a story that came down in Leonidas’ family about a connection to Rachel Donaldson Jackson.

    • Sonia Murray says:

      Wynnelle, my error – Nancy Turner Murray Donaldson’s son by her first husband was Herbert L. Murray not Leonidas – Leonidas was H. L’s son and my husband’s G-grandfather. From TN to AR to MO to TX. John Donaldson, H. L.’s half brother by Nancy’s second husband, John Donaldson, worked at a pottery in TX. – have pictures of the pottery.

    • Wynnelle Turner says:

      Rachel and Elizabeth both had brothers named John. I would imagine that the John you mention is in the next gerneration down. Rachel also had several other brothers who may have named one of their sons John. I don’t have the decendants of any of those men as I quit working on the Donaldson line many years ago before there was so much info on the internet and on Ancestry.com. I am sure the info can now be found very easily. Elizabeth married Joseph Rodgers which is the line I was most interested in at the time.

  9. Rachel Lotterhos Wills says:

    I believe I am the 3rd great-grand niece of Col. Wm. “Buck” Martin, b, Aug 1781, Snow Creek, Surry Co., NC, d. 28 Sep 1843, Franklin, TN. He supposedly served on the staff of Andrew Jackson at the Battle of N.O., LA and was later made a Gen. by appt. of the Gov. of TN.. I would like to learn more, if possible.

  10. Robert Pritchett says:

    Col. James Raulston was my 3rd great GF. He commanded the 3rd Tennessee regiment. James Roulston was a pioneer. After his marriage, he moved to the Chestnut Mound area and operated an Inn, called Raulston’s Stand, a powder mill, a distillery and a large farm. In 1808 he moved to the Sequatchie Valley. He was a Lt. Colonel in the War of 1812, commanding the 3rd Tennessee Regiment under General Jackson. He commanded the 3rd Regiment of the Tennessee Militia in the Battle of Talladege on Nov. 9, 1813. In 1814, he was commissioned Colonel in Southern Tennessee and was part of General William Carroll’s Division. In the Battle of New Orleans, Col. Roulston and his regiment bore most of the pressure of the British advance. He was honorably discharged in May, 1815. He worked with Andrew Jackson on Indian Treaties in 1817-1819. According to family tradition, he was a personal friend of Andrew Jackson, and was invited to the HERMITAGE as President Jackson’s guest on several occasions. He was also a Representative from Jackson Co. AL to the Legislature in 1826.

    James was the father of fourteen children, eleven boys and three girls. Five of James Raulston’s children married five of the children of William Bean of the Watauga settlement.

    • Bruce Hall says:

      Is it true that Colonel Raulston recruited militia for the 3rd regiment from Jackson County, Tenn (not Jackson County, Alabama) to fight the decisive battle of New Orleans in 1815?

  11. Lois Hess says:

    Major Waters Clark enlisted Feb. 16 180l and was in the in the the 44th US Infy until he died June 18th, 1814. Hwas absent on recruting services at Alexandria Feb.-Apr 1814. Mentioned in orders dated Mobile, Nov 19, 1814 as being buried June 28 1814. Apparently he was in New Orleans earlier and had established a home there

  12. Gina Andrie says:

    My 4th great grandfather, David Rigby/Rigsby, was a private in DeClouet’s Regiment, Louisiana Militia & this past spring spring when the Azaleas were blooming in Louisiana I am delighted to state that I was able to tie him directly to my family through succession papers that I found in a parish courthouse. I also find a paper where he provided for his daughters in case of his death in September of 1814. Like any young father going into battle he planned to take care of his young family in the event he didn’t survive & spoke to a neighbor about caring for his children…This neighbor & David become related after their deaths when David’s son and the neighbor’s granddaughter marry. DeClouet’s Regiment was at the Battle of New Orleans and David did survive the War and I would enjoy knowing more about what the Regiment did during the battle.

  13. Gina Andrie says:

    My 4th great grandfather, David Rigby/Rigsby, was a private in DeClouet’s Regiment, Louisiana Militia & this past spring when the Azaleas were blooming in Louisiana I am delighted to state that I was able to tie him directly to my family through succession papers that I found in a parish courthouse. I also find a paper where he provided for his daughters in case of his death in September of 1814. Like any young father going into battle he planned to take care of his young family in the event he didn’t survive & spoke to a neighbor about caring for his children…This neighbor & David become related after their deaths when David’s son and the neighbor’s granddaughter marry. DeClouet’s Regiment was at the Battle of New Orleans and David did survive the War and I would enjoy knowing more about what the Regiment did during the battle.

  14. April McLeish says:

    Very interesting, indeed; however, this information mentions nothing about the American Indian involvement.

  15. Terri Price Musto says:

    Agree, there should be more information about the help received from the Choctaw and probably other tribes as well. It is lore, not confirmed, that our Price line includes a marriage between a daughter of Chief Pushmataha and a Price.

  16. TOM HARVEY says:

    MY RELATIVE ABRAHAM CARLOCK WAS A PRIVATE IN ROULSTONS 3RD WEST TENN REG.HIS FATHER HANCRIST GERLACK WAS A VET OF THE REV .WAR. (THE FIRST CHEROKEE WAR -1776).ABE HAD HIS LEFT HAND CRIPPLED AS A CHILD BUT WAS STILL CONSIDERED A CRACK SHOT THRUOUT HIS AREA.ROULSTONS UNIT WAS CREDITED WITH SHOOTING GEN.PACKENHAM. ABE ALWAYS TOLD OF FIRING HIS WEAPON 7 TIMES AND KILLING 6 BRITISH SOLDIERS -THE LAST OF WHICH WAS A HIGHLY DECORATED OFFICER ON HORSE (PACKENHAM).ON A TRIP TO LONDON I HAD A FINE CONVERSATION WITH SEVERAL OF THE CURATERS IN WESTMINSTER ABBY(STANDING NEXT TO GEN .PACKENHAMS CRYPT)ABOUT MY ANCESTORS WAR RECORD .WE HAD NO ILL FEELINGS THANKS TOM HARVEY

  17. Roy Hensel says:

    Our 3x great grandfather was James Harvey Emerson. Just like MLC’s, he was also in Metcalfe’s W. Tennessee militia as a 2nd Lt. and at the Battle of New Orleans. Emerson was born in Boone’s Station in Ky. His father, Reuben Emmerson fought in the Revolutionary War under the command of Washington and was at Yorktown. Reuben was from Virginia and received a land grant for land in Ky. He settled in Fayette Co. James Harvey Emerson moved to Maury Co., TN and joined in Tn. during the War of 1812. He later moved to Graves Co. , Ky where he is buried. Thanks to online sites I got a copy of his discharge paper signed by Andrew Jackson. I also have his saber he carried there which was later used by his grandson Captain Joe Emerson in the Civil War. Capt. Emerson died at Shiloh with that saber in hand. It was carried by his brother in the war for the duration and brought back to the family in Graves Co., KY after the war.

    • Michel Devlin says:

      Hi, I’m Looking for possible Emerson ancesters originally from Virgina. Would you please share some of you Revolutionary Emerson ancestry. I descend from Sargent Major John Champe who was a spy for General Washington & General Lee. It was a top secret mission to Capture Benedict Arnlod. Anyways, I’m trying to prove or disprove a relationship between Champ’s son inlaw Samuel Keys & Emerson family of Virginia. Samuel Keys ( BORN ABOUT 1786 )& Mary Champ had sons John Keys, George Washington Keys, JAMES HARVEY KEYS – WIFE ( Letticia Stone Native of Kentucky daughter of Thomas Stone & possibly unknown nee, LASITER., ISAAC EMERSON KEYS, SAMUEL KEYS, WILLIAM TOLLIVER KEYS, AND ONE DAUGHTER, PHOEBE CAROLINE KEYS. MOST OF THESE BOYS SERVED IN CIVIL WAR. SAMUEL Sr., was a native of Virginia, supposedly fought in War of 1812 , married Mary Champ, Jan. 17, 1820 in Chilicothe, Ross County, Ohio and died in 1845 in Rainsville, Warren County, Indiana. I believe possibly Samuel Sr’s mother may have been an Emerson or Tolliver or a VanKuykendall or Kuykendall.

  18. Jim Dane says:

    Hi Roy, great passed down story! Question: Does your family still carry the saber??
    What a treasure!! Jim

    • Roy Hensel says:

      Yes, we have the saber. Just acquired it two years ago. Great family heirloom which I have on display in my home. Great tie with not only two wars but two important battles.

    • Jim Dane says:

      Thanks, I was so curious…you are really blessed to have that!!
      That is so cool! We have priceless documents that prove our family history & im so glad just to have that…many hit walls & cant prove even the country they come from.
      Jim

  19. Diann Franks says:

    My Greatx3 Grandfather was Capt. Peter Swink

  20. charles says:

    who really cares

    • Susan Christensen Cook says:

      Apparently a lot of people care. Wish you did as well.

    • Jim Dane says:

      Hooray! Nice words! Millions of people care about our past brave, bold, tough ancestors!! First of all, if they don’t survive, we aren’t born!
      That guy is extremely lucky to be alive to even write “who cares”.
      Doesn’t get it & zero gratitude.
      P.S.- many Cooks in my Wayne Counyy, Ky…their line comes thru Sam Cook- Revolution…probably from Va.

  21. Linda Reid says:

    The Battle of New Orleans was not the last battle of the War of 1812. The War was already over. The British had won. They had repulsed the invading forces and preserved the territorial integrity of British North America.

    Linda Reid
    Toronto, Canada

    • Mike Burke says:

      I submit that neither the Americans nor British won the War of 1812. All the invasions were unsuccessful on both sides and there was little change at the end of the War. It seems to me that the real winners of the War of 1812 were the Canadians who started to build a national conscience between Canada West and Canada East. Of course, you know that better than I would. Regards.

    • Ross Howell says:

      I didn’t know the British won that war, I know that the northern armies lost every battle the ever fought in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 but I never heard that the British won the war of 1812. If they had won I am sure we would be using English Pounds and not American Dollars. I think you need to go back to school and read up on this subject. My great great great grandfather bought the Kings Mountain battle field eight years after the battle and it was in the Houser family till my great great grandmother Fathy Houser died in 1881 then my great grandfather’s brother Lawson Howell bought it and it went to his two sons when he passed in 1910, the two sons owned it till 1920. The Daughters of the Revolution bought it around 1930 and gave it to the National Park Service

    • Rachel Lotterhos Wills says:

      Check again! It was the last battle! The treaty drawn by Pres. James Madison, and signed in Belgium had not been ratified by Congress yet!

    • Thomas C Munnell says:

      But for lack of 20 additional revolutioanry soldiers in Benedict Arnorld’s forces at the battle of Quebec, the entirety of Canada would be American today. After beating the British at Monreal, Arnold forged Northeastward to Quebec City, where the British were able to repulse his diminished party of revolutionaries. Had he won there, and it was touch and go, Canada would have been part of the States for better or for worse.

      In any case, the importance of the Battle of New Orleans cannot be dismissed so easily regardless when the Treaty was agreed. Had the British won at New Orleans, it is highly unlikely they would have relinquished their hard won gains and the entirety of the Louisiana Purchase might have fallen apart. Moreover, the respect earned for the American States by Jackson and all who fought with him was the lasting point of the War of 1812.

    • Jim Dane says:

      You are exactly correct! Great & accurate write up!! Jim

    • Terrence MacArthur says:

      As I said in another comment, the Treaty of Ghent had been signed about 3 weeks before the Battle of New Orleans. But the fact that the war was officially over does not change the fact that it WAS the last battle of the war of 1812. Because of the amount of time it took to get communications from one place to another in those days, it was not extremely uncommon for battles that were part of some certain war to be fought after the warring countries had signed a treaty ending that war.

      As for who won, that is a question, at best, of viewpoint. You seem to think that the war was due to the United States invading what is now Canada. That is false. The war started as a result of Britain refusing to actually treat the United States as a separate nation despite having recognized it as such in the agreements that ended the Revolutionary War. The British Navy was forcefully impressing sailors from American flagged ships as though the US were still subject to Britain, in contravention of International Law and despite protests from the US. THAT is what triggered the War of 1812. And as far as invasion is concerned, the British invaded what is now Louisiana, resulting in the Battle of New Orleans, an invasion that was unsuccessful. Both nations repelled invasions of their territory, and the issue that started the war was settled in the favor of the United States and British impressment of American sailors ceased. Yet you claim that Britain won? Looks like Canadian schools are as chauvanistic in their teaching of history as some American schools are.

  22. Joe Brown says:

    Phillip and Enos Pipkin were brothers in the Nashville area and both were in New Orleans battle. Enos was a farmer and Phillip was a lawyer. Phillip was a Colonel in the militia. Phillip later moved to the capital of Missouri where he practiced law until his death. Enos lived in Middle Tennessee until his death.

    • Rachel Lotterhos Wills says:

      Sounds like your ancestors could have been in the same company with mine….Col. Wm. “Buck” Martin, who lived in Franklin, TN.

  23. Sue Patterson says:

    I have an ancestor, Bird Smith, who died of disease at New Orleans: “Smith, General Byrd, Feb. 20, 1815. Died, it is with regret that we learn that our gallant
    fellow citizen, General Byrd Smith departed this life on the 20th, Istant (sic), at New Orleans. General Smith was an early settler in this state, had been a member of the Legislature and at the day of his death commanded the west Tennessee brigade of militia which acted so conspicuous a part in the several battles below N.O.” Whig, March 14, 1815.

    The funny thing was that my husband and I discovered that Bird Smith was also his ancestor. We are fifth cousins. He is descended from a son of Bird Smith and his wife Rhoda Ingles Smith and I descend from a daughter.

  24. My direct line William Patton Alexander was one of the 7 men who died at the battle of New Orleans 1814. I have been there and e-mailed their expert per their suggestion, twice. Have read every history I have seen and still do not know we’re they buried these men. Closest I got was to find. Stone in the same cemetery in New Orleans that the famous Voodoo queen is buried in. Are they there. Cemetery doesn’t know!

  25. in you history above,
    you left out our people who fought in this battle
    the choctaw warriors,they were in the reinactment last year i think

    yakoke for thee information(thay is thank you in choctaw)

    • Bonnie Conrad says:

      John Ross was with Andrew Jackson. He later hated Jackson and headed up the Trail of Tears although he was only about one sixteenth indigenous. A J adopted an Indian Baby named Lacoya who died about 16 years. I have every book plus a book and newspaper articles on Andrew Jackson who is my First cousin 5 times removed.

  26. Ernest Young says:

    I have two relatives who fought in the War of 1812.

    The first was my 2nd Great-grandfather, Larkin Newton (1794-1858), who fought with Gen. Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans. It says so right on his gravestone in Newton Cemetery, Midlothian, Texas. He served as third Sergeant in Capt. George Barnes’ company in the 2nd Regiment of the West Tennessee Militia commanded by Col. John Cocke.

    An epaulet worn by 18 year-old Larkin Newton was on display during the centennial of Fayetteville, Arkansas, according to an article in the Fayetteville Daily Democrat, Monday, July 2, 1928, Page 2. It was also exhibited at the Texas Sesquicentennial in 1936. He was the first County Clerk and was appointed the first Postmaster of Fayetteville, Arkansas. After a yellow fever epidemic killed several of his family members he moved to Southwestern Missouri and helped lay out four counties there, then in 1847 moved to the Peters Colony in Ellis County, Texas, where he built a log cabin that still stands today in downtown Midlothian, Texas. He was one of the group that became the first County Commissioners of Ellis County, Texas.

    The second relative was my 3rd Great-grandfather, George Moore Gibson (1780-1845), who in 1814-15 served as a Private in the 2nd Regiment, Tennessee Volunteer Mounted Gunmen. His commanding officer wrote the following letter to the War Department:

    “I do hereby certify that George M. Gibson was a private in my company of West Tennessee mounted gunmen on an Expedition to Pensacola and New Orleans under the command of General John Caffee, under the command of Major General Andrew Jackson, which was mustered into service at Fayetteville on September 28, AD 1814 and faithfully performed a tour of duty and that said George M. Gibson lost his horse the first day of November AD 1814 in consequences of the United States not furnishing a sufficiency of forage, said horse valued to fifty-five dollars and I do certify that this is the only certificate which I have given for the same. Given under my hand this 27th day of April AD 1815, John Dobbins, Capt.”

    The U.S Army let George’s horse, that he brought with him when he joined up, starve to death and then had to pay him for it!

    I have always wondered if they ever knew each other or even saw each other.

    • Bonnie Culley says:

      General John’s name is Coffee and not Caffee… We have a Coffee/ey Cousins’ Clearinghouse and web site. He lived with the Jacksons at times. We are very proud of Gen. John

  27. Terrence MacArthur says:

    Strange that the story doesn’t mention the most ironic thing about the Battle of New Orleans, specifically that it was fought after the Treaty of Ghent had been signed on December 24, 1814. The battle was fought a little more than two weeks after the War of 1812 had ended.

  28. Jim Dane says:

    Help! Somebody asked me for help getting a military headstone. ..and I can’t find the blog note again…
    Please write me at- [email protected]

  29. Jim Dane says:

    Help! Somebody asked me for help getting a military headstone. ..and I can’t find the blog note again…
    Please write me at- [email protected]
    Thanks

  30. Sonia Murray says:

    John Murray of the south central area of Dickson Co.TN (partitioned off in 1818 as Hickman Co.) and his brother in law Elkanah Anderson both fought with the Dickson Co. militia at the Battle of New Orleans. John survived to make the long trek home, but Elkanah died of wounds, leaving Betsy Murray Anderson a young widow with children. Would love to know where Elkanah is buried. The Murrays, Andersons, Davidsons and Turners had come in the 1790’s from NC to the Barrens of KY, where John Murray married Nancy Davidson, dau. of James and gdau of the Rev. Alexander Davidson, in 1804. John Murray was my late husband Gil Murray’s 4th G-grandfather.

  31. Fred Forbes says:

    My 6th great uncle, Isham Lewis, nephew of Thomas Jefferson, fled the area in Smithfield, KY after helping his brother Lilburne (who committed suicide) kill a slave, He supposedly died in the Battle of New Orleans under an assumed name. However, few died in that battle and I do not know what name he used. Anyone shed any light on the issue?

    • Roy Hensel says:

      I know the story of the slave being killed and I’ve been to that area. Jefferson’s sister is buried there too. It is Smithland, Ky not Smithfield. It’s only 20 miles from where I live.

    • Fred Forbes says:

      You are correct. Check some of the shots of the area, including the grave site from my visit back in April.

  32. Haydon Fouke says:

    My ggggrandfather, Lemuel Green Hewlett, left Hopkins, KY with his 3 brave brothers to save the US during the War of 1812. Lemuel lost 2 fingers during the Battle of New Orleans, Jackson stopped on his horse, gave Lemuel his kerchief (bandana) from around his neck, & told him to keep fighting, which he did. All of the brothers returned home safely. The family kept the souvenir until it was lost during a house fire. A picture of Lemuel does show him without a thumb. Told around by his tree members, but I think the story is true. Jackson also smoked cannabis with his troops. Sounds cool except his treatment of the Indians wasn’t so cool.

  33. Garland D. Vinyard says:

    David’s military service in the Battle of New Orleans:

    Much family information is found in Nancy Vineyard’s application for a widow’s pension in 1817 and for a land warrant in 1852. David was drafted in Christian County, Kentucky to serve in the Battle of New Orleans. He fought beside his son Isaiah serving from Montgomery County, Tennessee under General Andrew Jackson.

    David was approximately 50 years of age at the time of his enlistment in Captain James Robertson’s Company of Lieutenant-Colonel William Mitchusson’s Kentucky Detached Militia. He was listed as David Wingard . This detached Kentucky unit was called up at the request of General Jackson to serve in New Orleans. David’s name is listed in muster and company clerk’s reports as Vinyard, Linyard, and Wingard. According to records this unit was the only Kentucky group that served in battle in New Orleans. There were not enough arms for all of the Kentucky troops that were held in reserve.

    General Andrew Jackson after moving his troops from Mobile, Alabama to New Orleans discovered that he had fewer than 3,500 troops to face an estimated British force of about 7,500. Jackson immediately sent requests to the Governors of Kentucky and Tennessee for additional troops.

    Passage for Kentucky soldiers to New Orleans was beset with compounding errors and delays. Kentucky Governor Shelby was assured that the U. S. Government would furnish transportation for his approximately 2,500 troops destined some 1,500 miles to New Orleans. Troops assembled at Frankfort on the banks of the Ohio River, but no boats were forthcoming from the U. S. Army. The Kentucky Militia quartermaster, Colonel Richard Taylor borrowed money and purchased boats and barges. Unfortunately several of these boats were unsafe for passage and required repair, delaying passage by eight days. The men left home with only the clothing on their backs and less than one third having personal weapons, many weapons being unfit for military use. The militia was furnished half food rations with plans to pick up additional rations in route along the Mississippi. Rifles promised by the Federal Arsenal in Pittsburgh were delayed by the U. S. quartermaster and arrived in New Orleans after the battle was over. Many of the Kentucky troops were in rags and had no tents or even straw bedding. The Louisiana Legislature voted $6,000 and an additional $10,000 was raised by Louisiana citizens to furnish clothing, sewed by local women for the poor backwoodsman. Raw Kentucky troops were rushed into battle, many of which were held in reserve for lack of weapons.

    Fortunately for Andrew Jackson the British delayed arrival from offshore camps on islands in the Gulf until more crack troops arrived from Europe through Jamaica. The British professional military eventually rose to 15,500. The Pirates Laffite, brothers Jean and Dominique with knowledge of the Mississippi delta, provided the best location to establish the breastworks for Jackson’s troops. They also furnished naval cannons and an unending supply of gunpowder. The British delay allowed Jackson time to build breastworks re-enforced with timbers, 20 feet thick and five feet high on the east side of the Mississippi, five miles downstream from New Orleans. On 1 January 1815 the British began an artillery duel on Jackson’s breastworks with little effect .

    Three days later the Kentucky troops (including David Vineyard) finally arrived. By 8 January the Americans had 5,000 troops behind the breastworks to face a force three times their number. The Americans were well entrenched in four rows and had accurate rifles. The British out in the open were twice thrown back. In a report by American Adjutant General Robert Butler, the British lost 700 killed, 1,400 wounded, and 500 captured. American loses were only 6 killed and 7 wounded.

    David died from a fever, 5 April 1815 in Bogue Chitto, Choctaw Nation, Mississippi after being furloughed to return home. According to Isaiah Vineyard, David was buried along the side of the road in Bogue Chitto.

    David’s widow, Nancy filed for a widow’s special five year half-pay pension for widows or orphans of soldiers who died in the War of 1812 as approved by Congress in 1816..

    The General Society of the War of 1812, 6 April 2013 approved for membership my evidence of David Vineyard’s service in the Battle of New Orleans.

    Documentation to support this information are on-line under David Vineyard, son of Ishmael public tree on line on Ancestry.com. Sources for this narrative are: Roster of the Volunteer Officers and Soldiers from Kentucky in the War of 1812-1815; Zachary F. Smith, The Battle of New Orleans, The Filson Club, Frankfort, KY 1904, Reprint Lexington, KY 2012; Robert V. Remini, The Battle of New Orleans,1999 New York. Legislature of Kentucky, editor, Report of the Adjutant Geneal of the State of Kentucky, Soldiers of the War of 1812 (1891; reprint, Greenville, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press (reprint), 1992), 282; Roll of Captain John Robinson’s Company, Kentucky Detatched Militia, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel William Mitchusson. Wingard, David, private, enlisted 20 November 1814, enlisted or engaged to 20 May 1815.

  34. Eugene Barron says:

    A group is singing the “Song of New Orleans”. The present day of New Orleans. It is good.

  35. Bobby Gervais says:

    My direct ancestor, Jean Gervais, fought in the battle of New Orleans (actually several skirmish/battles from December 1814 to January 1815) and would later receive bounty lands and a War of 1812 Pension for his service. He died in 1879. He was born in St. Domingue (Haiti) of French parents. After the slave revolt and massacre of the French on St. Domingue, the family fled to New Orleans. Jean ended up serving under Major Plauche in the Chasseurs. They were uniformed Louisiana militia, and I believe had horses. I attended the 200 year anniversary last year and stood at the “line” at Chalmette on January 8, a freezing morning. It was quite stirring. I recommend the history symposium put on every year by Nunez Community College in Chalmette LA.

    • Major Plauche, who eventually become General Jean Baptiste Plauche, is my fourth great grand uncle. I suspect your ancestor fought with my third great grandfather, Alexandre Chesse. He was a nephew of Major Plauche.

    • Bobby Gervais says:

      I find that extremely fascinating! I am in New Orleans at the moment for the two day history symposium on the Battle in Chamette. I was at the battlefield yesterday with a cousin to show him where on the line Major Plauche’s battalion was. We toasted our ancestor. It was quite stirring. Thanks for sharing about your ancestor. Absolutely they must have known each other and fought together.

  36. Joe Beaty says:

    Thanks to everyone for their wonderful stories. My 4X Grandfather served in the the War of 1812, William Beaty. He died in 1851 in Washington Arkansas. I have not been able to gather much info on his service. It is said he was a Surgeon in the war but everything I come up with shows him as a private. I can’t seem to find any information about his mother and father either.

  37. Keith farley says:

    Stephen E Farley along with several other men from wilkinson county built a raft and floated down the Mississippi to new oleands to fight with Jackson I don’t remember the officers name he served under

    • Diann Franks says:

      My Great x3 Grandfather was there with Andrew Jackson; his name was Capt. Peter Swink

  38. Dianne Johnson says:

    My 4th Great Grandfather Isaac Jones purportedly died on January 13, 1815 in New Orleans as a result of the battle of New Orleans. He was born about 1782 in Georgia, but lived in Tennessee. He was married to Mary (Polly) Oglesby of Montgomery, Tennessee on 14 Oct 1805 at Drake’s Creek, Sumner County, Tennessee. Besides his widow, he left 4 children Martha Pane Jones (my 3rd ggm), Daniel Oglesby Jones, John Lewis Jones, and Isaac Whittier Jones. I believe he was serving with some militaryunit from Tennessee. Other than that, I have no additional information about his death. I would love to have more information surrounding this battle and what circumstances existed surrounding his death.

  39. Alfred Johnson says:

    My third great grandfather was Renato Beluche. At the time he was one of the Baratarian pirates who provided guns, power and cannons to Gen. Jackson and also manned either battery #1 or #2 along the Rodriguez Canal. Renato was very familiar with this area since his father Rene had owned the Chalmette plantation which was sold when Rene died in 1788 to pay his debts. After the battle Renato became Simon Bolivar’s admiral of his navy in the liberation of Columbia and Venezuela from Spain. Jane Lucas DeGrummond wrote a book about Renato Beluche entitled Renato Beluche: Smuggler, Privateer, Patriot.

  40. ernest pope says:

    my great great great grandfather , jacob pope, fought with general jackson at battle of n o , la, after the war, my grandfather setteled at what is now walthall county ms. walthal county is in the south west corner of ms. my sisters and brothers are 6 th generation of walthal countians, my grand kids are 8th generation if mississippians

  41. Rich says:

    Great battle and bless everyone who fought against the British !It’s amazing how the Irish protestant (north of Leland) try to hijack Jackson name for there own use , when Andrew Jackson hated the British !

  42. Vivian Marshall Runnels says:

    My 5th Great Grandpa, Moses Varnado b 1781 in the Orangeburg District of South Carolina served in the War of 1812 attached to the 13th Regiment (Nixon’s Mississippi Militia) with Captain Henry Quinn’s Company of the Mississippi Territory and appears on the Company Payroll dated 1-06-1815. Moses died 5-17-1855 on Varnado Hill, Kentwood, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana. He has a V A Marker located east of the Tangipahoa River on the south side of La. Hwy.38 near Kentwood, Louisiana.

    In addition to Moses my 4th Great Grandpa, Captain James Marshall b 1750 Pennsylvania served in the War of 1812 as Captain and listed in the “Militia Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution” which also stated in addition he collected and drove cattle for the State Commissary during years 1779, 1780 1781, & 1782. He also supplied beef and flour for state use. Capt. James died 8-02-1811, Kershaw, South Carolina and unable to locate marker

    Vivian Marshall Runnels

  43. Cathy James says:

    My 3rd gt grandfather David Porter was with the 12th and 13th Consolidated Regiment of Louisiana militia and survived. His daughters living nearby brought pies to the soldiers during their encampment at the Rigolets near New Orleans. My 4th gt grandfather, William Taylor, was a soldier with in De Clouet’s Regiment. He died of hyperthermia/exposure during the harsh winter and is buried some place unknown but probably at the encampment at Chalmette.

  44. My fourth great grand uncle, General Jean Baptiste Plauche was there as well as my third great grandfather, Alexandre Chesse.

  45. Monica R. Hague says:

    Samuel Prestridge & Archibald Moore- finally the Real End of the American Revolution. I’m lucky to have a picture of Sam & We had his Grave Marked w a Veteran’s Marker in 2006.

  46. asbjørn says:

    Hi,

    please confirm website for the event!

    Regards,

    Asbjørn ramsøy

  47. Tracy says:

    My great great great was Westmoreland
    And my great great grandmother was Cherokee

  48. I have a 1846 Springfield Percussion cap Unknown CAL. About 50 cal.
    I can get serial number If needed. I think it may have been U.S.Army Issue.
    Any information would be appreciated.
    Thank you

  49. Bonnie Culley says:

    General John’s last name is spelled Coffee. We are very proud of him. He even lived with the Jacksons in the White House at times.

  50. I have no idea of any softphone which has “always on” phone
    recording where it records every phone without user input, However , I don’t understand them all
    as I mainly use Bria myself.

  51. Richard H. Russell says:

    Great read (if you can find it) by The well-known historical writer Donald Barr Chidsey (1961) titled: The Battle of New Orleans. Covers the history of the War of 1812 and describes the role of privateers. Fascinating read. We often overlook the role that France played during this period of our history. In 1803, Napoleon sold the Louisiana Territory to the US, essentially doubling the size of the US land mass. The coalition of European countries (including England) that were allied against France kept the British so busy that they weren’t able to throw all their might against the US. It seems unfortunate that there were no 200 yr observances of the start &/or end of that war (6/18/1812, 3/27/1815).

    • Rachel Lotterhos Wills says:

      I beg to differ! The U.S. Navy and several historical and hereditary societies combined their efforts and the bicentennial of the War of 1812 was indeed celebrated. However, I do feel there was NOT enough coverage by the press, etc. As you probably know, Canada feels they won; England wonders what all the fuss is about. At least one edition of The Encyclopaedia Brittanica stated there was no clear outcome! The U.S. Naval Academy had an outstanding special exhibit commemorating the War of 1812.

      My 3rd great-grand Uncle, Col. William “Buck” Martin of Franklin, Williamson County, TN, had been appt. a Brig. Gen. by the Gov. of TN in time to have his TN militia men march in the parade honoring Lafayette’s visit to Nashville, TN, along with Lafayette’s visit with Pres. Andrew Jackson. Some of the TN members of U.S. Daughters of 1812 were present for the marking of Gen. Martin’s grave at Rural Plains, his home, on Memorial Day weekend, 2014. Many such beautiful ceremonies took place in many states.

    • Richard H. Russell says:

      Thank you for the correction. In Alaska we don’t always hear what is going on in the real world.