On January 8, 1815, the Battle of New Orleans occurred, between the British and the United States Army. The British Army was under the command of Major General Sir Edward Pakenham, and the United States was under the command of General Andrew Jackson. This battle was set around 5 miles southeast of the City of New Orleans on the Chalmette Battlefield. Right after the Treaty of Ghent was signed, the battle broke out and resulted in a victory for the United States. 

 Justin Nystrom, chair of the history department and a distinguished professor of history at Loyola said the British had their eyes on taking New Orleans to strengthen its negotiating position in the war of 1812. 

“It was a sideshow for the British in the greater Napoleonic context,” he said. 

“The outcome of the battle came after the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, why is this significant? This battle’s place in history lies in how it made Andrew Jackson a bigger national celebrity than he already was, becoming a titanic figure in the first half of the nineteenth century,” Nystrom said. 

“The British were never going to keep New Orleans as Americans had pushed so far into the Mississippi River Valley that holding the port would have been ultimately impossible and undesirable,” Nystrom said. “What is important is that it made Andrew Jackson even more of a national celebrity.”

Some legacies left from the battle include the first time a steamboat descended the Mississippi River.

“Henry Miller Shreve, the boat’s pilot, was able to bring in ammunition and arms to the American forces just hours before the battle,” said Nystrom. 

This also shines a light on the steamboat age in New Orleans. On January 8, 2025, the battle reached its 210th anniversary. This was also celebrated on January 10 and 11. 

One of the places to go if you want to learn more about the Battle of New Orleans recommended by Nystrom is the Chalmette Battlefield, where you can walk around the grounds where the British attacked and trenches where the Americans defended, or check out the Historic New Orleans Collection to see period maps of the battle online.