Chalmette Battlefield - Site of the Battle of New Orleans

 park, battlefield, place with historical importance, interesting place

This is the site of the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815, the final and definitive battle of the 'War of 1812'. Its outcome, in conjunction with the terms of the Treaty of Ghent, ratified in February 1815, essentially secured the Mississippi River and the West for American expansion.

The British invading forces, consisting of roughly 8,000 troops, many of whom were veterans of the Napoleonic Wars, approached from the east.

They were met by an army of roughly 4,000 American regulars, militia, freed blacks and even pirates from Jean Lafittee's Barataria Bay who were all led by Gen. Andrew Jackson

Nearly 2,000 British troops were killed or injured. Many of the dead from both sides as well as the Revolutionary and Civil Wars are buried at the adjacent cemetery to the east. Some damage was caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.