The Battle of New Orleans: Andrew Jackson and America's First Military Victory

This book's narrative is fast and snappy, the story is well told and presented in a way that it reads like a novel. The author, Robert V. Remini certainly loves this period of history and has a deep respect for Andrew Jackson, which shows throughout the book, maybe too much so. One of the previous reviewers mentioned the fact that the story was a bit too much like "good versus evil". I found on occasions that the American forces could do no wrong while the British were blunderers. For example, t [...]

Another great history-in-a-nutshell book which explains how Old Hickory ended up on the $20 bill. What's better than Kentuckians in Top Hats, pirates and citizen soldiers banding together with a beat up regular American Army to finally put the British in their place (a feat which even Napoleon could not accomplish)? Excellent.

In 1814, we took a little tripAlong with Colonel JacksonDown the mighty Mississip.It was supposed to be a slam dunk. With many veterans of Wellington's army, a Steve Jobs-like leader in General Pakenham, a mighty fleet of the world's greatest navy, and the best trained army of the Old Worlde British should have destroyed the small American unit defending "Nawlins".We took a little baconAnd we took a little beansAnd we caught the bloody BritishIn a town in New Orleans.But the Pommies didn't recko [...]

The sort of history of battle you don't see much anymore: rousing and entertaining, full of brave deeds and long odds overcome. Huzzah indeed! Not much attention is paid to the causes of the war or its broader social context, and while that might have been of interest, frankly it is not much missed here. The focus is mostly on Andrew Jackson--Remini is a biographer of Jackson--and it works as a means to tell the story of the battle in a truncated and readable fashion. In the concluding chapter h [...]

Old Hickory is one of my favorite Americans of all time. This short story gives a great rendition of the final battle of the war of 1812, in which he lead. It tells the story of how several cultures and backgrounds came together to repulse an organized and invading army. The lopsided results are evidence of a people that are hell-bent on overcoming adversity and protecting freedom. It's what separates us from the rest of the world.This is a great addition to any library and helps tell the denoue [...]

This book was much more than I was expecting. I've never been a great fan of American historical nonfiction, but seeing the hope and enthusiastic sprits of the American people in this book have me hope for the future of our country as it struggles right now. I hope we can unite in spirit soon and re-establish the American spirit of justice and freedom.

The Battle of New Orleans Andrew Jackson and America's First Military Victory by Robert v. Remini was a tougher read. It was rich with historical information that at times could make it very boring. Although most of the book tended to be quite boring I did learn some new thing about that major battles Andrew Jackson fought in. Most of these battles I had only learned about through history class which did not take such an in depth look at them, so seeing all parts of these important battles and w [...]

I found it to be a nice, concise history of the battle. The only thing I think that could make it better would be more and better maps. I found it very interesting how ahead of his time Jackson was in tactics. His defense of New Orleans was more akin to something later in the Civil war (as opposed to the Napoleonic tactics the Brits used as well as both sides at the beginning of the civil war.)

A quick popular history of the New Orleans campaign, generic to a fault. Nothing distinguishes this book; the style is brisk and chatty and the narrative quick and straightforward, but there is nothing remarkable here. To its detriment, the book also completely neglects the social and political ramifications of the battle, instead confining its scope to a straight record of events; something I find egregious in a history.

This is a detailed and clearly written account of the Battle of New Orleans and the skirmishes that preceded and followed it. However, it does not place the battle into an larger historical context (e.g. race relations - free black soldiers and Indians fought on both sides - or Napoleonic-era tactics), which, combined with Remini's sometimes gag-inducing patriotism, makes this book less intellectually satisfying than it ought to be.

An error ridden and infantile account where stupid British gentlemen fighting a "clean and gentlemanly" war are defeated by Jackson and his dirty and practical frontiersmen. Jackson is the hero of the story (the author even chides us for no longer looking at him in a heroic light). So Jackson's more questionable decisions are not mentioned or if mentioned only briefly. I would laugh but I have seen historians in New Orleans peddling the same sort of bullshit.

A brilliant, colorful book on a battle that had more consequences for America than most people ever realize. Remini's book has been given high marks for great reasons, and you'll be done with this book before you know it!

Remini has written a definitive and extremely readable account of the battle of New Orleans. He does a good job not only of describing the campaign that resulted in the clash of armies near New Orleans, but also places the battle in context as the first truly "American" victory.

excellent

An amazing short history of the Battle of New Orleans. Tells the rest of the story, espcially regarding the whole surrounding campaign.

Excellent!

We all have heard of this battle as the big battle won after the War of 1812 was over. In the many books that I have read, all the stories basically stated that this battle as over very quickly and the Americans smashed the British. While Jackson and his army did smash the British, is was not quick nor guaranteed. If the British did succeed in taking New Orleans, the future of the US would have been quite different. This book went into this battle in fair, but not deep, detail. From the pirates [...]

A quick and well-written if not particularly engaging history of the Battle of New Orleans. Remini argues for the battle’s significance as a historical turning point for the US, and asserts that “virtually all the characteristics that can be ascribed to Americans today evolved at this time.”Remini’s main argument is that the battle convinced Europe that the US was and would remain a sovereign nation. As the title suggests, Remini argues that the battle was “one of the great turning poi [...]

Well researched and written. Maybe not a great book, in terms of narrative power, but it's a fascinating story that doesn't need a lot of embellishment. The book is worth reading for the lessons it offers on the dangers of professional arrogance (I'm looking at you, British army) and the rewards of passionate focus (and you, Andrew Jackson). Did victory at New Orleans birth the American character? That may be pushing matters some, but it certainly shaped it.

Nothing wrong with this book :) just not something I would choose. It was our book club pick. In the end, I did appreciate knowing this information and learning of all the every day people fighting to win our country’s freedom!

Outstanding narrativeRecommended reading. I highly recommend this book to those who are interested in the roots and early development of our country.

Great concise narrative of Andrew Jackson's southern campaign from 1814 and 1815. Paints and excellent picture of the battle and war of 1812.

A very good review of the end of the War of 1812 and the famous Battle of New Orleans. Enjoyable, succinct and very informative.

As works of history go, writing an entire book about a single battle is a pretty tight focus. But Remini makes a strong case for the Battle of New Orleans being important enough to merit a work of its own. What’s more, he includes enough interesting material to demonstrate that there’s plenty to write about. The book is very readable and moves along at a nice clip, except for a few paragraphs describing the minutiae of artillery deployments. It also does a good job rising above the details o [...]

I'm not a huge fan of military histories but when I was in New Orleans a couple of years ago I wanted to get a book about the city and picked up this one. I had the song Battle of New Orleans by Johnny Horton stuck in my head the whole time I read it. :)I enjoyed this and it had enough character stories about Jackson, Jean Lafitte and others to keep from being just about the military movements and battle strategies. There was an interesting little story about two best friends. One was shot and t [...]

The story of the defense of New Orleans in the war of 1812. The british threatened to invade New Orleans, march up the Mississippi and cut the US in half. All that stood in their way was Andrew Jackson and his army of New Orleans militia, enlisted pirates, Tennessee and Kentucky frontiersmen and other irregular forces. The british fielded the most well-equipped, disciplined and seasoned army in the world at the time. Jackson used an amazing combination of aggressiveness, caution, and the Lousian [...]

If this book had been out when I was in college and getting my teaching degree it would be on my list of good starter books for middle school American History classes. We have easy to read and understand outlines of the local, national and international politic of the 1812 conflict. The personalities are well developed and the perceived whys and why nots of various actions are presented in quick and understandable terms. The conflict is covered in greater detail as it presents so many facts that [...]

This book filled in alot of holes in my knowledge of English/American relations. I really had little to zero knowledge about the war of 1812. I initially started this book because I moved to New Orleans and planned on going to the Chalmette Battlefield. It was very effective at going through the sequence of events that led to the Battle of New Orleans and it allows the reader to place it all in context. I did get alittle lost when the descriptions of the battle started, but I think its very diff [...]

This book made events seem so real that I felt I was witnessing them first-hand. I liked the way this author focused on particular sources to tell a cohesive story, rather than switching between too many different voices to relate the events. For example, he kept going back to the account of a specific British lieutenant, and I felt that I'd gotten to know that officer quite well by the end of the book. This is a good read that I'd recommend to anyone with an interest in Andrew Jackson, New Orle [...]

Well it's sad that I listened to this in 2003 and had no recollection whatsoever. This time I read the book - will I retain it any better?? I also rated it much higher. Let's see if I read it again in 2025. Book is outstanding - no more wondering why Jackson's statue is in the middle of Jackson square; he truly saved N.O. and possibly future of the U.S.