In December of 1814, American forces led by Major General Andrew Jackson moved into the city of New Orleans. For the next six weeks, Jackson's ragtag troops of militiamen, free blacks, Indians, and pirates furiously defended the city against Britain's elite army, led by Lieutenant General Sir Edward Pakenham. In the bloody confrontation of the two armies, the American underdog army decisively defeated Sir Edward Pakenham's British troops. The Generals tells the dramatic story of the battle between Andrew Jackson and Sir Edward Pakenham for the "booty and beauty" of New Orleans in the winter of 1814-1815. The Battle of New Orleans was the last battle in the War of 1812, which cost Pakenham his life and propelled Andrew Jackson into the national prominence that would eventually lead to his presidency. The Generals provides a detailed and intimate look at both the personal and professional lives of Jackson and Pakenham, demonstrating how their paths twisted and turned until they inevitably met each other on the battlefield outside of New Orleans. Benton Rain Patterson leads readers through the captivating tale of a central battle in American military history and subsequently brings the biographies of these two great generals into full light.
Benton Rain Patterson is a former staff writer and editor for the Saturday Evening Post and The New York Times. He is emeritus associate professor of journalism at the University of Florida and author of Harold and William: The Battle for England, A.D. 1064-1066 and Washington and Cornwallis: The Battle for America, 1775-1783. He lives in Gainesville, FL.
IntroductionThe Immigrants' SonA Life on His OwnA Nobleman's SonThe Man Who Would Be GeneralThe Napoleonic MenaceThe Brother-in-LawThe Hero of SalamancaThe Approaching Con?ictThe Indian FighterThe Fortunes of America's WarThe British O?ensiveThe Jewel of the MississippiJackson Takes CommandThe Pirates of BaratariaThe InvasionThe Night AssaultThe New British CommanderPreparing for BattleThe BattleThe RetreatThe CelebrationConclusionNotesBibliographyIndexAbout the Author
"Highly recommended to those interested in the War of 1812, especially the Battle of New Orleans, and those interested in Andrew Jackson." -www.curledup.com "An excellent study of the great battle at New Orleans and the heroic figures who were its protagonists. In times like these when the nation is facing trying times such a book should attract a wide audience." -Robert V. Remini,author of Andrew Jackson and The Battle of New Orleans: Andrew Jackson and America's First Military Victory "Overall, Patterson's work is a pleasure to read, as one would expect from a seasoned journalist..." -The Journal of Southern History
