12/24/1814
U.S. and British negotiators signed the Treaty of Ghent.
The treaty was named for the city of Ghent, Belgium,
one of the most powerful banking cities in the world.
(Gee! I wonder if the War of 1812 was really
started to make some greedy bankers rich.)

Fifteen days later on 1/8/1815 the British attacked
the U.S. city of New Orleans w/ over 8,000 troops.
They had not received word of the treaty's signing.

The British commander, Gen. Sir Edward Pakenham,
chose to attack U.S. fortifications head-on.

The U.S. soldiers, commanded by future President Andrew Jackson,
easily killed over 1,500 British soldiers, including Pakenham,
before the attack ended. U.S. casualties were light.

Treaty of Ghent was formally ratified by the U.S. Congress on 2/17/1815.
None of the issues that led to the war had been resolved.

Painting of the battle by D.M. Carter