Battle of New Orleans

Few events in American history have captured the popular imagination and found representation in such diverse forms of expression as has the Battle of New Orleans. General Andrew Jackson's defeat of the British forces downriver from New Orleans in January of 1815 established once and for all that Louisiana would remain an American possession. The battle and the personalities involved have remained favorite subjects for generations of historians, storytellers, and artists. The Historic New Orleans Collection is particularly fortunate to have been entrusted with the world's foremost assembly of original documents, artworks, rare books, and memorabilia relating to the Battle of New Orleans.

The Williams Research Center (WRC) of the Historic New Orleans Collection offers an unparalleled wealth of research materials relating to the Battle of New Orleans and the War of 1812 in the South, including personal and official records. Original documents and artworks, rare books, prints, and pamphlets, as well as maps and plans, collectively tell the story of one of the greatest military upsets of all time. The conflict had been a particular interest of The Collection's founder, General L. Kemper Williams, who began collecting memorabilia of the battle in the 1930s. After his death in 1971, The Collection continued to build on its impressive holdings, most recently with the acquisitions of the extensive William C. Cook War of 1812 in the South CollectionOpens in new tab, and the Arsène Lacarrière Latour ArchiveOpens in new tab. These important collections, listed in the manuscripts section below, are now available to researchers and interested members of the public at the WRC in New Orleans.

This pathfinder is designed to be a starting point for research on the Battle of New Orleans at the WRC. It is your guide to the diverse materials available for study. The pathfinder is divided into the following four broad categories.