New Orleans British order of battle explained

Unit Name:British Forces, North America
Dates:1814–1815
Allegiance: George III
Branch:British army
Type:Army
Size:5,933 effectives out of a headcount of 6,660 soldiers
(25 December 1814)
8,000 participants on 8 January 1815
6,334 effectives
(25 January 1815)
Battles:Battle of New Orleans
Commander1:Major General John Keane
Commander1 Label:Commander-in-chief
(23 December 1814 – 24 December 1814)
Commander2:Major General Edward Pakenham
Commander2 Label:Commander-in-chief
(25 December 1814 – 8 January 1815)
Commander3:Major General John Lambert
Commander3 Label:Commander-in-chief
(8 January 1815 - 13 February 1815)

The following units of the British Armed Forces participated in the Battle of New Orleans on 8 January 1815. The American order of battle is shown separately.

British order of battle

British Army

Source:

General Staff

Infantry Brigades

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1st Brigade, Major General John Keane - wounded 8 January 1815 907 men as at 25 November 1814. Effective strength of 850 out of a headcount of 862 as at 25 December. Casualties 23 to 31 December: 2 killed, 6 wounded. Casualties 1 to 5 January: 9 killed; 11 wounded. 775 ORs on 8 January according to Major Pringle's letter. Casualties 8 January: 63 killed; 101 wounded.[2] Effective strength of 331 out of a headcount of 673 as at 25 January 1815, 78 deaths since the prior monthly return.
Effective strength of 755 out of a headcount of 809 as at 25 December.[3] Casualties 25 to 31 December: 1 killed. Casualties 8 January: 5 killed; 23 wounded; 1 missing. Morrell estimated a strength of 700 men. Effective strength of 675 out of a headcount of 787 as at 25 January 1815, 22 deaths since the prior month.[4]
  • 1 battalion of the 5th West India Regiment.
643 men as at 25 November 1814. Effective strength of 570 out of a headcount of 585 as at 25 December. Casualties 25 to 31 December: 1 killed, 2 wounded. Casualties 25 to 31 December: 4 killed, 2 wounded. Casualties 8 January: 1 wounded. Effective strength of 439 out of a headcount of 569 as at 25 January 1815, 19 deaths since the prior month.
2nd Brigade, Colonel Arthur Brooke 893 men as at 25 November 1814. Effective strength of 802 out of a headcount of 916 as at 25 December. Casualties 23 to 24 December: 5 killed; 15 wounded. Casualties 25 to 31 December: 4 wounded. 747 ORs on 8 January according to Major Pringle's letter. Casualties 8 January: 42 killed; 254 wounded; 55 missing. Effective strength of 512 out of a headcount of 793 as at 25 January 1815, 56 deaths since the prior monthly return.
647 men as at 25 November 1814. Effective strength of 552 out of a headcount of 692 as at 25 December. Casualties 25 to 31 December: 2 wounded; 1 missing. Casualties 1 to 5 January: 2 killed; 3 wounded. 427 ORs on 8 January according to Major Pringle's letter. Casualties 8 January: 35 killed; 163 wounded; 80 missing. Effective strength of 286 out of a headcount of 565 as at 25 January 1815, 46 deaths since the prior month.
995 men as at 25 November 1814. Effective strength of 873 out of a headcount of 1010 as at 25 December. Casualties 23 to 24 December: 3 killed; 11 wounded; 8 missing. Casualties 25 to 31 December: 1 killed, 1 wounded. Casualties 1 to 5 January: 1 killed; 5 wounded. 800 ORs on 8 January according to Major Pringle's letter. Casualties 8 January: 70 killed; 155 wounded; 236 missing. Effective strength of 482 out of a headcount of 709 as at 25 January 1815, 75 deaths since the prior month.
Effective strength of 12 out of a headcount of 12 as at 25 December. Effective strength of 12 out of a headcount of 12 as at 25 January 1815.
Advance Brigade, Colonel William Thornton - wounded 'severely (not dangerously)' 456 men as at 25 November 1814. Effective strength of 345 out of a headcount of 471 as at 25 December. Casualties 23 to 24 December: 13 killed; 69 wounded; 19 missing. Casualties 25 to 31 December: 4 killed; 13 wounded. Casualties 1 to 5 January: 2 killed; 6 wounded. 298 ORs on 8 January according to Major Pringle's letter. Casualties 8 January: 2 killed; 41 wounded; 1 missing. Casualties 9 to 26 January: 1 wounded. Effective strength of 265 out of a headcount of 430 as at 25 January 1815, 25 deaths since the prior monthly return.
  • 5 companies of the 3rd battalion from 95th Regiment of Foot.
They disembarked at Bayou Catalan on 22 December 1814, having departed Plymouth, Devon on 18 September 1814. Effective strength of 317 out of a headcount of 395 as at 25 December. Casualties 23 to 24 December: 23 killed; 62 wounded; 42 missing. Casualties 1 to 5 January: 1 killed. 296 ORs on 8 January according to Major Pringle's letter. Casualties 8 January: 11 killed; 101 wounded. Effective strength of 200 out of a headcount of 345 as at 25 January 1815, 32 deaths since the prior monthly return.
Sailors and MarinesSee further down
Reinforcements from Europe - Both battalions commanded by Major General John Lambert Effective strength of 887 out of a headcount of 887 whilst at sea as at 25 October 1814. 800 men as at 5 January 1815.[6] 750 ORs on 8 January according to Major Pringle's letter. Casualties 8 January: 49 killed; 53 wounded. Effective strength of 681 out of a headcount of 812 as at 25 January 1815, 58 deaths since the prior month.
Effective strength of 991 out of a headcount of 991 whilst at sea as at 25 October 1814. 900 men as at 5 January 1815. 820 ORs on 8 January according to Major Pringle's letter. Casualties 8 January: 11 killed; 163 wounded; 44 missing. Casualties 9 to 26 January: 1 killed; 5 wounded. Effective strength of 785 out of a headcount of 907 as at 25 January 1815, 13 deaths since the prior month.
160 men as at 25 November 1814. Soon joined by a second squadron, the unit having a strength of 295 as at 8 January 1815. Effective strength of 261 out of a headcount of 277 as at 25 January 1815. No casualties during battle, but 2 officers and 37 troopers in a boat were captured on 25 January 1815. Effective strength of 214 out of a headcount of 275 as at 25 February 1815.[7]

Artillery and supporting elements

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  • Artillery
Three companies of Royal Artillery each commanded by Captain John Michell, Captain Lewis Carmichael and Captain Adam Crawford, redeployed from the Chesapeake (320 men). Now joined by a fourth company commanded by Major Alexander Munro[8] of 115 men and a rocket detachment of 40 men commanded by Captain Henry Lane.[9] Colonel Alexander Dickson accompanied these reinforcements.
Effective strength of 381 gunners & 216 drivers out of a headcount of 649 as at 25 November 1814.[10] Effective strength of 610 out of a headcount of 646 as at 25 December. Casualties 23 to 24 December: 2 ORs killed; 1 Officer, 7 ORs wounded. Casualties 25 to 31 December: 4 ORs killed; 1 Officer, 5 ORs wounded. Casualties 1 to 5 January: 1 Officer 1 NCOs & 9 ORs killed; 12 ORs wounded. Casualties 8 January: 5 ORs killed; 10 ORs wounded. Effective strength of 581 out of a headcount of 625 as at 25 January 1815, 19 deaths since the prior month.
  • Royal Engineers
Effective strength of 101 out of a headcount of 109 as at 25 December. Company of sappers with a strength of nearly 100 men,[11] confirmed as 98 men on 8 January.Casualties 23 to 24 December: 1 OR missing. Casualties 25 to 31 December: 1 OR wounded. Casualties 1 to 5 January: 1 Officer killed. Casualties 8 January: 3 ORs wounded. Effective strength of 94 out of a headcount of 109 as at 25 January 1815, zero deaths since the prior month.
Royal Staff Corps detachment of 57 men as at 8 January on shore, no source material to indicate whether they participated in the battle. Effective strength of 57 out of a headcount of 57 whilst at sea as at 25 October 1814.[12] Effective strength of 29 out of a headcount of 57 as at 25 January 1815, zero deaths since the prior month.

Royal Navy

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  • Sailors from the fleet
Naval Brigade of 100 sailors from the fleet, in combat, commanded by Rowland Money of HMS Trave, who participated in the attack on the west bank of the Mississippi.[13] Casualties 8 January: Royal Navy casualties were two dead, Captain Rowland Money and 18 seamen wounded.
  • Royal Marines - Infantry
Composite battalion of 100 marines from the fleet, in combat, commanded by Brevet Major Thomas Adair, who led the attack by the Royal Marines on the west bank of the Mississippi at New Orleans.[14] Casualties 8 January: Royal Marine casualties were two dead, with three officers, one sergeant, and 12 other ranks wounded.
  • Royal Marines - Gunners
Royal Marine Artillery rocket detachment from the marine battalion (elsewhere), commanded by Lieutenant John Lawrence. The Marine Artillery numbered 1 officer and 26 gunners. Their penultimate engagement was the Battle of New Orleans.[15]

Native American allies

- Brevet Major Edward Nicolls accompanied by less than 100 Seminole, Creek, and Choctaw warriors. Among them were the Hitchiti Indian chief Kinache.

Notes and citations

NotesCitations

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Despatch from Lambert to Secretary of State for War and the Colonies dated 28 January 1815 within
  2. Casualty returns within
  3. Within Monthly Return, December 1814 via
  4. Within Monthly Return, January 1815 via
  5. Gleig (1840), p. 340 quoting report from Colonel Thornton to Sir Edward Pakenham mentioning 'the force which you had allotted for the service viz., 298 of the 85th, and 200 Seamen and Marines'
  6. Levinge, p. 220. 'On the 5th of January the 7th and 43rd landed.. mustering upwards of 1700 bayonets'
  7. Within Monthly Return, February 1815 via
  8. Hill, p. 10
  9. 'The force that embarked at the same time with us [18th September 1814], consisted of the 93rd (Highlanders), a company of artillery, some rocketeers, a squadron of the 14th light dragoons, without horses, and our five [rifle] companies, the whole under the command of General Keane.'
  10. Within Monthly Return, November 1814 via
  11. Despatch from Keane to Pakenham dated 26 December 1814 within
  12. Within Monthly Return, October 1814 via
  13. Web site: Letter from Vice Admiral Cochrane to the Admiralty dated 18 January 1815 . 9 March 1815. thegazette.co.uk . en . 22 November 2021 . London Gazette . The 85th regiment, with a division of seaman under Captain Money, and a division of marines under Major Adair, the whole amounting to about six hundred men..
  14. Web site: Report from Colonel Thornton to Sir Edward Pakenham dated 8 January 1815 . 9 March 1815. thegazette.co.uk . en . 22 November 2021 . London Gazette . whilst one hundred sailors, under Captain Money, of the Royal Navy... threatened the enemy's left, supported by the division of the 85th Regiment under Captain Schaw... I deployed the column... under Major Deshon.. and about one hundred men of the royal marines under Major Adair..
  15. Letter from Lieutenant Harrison to the Admiralty dated 3 June 1815 within reference ADM 1/3340 (Letters from Marine Lieutenants 1813-115).

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