New Orleans 1815: Andrew Jackson Crushes the British

First the account is well-written. The structure of the book is first rate. Should you be looking for a good account of the Battle of New Orleans this is it. My criticism of the work is that Englishman Tim continued to belittle America and Americans through the work. In his opinion the British invasion force was first a first rate, tried and true army of professionals. The Americans are an ad hoc rabble of pirates, militia and bumblers. The fact that the British "eceheloned" their way up to a prepared position and got the @#$% shot out of their attack twice might have been mentioned. TIM, YOU lost...get over it.

Pickles has given readers an unique perspective of one of the most misunderstood battles of the pre-Civil War South, that being the Defence of New Orleans in 1815. Hollywood has left us with image of sharpshooting, hard drinking backwoodsmen (along with a handful of singing pirates no less) mowing down the British, who are silly enough to march right into a hail of fire. But as the author so clearly points out, New Orleans was anything BUT that. Quoting from eyewitnesses from BOTH sides, Pickles provides background into the causes and dispellls the myth that the War of 1812 was the "Second American Revolution". If anything, the United States was trying to pick a fight and almost managed to get a sound thrashing in return.(Some would say deservedly so) The author shows how politically corrupt both parties were and that jackson was only a hero for a short time. Even more refreshing is how Pickles brushes aside all the folklore surrounding Jean Lafitte, who is curiously absent from first hand accounts. An added fdeature is a short chapter on how to war-game this battle, complete with special effects and sound. Far from revisionist history, Pickles has given readers a generous dose of truth, whether we like it or not.