This documentary is part of a series that describes wars, battles, and revolutions that were turning points in Western history.

This documentary is part of a series that describes wars, battles, and revolutions that were turning points in Western history. The Battle of New Orleans, in which General Andrew Jackson and his troops defeated British forces in January of 1815. Fought on the open plain of the bayou at Chalmette, LA, the battle pitted the regimented British army against the guerrilla-style soldiers in General Jackson's forces. Taking cover behind trees proved to be the superior battle technique that day. The Battle of New Orleans took place two weeks after the war of 1812 actually ended with the Treaty of Ghent. Jackson, unaware the war was over, fought the battle, losing eight men, with 13 wounded. The British troops suffered 2,000 deaths, including that of their commander, Sir Edward Packenham. The battle boosted American prestige and brought fame, and the Presidency, to General Jackson. The documentary employs film footage, state-of-the-art 3-D graphics, eyewitness accounts, and modern re-enactments to tell this story of military achievement.—Paul Gerard Kennedy