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In 1812 The United States declared war on Great Britain.
Successful campaigns against the Americans in Canada and Virginia, which included the burning of The White House and of the city of Richmond, encouraged Britain to send an expedition against New Orleans.
Having arrived back in England on 17 July 1814, two squadrons of the 14th Light Dragoons were despatched to Jamaica, en route for New Orleans. They left from Portsmouth on 31st August. From Jamaica, the two dismounted squadrons of the 14th embarked for New Orleans where Admirals Cochrane, Cockburn and Malcolm had made it their priority to take the valuable prizes of the American ships in the Mississippi. The Admirals, senior to General Keane, forced him into making unsound manoeuvres and the army found itself trapped in foul weather on a boggy peninsula under the fire of US ships and riflemen. General Pakenham, brother-in-law of Wellington, was killed there.
A truce was negotiated to collect the wounded; the truce was prolonged by both British and US commanders. The British troops withdrew to the ships and set sail on 5th February 1815. On 15th February news reached them that peace had been signed on 14th December, six days after the force had first disembarked in Louisiana.
