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Displaying at the National Museum of the Marine Corps on April 11th, I had to come up with something featuring the USMC and also what’s apparently become my theme this year, the Anniversary of Something, so here’s my take on this iconic conflict. I only had about 6 hours to build it, so no border, and I would have liked to build up those ramparts higher but overall, fairly satisfied with this one. 100% LEGO except for the custom flags. Click on the pictures below for more detail. —————————— Ever forget something that was really important not to forget? The Battle of New Orleans, fought on January 8, 1815 was the last major combat of the War of 1812. 4732 American combatants, commanded by Major General Andrew Jackson, prevented nearly 11,000 British infantry and Royal Marines, commanded by General Edward Pakenham, from seizing New Orleans as a strategic prize to end the war. The war was actually over by the time the main battle was fought, ended by the Treaty of Ghent on December 24, 1814, but since the US government had not yet approved the treaty, the fighting in Louisiana would continue until the British withdrew on January 18th. One of the most lop-sided victories in history, the British advanced under very heavy fire only to find once they reached the American ramparts that the ladders necessary to ascend the fortifications were not available, having been forgotten by the negligence of the Colonel in charge of them. With limited access to the Americans and taking fire the entire time, all British officers over the rank of Major in the front ranks were killed, leaving no one to sound the retreat. Their casualties were therefore disproportionately high, losing over 2000 in just 25 minutes of fighting, compared to less than 100 American casualties (only 13 were actually killed). As for the USMC, 58 US Marines fought at New Orleans, and they are the American troops portrayed here (hence the USMC uniforms). Hope you like it, comments are welcome! Correction: This was the last major land battle of the war. As 2Maxwell points out below, the last combat was the naval battle between the USS Constitution vs. HMS Levant and HMS Cyane...which would make an outstanding LEGO build sometime as well!
