There’s no way to write up this news without dating myself, but I’m going to roll with it because younger readers need to learn their history and learn cool folks songs along the way.
In 1815, the War of 1812 concluded with a failed British attempt to capture territory taken by America in the Louisiana Purchase (and a nasty little effort to take the USA down a peg for George Washington’s victorious efforts in the Revolution). The British Empire’s final attempt to take back some of their old colonies climaxed in New Orleans on January 8, 1815.
The battle actually took place days after the war had already been settled by treaty. Word didn’t get to either army in time, and Colonel Andrew Jackson lost 13 soldiers — while the Brits suffered a staggering 291 dead and more than 1,200 wounded in defeat.
I’m hoping somebody out there knows the story as retold in folk song form by Johnny Horton:
“In 1814, we took a little trip,
along with Col. Jackson down the mighty Mississipp…
We took a little bacon, and we took a little beans,
and we caught the bloody British in the town of New Orleans…”
This month, the New Orleans Hotel Collection will offer a supper and overnight package to witness this year’s reenactment of the Battle of New Orleans and the Bicentennial of the War of 1812. The event on the eve of the actual reenactments at Chalmette National Battlefield will include a historical “period dinner” on Jan 10, 2013.
Reenactors will be a part of the dinner and guests will experience some dishes from the early 1800s, including Rabbit Sausage and Cabbage Slaw in a Creole mustard sauce. Visitors will enjoy five courses, wine, and a speech from General Sir Edward Packenham (deceased) about the British position on the battle will complete the evening.
The dinner and reenactment preview costs $129 and you can register here.
Of course, 2015 is the bicentennial of the battle. We’ll have to wait and see what they city comes up with for that one.
