Andrew Jackson’s Performance in the Battle of New Orleans

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Introduction

In the history of the United States, the period of the liberation of the American territories from the British Empires’ rule is one of the most decisive and notable ones. Indeed, the War of 1812 was a significant historical event that contributed to the United States as it is known today. The participation of renowned individuals and military specialists in this war was a pivotal factor that allowed for pursuing the mission of America of winning the war and obtaining independence from Great Britain. While the ultimate goal was complete liberation, the successes in separate battles served as stepping stones leading toward victory. One of such decisive battles was the Battle of New Orleans of 1815, in which General Andrew Jackson led a small American army against Great Britain’s significantly larger troops and won. The aftermath of this success contributed to the strengthening of the American positions in the war and signified the opportunities for signing a treaty on beneficial terms.

This paper is designed to analyze the performance of General Andrew Jackson as a commander of the Battle of New Orleans against his compliance with the principles of the Mission Command. In particular, the paper will focus on such principles as competence, mutual trust, commander’s intent, and disciplined initiatives. It is claimed that the professionalism and following of the principles of the Mission Command by General Andrew Jackson was a pivotal factor in achieving success in the Battle of New Orleans.

Principle of the Mission Command and their Importance in Andrew Jackson’s Performance in the Battle of New Orleans

When approaching important military tasks, leaders are expected to complete the missions and tasks in the most efficient manner allowing for minimal losses and maximized benefits. The Mission Command principles help leaders align their decision-making with the goals of their performance. In particular, “at its heart, the army’s approach to mission command is about applying the appropriate level of control so that, given the circumstances and information available, leaders make the best possible decision at the right level and at the right time.”¹ Thus, following the seven core principles such as “competence, trust, shared understanding, mission orders, commander’s intent, disciplined initiative, and risk acceptance,” leaders execute their duties fully.² For the purposes of analysis’ focus on Andrew Jackson’s strongest sides, this paper emphasizes four out of seven principles.

The Principle of Competence

The success of Andrew Jackson’s execution of the mission in the Battle of New Orleans largely depended on his competence in military affairs. The principle of competence implies the possession by the leader of the necessary knowledge, skills, and capabilities to cope with the challenges of warfare tactics in order to lead the troops and manage resources. Moreover, it deals with the ability of a military leader to facilitate available forces and weapons in a manner that gains a competitive advantage over the rival.³ Thus, the competence of a mission commander involves a multitude of skills ranging from critical thinking and analytical mindset to responsible decision-making based on experience.

Previous experience in conducting military tasks and effectively managing troops contributed to General Andrew Jackson’s understanding of the principles of the battlefield, tactics of proper army engagement, and the achievement of force use efficiency. In the battle taking place within the war before 1815, General Andrew Jackson successfully led his troops to planned victories. One of the instances is his command in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend on March 27, 1814, when the troops of the American army under the guidance of Andrew Jackson defeated the Creek tribe that collaborated with the British troops.⁴ This encounter allowed Andrew Jackson to practice his warfare skills and successfully accomplish the mission of the battle using his decisive approach to bold decision-making.

Indeed, with the intensification of Britain’s plans of invading New Orleans as the main port of America, the defense of the city was essential. Due to the clarity of his orders and the effectiveness of his planning of actions, his troops were capable of attacking the enemy before their planned invasion at the moment of rivals’ weakness.⁵ The leader was responsible for analyzing the positions of the opponents, their military capabilities, and weaknesses to coordinate his not numerous soldiers through the battle. As researchers state, Andrew Jackson’s campaign against the British during the Battle of New Orleans was a complicated and well-thought-through effort. Indeed, Hulver states the following:

“Southern and western militia made up a large portion of Jackson’s force, and many of these were free people of color; complex fortifications constructed over days by skilled engineers (not anachronistic cotton bales) and well placed heavy artillery manned by experienced Army and Navy artillerists, not the gumption of frontier marksman with long rifles, carried the day.”⁶

Indeed, the engagement of free men of color on the battlefield was a strategic decision that shaped the forces of America under General Andrew Jackson’s command. In such a manner, competence as a warfare leader was a ground-forming factor in Andrew Jackson’s success in the battle of New Orleans. It helped him integrate multiple determinants, such as rivals’ capacity and state, as well as the troops’ availability among the American people. Ultimately, the victorious Battle of New Orleans signified America’s path toward liberation from the British Empire.

The Principle of Mutual Trust

Another important principle of the Mission Command in Andrew Jackson’s execution of the mission in the Battle of New Orleans was the principle of mutual trust. Within the framework of mission command, trust is perceived as an element of relationships between a leader and the teams of colleagues or subordinates in which they share the same values based on the common experiences of productive work.⁷ According to research, it is required to allocate a substantial amount of “time, training, and deliberate efforts by commanders to build trust and confidence in subordinate leaders.”⁸ Thus, for a mission commander to cultivate trust in the subordinates and develop trust toward them, it is necessary to initiate training and preparation for the reliability of the actions of the team members.

In the case of General Andrew Jackson’s conduct in the Battle of New Orleans, the trust in the army was solid and mutual, which helped the troops act in a unified and organized manner with determination. Indeed, historians note that Andrew Jackson could create a trusting but strict atmosphere in which the motivation and the rules of behavior were clear but demanding.⁹ In such a manner, the soldiers were aware of what to expect and that their mission was competently overseen by a reliable leader. In particular, since Andrew Jackson engaged free black men in his troops, such a strategy was characterized by the cultivation of trust due to the unexpected and commonly resistant cooperation between white soldiers and freed people of color. It was pivotal to demonstrate a trustworthy position in the commander’s tactics when gathering forces from the militia, including the different demographics that required proper motivation to join the troops and believe in the success of the campaign.¹⁰ Thus, the enrollment, training, and preparation for the Battle of New Orleans were characterized by trust-building efforts that ultimately contributed to the event’s success.

The Principle of Commander’s Intent

Despite the importance of other principles of the mission command, the principle of the commander’s intent plays a pivotal role due to its ultimate influence on compliance with other principles. Indeed, with the appropriate direction of a leader’s intention, the overall strategy is more likely to be successful. According to research, command and control “empowers subordinate decision-making and decentralized execution, using mission orders to enable disciplined initiative in the accomplishment of the commander’s intent.”¹¹ In such a manner, it is the intent of the leader that predetermines the large-scale motivation and small-scale decisions and actions of the team members within the context of a mission.

During the Battle of New Orleans, General Andrew Jackson’s intent was coherent with the overall purpose of the campaign, its operations, and particular tasks completed by the soldiers. Indeed, the leader was strongly motivated by the goal of defeating the British Army and maintaining American control over the territories of the city of New Orleans and its ports, in particular.¹² Importantly, Jackson’s prioritization of proactive initiatives was based on his in-depth understanding of the mission and evaluation of the uneven distribution of power between the numerous British troops and limited American forces.

It is relevant to note that General Andrew Jackson’s strategic decision’s within the framework of the principle of commander’s intent reached far beyond mere troops coordination and assembling. Indeed, his infrastructure-related tactics and changes facilitated the resource delivery for New Orleans. According to research, “Jackson suggested that a road from division headquarters in Nashville could be run to New Orleans at little expense and that the road would greatly shorten the current land route.”¹³ He managed to analyze the landscapes, roads, infrastructure, and other important elements necessary to support the army and hinder the attack plans of the rivals. In such a manner, given the principle of the commander’s intent, the completion of the Battle of New Orleans was fast. It led to significantly fewer casualties on the American side in comparison with the numerous losses of the rival.

The Principle of Disciplined Initiatives

Finally, the accomplishment of any military mission is impossible without disciplined initiatives. Indeed, with proper structure and instruction characterized by demanding requirements and empowerment of subordinates for their completion, the army is capable of achieving missions efficiently.¹⁴ The commander is expected to execute their power of influence through discipline and engagement. According to Townsend, “the art of command is the exercise of leadership and decision-making to accomplish the mission on balance with the soldier’s welfare, morale, and discipline.”¹⁵ Indeed, discipline guarantees coordinated actions and efficiency, which is essential for successful mission completion.

The compliance with the principles of disciplined initiatives was decisive in the context of the Battle of New Orleans. Many soldiers working under the command of Andrew Jackson reported his strict and demanding management style, through which he necessitated responsibility and dedication from each team member.¹⁶ Indeed, through training and empowerment, as well as trust-building, Jackson managed to cultivate the individual responsibility of each soldier for the outcome of the battle. He emphasized the cost of alignment and organized actions being the victory against the British troops, which reinforced the troops’ motivation. Ultimately, the arrangement of discipline initiatives helped Andrew Jackson avoid ineffective movement and increased the army’s performance level to its full capacity despite its smaller size in comparison with the British Empire. Thus, the defeat of the British in the Battle of New Orleans allowed for securing America’s valuable port and contributed to the prompt signing of the treaty.

Conclusion

In summation, the analysis of General Andrew Jackson’s performance in the Battle of New Orleans has demonstrated the contribution of the commander to the success of the military operation. Firstly, the principle of competence was followed by the leader since he applied his knowledge and skills in order to organize his troops and plan the tactics of the battlefield that ultimately allowed for success. Secondly, the principle of mutual trust was essential in General Andrew Jackson’s performance since he managed to engage his troops through motivation and reliability of his expertise; the same goal of liberation and defeat of the British Empire was the common ground for mutual trust between the leader and soldiers. Thirdly, the principle of the commander’s intent was manifested through the articulation by Andrew Jackson of his aspirations in the war and his ideals in the Battle of New Orleans; the clarity of his intentions was motivating for his followers and informative in terms of his efficiency in decision-making. Finally, the principle of disciplined initiatives allowed for creating a strict but functional culture in the army and guiding soldiers with clarity and purpose.

Bibliography

Davis, William C. The Greatest Fury: The Battle of New Orleans and the Rebirth of America. Westminster: Penguin, 2019.

Hulver, Richard. “A Bloodless Victory: The Battle of New Orleans in History and Memory.” Civil War Book Review 20, no. 3 (2018): 1-4.

Townsend, Gen Stephen, Maj Gen Douglas Crissman, and Maj Kelly McCoy. “Reinvigorating the Army’s Approach to Mission Command.” Military Review 6 (2019): 4-9.

Wren, Dustin Mitchell. “Through the Wilderness: Andrew Jackson’s Military Road and the Settlement of the Southern Frontier.” Master’s Thesis, Missouri State University, 2021.

Footnotes

1 Townsend, Gen Stephen, et al., “Reinvigorating the Army’s Approach to Mission Command,” Military Review 6 (2019): 8.
2 Townsend, Gen Stephen, et al., “Reinvigorating the Army’s Approach to Mission Command,” Military Review 6 (2019): 7.
3 Townsend, Gen Stephen, et al., “Reinvigorating the Army’s Approach to Mission Command,” Military Review 6 (2019): 5-6.
4 Davis, William C., The Greatest Fury: The Battle of New Orleans and the Rebirth of America, Westminster: Penguin, 2019: 12.
5 Wren, Dustin Mitchell, “Through the Wilderness: Andrew Jackson’s Military Road and the Settlement of the Southern Frontier,” Master’s Thesis, Missouri State University, 2021: 2.
6 Hulver, Richard, “A Bloodless Victory: The Battle of New Orleans in History and Memory.” Civil War Book Review 20, no. 3 (2018): 1.
7 Townsend, Gen Stephen, et al., “Reinvigorating the Army’s Approach to Mission Command,” Military Review 6 (2019): 8.
8 Townsend, Gen Stephen, et al., “Reinvigorating the Army’s Approach to Mission Command,” Military Review 6 (2019): 8.
9 Davis, William C., The Greatest Fury: The Battle of New Orleans and the Rebirth of America, Westminster: Penguin, 2019: 88.
10 Wren, Dustin Mitchell, “Through the Wilderness: Andrew Jackson’s Military Road and the Settlement of the Southern Frontier,” Master’s Thesis, Missouri State University, 2021: 7.
11 Townsend, Gen Stephen, et al., “Reinvigorating the Army’s Approach to Mission Command,” Military Review 6 (2019): 4.
12 Davis, William C., The Greatest Fury: The Battle of New Orleans and the Rebirth of America, Westminster: Penguin, 2019: 109.
13 Wren, Dustin Mitchell, “Through the Wilderness: Andrew Jackson’s Military Road and the Settlement of the Southern Frontier,” Master’s Thesis, Missouri State University, 2021: 9.
14 Townsend, Gen Stephen, et al., “Reinvigorating the Army’s Approach to Mission Command,” Military Review 6 (2019): 6.
15 Townsend, Gen Stephen, et al., “Reinvigorating the Army’s Approach to Mission Command,” Military Review 6 (2019): 7.
16 Davis, William C., The Greatest Fury: The Battle of New Orleans and the Rebirth of America, Westminster: Penguin, 2019: 116-117.

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