Major Andrew Hunter Holmes-- Part 2: His Duel

Andrew Holmes fought a duel with a man named Peyton Smith near present-day Shepherdstown, West Virginia.  Both men were from prominent families in and around Winchester, Virginia.  Andrew killed Peyton.

This was one of three famous duels that took place which caused the Virginia legislature to pass the Anti-Dueling Act in 1810.

Mortified at killing his friend, Holmes left Winchester and enlisted in the U.S. Army.

As a member of the U.S. Dragoons, young Captain Holmes first military assignments were in Louisiana chasing smuggler and prate Jean Lafitte.  Lafitte managed to evade them for months, but was finally captured.

--Brock-Perry

Andrew Hunter Holmes-- Part 2: Service in New Orleans

From the Encyclopedia of the War of 1812.

U.S. Army officer, Andrew Holmes, was born in Frederick County, Virginia, in 1782.  He graduated from the College of New Jersey (Princeton University) in 1799 and moved to Kentucky where he became a merchant.

He was appointed an attorney in Mississippi by his brother, David, the territorial governor, on October 8, 1809, and then established a law practice in Washington, Mississippi and was admitted to the bar in Louisiana in 1812.

When the War of 1812 began, he volunteered for service and received a commission as captain in the 24th U.S. Infantry to command a company of mounted light dragoons.  When Louisiana governor William C.C. Claiborne was forced to deal with illegal smuggling by Baratarian pirates, he dispatched Holmes to intervene.

Holmes seized contraband from Jean Lafitte in a raid on November 16, 1812, after a brief engagement and later testified at Lafitte's trial.

--Brock-Perry

The Battle of New Orleans, American Battlefield Trust

From the American Battlefield Trust 2021 calendar.

The calendar features a different battlefield from the Civil War, War of 1812 and American Revolution every month.  This organization, as I said in the last post, is committed to saving historic acres in these wars that were fought in the United States.  They originally started off just for Civil War battles, but I am glad they have expanded their efforts to the other two.

This month's full page picture by Buddy Secor features the Chalmette Battlefield Jean  Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in Chalmette, Louisiana.

Text:

"NEW ORLEANS, LA.

On January 8, 1815, Major General Andrew Jackson's outnumbered army defended New Orleans from British capture and secured the greatest American victory of the War of 1812.

To date, the Trust has saved 25 acres of War of 1812 battlefields, with more on the horizon.  Future preservation and education efforts will continue to elevate the battlefields of this important, but often overlooked, conflict."

I belong to this organization, and as this blog is titled "Not So Forgotten."

There is also a small picture of  the Cowpens National Battlefield in Gaffney, S,C., by Brian Keeley.

--Brock-Perry

The Battle of New Orleans

On January 8, 1815, nearly 10,000 battle-hardened British troops advanced on Andrew Jackson's defensive positions under the cover of a dark, heavy blog.  They were intending to launch a surprise attack on Jackson's Kentucky and Tennessee soldiers aided by pirate Jean Lafitte and his men.

The Battle of New Orleans is portrayed  in the 1958 movie "The Buccaneer," starring Charlton Heston and Yul Brenner.

As the British neared Jackson's line, however, the fog lifted. and the British were exposed on the open field.  The Americans opened fire.  British commanding officers fell and their troops fell into confusion.

In the next 30 minutes, the British sustained 2,042 killed and wounded.

American losses were 13 killed.

This is generally considered the greatest American land victory of the war.

--Brock-Perry

Commemorating the Battle of New Orleans, January 8, 1815 (205th Anniversary)

From the Jan. 8, 2020 WGNO ABC News "How you can celebrate  the Battle of New Orleans this week."

Wednesday, Jan. 8, morning events began with a wreath-laying ceremony at Chalmette Battlefield.

Also Wednesday, there will be a ceremony at Jackson Square in the French Quarter at noon.  The United States Daughters of 1812 are hosting the event.

At 4 p.m. Wednesday there will be a Mass of Thanksgiving with Archbishop Gregory Aymond at Ursuline Academy , 2635 State Street.

In the Battle of New Orleans, General Andrew Jackson and the pirate Jean Lafitte joined forces  to defeat the British in the War of 1812.

On Friday and Saturday there will be American and British camps set up at Chalmette Battlefield inside the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve.  Along with games, talks,  and story-telling, there will be people  dressed in period clothing.  There will be firing of cannons and muskets throughout the day.

--Brock-Perry

Battle of New Orleans Interesting Facts-- Part 2: Big Annual Celebration and Movies

**  For some 50 years after the battle, the United States celebrated the victory every January 8 with fireworks and parades, much like the 4th of July.

**  In 1938, Cecil B. DeMille directed "The Buccaneer" a heavily fictionalized accounting of the celebrated pirate Jean Lafitte's role in the battle.  In 1958, it was remade with Charlton Heston portraying Andrew Jackson and Yul Brynner as Lafitte.

--Brock-Perry

Andrew Holmes Was a Special Forces Pirate Hunter Before Mackinac- Part 2:

Before the war, Andrew Holmes was from a prominent family in Virginia and was a 1799 graduate of Princeton (but I thought he had been expelled for his role in the "Great Rebellion" of 1807.  Perhaps he was only suspended or later reinstated.

  It is said that he killed a man in a duel.  he enlisted and trained as a "Dragoon" in the 24th U.S. Infantry, a cavalry unit.

The War Department sent Holmes and a detachment of dragoons to New Orleans with orders to stop piracy and slave smuggling.  That meant the Lafitte brothers.

Lafitte had built a fortified camp at Barataria Bay.  Holmes and his men eventually captured them.

He was needed in the Detroit area in the War of 1812.  In February 1814, he led an attack on British fortifications at Port Talbot.  He then beat off an attack of 240 British troops at the Battle of Longwoods and was promoted to major after that battle.

--Brock-Perry

Andrew Holmes Was Special Forces Pirate Hunter Before the Battle of Mackinac-- Part 1

From the July 12, 2014, Mackinac Island Town Crier "A Look at History: Fort Holmes Namesake Was Special Forces Pirate Hunter Before Mackinac" by Frank Straus.

Holmes Hill, a rocky mound and rock hazard in Wawashkama Golf Links is named for him as is the former British Fort George on Mackinac Island.  Andrew Hunter Holmes gave his life fighting for the United States in the War of 1812.  He was second in command of the American forces under George Croghan when they attacked Mackinac Island in 1814.

Before he was killed at the Battle of Mackinac, he assisted  the army against the notorious pirate brothers, Pierre and Jean Lafitte who were into smuggling slaves and anything else they could get their hands on in the Gulf of Mexico area.

--Brock-Perry

Andrew Holmes Captures the Notorious Lafitte Brothers-- Part 3: Trial? What Trial?

In the early summer of 1812, Territorial Gov. William C.C. Claiborne sent an Army unit under the command of Captain Andrew Holmes into Barataria to put an end to the Lafitte smuggling and enterprises.  The Lafittes eluded Captain Holmes for months, until it got to be joke with them.

However, their luck ran out and they were captured in mid-November by sheer luck on the part of Holmes.

They were brought back to New Orleans for trial and locked up.  But, they quickly got bail and left prison.

The trial began two weeks later, but neither Jean or Pierre ever showed up.

--Brock-Perry

Andrew Holmes Captures the Notorious Lafitte Brothers-- Part 2: Privateers, Not Pirates

Jean and Pierre Lafitte commanded about 1,000 loyal buccaneers who controlled an area called Barataria, south of New Orleans on the Mississippi River.  No vessel passing upriver or down could do so without passing them.  And, they benefited greatly from this.  They charges passing fees and sometimes just took the ships.

It is said they didn't attack American ships as Jean Lafitte liked the young country's constitutional values.  They considered themselves privateers instead of pirates as most did.

Anyway, Gov. Claiborne had to deal with them.

--Brock-Perry

Andrew Holmes Captures Jean and Pierre Lafitte in 1812-- Part 1

From the U.S. Marshals Service "History-- A Pirate, a Marshal, and the Battle of New Orleans."

What exactly did Andrew Holmes have to do with the pirate Jean Lafitte?

New Orleans was "something of a political enigma at the onset of the War of 1812.  It exhibits the influence of several different cultures, including French, Spanish, Creole, African and British."

Territorial Governor William C.C. Claiborne had his hands full keeping these groups in line.  "Not the least of Governor Claiborne's worries was the powerful and ever-popular Jean Lafitte."

--Brock-Perry

Andrew Hunter Holmes and the Lafitte Brothers in New Orleans

From the Pirates Lafitte by William C. Davis.

This book contains a statement made by Andrew Hunter Holmes made November 19, 1813 during the War of 1812 in the United States vs. Jean Lafitte, Case #0574, MAFW.

Holmes gave several statements, a deposition and submitted to cross-examination.

A copy of the November 19, 1813 deposition is at www.doasteach.org.

Unfortunately, it wasn't transcribed to print and it was too hard to read, but evidently Holmes had dealings with the famous pirate.

--

USS Carolina-- Part 2: Its Role in the Battle of New Orleans

But, whether or not the Carolina was involved in the Sappho chase, it did have a War of 1812 history, one that included giving General Andrew Jackson the time to prepare New Orleans for the attack in 1815.

It sailed to New Orleans and captured the British schooner Shark before arriving 23 August 1814.  Its duties there were to watch for the British and attack the numerous pirates in the area.  On 16 September 1814, it destroyed pirate Jean LaFitte's base at Baratana in Louisiana.

The Caroline and small American squadron at New Orleans played a big role in delaying the British in their move against New Orleans in December 1814, giving General Andrew Jackson time to prepare the city's defenses.

On December 23, the Caroline dropped downriver and shelled the British, but on December 27th, it engaged them and was set afire by heated shot causing her crew to abandon ship before it exploded.

The End of the Carolina.  --Brock-Perry

Battle of New Orleans Timeline-- Part 1

From the www.battleofneworleans.org. site.

All events from 1814.

SEPTEMBER 3--  Captain Nicholas Lockyer of the HMS Sophia meets with pirate Jean Lafitte, hoping to enlist his aid in the British attack on New Orleans.  Lafitte sends copies of their offer to the Americans.

SEPTEMBER 12--  British commander Robert Ross killed in the Chesapeake Bay area and General Pakenham takes over.

SEPTEMBER 13--  Despite warnings of impending British attack, Commodore Daniel Patterson leads an attack on Jean Lafitte's base at Grand Tere, seizing goods and ships and burned down the base.  Lafitte escapes.

SEPTEMBER 16--  Failed British attack on Mobile.

SEPTEMBER 26-27--  Battle of Fayal in the Azores.  The 74-gun ship-of-the-line HMS Plantagent and two other warships sailing for the Gulf of Mexico fight the U.S. brig General Armstrong, 7 guns, and are delayed for several days, giving time for General Jackson to prepare for the British upcoming attack.