Fort St. Philip

On January 9, 1815, British naval forces under the command of Adm. Alexander Cochrane began a naval attack on the American garrison at Fort St. Philip.  The British naval bombardment was ineffective against the American fortification and the British retreated on January 12.

Fortunately for the Americans, Andrew Jackson's improvements at Fort St. Philip proved effective as the Fort was able to withstand an eight-day bombardment during the British retreat. The refortification as well as Fort St. Philip's strategic location on the river and surrounded by unnavigable swamp, virtually impervious to a land attack, allowed U.S. troops to outlast the British who retreated down river on the 18th of January. British Commander Lambent saw this exchange as a successful diversion to cover the retreat of his troops. There is strong possibility that had they successfully taken the fort and opened the Mississippi, then the British could have organized a renewed waterborne assault on the city of New Orleans.