eBook New Orleans 1815: Andrew Jackson Crushes the British (Campaign) download

As other reviewers have noted, author Tim Pickles' colloquial approach to the 1815 Battle of New Orleans can be a bit off-setting. It certainly reads in places like newspaper gossip rather than finished history. On the other hand, the story of the battle is here in all its essentials, colorful personalities like Andrew Jackson, and local politics in Louisiana.

The dissection of the fighting along "Line Jackson" is quite good, and supported by some well selected photographs and battle diagrams. This reviewer was struck by British General Pakenham's observation, upon catching up with the British landing force, that they had wandered into a bottleneck. Pakenham was an experienced general who served under Wellington in the Peninsular War, most notably at Salamanca. Had he acted on his observation instead of feeling compelled to follow on the actions of his predecessors, the outcome of the campaign might have been quite different. Cautiously recommended as a dated but readable introduction to the battle.

Excellent transcation.

I found this book an excellent telling of the events and backstory of the Battle of New Orleans. Well written, accurate and an easy read.

I honestly have no idea how this book made it past the editors, much less made it into print. Despite the fact that Pickles obviously has a great love of the British army and the history of the battle of New Orleans, being a scale modeler and having portrayed Wellington at battle reenactments are hardly the sort of top-level qualifications needed to write a book on the subject. But leaving all that aside (after all, some amateur historians prove to be quite gifted authors, just look at Shelby Foote) from the very opening sentence of the book Pickles makes it clear that he has nothing but contempt for the Americans. For example, he describes Thomas Jefferson as "a left-wing radical revolutionary." Besides the fact that this is an obvious snarl-word meant to demonize Jefferson, using 20th century political terms such as "left-wing" to describe someone's politics in the 18th century is hardly a mark of a serious historian. Especially when the author goes on to fume about how Jefferson went on to engage in what he considers a contradictory and hypocritical geopolitical adventure. In short, this is a volume which presents itself as a serious (if popular) history of the battle of New Orleans which contains some decent information, but is written in such a tone as to be nigh-unreadable by any serious student of the battle.

I am not sure what happened here with this particular entry in the Osprey series.

The work is presented with Osprey’s usual allotment of charts, maps, and well-drawn aerial views of the actual battle. These maps are the ONLY reason I gave this book a star.

But somewhere along the line – either in the decision as to who to get to author this volume – or in Osprey’s usual editorial standards, something was dropped.

When I read an Osprey title, I do to get a dispassionate view of a particular battle, written by someone with expertise in either that particular battle, or war, or point in history. Strong opinions are fine – but they should be from someone with expertise in that particular field, and demonstrated command of the strategies, goals and policies (and politics!) of that era.

When a well-respected publisher like Osprey commissions a particular title to be written by a particular author, they should understand that that title will carry their “brand” – and thus should not serve as a forum to allow the author to go into a protracted “rant” and use the name of that well-respected publisher to knock whatever personal political chip the author has off his shoulder.

Unfortunately, all too often, the latter was true with this particular volume. All too often, the author seemed so enraged by current political battles and struggles, that the whole point of why we are here was lost.

I was here seeking new insight into the Battle of New Orleans. Not to hear political chest thumping by Mr. Pickle.

As such, new understanding into the Battle of New Orleans was constantly muted, replaced by inappropriate political rantings of Mr. Pickle, who obviously felt a great need to vent his spleen against current politics that he obviously loathes.

Just as a side point, I was wondering what the background of Professor Pickle is. What are the previously published products of his intelligence and insight? I was shocked, shocked, to find out that, well, as according to the back of the book, Tim Pickle is “a figurine modeler, but now specializes as a historical consultant, battle coordinator and costume designer in the film industry.”

Perhaps Mr. Pickle should just stick to playing dress-up, donning little uniforms along with his other re-enactor friends, and leave history to those who know and understand history.

However, I am sorry to have to state that Hollywood Costume Designers often get their history wrong! I know…you are shocked, shocked about this!

Such is indeed the case here.

An example: on page 33, in a typical rant, he enlightens us all thusly:
“Like all left-wing revolutionaries, Thomas Jefferson could not wait to gain power in order to try some hair-brained scheme or other.”

This is just terrible history. And I am surprised that Osprey’s Editorial Staff let it creep through into their published title.
I must confess that Thomas Jefferson remains an enigma to me. For years I have read many titles authored by such luminaries as Dumas Malone, Peter Onuf, Annette Gordon-Reed – and while these authors all made fascinating points, authored fascinating opinions, I must confess that I still do not totally understand Jefferson. I still do not “get” him.

But from now on, whenever I or anyone seeks wisdom as to what Jefferson thought/meant, I guess that we should just discount the Malones, Onufs, and Gordon-Reeds, and just consult the ORACLE – Mr. Pickle.

Let me add that Mr. Pickles just has his history wrong when he cavalierly throws out the phrase “like all left-wing revolutionaries.”

The problem is, history is often difficult and complex – certainly more complex than a movie costume designer like Mr. Pickle can understand. But cavalierly throwing around modern day terms like “left wing” and “right wing,” and labelling historic figures as such shows a woeful lack of historical knowledge, and also modern day arrogance.

Indeed, using the current understanding as to what is meant by “left wing” and “right wing,” one could argue that, if anything, Jefferson was not a left winger, as Mr. Pickle assures us smugly, but more of a right winger.

I do not denigrate those who are modern day right-wing folk. They have the right to their views, as do we all. But when we are discussing the political views of someone, let us at least be honest. And let us be careful when we do label someone as a right-winger, or a left-winger. Let us deal carefully in facts, not emotions.

And let us get our facts straight here – in modern day America, those who favor small-government, states’ rights, who argue against centralism of the federal government, and loathe taxes and big spending by the federal government, are far more likely to be “right wingers” than “left wingers.”

Again, they certainly have the right to feel this way. But Jefferson hated federal centralism, loathed taxes, ardently supported state rights (indeed, he was one of the authors of the 1798 Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, which one can argue led the intellectual way towards Calhoun’s doctrines of state nullification 33 years later). How an author like Mr. Pickle can know (or maybe he does not know?) that Jefferson supported all these things, but still label him, to use a modern day label, a “left winger” is quite odd, and troubling.

Again, Mr. Pickle is certainly entitled to his beliefs (unfounded upon true history though they might be). But frankly I expected better from Osprey.

Which is a warning to all publishers of military and historical books: perhaps you should get military or political historians to write your histories about military or political history subjects.

Leave books on sewing to movie costume designers like Mr. Pickle.

Pickles writes from a very British point of view and colors his depictions, obscures casualties inflicted, insults Thomas Jefferson, and omits Pakenham's secret orders from October to proceed with aggression even if he hears about a Treaty of Peace (Treaty of Ghent was agreed 24 December a week after British fleet arrived to attack)
Americans lost 55 killed and 185 wounded, Brits 386 killed (including Pakenham and Gibbs) and 1521 wounded.
Wikipedia was more clearly informative without the stuffing of Pickles writing.