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BATTLE BAY OF ST LOUIS
On June 16, 1812 Congress declared war against Great Britain.
British fleet approached Louisiana, by letter dated December 5th 1814. Patterson sent Lt. Ap Catesby Jones with 5 gunooats,
1 tender and a dispatch boat to observe the enemy, these boats watched the enemy along the coast until December 13th. On this date Americans saw a British flotilla approaching.The Americans tried to withdraw to Petit Coquillcd, an entrance to Lake Ponchartrain where a fort could help them defend themselves.
The wind died down about 1 a.m. on the 14th; so they had to anchor in open water near tne west end of Malheureaux Island oi# ^a?e Borgne. There they remained. Pour of the gunboats in the American squadron had 5 guns eacn and the fiftn had 3.
At dawn on December 14, 1814 the American saw the British barges carrying about 1,200 men lined up to attack them. Each barge had a cannonade, of short cannon, in its bow.
on	Z?7-the British^.
Closing in fa tM/titH&'ti- the Americans boarded the American gunboats. The American were overpowered, the Britisn lost 17 killed, 77 wounded; the American lost 6 killed and 35 wounded.
National Park Service Historical Handbook Number 29 Washington D.C. 20402 (Stock No. 024-005-001-78-6
On December 15th, Jackson notified Coffee that a large enemy force had been observed arriving off cat and Ship Islands.
60 miles from mouth of Mississippi River. After defeat and capture of five little American gunboats on Lake Borgne on December 14.-1814, the roa^was oten to New Orleans.
Published by THE BATTLE OP
NSW ORLEANS COMMUTE OF
LOUISIANA. 1965 By: Elbert L. Watson
Logig/ demanded an approach to the city (New Orleans) through Lake Brogne east of New Orleans, and Lake Ponchartrain.
The shortest route was through Cat Island to Bayou Bienvenu at the head of Lake Borgne a distance of 62 miles.
Cont. Pg. 2.
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