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WMHSMUN XXXIV

Battle of ,

Background Guide

“Unprecedented committees. Unparalleled debate. Unmatched fun.” Letters From the Directors

Dear Delegates,

My name is Azraf Khan and I am amped to be your in-room director for this Crisis Committee, the . I am currently a sophomore at William and Mary planning to major in History and/or Government. Aside from the IR Club, I am a member of the Club Squash team, the College Socialists, as well as the Muslim Student Organization and a Greek Life Organization.

I joined Model UN as a freshman last year and it quickly became one of my favorite things about campus life. The people, trips and memories are certainly something that I always remember, and I hope that we can give some of those experiences to you during this committee. In such crazy times, we are very much looking forward to running a virtual committee with all of you.

The topic of this committee is the Battle of New Orleans, one of the most famous battles during the War of 1812. This period of US History has always fascinated me, as it shows how early Americans carved out a place in the world for their individual identity. I encourage all of you to do a deep dive into this period and the lore and history of New Orleans to defend the city against the British.

This committee is a Crisis committee, so we will have many crisis updates that you will work together to solve as a group using directives. You will also be able to write your own crisis notes directly to the dais for your own personal arcs. We will be sure to explain all of this more ~in depth~ at the start of the weekend. We are so excited to meet all you on conference weekend!

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.

Azraf Khan [email protected]

Background Guide – Battle of New Orleans

Dear Delegates,

My name is Reeves Yanez and I am so incredibly excited to be crisis directing the Battle of New Orleans, War of 1812 committee. While I have lived in Norfolk, my whole life, most of my family is from New Orleans, and I have spent many a summer in the crescent city. I would be thrilled to talk about anything New Orleans including snowballs, Beignet (Morning Call is better), and how the Saints were robbed in the playoffs. At school I am a member of the MUN travel team and serve as the Director General of our middle school conference, WMIDMUN. As you prepare for this weekend you should strive to be creative and work with your fellow delegates. You should use actual history as a guide but should not be bound to it. I would like to see what decisions you would have made in these situations and how those decisions may change the course of history. Some of my most fun crisis experiences have come when I fully invested into the character I was portraying, and so I would encourage you to really think about the decisions and sacrifices these individuals made. I am well aware that preparing for a MUN conference can be challenging and confusing, and so I hope to clarify a few things. While a position paper is required, you should do some research and use part of your position paper to show us what you know. The rest of your position paper should give us an idea of where you are going. Tell us about what your plans are for your in-committee directives and help us get a glimpse into your crisis arc. A crisis arc is what your goal is for your character in committee. You should have a plan for what your crisis notes will be leading up to and work to achieve that. Every character in this committee has assets that they can use to influence the balance of committee behind the scenes, and so you should use these and work to build more in order to accomplish your goals. If you have any questions about crisis, feel free to email me or go to Best Delegate’s website, which has tons of resources on crisis committees. Finally, at WMHSMUN, we have a zero-tolerance policy for racism, sexism, homophobia, or any other forms of hate. I believe that everyone should be able to have fun and learn in an environment where they feel safe. If you have any questions about if something is acceptable please feel free to ask us, we will not judge or look down on you in any way for an honest question. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us.

Reeves Yanez [email protected]

2 Background Guide – Battle of New Orleans

Dear Delegates,

My name is Jessica Liu, and I’m super excited to be your Assistant Crisis Director for the Battle of New Orleans Crisis Committee! I’m from good ol’ Northern Virginia, but glad to travel slightly more south for my freshman year at William and Mary. I first started Model UN during my freshman year of high school and have been in love ever since (especially crisis, the superior committee!). This conference will be a much more different experience than being at a conference in person, but I hope that you will find it just as enjoyable!

I anticipate seeing how you develop your characters with the scenario: The Battle of New Orleans. Crisis committees allow lots of opportunities for delegates to expand upon their given character, so don’t feel too constricted by your character or the scenario. I’m curious to see how everyone will flesh out their character arcs with the crisis updates, along with interactions between characters of different backgrounds within the New Orleans terrain. The history behind the battle is fascinating, and I hope that you will be able to use your character and their resources to the best of your ability!

I want to stress that this committee is a safe learning environment, so don’t be afraid to ask questions and step out of your comfort zone! Crisis committees have a reputation for being very daunting and unapproachable, but I hope that you’ll come out of this conference with more insight on how crisis committees work and view this as a positive experience. During committee sessions, we will help clarify any motions that the delegate can take, along with other aspects of crisis committees.

Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any remaining questions or clarifications about crisis committees in general or concerning the Battle of New Orleans specifically. I wish you all the best, and I’m super excited to meet you all over Zoom!

Jessica Liu [email protected]

3 Background Guide – Battle of New Orleans

Causes of the War

The major causes of the War of 1812 were the impressment of American sailors by the , British disruption of American trade, and provocation of Indians on the western border. While all of these causes contributed to the outbreak of conflict, the most important issue was impressment. While the British Parliament officially ended the policy before the declaration of war, due to the long travel time for news to reach across the Atlantic, it was too late to avoid conflict. Initial provocations originated from trade disputes. England was fighting France in the and passed the Orders in Council, effectively preventing the Americans from trading with the French and severely limiting the access of American traders to their colonies in the Caribbean. This was followed up by a blockade of French ports by the Royal Navy that allowed the British to enforce these limitations. This decision fostered discontent among American traders, who believed they had a right to trade with any foreign power, viewing this act as a form of continued colonialism. Enforcing their blockade and continuing to fight the Napoleonic Wars took its toll on the British who needed more sailors to man their ships. This was partly due to many British sailors joining the crews of American flagged vessels to avoid service to the Royal Navy. In order to prevent this the Royal Navy began a practice known as impressment, in which they would stop American flagged ships and search for alleged Royal Navy deserters onboard. This often led to American citizens being forced into service in the Royal Navy. By some estimates, up to 10,000 sailors were impressed by the Royal Navy, many of them full American citizens. This cemented great resentment among Americans back home, who saw impressment as a sincere challenge to American sovereignty. Impressment came to a head with the Chesapeake-Leopard affair. After leaving its port in Norfolk, VA, the small warship USS Chesapeake was attacked by much larger frigate, the HMS Leopold. The Leopold impressed four sailors off the US Navy ship, only one of whom was an Englishman. The other three were American citizens who had been previously impressed. One of the sailors was hung for treason and the other three were taken off to England to be imprisoned. This was a clear violation of international standards as a British ship fired at an US Navy ship, inflicting casualties just 12 miles off the coast of Virginia. It united the Federalist and Republican parties who both called for war over this act. US President Thomas Jefferson, however, knew the county was not prepared for war and proposed the Embargo Act as an alternative. The Embargo Act was a major failure. The US banned British ships from entering its territorial waters, banned American ships from trading with all other countries, and strictly limited British imports.

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This resulted in economic hardship across the country. In the South, the price of cotton and other agriculture exports fell dramatically as the main market was overseas and the northern maritime and shipbuilding industries stalled. Meanwhile in England, sellers had large stocks of cotton, so prices rose but supply did not run out. Two years later at the end of Jefferson’s term, he passed the Non-Intercourse act, which permitted trade with countries other than France and England. became president after Jefferson’s departure from office, and he opened up trade with France. However, England refused to lift the Orders in Council, as the British viewed American industry as a competitor who could be kept down. This led some to believe that England was treating the US as a de facto colony. The final straw for war was the increase in Indian attacks on the US’s western frontier. These attacks increased as the trade disputes with England grew more serious and the Americans became increasingly convinced that the British were behind these attacks. While the validity of this belief was unclear, the British General in charge of the area began meeting with Indian leaders, most notably of the Shawnee, seeking to gain their support and support his relatively light colonial regiment. This confirmed many Americans' worst fears and led to increasing violence including the , where the American forces destroyed the Indian settlement of Prophet’s Town. This increasing aggression only pushed the Indians closer towards the British. These causes all came to a head when Henry Clay was elected as Speaker of the House. Clay led a coalition of War Hawks mostly from the southern and central states. These states had been hurt most by the trade issues and the embargo act and pushed for war. The New Englanders had closer ties to England and had continued to profit off of trade in spite of the embargo act. James Maddison sent war papers to congress and they passed by a close margin in both the House and Senate. Interestingly, two days before the declaration of war, the Orders in Council were ended, and the practice of impressment was made illegal. However, due to travel time across the Atlantic, this news would not reach the new world for another three weeks.

Early Conflicts

Neither side was prepared for war as the British army was stuck fighting in Europe and deemed the Americans as a low priority. Contrastingly, Americans had almost no national army, instead relying on small state . In the first conflict the British General Brooks and Tecumseh repelled an invasion by the Michigan territorial into Canada and continued to push into American territory,

5 Background Guide – Battle of New Orleans eventually capturing Detroit without firing a shot. This initial battle exemplified the first year of the war; largely uncoordinated militias took their own actions and were often defeated. The British Canadian force under General Brooks was generally able to hold their ground against American attacks along the border from the all the way up to . For the , there were some bright sides in the beginning of the war, including victories by the US Navy thanks to the leadership of officers including Oliver Hazard Perry and Stephen Decatur. The US forces did manage to burn down the Canadian Parliament on one offensive but were quickly forced to retreat. They also killed both General Brock and Tecumseh which caused the Indian coalition to splinter. Despite this progress, none of the four offensives against Canada succeeded. The British also quickly sent the Royal Navy under Admiral . Admiral Cochrane lost a brother in the Revolutionary War and imposed a harsh blockade. He also ordered the shelling of towns along the , burning many towns to the ground. While the American Navy did have some success when fighting individual ships, the US Navy was too small to make a difference against the blockade. Because of this Madison authorized the Navy to hire merchant ships to attack British ships. was the center of this privateering, which helped to reduce the effectiveness of the British blockade. As the Napoleonic Wars finished in 1814, the British sent a large force of battle-hardened troops towards the US. At this point England and France had been at war for the better part of 20 years and had some of the best trained troops in the world. The first major conflict with British Regulars was the . The British army under General Ross landed in and marched towards Washington DC. The US army set up just outside the city in Bladensburg, Maryland with 6,500 troops. Despite the smaller British force of 4,500, they quickly broke the American front line with continued artillery fire and within an hour had the American forces in full retreat.

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With the US forces cleared the British were able to march into Washington DC. They raided and set the on fire in response to the US burning of the Canadian Parliament earlier and continued burning almost every federal building in the city. Their luck would change however, and as night fell a hurricane moved in battering the British forces with winds and rain. In the middle of the hurricane a tornado touched down causing chaos within the British ranks and causing more casualties than the battle. This forced the British forces to retreat to their ships. The next day Madison called a cabinet meeting in the last Federal building standing, the Post Office. At this time the Federalists met in Hartford, Connecticut over their opposition to the war. The Hartford Convention discussed a range of proposals, including seceding and rejoining the British Empire, but participants ultimately adopted moderate proposals. This still made them look like traitors, especially considering the recent and led to the Federalist Party’s demise. After Washington DC, General Ross decided an attack on Baltimore would most weaken the American forces. Baltimore was the center of privateering and the British believed that they could cripple America's Navy by taking the influential port. The American forces, after being embarrassed at Bladensburg, committed to defending Baltimore. Major General , who oversaw the garrison at Baltimore, immediately began the construction of earthen fortifications 10 miles away from the city and a fall back set 5 miles from the city. Baltimore also had a major fort protecting its harbor called Fort McHenry. The best hope for defending the city was to block off the harbor and force the British to land their troops further away, which would keep the British fleet within shelling range of Fort McHenry and give the army longer to hold off the British. To block off the entrance to the harbor, many of the trade ships' captains sunk their ships creating obstacles in the water that the Royal Navy would not be able to sail over. With everything set up all that was left was to wait for the British forces to arrive. When the British did arrive, they immediately landed their troops North of the harbor and began to march towards the city. General Ross commanded a force of 4,500 men who marched towards the outer

7 Background Guide – Battle of New Orleans fortifications. Ross’ force encountered the smaller contingent of 3,200 troops and they began to fight. Although they were forced to fall back, they managed to kill General Ross leaving the British army under the command of his Lieutenant, who was far more cautious. Meanwhile, the Royal Navy set up outside the harbor and began shelling Fort McHenry. The British ships had a longer range than the fort. However, the fort had more so the navy could not approach unless the fort was destroyed. This would have been crucial as the British ships could have provided support to the attacking British army. The British force attacked the fall back fortifications; however, they decided to retreat because it was getting late and they feared getting stuck, which would leave them vulnerable to an American counterattack. The Royal Navy continued to shell Fort McHenry for 25 hours, but made no progress eventually retreating. This event was captured by , who later used the event to inspire his drafting of the ‘Star Spangled Banner.’ With the defeat at Baltimore, both sides knew the war would come to an end soon. The British failed to separate any territory and the high cost of the war was viewed as unacceptable. Both sides met in Ghent, Belgium to negotiate a treaty. Recognizing this Admiral Cochran of the British Navy decided to launch a final attack on the city of New Orleans. By taking the city the British could link their Canadian territory through the Mississippi River and effectively establish a western border for the United States. Whatever the result of the treaty both sides knew that if the British held New Orleans at the end of the war, they would not give it up.

The City of New Orleans

The city of New Orleans has a long and diverse history. It was founded by the French, then sold to the Spanish, ceded to the French again, and finally sold to the United States as part of the Purchase. The city is a mix of French, English, Spanish, and Indigenous cultures. There is also a large population of both enslaved and free Africans. Its location makes it a prime trading port with access to the American interior and the Caribbean. Thanks to the city’s effective port, it was faster for farmers in and the central US to ship goods down the Mississippi and over to New York than to transport them by road. This made the port essential to the control of the Central United States. The city sits on a bend of the Mississippi River near the mouth earning it the nickname the Crescent City. The area is surrounded by bayous, which are essentially brackish swamps where freshwater from the Mississippi mixes with the Gulf of Mexico. The city has also long been a haven for pirates, who could easily hide out in the Bayou and avoid capture.

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There are many factions within the city who will need to cooperate if the British force is to be defeated. Among them are the French speaking Creoles, Pirates, and American Officers and administrators. These groups will need to come together, however, and may try to use this opportunity to advance their respective positions. The first major group within is the French- speaking Creoles. The largest ethnic group in the city still maintains close connections with France, but still recognizes American authorities. They serve as the city’s predominant socialites, influencing elections and exercising control over business. They tend to be strong Roman Catholics, contrary to most of the US. However, many also practice Voodoo, also known as Voodoo-Catholicism, which blends the traditions of West Africa with Catholicism. Overall, they want to preserve their independence and tend to support whoever can make that happen. The second group in New Orleans is the pirates. Known to congregate at Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop at 941 Bourbon Street, they are a secretive group. Many have hideouts deep into the bayou, far from detection of any authorities. They are known to be skilled at navigating outside the city. They consider themselves to be above the law and have in the past negotiated with the British. Their main goal for the approaching battle is to strengthen their position in the city, so they can continue to use it as a safe port. They could be useful allies or terrible enemies depending on how they are treated. Finally, we have the Americans sent down following the Louisiana Purchase to manage the city. They include military officers local administrators set on cleaning up the city and enforcing Americas laws. This group of transplants has often conflicted with the locals and pirates, as they are often viewed as a threat to the city's identity and freedom. However, with the British approaching, they now view their primary mission as keeping the city out of British hands. It will be crucial for this group to reach out to the others to ensure the strongest defense possible. The city of New Orleans faces several problems as it prepares for a British attack. The first being that it is relatively isolated. Militarily it falls under the large seventh military district led by General . The seventh district is composed of Tennessee, Louisiana, and the , and only

9 Background Guide – Battle of New Orleans had about 1,500 US Army soldiers. As the British could bring five times that number or more, raising an army will be a top priority. These soldiers will also need to be equipped and may need training. All these will prove an issue as New Orleans is very isolated and has little production of military goods. Those looking to defeat the British should look to ways to utilize the local environment to their advantage. While the British may possess a numbers and experience advantage, they have almost no knowledge of the local environment. Utilizing the bayous, tides, and bugs to your advantage could be one way to overcome the disadvantages. Also of note, the British have chosen General Sir Edward Packham to take the place of General Ross, who died at Baltimore. He is considered a tactical genius and proved himself in the Napoleonic Wars. He is noted as being more cautious and traditional than Ross which may be useful to keep in mind.

Sources

“Battle of New Orleans Facts & Summary.” American Battlefield Trust, 6 Jan. 2020, www.battlefields.org/learn/war-1812/battles/new-orleans. Bluhm, Raymond K. “Battle of Baltimore.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 5 Sept. 2020, www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Baltimore-1814. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Embargo Act.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 21 June 2019, www.britannica.com/topic/Embargo-Act. Heidler, Jeanne T., and David S. Heidler. “War of 1812.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 5 June 2020, www.britannica.com/event/War-of-1812/War. “History Of New Orleans Voodoo: New Orleans.” History Of New Orleans Voodoo | New Orleans, www.neworleans.com/things-to-do/multicultural/traditions/voodoo/. “History of New Orleans.” Visit New Orleans, www.neworleans.com/things-to-do/history/history-of-new- orleans-by-period/. Jackson, Joy Juanita. “History of New Orleans.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 9 Apr. 2020, www.britannica.com/place/New-Orleans-Louisiana/History. Kelly, Martin. “Impressment and the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair.” ThoughtCo, www.thoughtco.com/impressment-and-the-chesapeake-leopard-affair-4035092. “Story Map Journal.” Arcgis.com, www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=3f61ce88ebbb4602a546046153276b4b. “War of 1812.” The Canadian Encyclopedia, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/war-of-1812.

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Dossier

Major General William Carroll One of the commanding officers in the American Army. Decorated veteran, and Jackson’s second in command. While powerful, beginning to become out of touch with the city.

Jean Lafitte French Pirate. Holds the majority of the naval defense. In a shaky alliance with Jackson defending the city.

Pushmataha Choctaw General. Strict leader and one of the greatest Choctaw Chiefs. Highly regarded for his control and prowess. Controls a small number of Choctaw members of the army.

Nicholas Girod Mayor of New Orleans. Recently stripped of most of his power because of Jackson’s declaration of martial law. Protestant in the primarily Catholic city.

Antonia de Sedella Spanish friar who is one of the heads of the Catholic Church in Louisiana. Powerful and sharp witted, he wants to maintain the Church’s hold.

Marie Laveau Young Louisiana Creole practitioner of voodoo and healing. Sent for by Andrew Jackson personally, Laveau is renowned for her skills across the city.

Commander Daniel Patterson In charge of the fleet in New Orleans. A crafty man coming with proud roots, Patterson was the first to begin building defenses in the city.

Mushulatubbee Commander of 50 Choctaw troops. Skilled military mind, strong bond with his men. Hamstrung by his lower position.

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Renato Beluche Former Lieutenant of turned Venezuelan revolutionary. Now leader of the Baritirain smugglers coming to aid the defense of the city.

Mother Ste. Marie Francis Olivier de Vezin Superior of the Ursuline Nuns, a school of nuns prominent in New Orleans. Holds a school in the middle of town and wants to protect their way of life.

Louis Louaillier State senator from Louisiana. Chairman of the ways and means committee. Wants to maintain stability in the government.

Major General Jacques Villeré Creole commanding officer in American military. Responsible for general command of the army. Untrained but rising.

Jean Baptiste Plauché Commander of the Louisiana uniformed militia. Charismatic French Creole and native to New Orleans, he is the commander with the most connection to the people and the city.

Justine Fervin Couvent known as the “Widow Couvent,” Couvent was formerly enslaved. After her emancipation, she came into wealth and began a school for orphans and freed people. Represents the perspectives of freed people.

Captain Joseph Savary Military commander of the Battalion of Free Men of Color, working closely with Major Louis D'Aquin. A free man of color, he personally recruited all the men from Haiti. Has a strong military mind and a strong bond with all his soldiers.

Louis William Valentine Dubourg Bishop of the Roman Catholic church and the person who gives mass at the St. Louis cathedral. Has a personal connection with Jackson and the people trust him, but does not have the highest command.

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Dominique You Commander of artillery of the Baritirain smugglers. Gifted soldier and former profiteer and pirate.

Judah Touro American businessman who enlisted in Jackson’s army. Store owner and merchant, his main concern was a protection of his property.

Christophe Dominick Duminy de Glapion White French nobleman who lives in the New Orleans . Well off in his roots and wants to protect his own power.

Major Louis D'Aquin White French exile administrative commander of Louisiana militia battalion made up of refugees from Haiti.

Mary Allen Nurse who served in the hospital during the Siege at Fort McHenry. Called to New Orleans for her prowess, her primary duties are to take care of soldiers and sew. Represents the view of military women.

General John Adair Commanding officer of the aiding Kentucky militia. Leads a large army who respect him greatly. Generally unsure of the Louisiana terrain.

Pierre Lafitte Pirate and brother of Jean Lafitte, Pierre has recently escaped jail. He is now the protector of “Orleans Alley” or “Pirates Alley,” a place for smugglers to stay in safety in the city. He is the voice for the underrepresented and poor free people.

Marguerite D'Arcantel An older beauty shop owner in New Orleans. Has a great rapport and is in touch with the citizens of New Orleans. Emancipated when she was 16, she represents the progressive side of the city.

Lieutenant J. D. Henley Commanding officer of the US Carolina, which carries 95 men and 14 guns.

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