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Author Topic: Why New Orleans mattered  (Read 3666 times)

Offline Bowman

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Re: Why New Orleans mattered
« Reply #15 on: September 17, 2018, 08:29:33 PM »
Bowman, it's possible, maybe likely that Britain would not have kept New Orleans after a battlefield victory in 1815. My point is that permanent ownership of the city and the territory by the United States was far from settled, at that time and later, and that New Orleans was the key to the heartland of North America.

I agree with all you say, and New Orleans was a strategic holding whose ownership was still to be settled. But that's not the same as stating that it would have ended up as a British territory or protectorate had the British won the battle.

On a smaller case, The British still held Mackinac Island at the end of the war. This island and fort controlled all movement in and out of Lake Michigan and back into Lake Huron. During the early phases of negotiations the British said they wanted to keep this possession. The Americans wouldn't even hear of that, and the British side quickly dropped the issue. New Orleans would have been an even bigger sticking point.
"This I have known ever since I stretched out my fingers to the abomination within that great gilded frame; stretched out my fingers and touched a cold and unyielding surface of polished glass." 

H. P. Lovecraft, "The Outsider"

Offline grant

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Re: Why New Orleans mattered
« Reply #16 on: September 18, 2018, 02:59:22 PM »
When the troops returned from the Spanish American War, the demobilized bands sold their instruments in New Orleans. The glut of brass wind instruments gave rise to the fabled New Orleans brass bands, more music bequeathed by war.

That I did not know - thanks!
It’s a beautiful thing, the destruction of words - Orwell, 1984

Offline Bowman

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Re: Why New Orleans mattered
« Reply #17 on: September 18, 2018, 04:15:19 PM »
When the troops returned from the Spanish American War, the demobilized bands sold their instruments in New Orleans. The glut of brass wind instruments gave rise to the fabled New Orleans brass bands, more music bequeathed by war.

That's news to me too. Thanks for that.

Offline vtsaogames

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Re: Why New Orleans mattered
« Reply #18 on: September 18, 2018, 05:24:05 PM »
On our periodic trips to New Orleans, my wife and I seek out brass bands. Best of all is when they parade and we can dance in the streets.
And the glorious general led the advance
With a glorious swish of his sword and his lance
And a glorious clank of his tin-plated pants. - Dr. Seuss


My blog: http://corlearshookfencibles.blogspot.com/

Offline Cubs

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Re: Why New Orleans mattered
« Reply #19 on: September 18, 2018, 07:13:05 PM »
But is it pronounced New Orleans or New Orleans?
'Sir John ejaculated explosively, sitting up in his chair.' ... 'The Black Gang'.

Paul Cubbin Miniature Painter

Offline vtsaogames

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Re: Why New Orleans mattered
« Reply #20 on: September 18, 2018, 09:24:00 PM »
More like N'awlins.

And Chartres Street is Charters, Urselines is Ursuns...

Offline carlos marighela

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Re: Why New Orleans mattered
« Reply #21 on: September 18, 2018, 09:34:46 PM »
The Battle of New Orleans did matter but only for the fact that without it Johnny Horton would have been best remembered, if at all, as the author of ‘Honky-Tonk Man’ and thus would have been an even smaller footnote in the history of popular American music..
Em dezembro de '81
Botou os ingleses na roda
3 a 0 no Liverpool
Ficou marcado na história
E no Rio não tem outro igual
Só o Flamengo é campeão mundial
E agora seu povo
Pede o mundo de novo

Online Charlie_

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Re: Why New Orleans mattered
« Reply #22 on: September 18, 2018, 10:17:52 PM »
More like N'awlins.

And Chartres Street is Charters, Urselines is Ursuns...

And Tchoupitoulas Street is.... aw shit I don't know.

I actually read a book called Why New Orleans Matters, published shortly after Katrina, a good read.

Offline Bowman

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Re: Why New Orleans mattered
« Reply #23 on: September 19, 2018, 12:00:43 PM »
The Battle of New Orleans did matter but only for the fact that without it Johnny Horton would have been best remembered, if at all, as the author of ‘Honky-Tonk Man’ and thus would have been an even smaller footnote in the history of popular American music..

Lol!

My funny Nawlins story is going to see the Preservation Jazz Hall Band. I remember leaning on the side wall inside the hall while listening to the band and thinking I'd fall through the plaster. But that was way before Katrina. Also they did requests. The sign said, "All requests $10. A request for "Oh, When the Saints go marching......." $25"

Offline has.been

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Re: Why New Orleans mattered
« Reply #24 on: September 20, 2018, 07:07:02 PM »
When I was lucky enough to visit Nawlins I couldn't get the song 'Walking to Nawlins' out of my head, well the first line as I couldn't remember the rest. Going down in the hotel lift, for our walking tour, I asked fellow tourists. Like me they knew the first line only. Same in the reception area, and
on the mini-bus to the centre of town. Even the (American) tour guide knew the first line only, but he said, 'Don't worry I will ask the local guide when we pick her up'  The local guide, when asked,
uttered the dreaded words, 'I know the first line.....'
Never mind we did have a great time there.

Online Charlie_

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Re: Why New Orleans mattered
« Reply #25 on: September 21, 2018, 07:34:37 PM »
When I was lucky enough to visit Nawlins I couldn't get the song 'Walking to Nawlins' out of my head, well the first line as I couldn't remember the rest. Going down in the hotel lift, for our walking tour, I asked fellow tourists. Like me they knew the first line only. Same in the reception area, and
on the mini-bus to the centre of town. Even the (American) tour guide knew the first line only, but he said, 'Don't worry I will ask the local guide when we pick her up'  The local guide, when asked,
uttered the dreaded words, 'I know the first line.....'
Never mind we did have a great time there.

New Orleans is my home, that's the reason why I roam...
I'm walking to New Orleans.

Fats Domino. Written by Bobby Charles! A great songwriter.

Offline FierceKitty

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Re: Why New Orleans mattered
« Reply #26 on: September 22, 2018, 01:47:20 AM »
I'm reminded of an American girlfriend who politely told me she was from Chicago and if I made one Al Capone joke it was all off, and of the woman from Kansas that I asked if she was a good witch or a bad witch (I still have the scars).

Touchy folk, Americans.
The laws of probability do not apply to my dice in wargames or to my finesses in bridge.

Offline vtsaogames

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Re: Why New Orleans mattered
« Reply #27 on: October 22, 2018, 03:48:14 PM »
A late reply: Mackinac Island was also not part of the Louisiana Purchase and therefore covered under the status quo articles of the treaty. The treaty did not mention the Purchase. It would only have become an issue if Packenham had succeeded in occupying New Orleans. The issue was rendered moot by the defeat.

As an aside, I note Wellington was not at all interested in New World adventures. In 1808 he was given command of an expeditionary force slated for an attack on Spanish colonies in South America*. He was much happier when the expedition was instead sent to the Peninsula following the Spanish rising against the French. In 1814 he was offered command in Canada and turned it down.

* According to Michael Glover's The Peninsular War