Battle of Lake Borgne

14 December 1814, Lake Borgne, near the Rigolets, Louisiana

British victory; all five American gunboats captured

Vice-Admiral Cochrane's fleet anchored off Cat Island early in December with the army sent to take New Orleans. The only American force on the shallow waters between the fleet and the city was a flotilla of five gunboats under Lieutenant Thomas ap Catesby Jones, posted to watch the British and fall back on the Rigolets, the pass into Lake Pontchartrain, if attacked. On the night of 12 December about 42 launches, barges and gigs carrying some 1,200 sailors and marines set out under Commander Nicholas Lockyer of the sloop Sophie. Jones tried to withdraw, but the wind died and a falling tide grounded his boats near the Malheureux Islands, and the tenders Sea Horse and Alligator were lost on the 13th. After rowing some thirty-six miles the British reached the anchored gunboats late on the morning of the 14th, and attacked straight into their fire. Jones's own boat, No. 156, was boarded first, and its guns were turned on the others; within about two hours all five had surrendered. The Americans lost 6 killed, 35 wounded and the rest captured, the British 17 killed and 77 wounded, Lockyer and Jones both among the wounded. With Lake Borgne cleared, the British landed their army at Bayou Bienvenue, nine miles from New Orleans, on 23 December.