Why was the Battle of New Orleans fought after the Treaty of Ghent was signed?

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1812, War of — War of 1812 Battle between the frigates HMS *Shannon* and USS *Chesapeake* off Boston during the War of 1812; detail of a lithograph Louis Haghe after by J.C. Schetky.

The Battle of New Orleans was fought after the Treaty of Ghent was signed simply because both the British and American forces were unaware that a peace agreement had been reached.12

Although the Treaty of Ghent was signed on December 24, 1814, to end the War of 1812, news of the peace did not reach the combatants in time to prevent the engagement. Consequently, the battle took place on January 8, 1815, as British forces under Gen. Edward Pakenham attempted to seize New Orleans, while American troops led by Andrew Jackson defended the city. While the battle had no impact on the war's outcome—which had already been decided—the decisive American victory contributed to a widespread perception in the United States that the nation had triumphed in the conflict.12