Which leader commanded the British at the Battle of New Orleans?

• A. Edward Pakenham
• B. Arthur Wellesley
• C. Horatio Nelson
• D. James Madison

Answer: (A)

The key point here is identifying who led the British forces at the Battle of New Orleans. That battle, fought on January 8, 1815, saw British troops commanded by General Sir Edward Pakenham assault American defenses led by Andrew Jackson. Pakenham was killed in the fighting, which is a defining detail of the engagement and helps distinguish him from other famous British leaders. Arthur Wellesley would become the Duke of Wellington and is known for his victory at Waterloo, Horatio Nelson was the admiral who died at Trafalgar, and James Madison was the U.S. president at the time, not a battlefield commander in this battle. So, Edward Pakenham is the British commander at New Orleans.