documents. >> the idea of contributing to the war through labor, the idea of growing your own food so as to conserve larger quantities for the war effort. this was by frank lloyd wright's sister, again the individual who rises to the surface during world war i. conservation, wholesome nutritious corn. i know we make everything out of corn today, but back then we didn't, so this is new. during world war i, hoover believed as head of the food administration, if you allow people to act correctly, they to rationble themselves. >> watch american artifacts on american history tv to on c-spa.

c-span is at the site of the battle of new orleans. up next, we talk about the very last ground battle in the war of 1812. the battle of new orleans was between the american forces and britain in the war of 1812. it was the last ground battle. this was the last spot where two armies came together on the ground. we are at the chalmette battlefield, six miles downriver from the french quarter, which 815 would be-- in 1 the heart of the city. in juneof 1812 started of 1812. assault we call the battle of new orleans started five weeks --

new orleans was a very important target for the british for a couple reasons. the first was his right along the mississippi river. it is a port city that controls trade and vessels coming out of the gulf of mexico. it is because of this hub of t new orleans is very important. the british felt they could capture that trade. some of the important people that helped dictate what would happen during the battle of new orleans on the british side, general packing him, who becomes the leader of the ground assault. he is the brother of the duke of wellington, so he has a lot of clout in the british circle.

you have the leader of a command of the overall assault force of british troops. on the american side, the famous is going to be andrew jackson. a haitianople like refugee who puts together almost 260 free men of color to put together a battalion. it is generally accepted 700,000 british troops were here during the ground assault, and someone about 400,000 american soldiers. between thehelming british compared to the americans. the british were professional soldiers. many were very decorated military men. even though the americans had 4000 troops, three quarters did not have much experience.

the first conflict between u.s. soldiers and british soldiers in new orleans happened during the night attack of december 23. jackson found out from a man who jumped out of the plantation house and ran all the way to new orleans to tell jackson the british had landed. he cried out his famous line, by the eternal, they shall not sleep on our soil. they tried to push the british out. it is a very confusing time. it is both dark, and a lot of the americans don't know each other as well as the british soldiers do. both the cavalry and choctaw american indians played a massively significant part. they used the cover of darkness

to move through the landscape to cause some confusion with the british. the americans were not able to push the british out. they fully retreated up the river. it makes the british think about attacking very quickly. the casualties incurred on that day made the british troops wait for reinforcements to arrive, which gave jackson the opportunity to regroup. based on their knowledge where the british landed, they stayed down in the french quarter. after the night attack, he stays at a plantation house. it would be similar to the house we have on this property known as the boat regard house. 'sit same windowshe

to survey the battlefield to determine where he would build his defenses. when the british launched a ground assault, they launched a three-pronged assault. the reason this was picked because it was so narrow, which helps jackson concentrate smaller forces, negating the british's superior numbers. rampart by having a created along what is called the rodriguez canal. it is dug out 15 feet wide. provides a long fortification the men can stay behind. this is our re-creation of the rampart wall.

it would have been closer to eight feet tall. the sides facing the british would have been heavily sloped, allowed cannonballs to reflect off of it more easily. around theto flank side and take out the artillery causing so many casualties for the british. unfortunately for the british, jackson had been warned by one of the local pirates that he should extend that rampart. he gets a the tallying of ofnessee -- a batallion tennessee sharpshooters. it becomes the strongest part of the line and the british take heavy casualties. andplan was to take ladders sticksdles of sugarcane

-- they would have thrown those la acks into the canal and ladder over it so they could swarm into the canal causing so many casualties. however that day, they did not bring them. the third line of attack we cannot see from where we are standing now. looking on the west bank, jackson had a set of canaan -- a set of cannons. the british general fund if he could capture those, he could turn those on to the artillery. they do capture those. it comes about two hours too late.

on the january 8 attack, losses were pretty massive for the british. have less than 20. it was perhaps one of the most decisive victories of the war of 1812. the official treaty ended the war of 1812. it is a complicated situation. many treaties, after they are signed and negotiated, the wars end. ambassadors have to bring it back to the president for final approval. the british said the treaty needed to be ratified in congress before hostilities would end. it was ratified before the battle of new orleans, but does not happen until five weeks after.

the battle did not have to take place, but it happens in this period where the determinations have already happened. the battle of new orleans had a few lasting effects, one of which was the way americans felt about themselves. it was a unifying that took place. we call the period after the battle of new orleans the era of good feelings. it did not last long, we go back into factual list politics. but it spurs americans into being americans first. it solidifies louisiana's claims on the louisiana purchase. and allows us to expand west, and also increase the expansion of slavery. new orleans was a major hub for slave trade.

by protecting it from the british, it increased the amount of slavery that happened in the united states. andrew jackson has been known as a military man in this battle, but it is this battle that earns him the popularity that wins him the presidency. if you had said anything bad about andrew jackson's politics, it was inferred you were talking about the man himself and the battle of new orleans as a whole. this is where he gains one of his nicknames, the hero of new orleans. small thisf how chunk of ground is has lasting effects across the nation. the men who were fighting here

had different reasons, but they overlapped enough that they defended the city, and created the memory of the battle of new orleans in the american population. >> our cities tour staff recently traveled to new orleans to learned outage riskies -- learn about its rich history. learn more on cities tour. you are watching american history tv, all weekend, every weekend >> 75 years ago in may, 1943, the memphis belle became one of the first be 13 bombers to complete 25 missions in europe without being shot down. the, on "reel america," memphis belle, a story of flying

fortress, created by director yler, thisiler -- w document several missions of the bomber in 1943, including in combat over german territory. many bomber ii, crewman were killed in combat and about 8000 heavy bombers were destroyed. selected for preservation by the national film registry in 2001, this is about 40 minutes. ♪