<P> The British battle plan was for an attack against the 20 - gun west bank battery, which would then both reduce the American artillery danger and enable those same guns to be turned on the American line to assist a frontal attack against the defended line . In the early morning of January 8, Pakenham gave his final orders for the two - pronged assault against Jackson's position . Colonel William Thornton (of the 85th Regiment) was to cross the Mississippi during the night with his 780 - strong force, move rapidly upriver and storm the battery commanded by Commodore Daniel Patterson on the flank of the main American entrenchments, and then open an enfilade fire on Jackson's line with howitzers and rockets . Then the main attack, directly against the earthworks manned by the vast majority of American troops would be launched in two columns, along the river led by Keane and along the swamp line led by Major General Samuel Gibbs . The brigade commanded by Major General John Lambert was held in reserve . </P> <P> A canal was dug by the British to enable 42 small boats to get to the river . Preparations for the attack had foundered early on the 8th, as the canal being dug by Cochrane's sailors collapsed and the dam made to divert the flow of the river into the canal failed, leaving the sailors to drag the boats of Col. Thornton's west bank assault force through deep mud . This left the force starting off just before daybreak, 12 hours late . The frontal attack was not postponed, however, as it was hoped that the force on the west bank would at least create a diversion, even if they had not succeeded in the assault . </P> <P> The main attack began in darkness and a heavy fog, but as the British neared the main enemy line the fog lifted, exposing them to withering artillery fire . Lt - Col. Thomas Mullins, the British commander of the 44th (East Essex) Regiment of Foot, had forgotten the ladders and fascines needed to cross the eight - foot - deep and fifteen - foot - wide canal and scale the earthworks, and in the dark and fog confusion descended as the British tried to close the gap . Most of the senior officers were killed or wounded, including Major General Samuel Gibbs, who was killed leading the main attack column on the right, consisting of the 4th, 21st, 44th, and 5th West India Regiments, and Colonel Rennie, who led a detachment of three light companies of the 7th, 43rd, and 93rd on the left by the river . </P> <P> Possibly because of Thornton's delay in crossing the river and the withering artillery fire that might hit them from across the river, the 93rd Highlanders were ordered to leave Keane's assault column advancing along the river and move across the open field to join the main force on the right of the field . Keane fell wounded as he crossed the field with the 93rd . Rennie's men managed to attack and overrun an American advance redoubt next to the river, but without reinforcements they could neither hold the position nor successfully storm the main American line behind it . Within a few minutes, the American 7th Infantry arrived, moved forward, and fired upon the British in the captured redoubt: within half an hour, Rennie and nearly all of his men were dead . In the main attack on the right, the British infantrymen either flung themselves to the ground, huddled in the canal, or were mowed down by a combination of musket fire and grapeshot from the Americans . A handful made it to the top of the parapet on the right but were either killed or captured . The 95th Rifles had advanced in open skirmish order ahead of the main assault force and were concealed in the ditch below the parapet, unable to advance further without support . </P>

War of 1812 the battle of new orleans