The first Louisiana was built in New Orleans, La., in 1812 for merchant service on the Mississippi; purchased by the Navy in September of that year at a cost of $15,500; and placed in service immediately with the small force defending New Orleans against British invasion.
Attached to the New Orleans station, unarmed and not fitted out through the first 2 years of war, Louisiana was unmanned at the start of the campaign, and commanded by Captain Charles C. B. Thompson. He entered the navy as a midshipman December 22, 1802, and promoted to lieutenant as of February 15, 1809. After the war he continued to serve, and achieved the rank of captain by 1825.
Louisiana was made Commodore Daniel T. Patterson’s flagship in August 1814, received her guns, and along with schooner Carolina and a handful of gunboats, prepared to protect the city from attack by sea. The Louisiana Legislature authorized a $6000 bounty for Patterson, and $24 bounties for anyone enlisting for three months service in the Navy. 80 volunteer for service aboard the Louisiana, mostly merchant men from the docks of New Orleans-Yankees, Portuguese, Norwegians, Spanish, Greeks, Italians, Germans, Arabs, Hindus and Swedes. Some were induced to enlist by threats of arrest (Jackson had declared martial law and was exercising supreme power).
The heaviest and most powerfully armed ship in Patterson’s small flotilla, the sloop served as a floating battery, stationed along the right bank of the Mississippi to cover any possible attack by land or sea.
When Andrew Jackson attacked the British camp during the night of December 23, the Carolina began the battle by drifting down stream into position, anchoring by the bow 160 yards off the British flank. At 7:30 p.m. the command, "Now boys, give it to them, damn their eyes!" commenced the broadsides into the British camp. The grapeshot continued until Jackson's troops mixed into the British. Over the next three days Carolina continued to periodically shell the British encampment, striking the field hospital in the process. She cannot move back upriver because of lack of favourable winds and the strong current. Louisiana was then brought down to support Jackson's line.
On December 27, the British complete a levee battery of two 9-pounders, four 6-pounders, two 5½ inch howitzers, and a 5½ inch mortar. Using a furnace, they fire heated shot into the Carolina, which ignited the magazine in a magnificent explosion 800 yards off shore. Her crew escaped, and some of the guns were later salvaged. Louisiana was towed and dragged further upstream. The next day a British reconnaissance force probed Jackson's line. Louisiana broadsided the British advance, knocked out the levee battery and stopped the British advance. She fired 800 rounds during the battle. Dropping downriver 30 December, Louisiana continued to punish the enemy with devastating flank fire.
Louisiana landed two 12-pounders and a 24-pounder on the right bank of the Mississippi on December 29. Patterson commenced building a land battery manned by sailors. The next day, while Louisiana was moored a depot for ammunition and gunpowder near the battery, additional guns were taken ashore. Patterson's battery covered a mile of the river. Captain John D. Henley was assigned to command the battery opposite New Orleans. By New Year's Day Patterson's right bank battery consisted of three long 24-pounders, six long 12-pounders, and three field pieces pointed down range; all manned by 106 sailors. Carolina sailors man Battery No. 2 under Lt. Otho Norris, 17 men and one iron 24-pounder. Norris entered the navy as a midshipman January 16, 1809. He was promoted to Lieutenant July 24, 1813. After the war he made master commandant March 3, 1827, and was lost when the USS Hornet sunk on September 10, 1829 off Tampico. Other sailors from the Carolina served Battery No. 4 or No. 5 (depending on how they are counted.) Lt. Crawley commanded 16 men and one iron 32-pounder. The 32-pounder was struck and silenced during the attack.
As the English continued to press the attack, Louisiana supported General Jackson’s soldiers with accurate fire until by sunset, 8 January 1815, the British veterans were disastrously defeated in the last attack, and the valuable port of New Orleans remained American. General Jackson gave well-earned tribute to the Navy’s key role in this great victory.
Louisiana was subsequently dismantled and laid up at New Orleans, and in 1821 was broken up.
Howard Chapelle, The History of the American Sailing Navy: the Ships and their Development (New York: Norton, 1949)