The Battle of New Orleans was the climactic battle of America's ``forgotten war`` of 1812. Andrew Jackson led his ragtag corps of soldiers against 8,000 disciplined invading British regulars in a battle that delivered the British a humiliating military defeat. The victory solidified America's independence and marked the beginning of Jackson's rise to national prominence. Hailed as ``terrifically readable`` by the Chicago Sun Times , The Battle of New Orleans is popular American history at its best, bringing to life a landmark battle that helped define the character of the United States.