Editing Battle of New Orleans (section)

===British withdrawal===
Despite news of capture of the American battery on the west bank of the Mississippi River, British officers concluded that continuing the Louisiana campaign would be too costly. Three days after the battle, General Lambert held a council of war. Deciding to withdraw, the British left camp at Villeré's Plantation by January 19.{{sfnmp|Gleig|1827|1p=340|Latour|1999|p=184}} They were not pursued in any strength.{{NoteTag|Despatch from Jackson to Secretary of War dated January 19. "Last night at 12 o'clock, the enemy precipitately decamped and returned to their boats, leaving behind him, under medical attendance, eighty of his wounded including two officers, 14 pieces of his heavy artillery and a quantity of shot... Such was the situation of the ground he abandoned, and of that through which he returned, protected by canals, redoubts, entrenchments and swamps on his right, and the river on his left, that I could not, without encountering a risk which true policy did not seem to require, or to authorize, attempt to annoy him much on his retreat&nbsp;... [I am of] the belief that Louisiana is now clear of its enemy."{{sfnp|James|1818|p=563-564}} }} The Chalmette battlefield was the plantation home of Ignace Martin de Lino (1755–1815), a Spanish veteran of the [[American Revolutionary War]].{{NoteTag|Marker inscription, 'Named for Ignace Francois Martin de Lino de Chalmet (1755-1815), veteran of the American Revolution. Attained the rank of captain of infantry in the Spanish Army; retired about 1794. Purchased plantations below New Orleans and began acquisition of properties in 1805, which would become the Chalmette Plantation stretching 22 arpents along the Mississippi River; main house, sugar mill and almost all out buildings destroyed in the Battle of New Orleans. Decisive engagement on January 8, 1815. Erected by: St. Bernard Tourist Commission.'{{sfnp|HMDb, ''Chalmette Plantation''|2016}}}} The British returned to where they had landed, a distance in excess of sixty miles. The final troops re-embarked on January 27.{{sfnp|James|1818|pp=387–388}}

The British fleet embarked the troops on February 4, 1815 and sailed toward Dauphin Island at [[Mobile Bay]] on February 7, 1815.{{sfnp|Gleig|1827|p=184–192}}{{sfnp|James|1818|p=391}} The army captured [[Fort Bowyer]] at the entrance to Mobile Bay on February 12. Preparations to attack Mobile were in progress when news arrived of the Treaty of Ghent. General Jackson also had made tentative plans to attack the British at Mobile and to continue the war into Spanish Florida. With Britain having ratified the treaty and the United States having resolved that hostilities should cease pending imminent ratification, the British departed, sailing to the West Indies.{{sfnp|Fraser|Laughton|1930|p=297}} The British government was determined on peace with the United States, and speculation that it planned to permanently seize the Louisiana Purchase has been rejected by historians.  Thus Carr concludes, "by the end of 1814 Britain had no interest in continuing the conflict for the possession of New Orleans or any other part of American territory, but rather, due to the European situation and her own domestic problems, was anxious to conclude hostilities as quickly and gracefully as possible."{{sfnmp|Carr|1979|1p=273–282|Mills|1921|2p=19-32}}

It would have been problematic for the British to continue the war in North America, due to [[Napoleon]]'s escape from Elba on February 26, 1815, which ensured their forces were needed in Europe.{{NoteTag|Per Lambert, "While Napoleon remained in power, few British soldiers could be spared for North America. Wellington was always looking for more manpower."{{sfnp|Lambert|2012|p=381}}}} General Lambert participated in the Battle of Waterloo, as did the 4th Foot.