“Treaty of Peace; Results of the War: The great victory of New Orleans was won after peace had been made. A treaty had been signed at Ghent, Belgium, on December 24, 1814. But as only sailing vessels then crossed the ocean, and as about six weeks were required for the voyage, news of peace did not reach America until February, 1815.” First Book in United States History: Waddy Thompson, page 253: “A Victory after Peace: Brilliant as was the victory at New Orleans, it was won after peace had been made between the United States and Great Britain. Both sides having become tired of the War, a treaty of peace was signed in Belgium in December, 1814; while the Battle of New Orleans was fought on January 8, 1815. Steamboats did not then cross the Ocean, and no electric cable connected America with Europe, so news of the treaty did not reach America until a month after the Battle of New Orleans.” The American People: Muzzey, page 218: “Jackson, henceforth, the ‘Hero of New Orleans’ was rewarded in the following years by the command against the Indians of Florida (1817), the governorship of Florida territory (1821); a seat in the United States Senate (1823), and the Presidency of the United States (1829). If the Atlantic cable had existed in 1814, it would have brought the news of the treaty of peace in time to turn Pakenham’s expedition back from the Mississippi, to prevent the bloodiest battle that had ever been fought on American soil, and perhaps to keep from the pages of American history the administration of the most masterful of our Presidents between Washington and Lincoln.” CHAPTER IV. Falsehood Shown by the Records. The unanimity of view presented by these extracts from Tennessee adopted histories, gives justification for the assumption that the same view obtains throughout the United States. In partial extenuation of school historians and of Textbook Commissions, it may be said that they have followed the lead of most generally recognized historians. But any trusting follower of the pack leaders could have ascertained, without much trouble, that the battle of New Orleans was NOT fought after peace. It occurred fifteen days after the Treaty of Ghent had been signed by the Commissioners of the two interested nations, but expressly, by the terms of that treaty, it was not to be effective until ratified by both sides and ratification exchanged in Washington. Let us go to specific quotations. The Peace Treaty of Ghent, dated December 24, 1814, contained, as its first sentence, the following words: “All hostilities, both by sea and by land shall cease as soon as this treaty shall be ratified by both parties as hereinafter mentioned.”