Surrender at New Orleans

A history of the marriage of Sir Harry Smith to Lady Smith, who accompanied him on British military campaigns throughout the world in the 19th century.

General Sir Harry Smith, respected and beloved by the Duke of Wellington, famously married the Spanish beauty, Juana, after the siege of Badajoz in 1812. Juana choose to stay with her husband for the remaining battles of the Peninsula war. With the French defeated, Harry left with the British expedition to America in 1814, and witnessed the burning of the White House. Later, Harry joined Wellington’s brother-in-law, Ned Pakenham, in the invasion of Louisiana. On 8 January 1815, they attacked General Jackson’s well prepared positions protecting New Orleans. A resounding defeat for the British, in which Pakenham was killed, it fell to Harry to take part in the surrender to General Jackson, and then to convey the dismal news to London. Approaching England, he heard the dramatic news of Napoleon’s escape, which led to Harry and Juana’s breath-taking experience at Waterloo.

The book covers the extraordinary lives of Harry and Juana, including their achievements and legacy in South Africa, and Harry’s model victory in India in 1846, which made him a hero to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The outline of their lives may be known to many, but the details in this carefully researched book will come as a revelation.