Jackson boasted that he defeated Wellington's Invincibles and Conquered the Conquerors of Europe with his Victory at New Orleans (ignoring the Capture of Fort Boywer) so if so does that make the greatest Military Commander of the Napoleonic Wars 🤔
Just wondered what Peoples thoughts were on the subject ?
Some of the troops in Pakenham's command had served under Wellington in Spain and Portugal. And Jackson was a better commander than Pakenham. Wellington wanted his subordinates to obey above everything else. Personal initiative was frowned upon. Wellington was a micromanager as a commander, whereas Napoleon was not.
Jackson was not the best American general of the War of 1812. Alexander Macomb, Jacob Brown, and Winfield Scott were better commanders and generals than Jackson was as witness their overall performance on the northern frontier.
I wouldn't say the greatest commander of the period, no. To do that he would have had to have beaten Wellington whilst in command of those troops. Men in the front lines can only do so much. Where the commander deploys them is everything.