Cochrane led the British force that won the Battle of Lake Borgne, in Louisiana, in December 1814 and also controlled the soldiers and marines on ships during the Battle of New Orleans. His forces built a hard short road to New Orleans for use by British armed forces. The British army was defeated at the Battle of New Orleans on 8 January 1815 and Cochrane received some criticism for his role in that loss, which prevented the British from gaining a foothold in the US.