Arsène Lacarrière Latour (1778-1837) was a French-born engineer and soldier. He served in the United States Army as General Andrew Jackson chief engineer during the Battle of New Orleans. After the War of 1812, Latour published Historical Memoir of the War in West Florida and Louisiana in 1814-1815, which remains a highly regarded eyewitness account of the war.
On December 23, 1814, when news came to New Orleans that the British were on the march, Andrew Jackson sent Arsène Latour and Howell Tatum to scout the British location as well as a spot to erect a field-works. Both agreed that the Rodriguez Canal was the best choice.During expedition, word came that the plantation of Gabriel Villeré had been taken. Tatum immediately returned to New Orleans to spread word; Latour continued on. He soon discovered that the British were bivoaced, and made notes of their positions. He then returned to New Orleans and met with Jackson.
Latour was quite arrogant about his own status as a Creole and an engineer, especially in relation to the largely Protestant Americans. However, he preferred them to the British.[1]