Christmas Eve marks the anniversary of signing the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812. On December 24, 1814, in Ghent, Belgium, the United States and Great Britain came to terms ending two and a half years of fighting the War of 1812. The treaty restored relations between the two countries, paving the way for over two centuries of peace. Unfortunately, it took a month for news of the treaty to reach the United States during which time, American forces under Andrew Jackson won the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815, and the British won the Battle of Fort Bowyer.