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diff --git a/25699.txt b/25699.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..da5648e --- /dev/null +++ b/25699.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7660 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Battle of New Orleans, by Zachary F. Smith + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Battle of New Orleans + including the Previous Engagements between the Americans + and the British, the Indians and the Spanish which led to + the Final Conflict on the 8th of January, 1815 + +Author: Zachary F. Smith + +Release Date: June 5, 2008 [EBook #25699] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS *** + + + + +Produced by Irma Spehar, Graeme Mackreth and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + +[Illustration: Z.F. SMITH. + +Member of the Filson Club] + + + + +FILSON CLUB PUBLICATIONS No. 19 + +THE + +Battle of New Orleans + +INCLUDING THE + +Previous Engagements between the Americans and the +British, the Indians, and the Spanish which +led to the Final Conflict on the +8th of January, 1815 + +BY + +ZACHARY F. SMITH + +Member of The Filson Club and Author of a History of Kentucky +and School Editions of the same + + +Illustrated + + +LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY +JOHN P. MORTON & COMPANY +PRINTERS TO THE FILSON CLUB +1904 + + + + +COPYRIGHTED BY +The Filson Club +and All Rights Reserved +1904 + + + + +PREFACE + + +In the preparation of the following account of the "Battle of New +Orleans," I have availed myself of all accessible authorities, and have +been placed under obligations to Colonel R.T. Durrett, of Louisville, +Kentucky. I have had free access to his library, which is the largest +private collection in this country, and embraces works upon almost every +subject. Besides general histories of the United States and of the +individual States, and periodicals, newspapers, and manuscripts, which +contain valuable information on the battle of New Orleans, his library +contains numerous works more specifically devoted to this subject. Among +these, to which I have had access, may be mentioned Notices of the War +of 1812, by John M. Armstrong, two volumes, New York, 1840; The Naval +History of Great Britain from 1783 to 1830, by Edward P. Brenton, two +volumes, London, 1834; History of the Late War, by H.M. Brackenridge, +Philadelphia, 1839; An Authentic History of the Second War for +Independence, by Samuel R. Brown, two volumes, Auburn, 1815; History of +the Late War by an American (Joseph Cushing), Baltimore, 1816; +Correspondence between General Jackson and General Adair as to the +Kentuckians charged by Jackson with inglorious flight, New Orleans, +1815; An Authentic History of the Late War, by Paris M. Davis, New York, +1836; A Narrative of the Campaigns of the British Army by an Officer +(George R. Gleig), Philadelphia, 1821; History of Louisiana, American +Dominion, by Charles Gayarre, New York, 1866; The Second War with +England, illustrated, by J.T. Headley, two volumes, New York, 1853; +History of the War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain, +by Rossiter Johnson, New York, 1882; The Pictorial Field-book of the War +of 1812, by Benjamin J. Lossing, New York, 1868; The War of 1812 in the +Western Country, by Robert B. McAfee, Lexington, Kentucky, 1816; +Historical Memoirs of the War of 1814-1815, by Major A. Lacarriere +Latour, Philadelphia, 1816; Messages of James Madison, President of the +United States, parts one and two, Albany, 1814; The Military Heroes of +the War of 1812, by Charles J. Peterson, Philadelphia, 1858; The Naval +War of 1812, by Theodore Roosevelt, New York, 1889; The History of the +War of 1812-15, by J. Russell, junior, Hartford, 1815; The Glory of +America, etc., by R. Thomas, New York, 1834; Historic Sketches of the +Late War, by John L. Thomson, Philadelphia, 1816; The Life of Andrew +Jackson, by Alexander Walker, Philadelphia, 1867; A Full and a Correct +Account of the Military Occurrences of the Late War between Great +Britain and the United States, by James Williams, two volumes, London, +1818. + +I have also been placed under obligations to Mr. William Beer, librarian +of the Howard Library of New Orleans, which has become a depository of +rare works touching the history of the South Mississippi Valley, and +especially relating to the War of 1812 and the battle of New Orleans. A +list of all the works in this library which Mr. Beer placed at my +disposal would be too long for insertion here, but the following may be +mentioned: Claiborne's Notes on the War in the South, Goodwin's +Biography of Andrew Jackson, Reid and Easten's Life of General Jackson, +Nolte's Fifty Years in Both Hemispheres, Report of Committee on +Jackson's Warrant for Closing the Halls of the Legislature of Louisiana, +The Madison Papers, Ingersoll's Historic Sketch of the Second War +between Great Britain and the United States, Cooke's Seven Campaigns in +the Peninsula, Hill's Recollections of an Artillery Officer, Coke's +History of the Rifle Brigade, Diary of Private Timewell, and Cooke's +Narrative of Events. No one would do justice to himself or his subject +if he should write a history of the battle of New Orleans without +availing himself of the treasures of the Howard Library. + + +Z.F. SMITH. + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +England was apparently more liberal than Spain or France when, in the +treaty of 1783, she agreed to the Mississippi River as the western +boundary of the United States. Spain was for limiting the territory of +the new republic on the west to the crest of the Alleghany Mountains, so +as to secure to her the opportunity of conquering from England the +territory between the mountains and the Great River. Strangely enough +and inconsistently enough, France supported Spain in this outrageous +effort to curtail the territory of the new republic after she had helped +the United States to conquer it from England, or rather after General +Clark had wrested it from England for the colony of Virginia, and while +Virginia was still in possession of it. The seeming liberality of +England, however, may not have been more disinterested than the scheming +of Spain and France in this affair. England did not believe that the +United States could exist as a permanent government, but that the +confederated States would disintegrate and return to her as colonies. +The King of England said as much when the treaty was made. If, then, +the States were to return to England as colonies, the more territory +they might bring with them the better, and hence a large grant was +acknowledged in the treaty of peace. The acts of England toward the +United States after acknowledging their independence indicate that the +fixing of the western boundary on the Mississippi had as much +selfishness as liberality, if indeed it was not entirely selfish. + +The ink was scarcely dry upon the parchment which bore evidence of the +ratified treaty of 1783 when the mother country began acts of hostility +and meanness against her children who had separated from her and begun a +political life for themselves. When the English ships of war, which had +blockaded New York for seven long years, sailed out of the harbor and +took their course toward the British Isles, instead of hauling down +their colors from the flagstaff of Fort George, they left them flying +over the fortification, and tried to prevent them from being removed by +chopping down all the cleats for ascent, and greasing the pole so that +no one could climb to the top and pull down the British flag or replace +it by the colors of the United States. An agile sailor boy, named Van +Arsdale, who had probably ascended many trees in search of bird's nests, +and clambered up the masts of ships until he had become an expert +climber, nailed new cleats to the flagstaff and climbed to its summit, +bearing with him the flag of the new republic. When he reached the top +he cut down the British flag and suspended that of the United States. +This greasy trick may have been the act of some wag of the retiring +fleet, and might have been taken for a joke had it not been followed by +hostile acts which indicated that this was the initial step in a long +course of hostility and meanness. + +But it was soon followed by the retention of the lake forts which fell +into British hands during the Revolutionary War, and which, by the terms +of the treaty, were to be surrendered. Instead of surrendering them +according to the stipulations of the treaty, they held them, and not +only occupied them for thirteen years, but used them as storehouses and +magazines from which the Indians were fed and clothed and armed and +encouraged to tomahawk and scalp Americans without regard to age or sex. +And then followed a series of orders in council, by which the commerce +of the United States was almost swept from the seas, and their sailors +forcibly taken from American ships to serve on British. These orders in +council were so frequent that it seemed as if the French on one side of +the British Channel and the English on the other were hurling decrees +and orders at one another for their own amusement while inflicting dire +injuries on other nations, and especially the Americans. + +Had it not been for these hostile acts of the British there would have +been no War of 1812. Had they continued to treat the young republic with +the justice and liberality to which they agreed in fixing its western +boundary in the treaty of 1783, no matter what their motive may have +been, there would have been no cause for war between the two countries. +The Americans had hardly recovered from the wounds inflicted in the +Revolutionary War. They were too few and too weak and too poor to go to +war with such a power as England, and moreover wanted a continuance of +the peace by which they were adding to the population and wealth of +their country. What they had acquired in the quarter of a century since +the end of the Revolutionary War was but little in comparison with the +accumulations of England during long centuries, and they were not +anxious to risk their all in a conflict with such a power; but young and +weak and few as they were, they belonged to that order of human beings +who hold their rights and their honor in such high regard that they can +not continuously be insulted and injured without retaliation. The time +came when they resolved to bear the burdens of war rather than submit to +unjustice and dishonor. + +In the French and Indian war which preceded the Revolution there was +fighting for some time before a formal declaration of war. The English +drove the French traders from the Ohio Valley, and the French forced out +the English while the two nations were at peace. The French chassed from +one of their forts to another with fiddles instead of drums, and the +English with fowling-pieces instead of muskets rambled over the forest, +but they sometimes met and introduced each other to acts of war while a +state of hostility was acknowledged by neither. Something like a similar +state of things preceded the War of 1812. Tecumseh was at work trying to +unite all the tribes of Indians in one grand confederacy, ostensibly to +prevent them from selling their lands to the Americans, but possibly for +the purpose of war. While he was at this work his brother, the Prophet, +had convinced the Indians that he had induced the Great Spirit to make +them bullet-proof, and the English so encouraged them with food and +clothing and arms that they believed they were able to conquer the +Americans, and began to carry on hostilities against them without any +formal declaration of war by either party. The battle of Tippecanoe, +which came of this superstition among the Indians and this encouragement +from England, may be considered the first clash of arms in the War of +1812. The English took no open or active part in this battle, but their +arms and ammunition and rations were in it, and after it was lost the +Indians went to the English and became their open allies when the War of +1812 really began. Whether the English were allies of the Indians or the +Indians allies of the English, they fought and bled and died and were +conquered together after the initial conflict at Tippecanoe, in 1811, to +the final battle at New Orleans in 1815, which crowned the American arms +with a glory never to fade. + +The Filson Club, whose broad field of work in history, literature, +science, and art is hardly indicated by the name of the first historian +of Kentucky, which it bears, has deemed three of the battles which were +fought during the War of 1812 as the most important of the many that +were waged. These three were, first, the battle of Tippecanoe, regarded +as the opening scene of the bloody drama; second, the battle of the +Thames, by which the power of the British was crushed in the west and +northwest, and third, the battle of New Orleans, which ended the war in +a glorious victory for the Americans. The Club determined to have the +history of these three battles written and filed among its archives, and +to have the matter published for the benefit of the public. Hence, the +task was undertaken by three different members of the Club. + +The first of these, "The Battle of Tippecanoe," was prepared for the +Club by Captain Alfred Pirtle, and published in 1900 as Filson Club +Publication Number 15. It is an illustrated quarto of one hundred and +sixty-seven pages, which gives a detailed account of the battle of +Tippecanoe and the acts of the Indians and British which led to it and +the important consequences which followed. The names of the officers and +soldiers, and especially those of Kentucky who were engaged in it, are +given so far as could be ascertained, and the book is a historic record +of this battle, full enough and faithful enough to furnish the reader +with all of the important facts. + +The second, "The Battle of the Thames," the 5th of October, 1813, was +undertaken by Colonel Bennett H. Young, and appeared in 1903 as the +eighteenth publication of the Filson Club. It is an elaborately +illustrated quarto of two hundred and eighty-six pages, and presents a +detailed account of the acts which led up to the main battle and the +engagements by land and water which preceded it. It contains a list of +all the Kentuckians who as officers and privates were in the battle. The +reader who seeks information about this battle need look no further than +its pages. + +The third and last of these important battles occurred at New Orleans +the 8th of January, 1815. Its history was prepared for the Club by Mr. +Z.F. Smith, and now appears as Filson Club Publication Number Nineteen, +for the year 1904. It is an illustrated quarto in the adopted style of +the Club, which has been so much admired for its antique paper and +beautiful typography. It sets forth with fullness and detail the +hostilities which preceded and led to the main battle, and gives such a +clear description of the final conflict by the assistance of charts as +to enable the reader to understand the maneuvers of both sides and to +virtually see the battle as it progressed from the beginning to the end. +This battle ended the War of 1812, and when the odds against the +Americans are considered, it must be pronounced one of the greatest +victories ever won upon the battlefield. The author, Mr. Z.F. Smith, was +an old-line Whig, and was taught to hate Jackson as Henry Clay, the +leader of the Whigs, hated him, but he has done the old hero full +justice in this narrative, and has assigned him full honors of one of +the greatest victories ever won. Although his sympathies were with +General Adair, a brother Kentuckian, he takes up the quarrel between him +and General Jackson and does Jackson full and impartial justice. If +Jackson had been as unprejudiced against Adair as the author against +Jackson, there would have been nothing like a stain left upon the +escutcheon of the Kentuckians who abandoned the fight on the west bank +of the Mississippi because it was their duty to get out of it rather +than be slaughtered like dumb brutes who neither see impending danger +nor reason about the mistakes of superiors and the consequences. He who +reads the account of the battle of New Orleans which follows this +introduction will know more about that battle than he knew before, or +could have learned from any other source in so small a compass. + + R.T. DURRETT, + + _President of The Filson Club_. + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + + PAGE + +The Author, _Frontispiece_ + +Seat of War in Louisiana and Florida, 8 + +Position of the American and British Armies near New +Orleans on the 8th of January, 1815, 24 + +Battle of New Orleans, on the 8th of January, 1815, 56 + +General Andrew Jackson, 72 + +General John Adair, 112 + +Governor Isaac Shelby, 164 + +Colonel Gabriel Slaughter, 174 + + + + +THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS + +GULF COAST CAMPAIGN, PRECEDING THE FINAL STRUGGLE. + + +On the 26th of November, 1814, a fleet of sixty great ships weighed +anchor, unfurled their sails, and put to sea, as the smoke lifted and +floated away from a signal gun aboard the Tonnant, the flagship of +Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane, from Negril Bay, on the coast of +Jamaica. Nearly one half of these vessels were formidable warships, the +best of the English navy, well divided between line-of-battle ships of +sixty-four, seventy-four, and eighty guns, frigates of forty to fifty +guns, and sloops and brigs of twenty to thirty guns each. In all, one +thousand pieces of artillery mounted upon the decks of these frowned +grimly through as many port-holes, bidding defiance to the navies of the +world and safely convoying over thirty transports and provisioning +ships, bearing every equipment for siege or battle by sea and for a +formidable invasion of an enemy's country by land. Admiral Cochrane, in +chief command, and Admiral Malcombe, second in command, were veteran +officers whose services and fame are a part of English history. + +On board of this fleet was an army and its retinue, computed by good +authorities to number fourteen thousand men, made up mainly of the +veteran troops of the British military forces recently operating in +Spain and France, trained in the campaigns and battles against Napoleon +through years of war, and victors in the end in these contests. Major +Latour, Chief Engineer of General Jackson's army, in his "Memoirs of the +War in Florida and Louisiana in 1814-15," has carefully compiled from +British official sources a detailed statement of the regiments, corps, +and companies which constituted the army of invasion under Pakenham, at +New Orleans, as follows: + + Fourth Regiment-- + King's Own, Lieutenant-colonel Brooks 750 + + Seventh Regiment-- + Royal Fusileers, Lieutenant-colonel Blakency 850 + + Fourteenth Regiment-- + Duchess of York's Own, Lieutenant-colonel Baker 350 + + Twenty-first Regiment-- + Royal Fusileers, Lieutenant-colonel Patterson 900 + + Fortieth Regiment-- + Somersetshire, Lieutenant-colonel H. Thornton 1,000 + + Forty-third Regiment-- + Monmouth Light Infantry, Lieutenant-colonel Patrickson 850 + + Forty-fourth Regiment-- + East Essex, Lieutenant-colonel Mullen 750 + + Eighty-fifth Regiment-- + Buck Volunteers, Lieutenant-colonel Wm. Thornton 650 + + Ninety-third Regiment-- + Highlanders, Lieutenant-colonel Dale 1,100 + + Ninety-fifth Regiment-- + Rifle Corps, Major Mitchell 500 + + First Regiment-- + West India (colored), Lieutenant-colonel Whitby 700 + + Fifth Regiment-- + West India (colored), Lieutenant-colonel Hamilton 700 + + A detachment from the Sixty-second Regiment 350 + + Rocket Brigade, Artillery, Engineers, Sappers and + Miners 1,500 + + Royal Marines and sailors from the fleet 3,500 + ------ + Total 14,450 + +Including artillerists, marines, and others, seamen of the ships' crews +afloat, there were not fewer than eighteen thousand men, veterans in the +service of their country in the lines of their respective callings, to +complete the equipment of this powerful armada. + +At the head of this formidable army of invasion were Lord Edward +Pakenham, commander-in-chief; Major-general Samuel Gibbs, commanding the +first, Major-general John Lambert, the second, and Major-general John +Keene, the third divisions, supported by subordinate officers, than whom +none living were braver or more skilled in the science and practice of +war. Nearly all had learned their lessons under the great Wellington, +the conqueror of Napoleon. Since 1588, when the combined naval and +military forces of England were summoned to repel the attempted invasion +and conquest of that country by the Spanish Armada, the British +Government had not often fitted out and sent against an enemy a combined +armament so powerful and so costly as that which rendezvoused in the +tropical waters of Negril Bay in the latter autumn days of 1814. Even +the fleet of Nelson at the Battle of the Nile, sixteen years before, +where he won victory and immortal honors by the destruction of the +formidable French fleet, was far inferior in number of vessels, in +ordnance, and in men to that of Admiral Cochrane on this expedition. The +combined equipment cost England forty millions of dollars. + +In October and November of this year, the marshaling of belligerent +forces by sea and land from the shores of Europe and America, with +orders to rendezvous at a favorable maneuvering point in the West +Indies, caused much conjecture as to the object in view. That the War +Department of the English Government meditated a winter campaign +somewhere upon the southern coasts of the United States was a common +belief; that an invasion of Louisiana and the capture and occupation of +New Orleans was meant, many surmised. For reasons of State policy, the +object of the expedition in view was held a secret until the day of +setting sail. Now it was disclosed by those in command that New Orleans +was the objective point, and officers and men were animated with the +hope that, in a few weeks more, they would be quartered for the winter +in the subjugated capital of Louisiana, with a dream that the coveted +territory might be occupied and permanently held as a possession of the +British Empire. + +The Government at Washington was advised that, during the summer and +early autumn months of 1814, our implacable enemy was engaged in +preparations for a renewal of hostilities on a scale of magnitude and +activity beyond anything attempted since the war began; but it seemed +not fully to interpret the designs and plans of the British leaders. +Especially unfortunate, and finally disastrous to the American arms, was +the inaptness and inertness of the Secretary of War, General Armstrong, +in failing to adopt, promptly and adequately, measures to meet the +emergency. For almost a year after the destruction of the English fleet +on Lake Erie by Commodore Perry, and of the English army at the battle +of the Thames by General Harrison, a period of comparative repose ensued +between the belligerents. The British Government was too much absorbed +in delivering the _coup-de-main_ to the great Napoleon to give attention +to America. But her opportunity came. The allied powers defeated and +decimated the armies of the French Emperor, and forced him to capitulate +in his own capital. On the 3d of March, 1814, they entered Paris. On the +eleventh of May Napoleon abdicated, and was sent an exile to Elba. + +England was at peace with all Europe. Her conquering armies and fleets +would be idle for an indefinite period; yet, it would be premature to +disband the former or to dismantle the latter. Naturally, attention +turned to the favorable policy of employing these vast and ready +resources for the chastisement and humiliation of her American enemies, +as a fit closing of the war and punishment for their rebellious +defiance. Under orders, the troops in France and Spain were marched to +Bordeaux and placed in a camp of concentration, from which they were +debarked in fleets down the river Garonne, and across the Atlantic to +their destinations in America. An English officer with these troops +expressed the sentiment of the soldiers and seamen, and of the average +citizen of England at this time, in this language: "It was the general +opinion that a large proportion of the Peninsular army would be +transported to the other side of the Atlantic, that the war would there +be carried on with vigor, and that no terms of accommodation would be +listened to, except such as a British general should dictate in the +Republican Senate." + +Overtures for the negotiation-of a treaty of peace had been interchanged +between the two nations at war as early as January. By April the +American Commissioners were in Europe, though the arrival of the English +Commissioners at Ghent for final deliberations was delayed until August. +Meanwhile, several thousands of these Peninsular troops were transported +to reinforce the army in Canada. On the sixteenth of August a small +fleet of British vessels in Chesapeake Bay was reinforced by thirty sail +under the command of Admirals Cochrane and Malcombe, one half of which +were ships of war. A large part of this flotilla moved up the Potomac +and disembarked about six thousand men, under command of General Ross. +The battle of Bladensburg was fought on the twenty-fourth, followed +immediately by the capture of Washington and the burning of the +Government buildings there. A few days after, the combined naval and +military British forces were defeated in an attack on Baltimore, General +Ross, commander-in-chief, being among the slain. About the same date, +Commodore McDonough won a great and crushing victory over the English +fleet on Lake Champlain, while the British army of fourteen thousand +men, under Sir George Prevost, was signally defeated by the Americans, +less than seven thousand in number, at Plattsburg, on the border of New +York. + +Such was the military situation in the first month of autumn, 1814. +Seemingly, the British plenipotentiaries had a motive in reserve for +delaying the negotiations for peace. England yet looked upon the United +States as her wayward prodigal, and conjured many grievances against the +young nation that had rebuked her cruel insolence and pride in two wars. +She nursed a spirit of imperious and bitter revenge. A London organ, +recently before, had said: "In diplomatic circles it is rumored that our +military and naval commanders in America have no power to conclude any +armistice or suspension of arms. Terms will be offered to the American +Government at the point of the bayonet. America will be left in a much +worse situation as a commercial and naval power than she was at the +commencement of the war." + +[Illustration: SEAT OF WAR. LOUISIANA & FLORIDA] + +The reverses to the British arms on Lake Champlain, at Plattsburg, and +at Baltimore, virtually ended hostilities in the Northern States for the +remaining period of the war. Winter approaching, all belligerent +forces that could be marshaled would be transferred to the waters of +the Gulf for operations on the coast there. The malice and wanton +barbarity of the English in burning the national buildings and property +at Washington, in the destruction and loot of houses, private and +public, on the shores of the Chesapeake and Atlantic, and in repeated +military outrages unjustified by the laws of civilized warfare, had +fully aroused the Government and the citizenship to the adoption of +adequate measures of defense for the Northern and Eastern States. It was +too late, however, to altogether repair the injuries done to the army of +the Southwest by the tardiness and default of the head of the War +Department, which, as General Jackson said in an official report, +threatened defeat and disaster to his command at New Orleans. Indignant +public sentiment laid the blame of the capture of Washington, and of the +humiliating disasters there, to the same negligence and default of this +official, which led to his resignation soon after. + + +GENERAL JACKSON ASSUMES COMMAND OF THE SEVENTH MILITARY DISTRICT OF +THE SOUTHWEST. + +General Andrew Jackson had, in July, 1814, been appointed a +major-general in the United States army, and assigned the command of the +Southern department, with headquarters at Mobile. His daring and +successful campaigns against the Indian allies of the British the year +previous had won for him the confidence of the Government and of the +people, and distinguished him as the man fitted for the emergency. At +the beginning of the war British emissaries busily sought to enlist, +arm, and equip all the Indians of the Southern tribes whom they could +disaffect, as their allies, and to incite them to a war of massacre, +pillage, and destruction against the white settlers, as they did with +the savage tribes north of the Ohio River. In this they were +successfully aided by Tecumseh, the Shawanee chief, and his brother, the +Prophet. These were sons of a Creek mother and a Shawanee brave. By +relationship, and by the rude eloquence of the former and the mystic +arts and incantations of the latter, they brought into confederacy with +Northern tribes--which they had organized as allies of the English in a +last hope of destroying American power in the West--almost the entire +Creek nation. These savages, though at peace under treaty and largely +supported by the fostering aid of our Government, began hostilities +after their usual methods of indiscriminate massacre and marauding +destruction, regardless of age or sex or condition, against the exposed +settlers. The latter sought refuge as they could in the rude stockade +stations, but feebly garrisoned. At Fort Mims, on the Alabama River, +nearly three hundred old men and women and children, with a small +garrison of soldiers, were captured in a surprise attack by a large body +of warriors, and all massacred in cold blood. This atrocious outbreak +aroused the country, and led to speedy action for defense and terrible +chastisement for the guilty perpetrators. The British officers offered +rewards for scalps brought in, as under Proctor in the Northwest, and +many scalps of men and women murdered were exchanged for this horrible +blood-money. + +In October, 1813, General Jackson led twenty-five hundred Tennessee +militia, who had been speedily called out, into the Creek country in +Alabama. A corps of one thousand men from Georgia, and another of +several hundred from the territory of Mississippi, invaded the same from +different directions. Sanguinary battles with the savages were fought by +Jackson's command at Tallasehatche, Talladega, Hillabee, Autosse, +Emuckfau, Tohopeka, and other places, with signal success to the +American arms in every instance. The villages and towns of the enemy +were burned, their fields and gardens laid waste, and the survivors +driven to the woods and swamps. Not less than five thousand of the great +Ocmulgee nation perished in this war, either in battle or from the +ruinous results of their treachery after. Nearly one thousand of the +border settlers were sacrificed, one half of whom were women and +children or other non-combatants, the victims of the malignant designs +and arts of British emissaries. The chief of the Creeks sued for peace, +and terms were negotiated by General Jackson on the 14th of August, +1814. + +From his headquarters at Mobile, in September, 1814, General Jackson, +with sleepless vigilance, was anticipating and watching the movements of +the British upon the Gulf coast, and marshaling his forces to resist any +attack. There had been reported to him the arrival of a squadron of nine +English ships in the harbor of Pensacola. Spain was at peace with our +country, and it was due that the Spanish commandant of Florida, yet a +province of Spain, should observe a strict neutrality pending +hostilities. Instead of this comity of good faith and friendship, the +Spanish officials had permitted this territory to become a refuge for +the hostile Indians. Here they could safely treat with the British +agents, from whom they received the implements of war, supplies of food +and clothing, and the pay and emoluments incident to their services as +allies in war. In violation of the obligations of neutrality, the +Spanish officials not only tolerated this trespass on the territory of +Florida, but, truckling to the formidable power and prestige of the +great English nation, they dared openly to insult our own Government by +giving aid and encouragement to our enemy in their very capital. + +The most important and accessible point in Spanish Florida was +Pensacola. Here the Governor, Gonzalez Maurequez, held court and +dispensed authority over the province. The pride of the Spaniards in the +old country and in Florida and Louisiana was deeply wounded over the +summary sale of the territory of Louisiana by Napoleon to the United +States in 1803; recalling the compulsory cession of the same to France +by Spain in 1800. Naturally they resented with spirit what they deemed +an indignity to the honor and sovereignty of their nation. The Spanish +minister at Washington entered a solemn protest against the transaction; +questions of boundaries soon after became a continuing cause of +irritating dispute. The Dons contended that all east of the Mississippi +River was Florida territory and subject to their jurisdiction. A +military demonstration by General Wilkinson, then in command of the army +of the Southwest, was ordered from Washington, opposition awed into +silence, and the transfer made. In brief time after the boundaries of +Florida were fixed on the thirty-first degree of north latitude, and +east of a line near to the present boundary between Louisiana and +Mississippi. Previously Mobile was the seat of government for Florida, +but American aggression made the removal of the Government to Pensacola +compulsory, and gave an additional cause of grievance to our sensitive +neighbors. Under British auspices and promises of protection, the +Governor displayed his resentment. + +To confirm the report that came to him at Mobile of the arrival of an +English squadron in Pensacola Bay, and of treacherous aid and comfort +being given by the Spanish Governor, Jackson sent as spies some friendly +Indians to the scene of operations, with instructions to furtively +observe all that could be seen and known, and report to him the +information. It was confirmed that the ships were in the harbor, and +that a camp of English soldiers was in the town; that a considerable +body of Indian recruits had been armed and were being drilled, and that +runners had been dispatched to the country to invite and bring others to +the coast to join them as comrades in arms. A few days after, a friendly +courier brought news that several hundred marines had landed from the +ships, that Colonel Nichols in command and his staff were guests of +Governor Maurequez, and that the British flag was floating with the flag +of Spain over one of the Spanish forts. + +An order issued about this time by Colonel Nichols to his troops, +followed by a proclamation to the people of Louisiana and Kentucky, +revealed in visible outlines something of the purposes and plans of the +menacing armaments. He advised his command that the troops would +probably soon be called upon to endure long and tedious marches through +forests and swamps in an enemy's country, and exhorted them to +conciliate their Indian allies and "never to give them just cause of +offense." He addressed the most inflammatory appeals to the national +pride and prejudices of the French people of Louisiana, and to supposed +discontented citizens of Kentucky, whose grievances had grown out of +their neglect by the National Government or been engendered by the arts +of designing politicians and adventurers. + + +BATTLE AT MOBILE BAY--THE BRITISH REPULSED. + +General Jackson strongly suspected that Louisiana would be invaded, and +that New Orleans was designed to be the main and final point of attack. +Yet he was led to believe that the British would attempt the capture of +Mobile first, for strategic reasons. Early in September he reinforced +the garrison of Fort Bowyer, situated thirty miles south of Mobile. This +fortification, mounting twenty cannon, commanded the entrance to the +harbor. It was garrisoned by one hundred and thirty men, under the +command of Major William Lawrence. On the fifteenth of September the +attack was made by a squadron of four ships of war, assisted by a land +force of seven hundred marines and Indians. Though the enemy mounted +ninety-two pieces of artillery, in the assault made they were defeated +and driven off to sea again, with a loss of two hundred killed and +wounded, the flagship of the commander sent to the bottom, and the +remaining ships seriously damaged. + + +ASSAULT AND CAPTURE OF PENSACOLA, THE SPANISH CAPITAL OF +FLORIDA--THE BRITISH DRIVEN TO SEA. + +Incensed at the open and continued violations of neutrality by the +Spanish Governor, who had permitted Pensacola to be made a recruiting +camp for the arming and drilling of their Indian allies by the British, +General Jackson determined to march his army against this seat of +government, and to enforce the observance of neutrality on the part of +the Spanish commandant at the point of the bayonet if need be. He had +removed his headquarters to Fort Montgomery, where by the first of +November his command consisted of one thousand regular troops and two +thousand militia, mainly from Tennessee and Mississippi--in all, about +three thousand men. With these he set out for Pensacola, and on the +evening of the sixth of November encamped within two miles of the town. +He sent in Major Peire, bearing a flag of truce to the Governor, with a +message that Pensacola must no longer be a refuge and camp for the +enemies of the United States, and that the town must be surrendered, +together with the forts. The messenger was fired on and driven back from +Fort St. Michael, over which the British flag had been floating jointly +with the flag of Spain. The firing was done by British troops harbored +within. Governor Maurequez disavowed knowledge of the outrage, but +refused to surrender his authority. The next morning the intrepid +Jackson entered the town and carried by storm its defenses, the British +retreating to their ships and putting off to sea. Fort Barrancas was +blown up by the enemy, to prevent the Americans from turning its guns +upon the escaping British vessels. The Spanish commandant made profuse +apologies, and pledged that he would in future observe a strict +neutrality. + +Jackson, fearing another attempt to capture Mobile by the retiring +fleet, withdrew from Pensacola and marched for the former place, +arriving there on the eleventh of November. At Mobile, messengers from +those in highest authority at New Orleans met him, urging that he +hasten there with his army and at once begin measures for the defense of +that city. Information had been received by W.C. Claiborne, then +Governor of Louisiana, from a highly credited source--most unexpected, +but most fortunate and welcome--that the vast British armament of ships +and men rendezvousing in the West Indies was about ready to sail, and +that New Orleans was assuredly the objective point of the expedition. + + +LAFITTE, THE PIRATE OF THE GULF, AND HIS SEA-ROVERS, LOYAL TO THE +AMERICAN CAUSE. + +The informant was the celebrated Captain Jean Lafitte, the leader of the +reputed pirates of the Gulf, who had been outlawed by an edict of our +Government. The circumstances were so romantic, and displayed such a +patriotic love for and loyalty to our country, that they are worthy of +brief mention. As Byron wrote, he + + Left a corsair's name to other times, + Linked with one virtue and a thousand crimes. + +But this does injustice to these _marauders of the sea_, who put in a +plea of extenuation. The disparity of their virtues and their crimes is +overwrought in the use of poetic license. Before the period of the +conquest of Guadeloupe by the English, the French Government in force +on that island had granted permits to numerous privateersmen to prey +upon the commerce of the enemy, as our own Government had done in two +wars. Now they could no longer enter the ports of that or of any other +of the West India islands, with their prizes and cargoes. Lafitte and +his daring sea-rovers made of the Bay of Barataria, on the Gulf coast +sixty miles south of New Orleans, a place of rendezvous and headquarters +for their naval and commercial adventures. From this point they had +ready and almost unobserved communication by navigable bayous with New +Orleans and the marts beyond. They formed a sequestered colony on the +shores of Barataria, and among the bold followers of Lafitte there were +nearly one hundred men skilled in navigation, expert in the use of +artillery, and familiar with every bay and inlet within one hundred +miles of the Crescent City. Their services, if attainable, might be made +invaluable in the invasion and investment of New Orleans contemplated by +the British, who through their spies kept well informed of the +conditions of the environment of the city. The time seemed opportune to +win them over. If not pirates under our laws, they were smugglers who +found it necessary to market the rich cargoes they captured and brought +in as privateersmen. Barred out by other nations, New Orleans was +almost the lone market for their wares and for their distribution +inland. Many merchants and traders favored this traffic, and had grown +rich in doing so, despite the severity of our revenue laws against +smuggling and the protests of other nations with whom we were friendly. + +One of the Lafitte brothers and other leaders of the outlawed community +were under arrest and held for trial in the Federal Court at New Orleans +at this time. From Pensacola, Colonel Nichols sent Captains Lockyer, of +the navy, and Williams, of the army, as emissaries to offer to the +Baratarian outlaws the most enticing terms and the most liberal rewards, +provided they would enlist in the service of the British in their +invasion of Louisiana. Lafitte received them cautiously, but +courteously. He listened to their overtures, and feigned deep interest +in their mission. Having fully gained their confidence, they delivered +to him sealed packages from Colonel Nichols himself, offering thirty +thousand dollars in hand, high commissions in the English service for +the officers, and liberal pay for the men, on condition that the +Baratarians would ally themselves with the British forces. After the +reading of these documents, the emissaries began to enlarge on the +subject, insisting on the great advantages to result on enlisting in the +service of his Britannic Majesty, and the opportunity afforded of +acquiring fame and fortune. They were imprudent enough to disclose to +Lafitte the purpose and plans of the great English flotilla in the +waters of the Gulf, now ready to enter upon their execution. The army of +invasion, supported by the navy of England, would be invincible, and all +lower Louisiana would soon be in the possession of the British. They +would then penetrate the upper country, and act in concert with the +forces in Canada. On plausible pretexts the emissaries were delayed for +a day or two, and then returned to their ship lying at anchor outside +the pass into the harbor. Lafitte lost little time in visiting New +Orleans and laying before Governor Claiborne the letters of Colonel +Nichols and the sensational information he had received from the British +envoys. + +It was this intelligence which was borne in haste to General Jackson at +Mobile, by the couriers mentioned previously. The Lafittes promptly +tendered the services of themselves, their officers, and their men, in a +body to the American army, and pledged to do all in their power, by sea +and land, to defeat and repel the invading enemy, on condition that the +Government would accept their enlistment, pardon them of all offenses, +and remove from over them the ban of outlawry. This was all finally +done, and no recruits of Jackson's army rendered more gallant and +effective service, for their numbers, in the stirring campaign that +followed. They outclassed the English gunners in artillery practice, and +showed themselves to be veterans as marines or soldiers. + +On receipt of this information of Lafitte, confirmed from other secret +and reliable sources, the citizens were aroused. A mass-meeting was held +in New Orleans and a Committee of Safety appointed, composed of Edward +Livingston, Pierre Fouchet, De la Croix, Benjamin Morgan, Dominique +Bouligny, J.A. Destrahan, John Blanque, and Augustine Macarte, who acted +in concert with Governor Claiborne, and with the Legislature called into +session. + + +JACKSON ARRIVES IN NEW ORLEANS. + +General Jackson left Mobile on the twenty-first of November and arrived +with his little army at New Orleans on the second of December, and +established headquarters at 984 (now 406) Royal Street. He found the +city well-nigh defenseless, while petty factions divided the councils of +leaders and people, especially rife among the members of the +Legislature. There was, incident to recent changes of sovereignties and +conditions of nationalities, serious disaffection on the part of a most +respectable element of the population of Louisiana and Florida toward +the American Government. The French and Spaniards, who mainly composed +the population, intensely loved their native countries with a patriotic +pride. They knew allegiance to no other, until a few years before, by +the arbitrary edicts of Napoleon, all of Louisiana was sold and +transferred to the United States. Other causes of irritation added to +the bitterness of resentment felt by the old Spanish element. Spain +tenaciously insisted on enforcing her claims of sovereignty to all +territory from the east bank of the Mississippi to the Perdido River, on +the east line of Alabama. But the American settlers within the same +became turbulent, and in October, 1810, these bold bordermen organized a +filibustering force of some strength, captured and took possession of +Baton Rouge, killing Commandant Grandpre, who yet asserted there the +authority of Spain. When Congress met, in December, 1810, an act was +passed in secret session authorizing the President to take military +possession of the disputed coast country in certain contingencies. Under +orders from Washington, General Wilkinson, with a force of six hundred +regulars, marched against Mobile, took possession of the Spanish fort, +Charlotte, and caused the garrison to withdraw to Pensacola. + +This precipitate action--the British envoy protesting against such +informal occupation--was justified at home on the plea of strong grounds +of suspicion that England herself might suddenly assert sovereignty over +the same territory under secret treaty with Spain. Amid these rude and +revolutionary proceedings, all within a decade of years, necessarily +there followed a tumult of differing sentiment and contentions among the +Spanish, French, and American people of the section. Fortunately the +French element were of a nativity whose country had been for generations +the inveterate enemy of the English, our common foe. If there were any +who felt resentment before over the enforced change of allegiance from +beloved France to the stranger sovereignty, when the crisis of campaign +and battle came none were more gallant and brave in meeting the invading +enemy. + +On the ninth of December the great English flotilla appeared off +Chandeleur Islands, and came to anchor near to Ship Island, the +shallowness of the water not permitting the nearer approach to the main +shore of vessels so large. The British authorities yet believed that the +destination of this fleet was unknown to the Americans ashore; but in +this they were mistaken, as they afterward admitted. The inadequacy of +men and means and measures to properly meet and repel such an +invading force, as mentioned before, was mainly due to the tardy +negligence of the department at Washington. The sleepless vigilance and +untiring energy of General Jackson was in marked contrast to this, not +only within his own military jurisdiction, but in the whole region +around. His trusty spies, pale and dusky, were everywhere, and little +escaped his attention. The situation was now critical in the extreme. +Fortunately, the unbounded confidence all had in their military chief +inspired hope and infused energy among the people. He had never been +defeated in battle. If any one could wrest victory now out of the +inauspicious and chaotic conditions that threatened disaster, they +believed it to be General Jackson. + +[Illustration] + +Marvelous was the change wrought by his timely appearance on the theater +of active operations. The partial attempts to adopt measures of defense +were of little avail. The joint committee of the Legislature to act in +concert with Governor Claiborne, Commodore Patterson, and the military +commandant, had done but little as yet. There was wanting the +concentration of power always needed in military operations. Latour, in +his "Memoirs of the War of 1814-15," graphically describes the condition +of affairs as he saw and knew them to exist: + + Confidence was wanting in the civil and military authorities, and a + feeling of distrust and gloomy apprehension pervaded the minds of the + citizens. Petty disputes on account of two committees of defense, + unfortunately countenanced by the presence and influence of several + public officials, had driven the people to despondency. They + complained, not without cause, that the Legislature wasted time, and + consumed the money of the State, in idle discussions, when both time + and money should have been devoted to measures of defense. The banks + had suspended payment of their notes, and credit was gone. The + moneyed men had drawn in their funds, and loaned their money at the + ruinous rates of three or four per cent per month. The situation + seemed desperate; in case of attack, none could hope to be saved only + by miracle, or by the wisdom and genius of a great commander. + +After his habit of giving his personal attention to every detail, +General Jackson, on his arrival, visited Fort St. Philip, ordered the +wooden barracks removed, and had mounted additional heavy artillery. He +caused two more batteries to be constructed, one on the opposite bank of +the Mississippi, and the other half a mile above, with twenty-four +pounders in position, thus fully guarding the approach by the mouth of +the river. He then proceeded to Chef Menteur, as far as Bayou Sauvage, +and ordered a battery erected at that point. He continued to fortify or +obstruct the larger bayous whose waters gave convenient access to the +city between the Mississippi and the Gulf. + +As early as July before, the Secretary of War, in view of the formidable +armaments of England, had made requisition of the several States for +ninety-three thousand five hundred men for general defensive purposes, +under a law of Congress enacted the previous April. The quota of +Kentucky was fifty-five hundred infantry; of Tennessee, twenty-five +hundred infantry; of Mississippi territory, five hundred infantry, and +of Louisiana, one thousand infantry. That portion of the quota of +Kentucky destined for New Orleans, twenty-two hundred men, and a portion +of the quota of Tennessee, embarked upon flatboats to float fifteen +hundred miles down the Ohio and Mississippi waters, had not arrived on +the tenth of December. Through the energetic efforts of the Governor, +aided by Major Edward Livingston and the Committee of Safety, the quota +of Louisiana was made up. With these, General Coffee's Tennesseans, +Major Hinds' Mississippians, and one thousand regular troops, there were +less than three thousand men for defensive operations yet available. + + +BATTLE OF THE GUNBOATS WITH THE FLEET OF BARGES. + +An event was soon to happen which seemed for the time an irreparable +disaster to the American cause. Commodore Daniel T. Patterson, in +command of the American naval forces, on learning of the approach of +the British fleet, sent Lieutenant Thomas Ap Catesby Jones, with five +gunboats, one tender, and a dispatch boat toward the passes out to Ship +Island, to watch the movements of the British vessels. This little +flotilla, barely enough for scout duty at sea, was the extent of our +naval forces in the Gulf waters near. The orders were to fall back, if +necessary, from near Cat Island to the Rigolets; and there, if hard +pressed, to sink or be sunk by the enemy. Moving in waters too shallow +for the large English ships to pursue, until the thirteenth, Lieutenant +Jones sailed for Bay St. Louis. Sighting a large number of the enemy's +barges steering for Pass Christian, he headed for the Rigolets. But the +wind having died away and an adverse current set in, the little fleet +could get no farther than the channel inside of Melheureux Island, being +there partially grounded. Early on the morning of the fourteenth, a +flotilla of barges formed in line was discovered coming from the +direction of the enemy's ships, evidently to overtake and attack the +becalmed gunboats. The two tenders, lying beyond the aid of the latter, +were captured after a spirited resistance. The guns of these were now +turned upon Lieutenant Jones' gunboats in a combined attack of the fleet +of barges, forty-five in number, and a supporting squad of marines. The +total equipment was twelve hundred men and forty-five pieces of +artillery. The American defensive forces were seven small gunboats, +manned by thirty guns and one hundred and eighty men. The enemy's +oarsmen advanced their entire fleet in line of battle until the fire +from the gunboats caused severe losses and some confusion in the +movements of the barges. They then separated in three divisions and +renewed the attack. The battle became general, and was contested +fiercely for nearly two hours, when the gunboats, overpowered by +numbers, were forced to surrender, losing six men killed and thirty-five +wounded, among the latter Lieutenants Jones, Speddin, and McKeever, each +in command of a boat. Several barges of the enemy were sunk, while their +losses in killed and wounded were estimated at two to three hundred. +Among the wounded were Captain Lockyer, in command, and other officers. + +The preparations for defense on shore were now pushed forward with +redoubled energy. General Jackson gave unremitting attention to the +fortifying of all points which seemed available for the approach of the +enemy; it was impossible to know at what point he might choose to make +his first appearance on land. Captain Newman, in command of Fort Petit +Coquille, at the Rigolets, next to Lake Pontchartrain, was reinforced, +and the order given to defend the post to the last extremity. If +compelled to abandon it, he was instructed to fall back on Chef Menteur. +Swift messengers were sent to Generals Carroll and Thomas to make all +speed possible with the Tennessee and Kentucky troops on their way to +New Orleans. Also, a courier was dispatched to General Winchester, +commanding at Mobile, warning of the possible danger of another attack +on that place, since the loss of the gunboats. Major Lacoste, with the +dragoons of Feliciana and his militia battalion of colored men, was +directed, with two pieces of artillery, to take post at the confluence +of Bayous Sauvage and Chef Menteur, throw up a redoubt, and guard the +road. Major Plauche was sent with his battalion to Bayou St. John, north +of the city, Major Hughes being in command of Fort St. John. Captain +Jugeant was instructed to enlist and form into companies all the Choctaw +Indians he could collect, a mission that proved nearly barren of +results. The Baratarians, mustered into ranks and drilled for important +services under their own officers, Captains Dominique You, Beluche, +Sougis, Lagand, and Golson, were divided out to the forts named, and to +other places where expert gunners were most needed. + +On the eighteenth of December a grand review of the Louisiana troops was +held by Jackson in front of the old Cathedral, now Jackson Square. The +day was memorable by many incidents, not all in harmony with the +purposes and plans of the civil and military leaders of defense. The +entire population of the city and vicinity were present to witness the +novel scenes, men and women vying with each other in applauding and +enthusing the martial ardor of the soldiers on parade. Such an army, +hastily improvised in a few brief days from city, country, and towns, +made up of a composite of divergent race elements, as was that of the +Louisiana contingent with the command of Jackson at New Orleans, was +perhaps never paralleled in the history of warfare before. Major +Plauche's battalion of uniformed companies was made up mainly of French +and Spanish Creoles, with some of American blood, enlisted from the +city; and from the same source came Captain Beale's Rifle Company, +mostly American residents. The Louisiana militia, under General Morgan, +were of the best element of the country parishes, of much the same +race-types as Plauche's men, of newer material, and without uniforms. +Then came the battalion of Louisiana free men of color, nearly three +hundred strong, led by Major Lacoste, and another battalion of men of +color, two hundred and fifty in number, commanded by Major Daquin, +recruited from the refugees in New Orleans from St. Domingo, who had +taken part in the bloody strifes in that island, and who bore like +traditional hatred to the English, with all who spoke the French tongue. +Add to the above a small detachment of Choctaw Indians; and lastly, the +loyal pirates of Lafitte, who were patriotic enough to scorn the gold of +England, and brave enough to offer their services and their lives, if +need be, to the cause of our country; and together, these give us a +picture of the men under review, whom Jackson was to lead to battle in a +few days against the best-trained troops of Europe. Though of new +material, and suddenly called into service, this provincial contingent +of twelve hundred men, animated with the spirit of battle against an +invading foe, proved themselves, when ably officered, the equals of the +best troops in the field. + + +JACKSON DECLARES MARTIAL LAW. + +On the sixteenth, two days before the review, General Jackson issued +from his headquarters an order declaring "the city and environs of New +Orleans under martial law." This imperious edict was resorted to in the +firm belief that only the exercise of supreme military authority could +awe into silence all opposition to defensive operations. Every person +entering the city was required to report himself to headquarters, and +any one departing from it must procure a pass. The street lamps were +extinguished at nine o'clock at night, and every one found passing after +that hour was subject to arrest. All persons capable of bearing arms who +did not volunteer were pressed into the military or naval service. +Rumors were rife that British spies were secretly prowling in the city, +and coming into the American camp. Reports of disloyal utterances and +suspicious proceedings on the part of certain citizens came repeatedly +to the ears of the commander-in-chief. More serious yet, he was aroused +to fierce anger by personal and direct intelligence that certain leading +and influential members of the Legislature favored a formal capitulation +and surrender of Louisiana to the enemy, by that body, in the event of a +formidable invasion, for the greater security of their persons and +property. These persons had circulated a story that Jackson would burn +the city and all valuable property in reach rather than let it fall into +the hands of the British. + +Determined that disloyalty should find no foothold to mar his military +plans, or to disaffect the soldiery or citizens, General Jackson, on the +day previous to his declaration of martial law, issued the following +spirited order: + + TO THE CITIZENS OF NEW ORLEANS. + + The Major-general commanding, has, with astonishment and regret, + learned that great consternation and alarm pervade your city. It is + true the enemy is on our coast and threatens to invade our territory; + but it is equally true that, with union, energy, and the approbation + of Heaven, we will beat him at every point his temerity may induce + him to set foot on our soil. The General, with still greater + astonishment, has heard that British emissaries have been permitted + to propagate seditious reports among you, that the threatened + invasion is with a view to restore the country to Spain, from the + supposition that some of you would be willing to return to your + ancient government. Believe not such incredible tales; your + Government is at peace with Spain. It is the vital enemy of your + country,--the common enemy of mankind, the highway robber of the + world, that threatens you. He has sent his hirelings among you with + this false report, to put you off your guard, that you may fall an + easy prey. Then look to your liberties, your property, the chastity + of your wives and daughters. Take a retrospect of the conduct of the + British army at Hampton, and other places where it entered our + country, and every bosom which glows with patriotism and virtue, will + be inspired with indignation, and pant for the arrival of the hour + when we shall meet and revenge these outrages against the laws of + civilization and humanity. + + The General calls upon the inhabitants of the city to trace this + unfounded report to its source, and bring the propagator to condign + punishment. The rules and articles of war annex the punishment of + death to any person holding secret correspondence with the enemy, + creating false alarm, or supplying him with provision. The General + announces his determination rigidly to execute the martial law in all + cases which may come within his province. + + By command. THOMAS L. BUTLER, + _Aid-de-camp_. + + +BAYOU BIENVENUE AND THE BRITISH SPIES OF THE FISHERMEN'S +VILLAGE. + +Bayou Bienvenue, formerly called St. Frances River, drains all the +waters of a swamp-basin, of triangular form and about eighty square +miles in surface, bounded on the west by New Orleans, on the northwest +by Chef Menteur, and on the east by Lake Borgne, into which it empties. +It receives the waters of several other bayous from the surrounding +cypress swamps and prairies. It is navigable for vessels of one hundred +tons burden as far as the junction with old Piernas Canal, twelve miles +from its mouth. It is about one hundred and twenty yards in width, and +has from six to nine feet of water at the bar, according to the flow of +the tides. Its principal branch is Bayou Mazant, which runs to the +southwest and receives the waters of the canals of the old plantations +of Villere, Lacoste, and Laronde, on and near which the British army +encamped, about eight miles below New Orleans. The banks of these +bayous, which drain the swamp lands on either side of the Mississippi, +are usually about twelve feet below the banks of the river, which have +been elevated by the deposit of sediment from overflows for centuries. +These slopes, from the banks back to the swamps, usually ten to eighteen +hundred yards, drain off the waters and form the tillable lands of the +sugar and cotton planters. They are protected from overflows by levees +thrown up on the banks of the river. These plantation lands formed the +only ground in this country for the encampment of a large army, or +available for a march on New Orleans. On nearly all the large sugar +plantations canals were cut from the bank of the river running back to +the swamp, to furnish at high tides water-power for mills which did the +grinding or sawing for the plantations. + +Bayous Bienvenue and Mazant, as mentioned, formed a waterway from Lake +Borgne to the rear of the plantations of Villere, Lacoste, and Laronde, +situated but two or three hours' easy march to the city, to which there +was a continuous roadway through the plantation lands between the river +and the swamps. The enemy was fully informed of every point of approach +by spies within the military lines, and since the capture of the +gunboats determined on an attempt to secretly invade the environing +country, and to assault and capture New Orleans by surprise. But one +mile from Lake Borgne, on the low bank of Bayou Bienvenue, was a village +of Spanish and Portuguese fishermen and their families. From the bayous +and adjacent lakes they furnished the city markets with fish, and were +familiar with every body of water and every nook and inlet for many +miles around. A number of these became notorious as spies in the pay of +the British. Of this treacherous little colony, the names of Maringuier, +Old Luiz, Francisco, Graviella, Antonio el Italiano, El Campechano, +Mannellilo, and Garcia became known as connected with this disloyalty. +These served the English as pilots to their barges, as guides to the +best approaches to New Orleans, and as ready spies within and without. +The English commander in charge sent Captain Peddie, of the army, on the +twentieth of December, as a spy in the disguise of one of these +fishermen, to inspect and report upon the feasibility of entering with +the army at the mouth of Bayou Bienvenue, landing at the plantations +above and marching suddenly by this route on the city. Old Luiz and two +others of the fishermen were his guides. He safely and without suspicion +penetrated to Villere's plantation, viewed the field for encampment +there, and noted the easy route of approach to the city, without an +obstruction in the way. His report being most favorable, the British +officer in command decided at once on invasion and attack from this +direction. + + +FIVE THOUSAND BRITISH TROOPS ENTER BAYOU BIENVENUE AND LAND NEAR +VILLERE'S PLANTATION. + +By Jackson's order, Major Villere, son of General Villere, the owner of +the plantation, placed a picket of twelve men at Fisherman's Village on +the twenty-first, to watch and report promptly in case the enemy +appeared there. After midnight, near the morning of the twenty-third, +five advance barges bearing British troops glided noiselessly into +Bienvenue from Lake Borgne, capturing the picket of twelve men without +firing a gun. Soon after, the first division of the invading army, +twenty-five hundred strong, under command of Colonel Thornton, appeared +in eighty barges, and passed up the bayous to Villere's canal, where a +landing was effected by the dawn of day. After a brief rest and +breakfast, the march of two miles was made to Villere's plantation, +arriving there at half-past eleven. The troops at once surrounded the +house of General Villere, and surprised and made prisoners a company of +the Third Louisiana Militia stationed there. Major Villere, after +capture, escaped through a window at the risk of his life, reached the +river bank and crossed over in a small boat, and hastened to New Orleans +with the startling news. Colonel Laronde also escaped, and reached +headquarters in the early afternoon; on the day before he had reported +the sighting of several suspicious vessels out upon Lake Borgne, +seemingly to reconnoiter. + +Jackson had ordered Majors Latour and Tatum, of his engineer corps, to +reconnoiter in the direction of the Laronde and Lacoste plantations, and +to carefully examine this avenue of approach by the enemy. These +officers left the city at eleven o'clock, and had reached Laronde's, +when they met several persons fleeing toward the city, who told them of +the arrival of the British at Villere's, and of the capture of the +outpost there. It was then but half-past one o'clock. The two scouts put +spurs to their horses, and by two o'clock the General was informed of +the facts. With that heroic promptness and intuition characteristic and +ever present with him, he exclaimed with fierce emphasis: "By the +eternal! the enemy shall not sleep upon our soil!" The invading movement +was a complete surprise, and there was not yet a defensive work to +obstruct the march of the British upon the coveted city. Only genius and +courage of the highest order could have met successfully such an +emergency, and Jackson alone seemed equal to the occasion. + + +JACKSON DETERMINES TO ATTACK--BLOODY NIGHT-BATTLE OF THE +TWENTY-THIRD OF DECEMBER. + +Orders were issued rapidly, as the report of the alarm-gun gave notice +to all to be ready. The troops were stationed within a radius of a few +miles of the city, in garrisons. Major Plauche was summoned to bring +down his battalion of uniformed volunteers from Bayou St. John, which +summons was obeyed in a run all the way. General Coffee, encamped four +miles above the city, under similar order, was at headquarters within +one hour. Colonel McRae, with the Seventh regulars, Lieutenant Spotts, +with two pieces of artillery, and Lieutenant Bellevue, with a detachment +of marines, were all formed on the road near Montruil's plantation. +Coffee's riflemen and Hinds' Mississippi dragoons formed the advance in +the order of march. Beale's Orleans Rifles followed closely after, and +by four o'clock these had taken position at Rodrique's Canal. The +battalion of men of color, under Major Daquin, the Forty-fourth +regulars, under Captain Baker, and Plauche's men, were in close +supporting distance. + +Commodore Patterson was requested to arm such vessels lying in the river +as were ready, and to drop down and take station opposite the enemy. The +schooner Carolina was put in position; the sloop of war Louisiana could +not steer in the stream. Governor Claiborne, with the First, Second, and +Fourth Louisiana Militia, occupied a post in the plain of Gentilly, to +cover the city on the side of Chef Menteur. A picket of five mounted men +was fired on near the line of Laronde's and Lacoste's plantations, and +driven in about four o'clock. A negro was apprehended, who had been sent +by the British with printed copies of a proclamation in Spanish and +French, in terms as follows: "Louisianians! remain quiet in your houses; +your slaves shall be preserved to you, and your property respected. We +make war only against Americans." This was signed by Admiral Cochrane +and General Keene. Other copies were found. + +About nightfall the troops were formed in line of battle, the left +composed of a part of Coffee's men, Beale's Rifles, the Mississippi +dragoons, and some other mounted riflemen, in all about seven hundred +and thirty men, General Coffee in command, Colonel Laronde as guide. +Under cover of the darkness, they took position back of the plantation +of the latter. The right formed on a perpendicular line from the river +to the garden of Laronde's plantation, and on its principal avenue. The +artillery occupied the high road, supported by a detachment of marines. +On the left of the artillery were stationed the Seventh and +Forty-fourth regulars, Plauche's and Daquin's battalions, and a squad of +Choctaw Indians, all under the command of Colonel Ross. + +The second invading division of the British army, made up of the +Twenty-first, Forty-fourth, and Ninety-third Regiments, with a corps of +artillery, in all about twenty-five hundred men, was disembarked at the +terminus of Villere Canal at half-past seven o'clock in the evening of +the twenty-third, just as the roar of the ship's cannon announced the +opening of the night battle. At seven o'clock Commodore Patterson had +anchored the Carolina in the Mississippi, as requested, in front of the +British camp, and but a good musket-shot away. Such was the security +felt by the enemy in camp that they stood upon the levee and viewed her +as a common boat plying the river. Within thirty minutes she opened upon +the enemy a destructive fire which spread consternation and havoc +throughout their camp. In half an hour more they were driven out, with +many killed and wounded. About eight o'clock the troops on the right, +led by Jackson himself, began the attack on the enemy's left. The +Seventh and Forty-fourth regulars became hotly engaged along the line, +supported by McRae's artillery. Plauche's and Daquin's battalions coming +up, the fighting became furious from the road to Laronde's garden. The +British were forced back within the limits of Lacoste's plantation, the +combatants being often intermingled and fighting hand-to-hand, almost +undistinguishable in the darkness of night, made denser by the smoke of +battle and the gathering fog. + +Meanwhile, Coffee's troops, from the rear of Laronde's plantation, were +moved to the boundary limits of Lacoste and Villere, with a view of +taking the enemy in the rear. Coffee extended his front and ordered his +men to move forward in silence and to fire without orders, taking aim as +best they could. They drove the enemy before them, and took a second +position in front of Lacoste's plantation. Here was posted the +Eighty-fifth Regiment of the British army, which was forced back by the +first fire toward their main camp. Captain Beale's Riflemen advanced on +the left into the British camp at Villere's, driving the enemy before +them and taking some prisoners, but sustained some loss before joining +Coffee again. Coffee's division finally took a last position in front of +the old levee, near Laronde's boundary, where it harassed the enemy as +they fell back, driven by Jackson on the right. By ten o'clock the +British had fallen back to their camp in discomfiture, where they were +permitted to lay in comparative quiet until morning, except their +harassment from the artillery fire of the schooner Carolina. In the +darkness and confusion of combat at dead of night lines were broken and +order lost at times, until it was difficult to distinguish friends from +foes. General Jackson led his troops back to the opening point of the +attack and rested them there until morning, when he fell back over one +mile to Rodrique's Canal, the position selected for the defense of the +city. + +Three hundred and fifty of the Louisiana militia, under command of +General David Morgan, were stationed at English Turn, seven miles below +Villere's, and nearly fourteen miles from New Orleans. Intelligence of +the arrival of the British at Villere's, on the twenty-third, reached +General Morgan's camp at one o'clock in the afternoon of the day. +Officers and men expressed an eagerness to be led against the enemy; but +General Morgan, not having then received orders from Jackson to that +effect, deemed it prudent to hold them waiting in camp. At half-past +seven o'clock, when the guns from the Carolina were heard bringing on +the battle, it was found difficult to restrain them longer. Morgan +finally, at the urgent request of his officers, gave orders to go +forward, which the troops received with ardor. They reached a point near +Jumonville's plantation, just below Villere's, when a picket guard in +advance met a picket force of the enemy and fired on it; the fire was +returned. A reconnoiter failing to discover the numbers and position of +the enemy in his front, Morgan took a position in a field until three +o'clock in the morning, when he marched his men back to camp. The +failure of this command to join issue in this battle, in concert with +the other commands of Jackson's army, was apparently most unfortunate. +The records do not show what orders, if any, were sent from headquarters +by Jackson to General Morgan in summoning his forces in the afternoon of +the day for the attack at night. It is barely possible that the General +neglected to dispatch an order to, or to communicate with, the commander +of so important a body of troops, in numbers nearly one fifth of the +entire American forces engaged, in a critical hour when every available +soldier was needed on the field of combat. A swift messenger sent by +Jackson from headquarters at two o'clock, as to other outpost commands, +could easily have reached English Turn at five o'clock. General Morgan +knew that the invading army were in bivouac seven miles above. By eight +o'clock he could have had his troops in attacking distance of the enemy, +and in their rear. When Jackson and Coffee assaulted the British lines +at eight o'clock, and drove them back in confusion upon their camp, a +spirited surprise attack by Morgan's command in the rear, any moment +before nine o'clock, would probably have routed the entire British +division engaged and forced them to lay down their arms or retreat to +their boats. He did move his command forward, and halt them at some +distance from the enemy, but it was probably too late. The battle was +over and the opportunity gone. + +An after-incident throws a ray of light upon the criticism of the day +upon the above affair. Honorable Magloire Guichard, President of the +House of Representatives, in his testimony before the Committee of +Inquiry on the military measures employed by Jackson against the +Legislature, said: + + On the twenty-seventh of December, when I got home, I found Colonel + Declouet (of Morgan's command), who had just crossed the river. Amid + the conversation of the evening, I expressed my surprise at his not + having attacked the British from the lower side, on the night of the + twenty-third; that had he done so with the men under his command, at + the same time with the troops coming from the city, all would have + terminated on that evening, and the British would have laid down + their arms. He expressed great sorrow that he had not been the master + to do so. He declared that this was his intention, but that General + Morgan refused to comply with his request. Afterwards, having + resolved to come toward midnight to reconnoitre, they had met with a + small picket, who fired upon them; they returned the fire, and then + retired. + +The British loss in this initial night-battle is put by our authorities +at four to five hundred in killed, wounded, and prisoners. Their own +official reports admit three to five hundred. The Americans had +twenty-four killed, one hundred and fifteen wounded, and seventy-four +made prisoners. The fall of Colonel Lauderdale, of Mississippi, was much +lamented. + +So unique in the annals of military experience was this fiercely fought +night-battle, so startling in its surprise of the bold and confident +Britons, and so characteristic of Jackson's grim humor of war, that it +is interesting to know the impressions it made upon the minds of the +enemy. With this view, we quote a vivid description from the history of +an English officer who was in the campaigns against Napoleon, with Ross +and Pakenham in America, and who was a participant in this battle, +Captain Robert Gleig. He says: + + About half-past seven at night our attention was drawn to a large + vessel which seemed to be stealing up the river, opposite our camp, + when her anchor was dropped and her sails quietly furled. She was + repeatedly hailed, but gave no answer. An alarm spread through our + bivouac, and all thought of sleep was abandoned. Several musket shots + were fired at her, when we heard a commanding voice cry out: "Give + them this for the honor of America!" The words were instantly + followed by the flashes of her guns, and a deadly shower of grape + swept down numbers in our camp. + + Against this dreadful fire we had nothing as yet to oppose. We sought + shelter under the levee, and listened in painful silence to the + pattering of shot which fell among our troops, and to the shrieks and + groans of the wounded who lay near by. The night was dark as pitch. + Except the flashes of the enemy's guns, and the glare of our own + deserted fires, not an object could be distinguished. In this state + we lay helpless for nearly an hour, when a straggling fire of + musketry, driving in our pickets, warned us to prepare for a closer + and more desperate strife. This fire was presently succeeded by a + fearful yell, while the heavens became illuminated on all sides by a + semi-circular blaze of musketry. + + Rushing from under the bank, the Eighty-fifth and Ninety-fifth + Regiments flew to support the pickets; while the Fourth, stealing to + the rear, formed close column as a reserve. But to describe this + action is out of the question, for it was such a battle as the annals + of warfare can hardly parallel. Each officer, as he was able to + collect twenty or thirty men around him, advanced into the midst of + the enemy, where they fought hand to hand, bayonet to bayonet, and + sword to sword, with the tumult and ferocity of Homer's combats + before the walls of Troy. Attacked unexpectedly in the dark, and + surrounded by enemies before we could arrange to oppose them, no + order or discipline of war could be preserved. We were mingled with + the Americans before we could tell whether they were friends or foes. + The consequence was that more feats of individual gallantry were + performed in the course of the conflict than many campaigns might + have afforded. The combat having begun at eight in the evening, and + long and obstinately contested, continued until three in the morning; + but the victory was decidedly ours, for the Americans retreated in + the greatest disorder, leaving us in possession of the field. Our + losses, however, were enormous. Not less than five hundred men had + fallen, many of whom were our first and best officers. + + The recall being sounded, our troops were soon brought together, + forming in front of the ground where we had at first encamped. Here + we remained until the morn, when, to avoid the fire of the vessel, we + betook ourselves to the levee on the bank, and lay down. Here we lay + for some hours, worn out with fatigue and loss of sleep, and + shivering in the cold of a frosty morning, not daring to light a fire + or cook a meal. Whenever an attempt was made, the ship's guns opened + on us. Thus was our army kept prisoners for an entire day. + +This was not a field victory for either combatant, but rather a drawn +battle, as each party fell back to the lines occupied at the opening. It +was a very great victory for the Americans in its bearings on the final +issues of the campaign. The attack of Jackson was to the British like a +bolt of lightning from a clear sky. It paralyzed and checked them on the +first day, and at the first place of their encampment on shore, and +enabled him to adopt measures to beat back the invaders in every attempt +they made for a further advance inland. The enemy had found an open way +and expected an easy march, with a certainty that the Crescent City, by +Christmas Day, would become an easy prey for their "Loot and Lust," as +Admiral Cochrane is said to have promised. Instead of a garden of +delights, they had walked into a deathtrap at the gate of entrance. +Confidence and prestige were shaken in the front of a foe equal in valor +and as skilled in arms as themselves. The rude reception given by +Jackson had compelled the army of the invaders to halt in its first +camp, and to re-form, to reinforce, and to rehabilitate its plans, +before daring another step forward. This delay, fatal to the British, +probably saved the city. On the next morning early (of the +twenty-fourth) the first division of the British army would have been +reinforced by the second division landed on the night of the battle, +giving five thousand fresh veteran troops in bivouac at Villere's, with +which to march upon the city. It was but seven miles distant, with a +broad, level highway leading to it. Jackson could have opposed to this +army not over two thousand men in the open field, where every advantage +would have been with the enemy. With the bravery and discipline the +latter showed in the surprise-battle at night, they would have made an +irresistible march to victory against the city, had not the invincible +Jackson paralyzed them with this first blow. It was a master-stroke, +worthy the genius of a great commander. + +The valor of the English soldiers was rarely, if ever, surpassed on a +bloody field of contest. There was no panic, no rout, no cowering under +the murderous fire of the ship's guns, or when the blaze of musketry +encircled them in the darkness of the night. Although the ranks were +broken and little order prevailed, the men rallied to the calls of the +nearest officers, and plunged into the thickest of the strife. Only this +veteran discipline and stubborn British courage saved the enemy from +rout and worse disaster. Colonel Thornton, the bravest and most skillful +of the officers of the English army, as he repeatedly proved himself, +commanded on this occasion. General Keene had not yet come up. + +The American forces engaged were: United States regulars, Seventh +Regiment, Major Peire, four hundred and sixty-five men, and Forty-fourth +Regiment, Captain Baker, three hundred and thirty-one men; marines, +Lieutenant Bellevue, sixty-six; artillery, McRae, twenty-two; Major +Plauche's battalion, two hundred and eighty-seven; Major Daquin's +battalion of St. Domingo men of color, two hundred and ten; Choctaws, +Captain Jugeant, eighteen; Coffee's Tennessee Brigade, five hundred and +sixty-three; Orleans Rifles, Captain Beale, sixty-two; and Mississippi +Dragoons, Major Hinds, one hundred and seven; in all, twenty-one hundred +and thirty-one men. + + +JACKSON ENTRENCHES AT RODRIQUE'S OLD CANAL SITE. + +As mentioned, Jackson occupied the line of Rodrique's Canal, two miles +above the British camp at Villere's, and five miles below the city. The +space from the river here back to the swamp was but seventeen hundred +yards, making it an admirable line for defense. Early on the +twenty-fourth every available man was put to work throwing up a +breastwork on the upper side of the canal, while pieces of artillery +were planted at commanding points for immediate emergency. Negroes from +the adjacent plantations were called in to expedite the work of building +the entrenchment and suitable redoubts, as had been done at other works +of fortification and defense. On the twenty-fifth, General Morgan was +ordered to abandon the post at English Turn and to move his command of +Louisiana militia to a position on the right bank of the river, at +Flood's plantation, opposite Jackson's camp. + + +THE SHIP CAROLINA BURNED WITH HOT SHOT--ARTILLERY DUEL ON THE +TWENTY-EIGHTH. + +The enemy determined to destroy the ship Carolina, as she lay out in the +river, from whose deadly broadsides by day and by night they had been so +terribly harassed since the opening of the night battle of the +twenty-third. Having brought up their artillery from their +landing-place, they erected a battery commanding that part of the river, +with a furnace for heating shot. On the twenty-seventh, they opened fire +in range, and in fifteen minutes the schooner was set on fire by the +red-hot missiles and burned to the water's edge. The fire of the battery +was next directed against the Louisiana, a larger war-vessel, the +preservation of which was of great importance. Lieutenant Thompson, in +command, with the combined efforts of one hundred men of his crew, +succeeded under fire of the battery in towing her beyond the range of +the guns of the enemy. + +On the evening of the twenty-seventh the British moved forward in force, +drove in the American advance lines, and occupied Chalmette's +plantation, one mile above Laronde's. During the night they began to +establish several batteries along the river. At dawn of day on the +twenty-eighth they advanced in columns on the road, preceded by several +pieces of artillery, some playing upon the Louisiana and others on the +American lines. The ship's crew waited until the columns of the enemy +were well in range, when they opened upon them a destructive fire, which +silenced their guns. While this oblique fire fell upon the flank of the +British, the batteries on the American line answered them from the front +with much effect. One shot from the Louisiana killed fifteen of the +enemy's men. Some of his guns were dismounted, and he was driven from +several of his batteries. In seven hours' cannonading the ship fired +eight hundred shot. The enemy threw into the American ranks many +Congreve rockets, evidently misled in the hope that these ugly-looking +missiles would strike terror to the ranks of our troops. These soon +learned that they were not so dangerous as they appeared. The infantry +this day did not engage in more than heavy picket skirmishing, and in +checking the demonstrations of the enemy on our lines. This movement all +along the line was evidently a feint in force, to draw from Jackson's +army information as to the powers of resistance it might offer and to +ascertain its most vulnerable point of attack. The loss of the British +this day was estimated at two hundred; that of the Americans much less, +as they were mainly sheltered from the enemy's fire. There were nine +killed and eight wounded. + + +DEFENSES ON THE WEST BANK OF THE RIVER. + +Realizing that the enemy might suddenly throw a force across the river, +and by a flank movement up the right bank gain a position opposite the +city, from which, by shot and shell, he might compel a surrender, +Jackson sent Major Latour, chief of his engineer corps, to the west +side, with orders to select a position most suitable for a fortified +line in the rear of General Morgan's camp. Bois-Gervais Canal, three +miles below New Orleans, was fixed upon, and one hundred and fifty +negroes from the plantations near at once set to work. In six days they +completed the parapet, with a glacis on the opposite side. + +Commodore Patterson removed from the Louisiana a number of her guns, +which he placed in battery in front of Jordon's plantation, on the right +bank, with which he did important service to the end of the campaign. +This formidable battery was formed to give a deadly flanking fire on the +enemy's ranks from the opposite bank of the river. It was manned and +served by sailors, mostly landed from the Carolina when she was burned. +They had been enlisted about the city after the gunboats were destroyed; +men of all nations, not a third of them speaking the English language. +The constant daily fire of this battery caused the British to fall back +from Chalmette's and Bienvenue's houses and to seek safer quarters in +the rear, after the artillery duels of the twenty-eighth. + +Captain Henly, of the late ship Carolina, was placed in command of a +strong redoubt on the bank of the river, opposite New Orleans, around +which was a fosse twenty-five feet in width, the earth from which was +thrown up to form a steep glacis, from the summit of the wall serving as +a parapet to the brink of the fosse. Here a battery of two twenty-four +pounders commanded at once the road and the river back to the swamp. + +The Tennesseans, placed on the left, and operating in the undergrowth of +the woods of the swamp, were a continual terror to the British sentinels +and outposts. Clad in their brown hunting-dress, they were +indistinguishable in the bush, while with their long rifles they picked +off some of the British daily. The entrenchment line was being daily +strengthened. + + +A SECOND ATTEMPT TO BREACH THE AMERICAN WORKS, ON THE FIRST OF +JANUARY--GREAT ARTILLERY DUEL. + +On the evening of the twenty-fifth, Sir Edward Pakenham arrived at the +British headquarters, and at once assumed chief command of the army in +person. He was a favorite of Lord Wellington in the Peninsular +campaigns, and held in high esteem by the English Government and people. +His presence imparted great enthusiasm to the officers and men of the +army, a majority of whom had served under him in other wars. The +invading British forces were now swelled to over ten thousand men for +present service. On the thirtieth and thirty-first, the enemy was +ominously busy in throwing up redoubts and in pushing his offensive +works in threatening nearness to our lines. In front of Bienvenue's +house he constructed a battery, of hogsheads of sugar taken from the +near plantations, the season for grinding the cane and converting the +product into sugar having just closed. A redoubt was also begun at a +point nearer the wood, fronting the American left, and some guns mounted +by the thirty-first. A heavy cannonading was opened on this day, from +this and other batteries along the British front, to which our own guns +responded, including those of the marine battery across the river, until +two in the afternoon. + +[Illustration: BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS, JANUARY 8, 1815.] + +These demonstrative movements of the enemy, with his busy +reconnoitering, foreboded an attack in force. + +In the night of the thirty-first he erected, under cover of darkness, +two other batteries of heavy guns at a distance of six hundred yards +from the front of Jackson's entrenchments, on a ditch running along the +side of Chalmette's plantation, at distances of three and six hundred +yards from the river. During the night the men working on the platforms +and mounting the ordnance could be distinctly heard. + +On the morning of the 1st of January, 1815, the earth was veiled by a +dense fog until eight o'clock. As the misty cloud lifted above the +horizon, the enemy opened up a terrific fire from his three batteries in +front, mounting respectively two, eight, and eight pieces of heavy +cannon. A meteor-like shower of Congreve rockets accompanied the balls, +filling the air for fifteen minutes with these missiles of terror. The +two batteries nearest the river directed their fire against McCarty's +house, some hundreds of yards behind our front line, where Jackson and +his staff had their headquarters. In less than ten minutes more than one +hundred balls, rockets, and shells struck the house. Bricks, splinters +of wood, and broken furniture were sent flying in all directions, making +the premises dangerously untenable. General Jackson and his staff +occupied the house at the time; yet, strange to say, not a person was +even wounded. There is no account that the old hero "ingloriously fled," +but it is in evidence that he retired with commendable dispatch to a +safer place. + +Though the batteries of the enemy were in a better position, on a lower +plane, and with a narrower front than those of the Americans, the +gunners of the latter fired with more precision and effect on this day, +and on other occasions, as their own officers afterward admitted. In an +hour's time the fire from the enemy's side began to slacken, and +continued to abate until noon, when his two batteries to the right were +abandoned. Our balls dismounted several of his guns early in the day, +and in the afternoon the greater part of his artillery was dismounted or +unfit for service. The carriages of three of the guns on the American +side were broken, and two caissons, with over one hundred rounds of +ammunition, were blown up by rockets, at which the enemy loudly cheered. +The cheeks of the embrasures of our batteries were formed of cotton +bales, which the enemy's balls struck, sending the cotton flying through +the air. The impression that Jackson's breastwork line was constructed +of bales of cotton is a mistake. Bales of cotton were used only at the +bottom and sides of the embrasures, for a firmer support for the +artillery, beneath a casing of heavy plank. The British, in the absence +of cotton bales, used hogsheads of sugar, which were conveniently near, +for the same purposes. These our shot easily knocked to pieces, +saturating the damp earth around with the saccharine sweets. Our +breastworks were more substantially and easily made of the alluvial +earth. + +The guns of the British batteries nearest the levee were directed in +part against the marine battery across the river during the day, but +with little effect. Before the close the enemy's guns were silenced, +and several of them abandoned. The British columns were in readiness, +drawn up in several parallel lines, prudently awaiting in the back +ditches and the trenches between the batteries a favorable moment to +advance to an assault of our lines. In this they were disappointed; the +superiority of the American artillery left them no hope of an advantage +by breaching our lines with this arm. That this was their object their +own authorities state. The losses this day of the Americans were +thirty-five killed and wounded; the enemy admitted a loss of +seventy-five. During the night of the first of January, the latter +succeeded in removing his heavy guns from the dismantled batteries, +dragging them off with much difficulty through the mired earth. + + +A VIEW FROM THE ENEMY'S STANDPOINT. + +It is interesting to view a situation from an enemy's standpoint, and to +know the impressions made upon an enemy's mind in a great issue like the +one of contest. We quote again from Gleig's "Campaigns of the English +Army": + + It was Christmas Day, and a number of officers, clubbing their scant + stocks of provisions, resolved to dine together in memory of former + times. But at so melancholy a Christmas dinner, I do not remember to + have been present. We dined in a barn; of tableware, of viands, and + of good cookery, there was a dismal scarcity. These were matters, + however, of minor thought; the want of many well-known and beloved + faces thrilled us with pain. While sitting at the table, a loud + shriek from outside startled the guests. On running out, we found + that a shot from the enemy's ship had cut almost in twain the body of + a soldier, and he was gasping in death. + + On the twenty-eighth, the British army advanced in full force, + supported by ten pieces of artillery, with a view to a final assault. + They did not do much more than the bringing on of a heavy artillery + duel, in which they were severely worsted and driven back to camp. + That the Americans are excellent shots, as well with artillery as + with rifles, we had frequent cause to acknowledge; but perhaps on no + occasion did they assert their claim to the title of good + artillerymen more effectually than on the present. Scarcely a shot + passed over, or fell short; but all striking full into our ranks, + occasioned terrible havoc. The crash of the fire-locks and the fall + of the killed and wounded, caused at first some confusion. In half an + hour three of our heavy guns were dismounted, many gunners killed, + and the rest obliged to retire. The infantry advanced under a heavy + discharge of round and grape shot, until they were checked by a canal + in front. A halt was ordered, and the men commanded to shelter + themselves in a wet ditch as best they could. + + Thus it fared with the left of the army. The right failing to + penetrate through the swamp, and faring no better, was compelled to + halt. All thought of a general attack for this day was abandoned. It + only remained to withdraw the troops from their perilous position + with as little loss as possible. This was done, not in a body, but + regiment by regiment, under the same discharge which saluted their + approach. + + There seemed now but one practicable way of assault; to treat these + field-works as one would treat a regular fortification, by erecting + breaching batteries against them, and silencing, if possible, their + guns. To this end three days were employed in landing heavy cannon, + bringing up ammunition, and making other preparations, as for a + siege. One half of the army was ordered out on the night of the + thirty-first, quietly led up to within three hundred yards of the + enemy's works, and busily employed in throwing up a chain of works. + Before dawn, six batteries were completed, with thirty pieces of + heavy cannon mounted, when the troops, before the dawn of day, fell + back and concealed themselves behind some thick brush in the rear. + The Americans had no idea of what was going on until morning came. + This whole district was covered with the stubble of sugar-cane, and + every storehouse and barn was filled with large barrels containing + sugar. In throwing up the works this sugar was used. Rolling the + hogsheads towards the front, they were placed in the parapets of the + batteries. Sugar, to the amount of many thousand pounds sterling, was + thus disposed of. + + On the morning of January 1st, a thick haze obscured the sun, and all + objects at the distance of a few yards, for some hours. Finally, as + the clouds of fog drifted away, the American camp was fully exposed + to view, but three hundred yards away. The different regiments were + upon parade, and presented a fine appearance. Mounted officers rode + to and fro, bands were playing, and colors floating in the air. All + seemed gala, when suddenly our batteries opened. Their ranks were + broken; the different corps dispersing, fled in all directions, while + the utmost terror and disorder appeared to prevail. + + While this consternation lasted among the infantry, their artillery + remained silent; but soon recovering confidence, they answered our + salute with great precision and rapidity. A heavy cannonade on both + sides continued during the day, until our ammunition began to + fail--our fire slackening, while that of the enemy redoubled. Landing + a number of guns from their flotilla, they increased their artillery + to a prodigious amount. They also directed their cannon on the + opposite bank against the flank of our batteries, and soon convinced + us that all endeavors to surpass them in this mode of fighting would + be useless. Once more, we were obliged to retire, leaving our heavy + guns to their fate. The fatigue of officers and men, it would be + difficult to form a conception of. For two entire nights and days not + a man had closed his eyes, except to sleep amid showers of + cannon-balls. We retreated, therefore, baffled and disheartened. It + must be confessed that a murmur of discontent began to be heard in + the camp. The cannon and mortars of the enemy played on our men night + and day, from their main position; likewise a deadly fire from + eighteen pieces on the opposite bank swept the entire line of our + encampment. The duty of a picket was as dangerous as to go into + battle. The American sharpshooters harassed them from the time they + went on duty till they were relieved; while to light fires served + only as marks for the enemy's gunners. The murmurs were not of men + anxious to escape from a disagreeable situation; but rather resembled + the growlings of a chained animal, when he sees his adversary, but + can not reach him. All were eager to bring matters to the issue of a + battle, at any sacrifice. + + +TENNESSEE AND KENTUCKY TROOPS ARRIVE--GOVERNMENT CENSURED FOR +NEGLECT. + +General Carroll's division of Tennessee troops arrived about this time; +also the Louisiana militia were reinforced by several companies from the +more distant parishes. On the fourth of January the entire body of +Kentucky militia reached New Orleans, twenty-two hundred in number, and +went into camp on Prevost's plantation. The day following, seven hundred +and fifty of these repaired to the lines, and went into camp in the +rear, arms being furnished to but five hundred of the number. There +were, at this time, nearly two thousand brave and willing men within +Jackson's lines, whose services were lost to the army and to the country +for the want of arms. The dangerous delay of the arrival of the troops, +and with this, the failure of the arrival of the arms and munitions +necessary to equip the men for service, had their beginning in the +culpable negligence of the War Department at Washington, of which +history has had occasion to complain. But a more immediate cause for the +irreparable delay in the arrival of the stores for arming and equipping +the troops is found in the conduct of the quartermaster who +superintended the shipment of the same from Pittsburgh. Though he was +offered a contract to ship these supplies by a steamboat, and to +deliver them at New Orleans in ample time for use, for some reason he +declined the offer. He then had them loaded on a flatboat and slowly +floated to their destination, when there was little or no hope of their +arrival in time for use. At the date of the final battle at New Orleans +they were afloat somewhere near the mouth of the Ohio River, and of +course did not arrive until many days after all need of them was over. + +On the twenty-ninth of December, General Jackson wrote to the Secretary +of War these words of protest against this failure to make provision for +his army in such a crisis as the present: + + I lament that I have not the means of carrying on more offensive + operations. The Kentucky troops have not arrived, and my effective + force at this point does not exceed three thousand men. That of the + enemy must be at least double; both prisoners and deserters agreeing + in the statement that seven thousand landed from their boats. + +When the militia of Kentucky were called for, Governor Shelby was +assured that the United States quartermaster would furnish +transportation for the troops to New Orleans; but no such officer +reported himself, and no relief came from Washington. The men had +rendezvoused on the banks of the Ohio in waiting, and here the +expedition must have ended had not Colonel Richard Taylor, of Frankfort, +then quartermaster of the State militia, on his own credit, borrowed a +sum sufficient to meet the immediate emergency. With this he purchased +such boats as he could, some of which were unfit for the passage. Camp +equippage could not be had in time, and about thirty pots and kettles +were bought at Louisville, one to each company of eighty men. At the +mouth of the Cumberland River they were detained eight days, with their +axes and frows riving boards with which to patch up their old boats. +From this point they started with half a supply of rations, to which +they added as they could on the way down the Mississippi River. The men +knew there was due them an advance of two months' pay when ordered out +of the State. The United States quartermaster distributed this pay to +the Tennessee troops who had preceded them, but withheld it from the +Kentuckians. Believing that they would be furnished suitable clothing or +pay, blankets, tents, arms, and munitions with reasonable promptness, +they left home with little else than the one suit of clothing they wore, +usually of homespun jeans. As a writer has said: "Rarely, if ever, has +it been known of such a body of men leaving their homes, unprovided as +they were, and risking a difficult passage of fifteen hundred miles in +the crudest of barges to meet an enemy. They could have been prompted +alone by a patriotic love of country and a defiance of its enemies." +This contribution of Kentucky for the defense of Louisiana was made just +after she had furnished over ten thousand volunteer troops in the +campaigns of Harrison in the Northwest, who made up the larger part of +the soldiers in that army for the two years previous, and who recently +had won the great victory at the battle of the Thames. Governor Shelby +tendered to the government ten thousand more Kentuckians for the army of +the Southwest, if they were needed to repel the invaders. + +It was in the midst of an unusually severe winter in Louisiana, in a +season of almost daily rainfalls, when the Kentucky and part of the +Tennessee troops reached their destination. They went into camp without +tents or blankets or bedding of straw even, on the open and miry +alluvial ground, with the temperature at times at freezing point. This +destitution and consequent suffering at once enlisted the attention and +sympathies of the public. The Legislature of Louisiana, in session, +promptly voted six thousand dollars for relief, to which the generous +citizens added by subscription ten thousand dollars more. With these +funds materials were purchased. The noble women of New Orleans, almost +without an exception, devoted themselves day and night to making up the +materials into suitable garments and distributing them as they were most +needed. In one week's time the destitute soldiers were supplied and made +comfortable. These backwoodsmen, defenders of their country, did not +forget till their dying day the generous and timely ministries in a time +of trial, in which the women and the men of Louisiana, and especially of +New Orleans, seemed to vie; nor did they cease to speak in their praise. + +Again, in view of the approaching battle, Jackson, in correspondence +with the Secretary of War, complains that the arms from Pittsburgh had +not yet arrived, expressing grave apprehensions of the consequences. +"Hardly," said he, "one third of the Kentucky troops, so long expected, +are armed; and the arms they have are barely fit for use." He presages +that the defeat of our armies and the dishonor of the officers +commanding, and of the nation, may be consequences chargeable to the +neglect of the government. + +The American batteries on both sides of the river continued day and +night to fire upon and harass the British. Wherever a group of the +latter appeared, or an assailable object presented, the American fire +was directed to disperse or destroy. This incessant cannonading +exercised our gunners in the more skillful use of their pieces, annoyed +the enemy in the work of his fortifications, and rendered his nights +well-nigh sleepless. + + +JACKSON'S ENTRENCHED LINE, AND THE POSITIONS OF THE TROOPS AND +ARTILLERY. + +Jackson's lines, five miles below the city, were along the canal, or old +mill-race, on the border of the plantations of Rodrique and Chalmette. +The old ditch, unused for years, had filled up in part with the washings +of the earth from its sides, and grown over with grass. It was chosen +because it lay at a point the shortest in distance from the river to the +swamp, and thus the more easily defended. Along the upper bank of the +canal a parapet was raised, with a banquet behind to stand upon, by +earth brought from the rear of the line, thus raising the original +embankment. The opposite side of the canal was but little raised, +forming a kind of glacis. + +Plank and posts from the adjacent fencing were taken to line the parapet +and to prevent the earth from falling back into the canal. All this was +done at intervals of relief, by the different corps, assisted by labor +from the plantations near. It was not until the seventh of January that +the whole extent of the breastwork was proof against the enemy's cannon. + +The length of the line was less than one mile, more than half of which +ran from the river to the wood, the remainder extending into the depths +of the wood, taking an oblique direction to the left and terminating in +the impassable swamp. The parapet was about five feet in height and from +ten to twenty feet thick at the base, extending inland from the river +one thousand yards. Beyond that, to the wood and swamp, where artillery +could not well be employed, the breastwork was formed of a double row of +logs, laid one over the other, leaving a space of two feet, which was +filled with earth. + +The artillery was distributed on the line as follows: + +Battery 1, Captain Humphries, of the United States artillery, consisted +of two twelve-pounders and a howitzer, on field carriages, and was +located thirty yards from the river, outside the levee. + +Battery 2, ninety yards from Battery 1; Lieutenant Norris, of the navy; +one twenty-four pounder. + +Battery 3, fifty yards from Battery 2; Captains Dominique and Bluche, of +the Baratarians; two twenty-four pounders. + +Battery 4, twenty yards from Battery 3; Captain Crawly, of the navy, one +thirty-two pounder, served by part of the crew of the Carolina. + +Battery 5, Colonel Perry and Lieutenant Carr, of the artillery; two +six-pounders, one hundred and ninety yards from Battery 4. + +Battery 6, thirty-six yards from Battery 5; Lieutenant Bertel; one brass +twelve-pounder. + +Battery 7, one hundred and ninety yards from Battery 6; Lieutenants +Spotts and Chauveau; one eighteen-and one six-pounder. + +Battery 8, sixty yards from Battery 7; one brass carronade, next +Carroll's and Adair's commands. + +Out beyond this last piece the line formed a receding elbow, mentioned +above, made unavoidable by great sinks in the soil, filled with water +from the canal. Here, and beyond into the wood, the ground was so low +that the troops were literally encamped in the water, walking often in +mire a foot in depth, their few tents being pitched on small mounds +surrounded with water or mud. Amid these discomforts, in this +ague-breeding miasm, the Tennesseans, under Generals Coffee and Carroll, +and the Kentuckians, under General Adair, for days endured the dangers +of battle and privations of camp and campaign. As one historian who was +with Jackson's army writes: "They gave an example of the rarest military +virtues. Though constantly living and sleeping in the mire, these +patriotic men never uttered a complaint or showed the least symptoms of +impatience. It was vitally necessary to guard that quarter against an +attack on our flank, and to repulse him on the edge of our breastwork, +where artillery could not be employed. We had no battery on the center +and left for thirteen hundred yards, the nature of the ground not +admitting. The Tennesseans and Kentuckians defended this entire two +thirds of our line with rifles and muskets only. As anticipated, the +enemy made his main assault against these rifles and muskets, in a vain +attempt to flank our army." + +A view of the positions of the respective corps in Jackson's line will +be of interest here. The redoubt on the river, where the right of the +line rested, was guarded by a company of the Seventh United States +Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant Ross; the artillery was served by a +detachment of the Forty-fourth United States Infantry, under Lieutenant +Marant. At the extremity of the line, between Battery 1 and the river, +was posted Captain Beale's company of New Orleans Rifles, thirty men +strong. The Seventh United States Regiment covered the space from +Batteries 1 to 3, four hundred and thirty men, commanded by Major Peire. +The interval between Batteries 3 and 4 was occupied by Major Plauche's +battalion of Louisiana uniformed companies, and by Major Lacoste's +battalion of Louisiana men of color, the former two hundred and +eighty-nine men, and the latter two hundred and eighty strong. From +Batteries 4 to 5, the line was held by Major Daquin's battalion of +St. Domingo men of color, one hundred and fifty in number; and next to +these were placed the Forty-fourth United States Regulars, two hundred +and forty men, commanded by Colonel Baker. + +[Illustration: ANDREW JACKSON. Seventh President of the United States.] + +From this point toward the center and left, for eight hundred yards, the +breastwork was manned by the troops from Tennessee, commanded by General +Carroll, and the Kentuckians, under command of General Adair, supported +by the men of the nearest batteries. General Carroll reported that he +had over one thousand Tennesseans in his immediate command, in line of +action. General Adair had, on the morning of the seventh of January, +received arms for only six hundred of the Kentucky troops. He says, in a +subsequent correspondence, that on the seventh, anticipating the attack +of the British the following day, he went into New Orleans, and plead +with the Mayor and Committee of Safety to lend him, for temporary use, +several hundred stand of arms stored in the city armory and held for the +defense of the city in emergency, and to put a check to any possible +insurrectionary disturbance. To this the Mayor and committee finally +consented, on the condition that the removal of the arms out of the city +should be kept secret from the public. To this end, instead of General +Adair marching in and arming his men, the city authorities had the +arms, concealed in boxes, hauled out to the camp and delivered there. +This was done late in the dusk of the evening, and on the night of the +seventh four hundred more of the Kentuckians were thus armed and marched +forward to take a position with their comrades just in the rear of the +entrenchment, making one thousand Kentuckians under arms and ready for +to-morrow's battle. + +In council with General Jackson, General Adair had suggested that the +British would most probably endeavor to break our line by throwing heavy +columns against it at some chosen point; and that such was the +discipline of their veterans, they might succeed in the effort without +very great resistance was made. To be prepared for such a contingency, +it would be well to place a strong reserve of troops centrally in the +rear of the line, ready at a moment's notice to reinforce the line at +the point of assault. Jackson approved this suggestion, and gave orders +to General Adair to hold the Kentucky troops of his command in position +for such contingency. With Colonel Slaughter's regiment of seven hundred +men, and Major Reuben Harrison's battalion, three hundred and five men +(the Kentuckians under arms), Adair took position just in the rear of +Carroll's Tennesseans, occupying the center of the breastwork line. + +By the statements of their commanders, the joint forces of the +Tennesseans and Kentuckians defending the left center were about two +thousand men. General Coffee's Tennesseans, five hundred in number, +occupied the remainder of the line on the left, which made an +elbow-curve into the wood, terminating in the swamp. Ogden's squad of +cavalry and a detachment of Attakapas dragoons, about fifty men in all, +were posted near the headquarters of the commander-in-chief, and these +were later joined by Captain Chauvau, with thirty mounted men from the +city. The Mississippi cavalry, Major Hinds in command, were held in +reserve, one hundred and fifty strong, posted on Delery's plantation. +Detachments of Colonel Young's Louisiana militia, in all about two +hundred and fifty men, were placed on duty at intervals on the skirts of +the wood, behind the line as far as Piernas' Canal. Four hundred yards +in the rear a guard was posted to prevent any one going out of the camp, +and a line of sentinels was extended to the wood for the same purpose. + +The above details show that there were of Jackson's army on the left +bank of the river, on active duty, about forty-six hundred men; yet on +the battle-line of the eighth of January there were less than four +thousand to engage the enemy. The remainder were in reserve, or on guard +duty at various points. + +From official reports and historical statements derived from British +sources, there were present and in the corps of the British army of +assault, on the morning of the eighth of January, about eleven thousand +men, fully eight thousand of whom were in the attacking columns and +reserve on the left bank of the river, the flower of the English army. + + +THE BATTLE OF SUNDAY, THE EIGHTH OF JANUARY. + +It was not yet daybreak on the morning of the eighth of January when an +American outpost came hastily in, with the intelligence that the enemy +was in motion and advancing in great force. In brief time, as the day +began to dawn, the light discovered to our men what seemed the entire +British army in moving columns, occupying two thirds of the space from +the wood to the river. Obedient to the commands of their officers, who +gallantly led in front of their men, the massive columns of the enemy +moved up with measured and steady tread. Suddenly a Congreve rocket, set +off at a point nearest the wood, blazed its way across the British front +in the direction of the river. This was the signal for attack. +Immediately the first shot from the American line was fired from the +twelve-pounder of Battery 6. This was answered by three cheers from the +enemy, who quickly formed in close column of more than two hundred men +in front and many lines deep. These advanced in good order in the +direction of Batteries 7 and 8, and to the left of these. It was now +evident that the main assault would be made upon that part of the +breastwork occupied by Carroll's Tennesseans, with the intent to break +the line here and flank Jackson's army on the right. + +As soon in the morning as word came that the British were in motion for +an advance, General Adair formed his Kentuckians in two lines in close +order, and marched them to within fifty paces of the breastwork, in the +rear of Carroll's command. The day had dawned, and the fog slowly +lifted. There was no longer doubt of the point of main assault, as the +enemy's heaviest columns moved forward in Carroll's front. The lines of +the Kentucky troops were at once moved up in order of close column to +the Tennesseans, deepening the ranks to five or six men for several +hundred yards. Batteries 6, 7, and 8 opened upon the enemy when within +four or five hundred yards, killing and wounding many, but causing no +disorder in his ranks nor check to his advance. As he approached in +range, the terrible fire of rifles and musketry opened upon him from the +Tennessee and Kentucky infantry, each line firing and falling back to +reload, giving place to the next line to advance and fire. + +The British attack was supported by a heavy artillery fire, while a +cloud of rockets continued to fall in showers throughout the contest. +The assaulting columns did little execution with small arms, as they +came up relying more on the use of the bayonet in case of effecting a +breach in our line. Some of them carried fascines and ladders in +expectation of crossing the ditch and scaling the parapet. But all in +vain. The musketry and rifles of the Tennessee and Kentucky militia, +joining with the fire of the artillery, mowed down whole files of men, +and so decimated their ranks as to throw them into a panic of disorder +and force a retreat. This first disastrous repulse was within +twenty-five minutes after the opening of the battle. Writers present who +have undertaken to describe the scene at the time say that the constant +rolling fire of cannon and musketry resembled the rattling peals of +thunder following the lightning flashes in a furious electric storm. An +English officer present mentions the phenomenon, that though the flashes +of the guns were plainly visible in front, the firing seemed to be from +the wood and swamp a mile or two away on the left. They did not hear the +sound from the front, but only the echoes from the direction named, as +though the battle raged out there. + +The defeated column, forced to fall back broken and disordered, was +finally rallied by the heroic efforts of the officers, reinforced with +fresh troops, and led to a second attempt at assault; but the carnage +and destruction were as great as in the first attempt, while almost no +impression was made upon the defensive line of the Americans. The +British were again compelled to retreat in disorder, leaving great +numbers of their comrades dead or wounded on the ground, or prisoners to +the Americans. The hope of victory had now become a forlorn one to the +British. They were broken in numbers, broken in order and discipline, +and broken in prestige. Yet the brave officers, led by their +commanders-in-chief, determined not to give up the contest without a +last desperate effort. A part of the troops had dispersed and retreated +to shelter among the bushes on their right; the rest retired to the +ditch where they were first perceived in the morning, about five hundred +yards in our front. In vain did the officers call upon the men to rally +and form again for another advance, striking some with the flat of their +swords, and appealing to them by every incentive. They felt that it was +almost certain destruction to venture again into the storm of fire that +awaited them, and were insensible to everything but escape from +impending death. They would not move from the ditch, and here sheltered +the rest of the day. The ground over which they had twice advanced and +twice retreated was strewn thickly with their dead and wounded. Such +slaughter of their own men, with no apparent loss on our side, was +enough to appal the bravest of mankind. + +Nearly one hundred of the enemy reached the ditch in front of the +American breastwork, half of whom were killed and the other half +captured. A detachment of British troops had penetrated into the wood +toward our extreme left, to divert attention by a feint attack. The +troops under General Coffee opened on these with their rifles, and soon +forced them to retire. + +After the main attack on the American left and center had begun, another +column of over twenty-five hundred men, under the command of General +Keene, advanced along the road near the levee, and between the levee and +the river, to attack the American line on the extreme right. They were +partly sheltered by the levee from the fire of the artillery, except +that of Battery 1 and the guns across the river. Our outposts were +driven in, and the head of the column pushing forward occupied the +unfinished redoubt in front of our entrenched line before more than two +or three discharges of artillery could be made. Overpowering the small +force here, they compelled it to fall back, after killing and wounding a +few men. Bravely led by Colonel Rence and other officers of rank, the +British gained a momentary advantage, and threatened to storm the +entrenchment itself. But Beale's Rifles from the city, defending this +extreme, poured fatal volleys upon the head of the column, while +Batteries 1 and 2 mowed down the ranks. The Seventh Regiment, the only +infantry besides Beale's in musket range, did deadly execution also. By +these, the farther advance of the enemy was made impossible, while the +nearest ground they occupied was strewn with their dead and wounded, +among whom were General Keene, Colonel Rence, and other prominent +officers. Many passed the ditch and scaled the parapet only to be shot +down in the redoubt by the unerring riflemen behind the entrenched line. +Like the main column on the left, this second column on the right, +broken and shattered, was compelled to fall back in great disorder upon +the reserve, with no effort after to renew the assault. The dead and +wounded lay thick along the road, the levee, and the river bank, as far +out as the range of our guns. A flanking fire from the battery across +the river harassed the troops in this column both in the advance and +retreat, as they passed in plain view, from which fire they sustained +severe losses. + +The battle was now ended as far as the firing of musketry and small arms +was concerned. The last volleys from these ceased one hour after the +British column first in motion attacked our line upon the left center, +at half-past seven o'clock. In that brief time, one of the best equipped +and best disciplined armies that England ever sent forth was defeated +and shattered beyond hope by one half its number of American soldiers, +mostly militia. For one hour after the opening attack the firing along +the American line had been incessant, and the roar of the cannon, +mingling with the rattling noise of the musketry and rifles, +reverberated over the open plains and echoed back from the wood and +swamp, until the issue of combat sent the enemy to cover beyond range. +The artillery from our batteries, however, kept up a continuous fire +against the guns of the enemy, or against squads of their troops who +might expose themselves, until two o'clock in the afternoon, when the +lull of strife came to all. + +The scene upon the field of contest was one that can not be pictured in +words to convey an adequate impression. British officers who campaigned +in Europe, in the wars of the Peninsula, testified that in all their +military experiences they had witnessed nothing to equal the stubborn +fierceness of the contending forces, and the fearful carnage that befell +the troops of the British army. We have mentioned how thickly strewn was +the ground along the levee and the road, on the right next to the river, +with the dead and the wounded of the enemy. The fatality among the +officers here was fearful. General Keene, in command of this second +attacking column, was borne from the field badly wounded. Colonel Rence, +next in command with Keene, was killed while leading the assault in the +redoubt. Near by fell Major King, mortally wounded, and others of rank, +leaving the command with but few leaders to conduct the broken ranks in +precipitate retreat. On our left, in the front of the Tennesseans and +Kentuckians, the greatest execution had been done. The slaughter here +was appalling. Within a space three hundred yards wide, and extending +out two hundred yards from our breastwork on the battlefield, an area of +about ten acres, the ground was literally covered with the dead and +desperately wounded. A British officer, who became also historian, says +that under the temporary truce he rode forward to view this scene. Such +a one he never witnessed elsewhere. There lay before him in this small +compass not less than one thousand men, dead or disabled by wounds, all +in the uniform of the British soldier; not one American among the +number. The fatality to the English officers had been even greater on +our left than on our right. Lord Pakenham, commander-in-chief, after the +first repulse of the main column, with a courage as reckless as it was +vain rode forward to rally his troops and lead them to a second attack +in person, and in the midst of a hail of missiles from cannon and +small-arms fell mortally hurt with several wounds, and died within an +hour. Major-general Gibbs, next in command, was stricken down a few +minutes after, dying within a few hours. Others in high rank were +carried down in the holocaust of casualties, until the British army +became unnerved for the want of leadership in the hour of disaster and +peril. + +Adjutant-general Robert Butler, in his official report to General +Jackson a few days after the battle of the eighth, placed the losses of +the British at seven hundred killed, fourteen hundred wounded, and five +hundred prisoners; twenty-six hundred men, or almost one third the +entire number the enemy admitted to have taken part in the contest of +the day. The loss of the Americans was six killed and seven wounded, +thirteen in all. Instead of comment upon this remarkable disparity of +losses, and the causes that led to such a signal victory for the +Americans and such a humiliating defeat for our enemies, it will be more +interesting to our readers to quote from English writers who were +participants in the battle, and eye-witnesses of the scenes they +describe with graphic pen. We are ever curious to know what others see +and say of us, especially if they honestly criticize us with a spice of +prejudice. + + +AN ENGLISH OFFICER'S ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE. + +Gleig, in his "History of British Campaigns," says: + + Dividing his troops into three columns, Sir Edward Pakenham directed + that General Keene, at the head of the Ninety-fifth, the light + companies of the Twenty-first, Fourth, and Forty-fourth Regiments, + and the two black corps, should make a demonstration on the right; + that General Gibbs, with the Fourth, Twenty-first, Forty-fourth, and + Ninety-third, should force the enemy's left; while General Lambert, + with the Seventh and Forty-third, remained in reserve. Our numbers + now amounted to a little short of eight thousand, a force which, in + any other part of America, would have been irresistible. The forces + of the enemy were reported at twenty-three to thirty thousand. I + suppose their whole force to have been twenty-five thousand. All + things were arranged on the night of the 7th, for the 8th was fixed + upon as the day decisive of the fate of New Orleans. + + On the morning of the 8th, the entire army was in battle array. A + little after daylight, General Pakenham gave the word to advance The + troops on the right and the left, having the Forty-fourth to follow + with the fascines and ladders, rushed on to the assault. On the left, + next to the river, a detachment of the Ninety-fifth, Twenty-first and + Fourth, stormed a three-gun battery and took it. It was in advance of + the main line of works. The enemy, in overpowering numbers, repulsed + our attacking force and recaptured the battery _with immense + slaughter_. On our right again, the Twenty-first and Fourth being + almost cut to pieces, and thrown into some confusion by the enemy's + fire, the Ninety-third pushed up and took the lead. Hastening + forward, our troops soon reached the ditch; but to scale the parapet + without ladders was impossible. Some few indeed, by mounting upon + each others' shoulders, succeeded in entering the works; but these + were, most of them, instantly killed or captured. As many as stood + without were exposed to a sweeping fire, which cut them down by whole + companies. It was in vain that the most obstinate courage was + displayed. They fell by the hands of men they could not see. The + Americans, without lifting their faces above the rampart, swung their + fire-locks over the wall and discharged them directly upon their + heads. + + Poor Pakenham saw how things were going, and did all that a general + could do to rally his broken troops. He prepared to lead them on + himself, when he received a slight wound in the knee, which killed + his horse. Mounting another, he again headed the Forty-fourth, when a + second ball took effect more fatally, and he dropped lifeless in the + arms of his aid-de-camp. Bravely leading their divisions, Generals + Gibbs and Keene were both wounded, and borne helpless from the field. + All was now confusion and dismay. Without leaders, and ignorant of + what was to be next done, the troops first halted, and then began to + retire, till finally, the retreat was changed into a flight, and they + quitted the ground in the utmost disorder. But the retreat was + covered in gallant style by the reserve. The Seventh and Forty-third, + under General Lambert, presented the appearance of a renewed attack, + and the enemy, overawed, did not pursue. + + On the granting of a two-days' truce for the burial of the dead, + prompted by curiosity, I mounted my horse and rode to the front. Of + all the sights I ever witnessed, that which met me there was, beyond + comparison, the most shocking and the most humiliating. Within the + compass of a few hundred yards, were gathered together nearly a + thousand bodies, all of them arrayed in British uniforms. Not a + single American was among them; all were English. And they were + thrown by dozens into shallow holes, scarcely deep enough to hide + their bodies. Nor was this all. An American officer stood by smoking + a cigar, and abruptly counting the slain with a look of savage + exultation, repeating that their loss amounted only to eight killed + and fourteen wounded. I confess that, when I beheld the scene, I hung + down my head half in sorrow, and half in anger. With my officious + informant, I had every inclination to pick a quarrel. But he was on + duty, and an armistice existed, both of which forbade. I turned my + horse's head and galloped back to the camp. + + The changes of expression now visible in every countenance, no + language can portray. Only twenty hours ago, and all was hope and + animation; wherever you went, you were enlivened by the sounds of + merriment and raillery. The expected attack was mentioned, not only + in terms of sanguine hope, but in perfect confidence as to the + result. Now gloom and discontent everywhere prevailed. + Disappointment, grief, indignation and rage succeeded each other in + all bosoms; nay, so were the troops overwhelmed by a sense of + disgrace, that, for awhile they retained their sorrow without hinting + at the cause. Nor was this dejection because of laurels tarnished, + wholly. The loss of comrades was to the full, as afflicting as the + loss of honor; for, out of more than seven thousand in action on this + side, no fewer than two thousand had fallen. Among these were two + generals in chief command, and many officers of courage and ability. + Hardly an individual survived who had not to mourn the loss of some + special and boon companion. + + +BRITISH EXCUSES FOR DEFEAT. + +Many causes for the failure of the campaign of invasion, and for the +disastrous issue of the battle of the eighth, were conjectured in the +English army. Almost universal blame was attributed to Colonel Mullins, +of the Forty-fourth Regiment, which was detailed under orders to prepare +and have ready, and to carry to the front on the morning of the eighth, +fascines and ladders with which to cross the ditch and scale the +parapet, as the soldiers fought their way to the breastwork of the +Americans. It was freely charged that the Colonel deserted his trust and +at the moment of need was half a mile to the rear. It was then that +Pakenham, learning of Mullins' conduct, placed himself at the head of +the Forty-fourth and endeavored to lead them to the front with the +implements needed to storm the works, when he fell mortally wounded. Of +this incident another British officer, Major B.E. Hill, writes: + + Before sunset of the 7th, I was directed to carry instructions to + Colonel Mullins, of the 44th, respecting the redoubt in which the + fascines and scaling ladders were placed, and to report the result of + my interview to Sir Edward Pakenham. I saw Colonel Mullins, and read + to him the directions from headquarters, begging to know if he + thoroughly understood their purport? I was assured that nothing could + be clearer. Reporting to Sir Edward, he thanked me for so completely + satisfying him that the orders so important would be certainly and + well executed. + +Colonel Mullins may have been guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer, +for which he was tried and cashiered in England; he probably saved his +life at the expense of his honor, in being absent from his post on that +day. But the British officers magnified the importance of the presence +of himself and his regiment with their fascines and ladders ready for +use. Even with the help of these devices, there were not men enough in +the English army to have crossed the ditch, climbed the parapet, and +made a breach in the breastwork line of the Americans. Some of them +might have reached the ditch alive, as did some of their comrades, but +like those comrades they would have died in the ditch or been made +prisoners. The Americans, too, could have used the bayonet as well as +the British, if necessary. + + +BATTLE OF THE EIGHTH OF JANUARY ON THE WEST BANK OF THE RIVER. + +We have mentioned that after the night battle of the twenty-third of +December General Jackson ordered General Morgan to move his command of +Louisiana troops from English Turn, seven miles below the British camp +at Villere's, and to take a position on the west bank of the +Mississippi, opposite to the American camp. Very naturally, the +possibility, and even the probability, of the enemy, when his army was +made formidable by all the reinforcements coming up, throwing a heavy +flanking force across the river, marching it to a point opposite New +Orleans and forcing a surrender of the city, suggested itself to the +military eye of Jackson. After the latter entrenched at Rodrique Canal, +by the first of January, there was no other strategical route by which +the British could have successfully assailed the city. The importance of +this seems to have been fully comprehended neither by the one combatant +nor the other until too late to fully remedy the omission. + +Just such a flanking movement was undertaken by the English at the +latest day, which brought on a second battle on the eighth, on the right +bank of the river, resulting in a defeat to the American forces, and +well-nigh ending in disaster to the American cause. It is in evidence +that this strategic movement was the result of a council of war held by +the British officers, at which Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane was +present. This idea of reaching the city by a heavy detachment thrown +across the river and marching up to a point opposite, in cannon reach, +had occurred before; but the difficulty was in finding a way to cross +over the troops and artillery, with the Americans in command of the +means of transportation. The suggestion came from Admiral Cochrane that +the Villere Canal from the bayou could be easily deepened and widened to +the river bank and opened into the river for the passage of the boats +and barges from the fleet, and a sufficient force thrown across the +river in that way under cover of night. This seemed feasible, and the +strategy determined on. It is related further that Lord Pakenham +insisted that the main attack upon the city for its capture should be +made by a heavy detachment in this direction, and at the same time only +a demonstration in force made on the American breastworks with the whole +army, supported by the artillery. He urged that to directly assault the +fortified line in front would be at a fearful loss of life, if +successful; if it failed it would be disastrous. The Admiral replied to +this tauntingly, that there was no cause for alarm over anticipated +defeat; he would undertake to force the lines of the American militia +with two or three thousand marines. In allusion to this, Latour says: +"If the British commander-in-chief was so unmindful of what he owed to +his country, and to the army committed to his charge, as to yield to the +ill-judged and rash advice of the Admiral, he sacrificed reason in a +moment of irritation; though he atoned with his life for having acted +contrary to his own judgment." Undoubtedly the English made their last +and most fatal blunder here. + +As the English writers who were with the army have so variously +minimized the forces under Colonel Thornton, and so exaggerated the +numbers of the Americans in this affair on the west bank, we quote from +the official report of Major-general Lambert, who succeeded to the +immediate command of the invading army after the fall of Generals +Pakenham, Gibbs, and Keene, what appears to be reliable: + + _To Lord Bathurst_: JANUARY 10th, 1815. + + It becomes my duty to lay before your Lordship the proceedings of the + force lately employed on the right bank of the Mississippi River. + Preparations had been made on our side to clear out and widen the + canal that led from the bayou to the river, by which our boats had + been brought up to the point of disembarkation, and to open it to the + Mississippi, by which our troops could be got over to the right bank, + and the cooperation of armed boats be secured. A corps consisting of + the 85th light infantry, two hundred seamen, four hundred marines, + the 5th West India Regiment, and four pieces of artillery, under the + command of Colonel Thornton, of the 85th, were to pass over during + the night, and move along the right bank toward New Orleans, clearing + its front, until it reached the flanking battery of the enemy on that + side, which it had orders to carry. Unlooked for difficulties caused + delay in the entrance of the armed boats from the canal into the + river, destined to land Colonel Thornton's corps, by which several + hours' delay was caused. The ensemble of the general movement was + lost, a point of the last importance to the main attack on the left + bank, although Colonel Thornton ably executed his instructions. + + MAJ.-GEN. LAMBERT, _Com'd'g._ + +The two regiments above, with the seamen and marines, if all were +present, would have given Colonel Thornton a command of nearly two +thousand men. But it is said that in consequence of some difficulties in +getting the boats through the canal into the river, and delay consequent +thereon, a part of the forces were left behind. From the best +authorities, there were twelve hundred British troops landed upon the +west bank of the river on the morning of the eighth, by daybreak--all +except the West India regiment. + + +DEFENSIVE WORKS AND FORCES ON THE WEST BANK, OPPOSITE JACKSON'S +CAMP. + +General Morgan, commanding the Louisiana militia, was in position on +Raquet's old canal site, next to the river. Major Latour, chief of the +engineer corps, had been instructed by General Jackson, a week or two +before the battle, to proceed across the river and to select on that +side a suitable line for defensive works for General Morgan, in case the +enemy should attempt a flanking movement on the right bank. Of this +mission, Major Latour writes: + + Agreeable to orders, I waited on General Morgan, and in the presence + of Commodore Patterson communicated to him my orders, and told him I + was at his disposal. The General seemed not to come to a conclusion, + but inclined to make choice of Raquet's line. He then desired that I + inspect the different situations myself, and make my report to him. + My orders were to assist him, and my opinion was subordinate to his. + + I chose for the intended line of defense an intermediate position, + nearly at equal distances from Raquet's and Jourdan's canal, where + the wood inclines to the river, leaving a space of only about nine + hundred yards between the swampy wood and the river. Works occupying + this space could not well be turned, without a siege and assault in + heavy force by the enemy. I made a rough draft of the intended line, + and immediately the overseer set his negroes to execute the work. + Returning to the left bank, I made my report to the + Commander-in-chief, who approved the disposition made. One thousand + men could have guarded a breastwork line here, and half that number + would have been sufficient had pieces of cannon been mounted in the + intended outworks. That line, defended by the eight hundred troops + and the artillery of General Morgan's command, on the 8th, could have + defied three or four times the number of British who crossed over to + the right bank that day. But these dispositions had been changed by + General Morgan, and the negroes ordered to work on the Raquet line. + +Major Latour had selected for General Jackson his line of defense on the +left bank of the river, and had directed the construction of the +breastwork and redoubts to the entire satisfaction of the General. He +objected to the Raquet line favored by General Morgan, as wholly +unsuited for defense. The space here from the river to the wood swamp +was two thousand yards, or considerably over one mile, a much longer +line than Jackson's on the other side. To be effective against an +attacking force, the entrenchment and outworks must be extended to cover +the entire space. It would require then more than double the number of +troops and of pieces of artillery for defense than the situation +selected by Latour. + +In determining on this change of the line of defense, contrary to the +judgment and warning of the chief of the engineer corps, General Morgan +seems to have been influenced by one consideration paramount to all +others. He was in daily council with Commodore Patterson, and was +assured of the powerful aid of his battery on the right bank, which had +done such execution in the ranks of the British across the river. Should +the enemy attack General Morgan's position at Raquet's line, the +Commodore could turn his twelve pieces of cannon in their embrasures, +sweep the field, and drive back any reasonable force in range. With +this support of his artillery, the few hundred militia of Morgan's +command could more successfully repulse an attack at Raquet's line than +at the line selected by Latour farther away. This change in the +situation and plan of defense is characterized by Latour and other +authorities as an unmilitary proceeding, as it abandoned the idea of a +fortified line behind which a successful defense could have been made +probable, if not certain, for an almost open field subject to the +flanking movement of veteran troops against raw militia, with no +auxiliary support except a park of artillery with guns turned another +way, and of most doubtful use in case of need. General Morgan must not +share alone the criticism which has been so freely made of his +disposition of forces and changes of strategic plans which resulted in +sensational disaster to his command. Commodore Patterson, experienced in +military affairs as well as naval, advised with him, and must have +approved. This change of line, made some days before the eighth, must +have been known, and on the representations of Morgan and Patterson, +approved by General Jackson. It is not conceivable that so important a +change of plans would have been made by a subordinate officer, affecting +seriously the safety of New Orleans, without the consent of the +commander-in-chief. The latter seemed always to have held in very high +personal esteem these two officers, and to have had confidence in their +abilities as commanders. + +As mentioned above, the dispositions made for a line of defense by Major +Latour were changed by General Morgan, and the negroes set to work on +Raquet's line. A breastwork fortification was thrown up by the seventh +of January, extending but two hundred yards from the river bank out on +the site of the old canal. From this terminus across the plantation land +to the wooded swamp was an open plain, with scarce an obstruction to the +deploy of troops or the sweep of artillery. The old canal had long been +in disuse, and the ditch was filled nearly full with the washings and +deposits of years. Behind this two hundred yards of entrenchment General +Morgan massed all the Louisiana troops of his command and planted his +artillery, three pieces in all. From the end of the breastwork on the +right, one mile or eighteen hundred yards to the swamp, there were no +defensive works from behind which to repulse the assault of an enemy, +nor any means of resistance in sight to an attack, other than the guns +in battery of Commodore Patterson, of more than doubtful use, and the +yet very doubtful contingent of reinforcements sufficient from General +Jackson's limited supply of men and arms. + +On the seventh, the forces of Morgan's immediate command were the First +Louisiana Militia on the left, next to the river; on the right of these, +the Second Louisiana; and on the right of the latter, the drafted +Louisiana militia, in all about five hundred men, who occupied the +fortified line of two hundred yards. It was not until late this day that +General Jackson seemed to fully awaken to the impending dangers of this +formidable flanking movement across the river. He at once gave orders +that five hundred of the unarmed Kentucky militia in camp should be +marched up the river to New Orleans and receive certain arms in store +there; then cross the river, and march down five miles on the west bank +and reinforce General Morgan's command by, or before, daylight next +morning. It was late afternoon when they started on this tramp of ten +miles, through mud and mire ankle deep. Arriving at New Orleans, it was +found that four hundred stand of arms which were expected to be obtained +from the city armory had been loaned to General Adair, and sent to him +at the Kentucky camp for other use. From other sources some +miscellaneous old guns were obtained to equip less than two hundred of +the detailed Kentuckians, who crossed the river, began their weary night +march, and reported to General Morgan before daylight of the eighth, +ready for duty, though they had not slept for twenty-four hours, nor +eaten anything since noon of the previous day. Their arms, a mongrel +lot, were many of them unfit for combat; old muskets and hunting-pieces, +some without flints, and others too small-bored for the cartridges. + + +THE BRITISH CROSS THE RIVER AND LAND AT DAYBREAK; THEY BEGIN THE +ATTACK--THE BATTLE AND RETREAT. + +About sunset on the evening of the seventh, General Morgan was notified +of the intention of the enemy to cross the river by Commodore Patterson, +who had closely observed his movements in the afternoon. Before day-dawn +on the eighth, the General received information of the enemy landing on +the west bank, at Andry's plantation. The rapid current of the +Mississippi had carried his little flotilla three miles below the point +he had desired to land. Having debarked his troops, he marched up the +river; his boats, manned by four pieces of artillery, keeping abreast +and covering his flank. A detachment of Louisiana militia, about one +hundred and fifty men, under command of Major Arnaud, had been sent in +the night a mile or two down the river to oppose the landing and to +check the advance of the British. These raw militia, very poorly armed, +retired before the enemy. The detachment of one hundred and seventy +Kentuckians just arrived, under command of Colonel Davis, was ordered to +move forward to the support of the command of Major Arnaud. Though +wearied with the toilsome all-night march, the Kentucky troops went +forward about one mile below Morgan's line and took position on Mayhew's +Canal, their left resting on the bank of the river. Major Arnaud halted +his Louisiana militia on the right of these in line. The enemy, over one +thousand strong, came up in force under Colonel Thornton, who commanded +the British in the night battle of the twenty-third. A heavy fire of +musketry from the front was supported by a flanking fire of artillery +and rockets from the boats. The command of Major Arnaud gave way and +hastily retreated to the wood, appearing no more during the day on the +field of action. The Kentuckians returned the fire of the enemy with +several effective volleys, when they were ordered by an aid-de-camp of +General Morgan's, just arrived, to fall back and take a position on his +line of defense. + +The falling back of the Kentuckians before the enemy was under orders +which they could not but obey. They were holding him in check and +inflicting heavier losses than they were receiving, against four or five +times their own numbers. They fell back one mile in good order. By +disposition of the commanding officer, they were placed in line, with an +open space of two hundred yards between their extreme left and the +extreme right of the entrenched Louisianians, and stretched out to cover +a space of three hundred yards, or one man to nearly two yards of space. +The remainder of the line stretching to the wood on the extreme right, +twelve hundred yards, was wholly without defensive works, or any defense +excepting a picket of eighteen men under Colonel Caldwell, stationed out +two hundred yards beyond the extreme right of the Kentuckians. Less than +two hundred poorly armed militia were thus isolated and distributed in +thin ranks to defend a line one mile in length, while General Morgan lay +behind his entrenchment, defending a space of two hundred yards with +five hundred troops and three pieces of artillery, which could have been +easily held by two hundred men. + +Colonel Thornton, in command of the British troops, in advancing to the +attack, readily perceived with his trained military eye the vulnerable +situation of the American forces. Gleig, the English author present, +gives the disposition of the enemy's assaulting columns as follows: The +Eighty-fifth, Colonel Thornton's own regiment, about seven hundred men, +stretched across the field, covering our front, with the sailors, two +hundred in number, prepared to storm the battery and works; while the +marines formed a reserve, protecting the fleet of barges. It is not +probable that the attack upon the entrenchments next to the river was +intended to be more than a demonstration in force to hold the attention +of General Morgan and his command there, while the main assault was +being directed with the Eighty-fifth Regiment against the thin and +unsupported line of the Kentucky militia, with a view of flanking these +and getting in the rear of General Morgan's breastworks. + +We quote from Major Latour's "Historical Memoir" a further account: + + The enemy advancing rapidly by the road opposite the left of the + line, the artillery played on him with effect; and as he came nearer, + the musketry began to fire also. This having obliged him to fall + back, he next directed his attack against the detached Kentuckians on + our right, one column moving toward the wood and the other toward the + centre of the line. Now was felt the effect of the bad position that + we occupied. One of the enemy's columns turned our troops at the + extremity of Colonel Davis' command, while the other penetrated into + the unguarded space between the Kentuckians and the breastwork of the + Louisianians. Flanked at both extremes by four times their own + number, and unsupported, the Kentucky militia, after firing several + volleys, gave way; nor was it possible again to rally them. + Confidence had vanished, and with it all spirit of resistance. If + instead of extending over so much space, those troops had been + formed in close column, the confusion that took place might have been + avoided, and a retreat in good order made. + + The enemy having turned our right, pushed on towards the rear of our + left, which continued firing as long as possible. At length the + cannon were spiked just as the enemy arrived on the bank of the + canal. Commodore Patterson had kept up an artillery fire on the + British over the river. As they advanced up the road, he would now + have turned his cannon in their embrasures, and fired on those of the + enemy who had turned our line and come in range. But the Kentucky + troops and the Louisianians masked the guns, and made it impossible + to fire without killing our own men. Seeing this, he determined to + spike his guns and retreat. + + The Louisiana militia under General Morgan now fell back and took a + position on the Bois Gervais line, where a number of the fleeing + troops rallied. A small detachment of the enemy advanced as far as + Cazelards, but retired before evening. In the course of the night all + the enemy's troops recrossed the river, to join their main body. The + result of this attack of the enemy on the right bank was, the loss of + one hundred and twenty of his men, killed and wounded. The + commander-in-chief, receiving intelligence of the retreat of our + troops on the right bank, ordered General Humbert, formerly of the + French army, who had tendered his services as a volunteer, to cross + over with a reinforcement of four hundred men, assume command, and + repulse the enemy, cost what it might. The order was verbal; some + dispute having arisen over the question of military precedence, and + the enemy withdrawing, no further steps were taken. + + +"THE KENTUCKIANS INGLORIOUSLY FLED"--A PROFOUND SENSATION. + +In this historic review, we dwell exhaustively upon the episode of this +battle on the west bank, on the 8th of January, 1815, not because of any +intrinsic importance of the subject, but rather from the sensational +incidents which attended the movements of the belligerents, and which +were consequent upon the issue. The galling words of General Jackson, +hastily and unguardedly uttered in an attempt to throw the blame of +defeat upon a small detachment of Kentucky militia, "the Kentuckians +ingloriously fled," were resented as an undeserved stigma upon the honor +and good name of all the Kentuckians in the army, and upon the State of +Kentucky herself. The epigrammatic phrase, construed to mean more than +was intended, perhaps, like Burchard's "Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion," +struck a chord of sympathetic emotion that vibrated not only in the army +and the community of Louisiana, but throughout the entire country. These +burning words are of record in the archives at Washington, and +remembered in history; but the facts in full, which vindicate the truth +and render justice to whom it is due, are known to but few, if known to +any now living. In the words of Latour: "What took place on the right +bank had made so much sensation in the immediate seat of war, and had +been so variously reported abroad, to the disparagement of many brave +men, that I thought it a duty incumbent on me to inquire into +particulars and trace the effect to its cause." + +Rather than give our own impressions, we quote from "Reid and Eaton's +Life of Jackson" an account of this affair, interesting because written +when the subject was yet fresh in the public mind, and from the intimacy +of the authors with the personal and public life of General Jackson: + + On the night of the 7th, two hundred Louisiana militia were sent one + mile down the river, to watch the movements of the enemy. They slept + upon their arms until, just at day, an alarm was given of the + approach of the British. They at once fell back towards General + Morgan's line. The Kentucky detachment of one hundred and seventy + men, having arrived at five in the morning, after a toilsome + all-night march, were sent forward to cooperate with the Louisiana + militia, whom Major Davis met retreating up the road. They now formed + behind a mill-race near the river. Here a stand was made, and the + British advance checked by several effective volleys. General + Morgan's aid-de-camp being present, now ordered a retreat back to the + main line of defense, which was made in good order. In the panic and + disorderly retreat afterwards are to be found incidents of + justification, which might have occasioned similar conduct in the + most disciplined troops. The weakest part of the line was assailed + by the greatest strength of the enemy. This was defended by one + hundred and seventy Kentuckians, who were stretched out to an extent + of three hundred yards, unsupported by artillery. Openly exposed to + the attack of a greatly superior force, and weakened by the extent of + ground they covered, it is not deserving reproach that they abandoned + a post they had strong reasons for believing they could not maintain. + General Morgan reported to General Jackson the misfortune of defeat + he had met, and attributed it to the flight of these troops, who had + drawn along with them the rest of his forces. True, they were the + first to flee; and their example may have had some effect in alarming + others. But, in situation, the troops differed. The one were exposed + and enfeebled by the manner of their arrangement; the other, much + superior in numbers, covered a less extent of ground, were defended + by an excellent breastwork manned by several pieces of artillery; and + with this difference,--the loss of confidence of the former was not + without cause. Of these facts, Commodore Patterson was not apprised; + General Morgan was. Both reported that the disaster was owing to the + flight of the Kentucky militia. Upon this information, General + Jackson founded his report to the Secretary of War, by which these + troops were exposed to censures they did not merit. Had all the + circumstances as they existed, been disclosed, reproach would have + been prevented. At the mill-race no troops could have behaved better; + they bravely resisted the advance of the enemy. Until an order to + that effect was given, they entertained no thought of retreating. + +Intelligence quickly came to General Jackson of the defeat and rout of +General Morgan's command, imperiling the safety of the city of New +Orleans, in the midst of the congratulations over the great victory of +the main army on the east bank. Naturally, a state of intense excitement +followed, bordering on consternation for a few hours. When the danger +was ended by the withdrawal of the British forces to recross the river, +the report of General Morgan, followed by that of Commodore Patterson, +came to headquarters, laying the blame of defeat and disaster to the +alleged cowardly retreat of the Kentucky militia. With General Jackson's +great personal regard for the authors of these reports, he took for +granted the correctness of the charge of censurable conduct. Amid the +tumult of emotions that must have been felt, rapidly succeeding the +changes of scenes and incidents and issues of strategy and battle during +that eventful twenty-four hours, the great commander yielded to the +impulse of the moment to write in his official report to the Secretary +of War, on the ninth, the day succeeding the battles, the following +words: + + Simultaneously with his advance upon my lines, the enemy had thrown + over in his boats a considerable force to the other side of the + river. These having landed, were hardly enough to advance against the + works of General Morgan; and what is strange and difficult to + account for, at the very moment when their discomfiture was looked + for with a confidence approaching to certainty, the Kentucky + reinforcement, in whom so much reliance had been placed, ingloriously + fled, drawing after them by their example the remainder of the + forces, and thus yielding to the enemy that most formidable position. + The batteries which had rendered me, for many days, the most + important service, though bravely defended, were of course now + abandoned; not, however, until the guns had been spiked. + +Commodore Patterson also sent in a report to the Secretary of the Navy, +characterizing the little detachment of Kentucky militia in terms as +censurable and as unjust as were the words of General Jackson. When +these official reports became publicly known, imputing all blame of +disaster to the retreat of the Kentuckians, an indignant protest was +entered by General Adair and by the entire Kentucky contingent of the +army. In this protest they had the sympathy and support of a large +portion of other troops of the army, and of the community. Language at +this late day of forgetfulness and calmer reason would be too tame to +really portray the irritations, the bitter recriminations, and the angry +protests which agitated army circles, and the civil community as well, +and which were echoed from many parts of the country at large. + + +A COURT OF INQUIRY APPOINTED BY THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF EXONERATES +THE KENTUCKIANS. + +General Adair, supported by the officers of his command, insisted that +the statements made in these reports to the departments at Washington +were made upon a misapprehension of the facts, and that great injustice +had been done the Kentucky militia in General Morgan's command by +attempting to shift the responsibility of defeat from its real sources, +and placing it to their discredit. A military court of inquiry was +demanded, and granted by the commander-in-chief, the members of which +were officers of rank in the army, and disinterested by their relations +in the findings, and General Carroll, of Tennessee, appointed to +preside. The following notice was served on General Morgan, and similar +notices on other officers concerned: + + NEW ORLEANS, LA., February 9, 1815. BRIGADIER-GENERAL + MORGAN. + + _Sir_: A Court of Inquiry is now in session for the purpose of + inquiring into the conduct of the officers under your command, on the + morning of the 8th of January. As you are somewhat concerned, I have + to request that you will introduce such witnesses on to-morrow as you + may think necessary. The conduct of Colonel Cavalier, and of Majors + Tesla and Arnaud, is yet to be inquired into. + + Your Most Obt. Servant, + WM. CARROLL, Maj.-Gen'l, + _Prest. of Court_. + +The following opinion was rendered: + + REPORT OF THE COURT OF INQUIRY. + + HEADQUARTERS 7TH MILITARY DISTRICT. NEW ORLEANS, LA., + February 19, 1815. + + GENERAL ORDERS. + + At a Court of Inquiry, convened at this place on the 9th inst., of + which Major-general Carroll is President, the military conduct of + Colonel Davis, of Kentucky Militia, and of Colonels Dijon and + Cavalier, of Louisiana Militia, in the engagement on the 8th of + January last, on the west bank of the Mississippi, were investigated; + the Court, after mature deliberation, is of opinion that the conduct + of those gentlemen in the action aforesaid, and retreat on the 8th of + January, on the western bank of the river, is not reprehensible. The + cause of the retreat the Court attributes to the shameful flight of + the command of Major Arnaud, sent to oppose the landing of the enemy. + The retreat of the Kentucky militia, which, considering their + position, the deficiency of their arms, and other causes, may be + excusable; and the panic and confusion introduced into every part of + the line, thereby occasioning the retreat and confusion of the + Orleans and Louisiana militia. While the Court found much to applaud + in the zeal and gallantry of the officer immediately commanding, they + believe that a further reason for the retreat may be found in the + manner in which the force was placed on the line; which they consider + exceptionable. The commands of Colonels Dijon, Cavalier, and + Declouet, composing five hundred men, supported by three pieces of + artillery, having in front a strong breastwork, occupying a space of + only two hundred yards; whilst the Kentucky militia, composing + Colonel Davis' command, only one hundred and seventy strong, occupied + over three hundred yards, covered by a small ditch only. + + The Major-general approves the proceeding of the Court of Inquiry, + which is hereby dissolved. + + By Command. + H. CHOTARD, _Asst. Adj. Gen._ + + +CONTROVERSY BETWEEN JACKSON AND ADAIR. + +General Adair seems to have regarded the decision of the Court of +Inquiry as a modifying compromise, in deference to the high personal +character and influence of a number of persons concerned, and not the +full vindication of the Kentucky militia from the imputations of +ungallant conduct on the field reflected upon them in the official +reports. The controversy, and other causes preceding it, had rankled the +bosoms of both General Jackson and himself, and estranged the warm +friendship that had before existed between them. Adair thought that +Jackson should withdraw, or modify, the language of his official report. +General Jackson was not a man to readily retract; and was certainly not +in the humor with Adair to retract anything he had said. He would do no +more than approve the opinion of the Court of Inquiry. This, perhaps, +was as much as General Adair should have asked at the time. + +On the 10th of February, 1816, the Legislature of Kentucky, in a +resolution of thanks to General Adair for gallant services at New +Orleans, added: "And for his spirited vindication of a respectable +portion of the troops of Kentucky from the libelous imputation of +cowardice most unjustly thrown upon them by General Andrew Jackson." +This and other incidents intensified the animosity of feeling. + +It was some two years after the close of hostilities that the +correspondence between Jackson and Adair was terminated in language and +spirit so intensely bitter as to make the issue personal. Adair had +reported all proceedings and facts concerning the Kentucky troops during +the campaign to Governor Shelby, who had taken a very active part in +sending all possible aid for the defense of New Orleans. In these +reports he reflected on what he deemed the injustice done the Kentucky +troops in several official publications; especially by General Jackson, +not only in the affair of Morgan's rout, but in his report of other +operations during the campaign. These were causes of irritation on the +part of the commander-in-chief. The burning words in the reports of +General Jackson, General Morgan, and Commodore Patterson, imputing +cowardice to a few of their comrades, had touched a sensitive chord and +sunk deep into the hearts of the Kentucky troops in the army. In their +resentments, expressed in words and sometimes in actions, all danger +from the enemy being over, they were perhaps not always so orderly as +soldiers should be while in camp, or on scout or picket service. + +[Illustration: JOHN ADAIR. + +Eighth Governor of Kentucky.] + +In the closing correspondence, the language used by both Jackson and +Adair became exceedingly bitter; that of the former beyond all restraint +toward his respondent. The issue of this controversy, tradition says, +was a challenge to meet upon the field of honor, then so called, and to +settle it at the pistol's point. The challenge was accepted. By whom it +was sent, the author has not been able to learn. In the absence of any +record, written or in print, of this affair, he has to rely upon oral +recitals which have come down through members of the Adair family in +Kentucky, and are remembered in the main facts to-day. The would-be +combatants met by appointment at a spot selected on the border line of +their respective States, accompanied each by his second, his surgeon, +and a few invited friends. The unfriendly breach between Jackson and +Adair, and its possible tragic issue, seems to have given deep concern +to some of their friends. There was no other cause of enmity between +them save what grew out of the unfortunate occurrences at New Orleans. +They were of the same political party--Jeffersonian Republicans, as they +were known then, in distinction from Federalists. Jackson had won renown +and prestige as no other in America, and his name had already been +mentioned in connection with the highest office within the gift of the +people. Adair was held in high esteem by the people of Kentucky, and +bright hopes of political preferment were held out by his party friends. +Other considerations added, induced friends on either side to urge a +reconciliation, which was happily effected on terms mutually +satisfactory. The above account of this meeting on the field of honor +was related to the author by General D.L. Adair, of Hawesville, +Kentucky, now long past his fourscore years. He gave the facts to the +writer, he said, as he received them from his father, Doctor Adair, of +Hardin County, Kentucky, many years ago. Doctor Adair was a cousin of +General Adair, of Jackson's army, and was one of the intimate friends +whom the General invited to be present upon the ground. + +The correspondence of Jackson and Adair throws light upon the subject of +this controversy, and reveals to us some of the causes of the errors and +contentions of this affair. We have mentioned that Adair, in his +eagerness to arm as many as possible of the Kentucky militia and place +them in line for the main battle of the eighth, went into the city and +plead with the Committee of Safety to loan him four hundred stand of +arms, held in the city armory for the protection of New Orleans, for a +few days. This urgent request was granted, and the arms privately moved +out, hauled to the camp of the Kentuckians, and delivered there about +nightfall of the seventh. Four hundred more of the Kentuckians were thus +armed and moved up to the rear of the breastwork, ready for the battle +next morning. Adair believed that he was acting in the line of his duty, +and that Jackson would approve of his device for arming more of his idle +men in camp. Busy as he was that day in New Orleans, and in equipping +and marshaling the men of his command for battle, he was not made aware +of the urgent need of reinforcements on the opposite bank of the river, +nor did he know of the purpose of the commander-in-chief to arm these +from the city armory. While Adair's device very much strengthened +Jackson's line on the left bank, it unfortunately defeated Jackson's +plan of sending four hundred more men to reinforce General Morgan on the +right bank, and may in this way have largely contributed to the latter's +defeat. + +When Jackson, late on the seventh, ordered a detail of five hundred of +the Kentucky militia to be marched at once to New Orleans, there to be +armed, to cross the river and report by daylight to General Morgan, he +expected to use the arms from the city armory. There was no other +supply. + +We may readily imagine the feeling of disappointed chagrin and passion +that stirred to its depths the strong nature of Jackson, when the +intelligence quickly came to him across the river of the disaster to +Morgan's command, and of its retreat toward New Orleans, followed by the +enemy. It was in this tumult of passion and excitement that the report +of Morgan, followed by that of Patterson, was brought to him, imputing +the cause of defeat and disaster to the cowardly retreat of the Kentucky +detachment. Under the promptings of these incidents of the day, +Jackson's report to the Secretary of War was made, in which the words of +censure were so unjustly employed. Jackson must have informed Morgan on +the evening of the seventh that he would reinforce him with five hundred +armed soldiers. When Colonel Davis reported to Morgan, one hour before +daylight, the arrival of the Kentucky contingent, the latter was +expecting five hundred men to reinforce him. Had this been done, the +Kentucky troops and Major Arnaud's one hundred and fifty Louisianians +would have made the forces sent to the front to check the advance of the +British under Colonel Thornton over six hundred men. Such a force, well +officered, would probably have held the enemy in check, fallen back in +good order, and made a stubborn fight on the line of battle. But there +was only one third the Kentucky force expected; and when Major Arnaud's +command retreated, there was but this contingent of one hundred and +seventy Kentucky militia left to resist the advance of one thousand +British veterans, and to meet their main assault on the center and right +of the long line of battle. It made its march from New Orleans at +midnight, and was reported to General Morgan before daybreak. These +facts give a more intelligible view of the plan of battle arranged by +this officer. It was undoubtedly marred and broken up by the unforeseen +incidents mentioned, unfortunately for General Morgan and for the +American cause. Commodore Patterson, in his report to the Secretary of +the Navy, five days after the battle, makes the force of Kentucky +militia that gave way before the British four hundred men, more than +double the real number; thus showing the error prevalent. + +When the facts came out that General Adair had secured the four hundred +stand of city arms for his own immediate command with which Jackson had +designed to arm the reinforcement for General Morgan, the incident was +naturally very irritating to the Commander-in-chief. It was imputed as a +cause, in part, of the defeat and disaster on the right bank. Jackson +seems to have complained to Adair that the latter ought to have known of +his order to call out the detachment of five hundred Kentuckians in +time, and of his intention to arm them in the city. Adair replied that +the order came to General Thomas, in chief command of the Kentuckians, +lying ill in camp, while he was busily engaged in New Orleans and at the +front, preparing his own command for battle next day; that he did not +know of the intention of Jackson to use the city arms until too late to +repair the mistake. It made up a chapter of accidents and errors, +happening with best intentions. As for the little body of Kentucky +militia, who were made sensationally notorious, where there was honor +and fame for no one, poorly armed and wearied with fasting and a heavy +all-night march, they did as well as troops could do. It is doubtful if +any one hundred and seventy troops in Jackson's army would have done +better. Unsupported, and attacked and flanked by four times their own +number, no troops could have held their ground longer. + +In the possession of Judge William H. Seymour, of New Orleans, is an +original letter of Major Latour, addressed to General Morgan in +anticipation of the publication of his "Historical Memoirs of the War of +1812-15," advising him that he would give an account also of the +military situation and battle on the west bank, as he viewed them; and +inviting any statement from General Morgan in his own vindication that +he might choose to make. This letter is not printed in the history, but +was seen and copied by the author, through the courtesy of Judge +Seymour, who is a lineal descendant of a sister of Andrew Jackson. A +diligent inquiry was made by the writer of this monograph for a copy of +General Morgan's report, and also of letters or documents from him in +vindication of his course in the affairs mentioned. If any such are in +print, or otherwise preserved, the author did not succeed in finding +them, to his regret. + + NEW ORLEANS, LA., April, 1815. TO GENERAL DAVID + MORGAN. + + _Sir_: I send you herewith a copy of the publication that I am + preparing for the press, upon the last campaign, relating to the + transaction that took place on the right bank, on the 8th of January. + + As I am of opinion that you are to bear the blame of our disgrace on + that part of our defense, I thought myself in duty bound, as a man + of honor, to participate to you what I wrote on the subject previous + to my putting it to the press. What I have stated is, I believe, + strictly true; however, sir, you are in a situation to furnish me + with such observations as may tend to rectify what should not be + printed, in its true light. + + Be persuaded, sir, that I have no enmity against you; on the + contrary, as a private citizen, I have the regard for you that I + think you deserve. Then I hope you will not take my conscientious + caution in a bad part, and that you will direct to me in + Philadelphia, where I am departing for in a day or two, anything you + will choose to write for your vindication. It will find room in the + appendix, at all events, should it be founded upon proper + authorities. + + I remain, sir, your most respectful servant, + + A. LACARRIERE LATOUR. + +Incidental prominence has been given to this episode of the battle of +the eighth, on the west bank of the river, far beyond its real merits as +an event of the military operations around New Orleans. Worse panic and +confusion resulted among the American militia at Bladensburg, in front +of Washington, and at other places, during the War of 1812-15, and +passed into history without unusual criticism, as incidents common to +warfare. But the injustice done to the little band of Kentucky militia, +imputing to them cowardly conduct, on the part of some of the highest +officials of the army, aroused a spirit of indignant protest that +echoed far and wide, and would not down. Had it not been for the +misleading report of General Morgan, followed by that of Commodore +Patterson, and prompting that of General Jackson to the Secretary of +War, saying that "the Kentuckians ingloriously fled," and imputing blame +to no other party, the incident of the battle and defeat would have been +mentioned and passed without comment. + + +THE COVERT RETREAT OF THE BRITISH. + +The battles of the eighth were decisive of the campaign, and of the War +of 1812-15, so far as military operations were concerned. The British +had been beaten in generalship and beaten upon the field of battle, +until they were made to feel and to confess to defeat so crushing as to +leave no hope of retrieving disaster. Within fifteen days after landing, +they had sustained losses equal to one third of their entire army of +invasion. With prestige gone and spirit broken, and their ranks +shattered, there was but one thing left to do. To cover their retreat +and get safely back to their ships before the broken remnants of their +army were made to capitulate by surrender became a matter of gravest +concern. The situation is set forth in the following official letter to +the Secretary of War: + + CAMP BELOW NEW ORLEANS, January 19, 1815. + + _Sir_: Last night, at 12 o'clock, the enemy precipitately decamped + and returned to his boats, leaving behind him, under medical + attendance, eighty of his wounded, fourteen pieces of heavy + artillery, and a quantity of ammunition. Such was the situation of + the ground he abandoned, and that through which he retired, protected + by canals, redoubts, intrenchments, and swamps on his right and the + river on his left, that I could not, without great risk, which true + policy did not seem to require, much annoy him on his retreat. + + Whether it is the purpose of the enemy to renew his efforts at some + other point, or not, I can not certainly determine. In my own mind, + however, there is little doubt that his last exertions have been made + in this quarter, at least for the present season. In this belief I am + strengthened by the prodigious losses he has sustained at the + position he has just quitted, and by the failure of his fleet to pass + Fort St. Philip. His loss on this ground, since the debarkation of + his troops, as stated by the last prisoners and deserters, and as + confirmed by many additional circumstances, must have exceeded four + thousand men. We succeeded on the 8th, in getting from the enemy + about one thousand stand of arms of various kinds. + + Since the action of the 8th, the enemy have been allowed but very + little respite, my artillery from both sides of the river being + constantly employed until the hour of their departure, in annoying + them. They were permitted to find no rest. + + I am advised by Major Overton, who commands at Fort St. Philip, in a + letter of the 18th, that the enemy having bombarded his fort for nine + days, with thirteen-inch mortars, without effect, had on the morning + of that day retired. I have little doubt that he would have sunk + their vessels had they attempted to run by. + + Do not think me too sanguine in the belief that Louisiana is now + clear of the enemy. I need not assure you, however, that wherever I + command, such a belief shall never occasion any relaxation in the + measures for resistance. I am but too sensible that while the enemy + is opposing us, is not the most proper time to provide for them. On + the 18th, our prisoners on shore were delivered to us, an exchange + having been agreed to. I shall have on hand an excess of several + hundred. + + I have the honor to be, &c., + ANDREW JACKSON, + _Commander-in-Chief_. + +The losses to the American army, in the five battles fought from the +twenty-third of December to the eighth of January, inclusive, are +summarized in the report of the Adjutant-general, which we give: + + CAMP BELOW NEW ORLEANS, Jan'y 16, 1815. + + Sir: I enclose for the information of the War Department, a report of + the killed, wounded, and missing, of the army under Major-general + Jackson, in the different actions with the enemy since their landing. + + ROB'T BUTLER, + _Adjutant-General_. + + BATTLE. KILLED. WOUNDED. MISSING. + December 23d 24 115 74 + December 28th 9 8 None. + January 1st 11 23 None. + January 8th 13 39 19 + ----- ------ ----- + 57 185 93 + +A total of three hundred and thirty-five men. This includes the killed, +wounded, and missing in the two battles on the eighth. + +Our English authorities are so marked with exaggerations and +discrepancies as to numbers in either army, and also as to losses and +casualties, that they are unreliable. There is with nearly all their +writers, and in the reports of their officers, a disposition to minimize +numbers on their own side, and to overstate those on the side of the +Americans. This was no doubt due to a sense of mortified pride and deep +chagrin over their repeated defeats and final expulsion from the +country, under humiliations such as English armies and navies had rarely +before known in history. General Jackson was not far wrong in estimating +the entire losses of the British, during the two weeks of invasion, at +more than four thousand men. If the large number who deserted from their +ranks after the battles of the eighth of January be included, the excess +would doubtless swell the numbers much above four thousand. Their +killed, wounded, and missing on the eighth approximated three thousand. +So decimated and broken up were their columns that they dared not risk +another battle. + + +REPULSE OF THE BRITISH FLEET BEFORE FORT ST. PHILIP. + +On the first of January, Major W.H. Overton, in command of Fort St. +Philip, which guards the passage of the Mississippi River from its mouth +for the protection of New Orleans, received information that the enemy +intended to capture or pass the fort, to cooperate with their land +forces threatening the city. On the seventh, a fleet of two +bomb-vessels, one sloop, one brig, and one schooner appeared and +anchored below the fortification and began an attack. For nine days they +continued a heavy bombardment from four large sea-mortars and other +ordnance, but without the effect they desired. Making but little +impression toward destroying the fort, and fearing to risk an attempt +finally to pass our batteries, the fleet withdrew on the morning of the +eighteenth, and passed again into the Gulf. Our loss in this affair was +but two killed and seven wounded. During the nine days of attack the +enemy threw more than one thousand bombs from four ten-and thirteen-inch +mortars, besides many shells and round shot from howitzers and cannon. + + +AN ENGLISH SOLDIER'S VIEW OF DEFEAT. + +A graphic pen-picture of the chaotic and wretched condition of the +English army after the crushing defeat of the eighth, and until its +final return to the fleet, is given by Gleig in his "Narrative of the +Campaigns." It will be read with all the more interest because it is the +frank admission of a brave though prejudiced officer, giving an enemy's +view of the great disaster that befell the British arms, in which he +fully shared: + + General Lambert prudently determined not to risk the safety of his + army by another attempt upon works evidently so much beyond our + strength. He considered that his chances of success were in every + respect lessened by the late repulse. An extraordinary degree of + confidence was given to the enemy, while our forces were greatly + diminished in numbers. If again defeated, nothing could save our army + from destruction; it could only now retreat in force. A retreat, + therefore, was resolved upon while the measure appeared practicable, + and toward that end all our future operations were directed. + + One great obstacle existed; by what road were the troops to travel to + regain the fleet? On landing, we had taken advantage of the bayou, + and thus come within two miles of the cultivated country, in our + barges. To return by the same route was impossible. In spite of our + losses there were not enough boats to transport above one half of the + army at one time. If we separated, the chances were that both + divisions would be destroyed; for those embarked might be + intercepted, and those left behind might be attacked by the whole + American army. To obviate the difficulty, it required that we should + build a passable road through the swamp, to Lake Borgne, some twenty + miles away. The task was burthened with innumerable difficulties. + There was no firm foundation on which to work, and no trees to assist + in forming hurdles. All we could do was to bind together large + quantities of swamp weeds and lay them across the quagmire. It was + but the semblance of a road, without firmness and solidity. + + To complete this road, bad as it was, occupied nine days, during + which our army lay in camp, making no attempt to molest the enemy. + The Americans, however, were not so inactive. A battery of six guns, + mounted on the opposite bank, kept up a continued fire upon our men. + The same mode of proceeding was adopted in front, and thus, night and + day we were harassed by danger, against which there was no fortifying + ourselves. Of the extreme unpleasantness of our situation, it is + hardly possible to convey an adequate conception. We never closed our + eyes in peace, for we were sure to be awaked before the lapse of many + minutes, by the splash of a roundshot or shell in the mud beside us. + Tents we had none, but lay some in open air, and some in huts of + boards, or any material we could procure. From the moment of our + landing, December 23d, not a man had undressed, except to bathe; many + had worn the same shirt for weeks. Heavy rains now set in, with + violent storms of thunder and lightning, and keen frosts at night. + Thus we were wet all day, and nearly frozen at night. With our + outposts there was constant skirmishing. Every day they were attacked + by the Americans, and compelled to maintain their ground by dint of + hard fighting. No one but those who belonged to this army can form a + notion of the hardships it endured, and the fatigue it underwent. + + Nor were these the only evils which tended to lessen our numbers. To + our soldiers every inducement was held out by the enemy to desert. + Printed papers, offering lands and money as the price of desertion, + were thrown into the pickets, while individuals would persuade our + sentinels to quit their stations. It could not be expected that + bribes so tempting would always be refused. Many desertions began + daily to take place, and ere long became so frequent, that the evil + rose to be of a serious nature. In the course of a week, many men + quitted their colors, and fled to the enemy. + + Meanwhile, the wounded, except such as were too severely hurt to be + removed, were embarked in the boats and sent off to the fleet. Next + followed the baggage and stores, with the civil officers, + commissaries, and purveyors; and last of all such of the light + artillery as could be drawn without risk of discovery. But of the + heavy artillery, no account was taken. It was determined to leave + them behind, retaining their stations. By the 17th, no part of the + forces was left in camp but the infantry. On the evening of the 18th, + it also began the retreat. Trimming the fires, and arranging all in + the order as if no change were to take place, regiment after regiment + stole away, as soon as darkness concealed their motions, leaving the + pickets to follow as a rear guard, with injunctions not to retire + till daylight appeared. Profound silence was maintained; not a man + opened his mouth, except to issue necessary orders in a whisper. Not + a cough or any other noise was to be heard from the head to the rear + of the column. Even the steps of the soldiers were planted with care, + to prevent the slightest echo. Nor was this precaution unnecessary. + In spite of every endeavor to the contrary, a rumor of our intention + had reached the Americans; for we found them of late very watchful + and prying. + + While our route lay alongside the river, the march was agreeable + enough, but as soon as we entered the marsh, all comfort was at an + end. Our roadway, constructed of materials so slight, and resting on + a foundation so infirm, was trodden to pieces by the first corps. + Those who followed were compelled to flounder on the best way they + could. By the time the rear of the column gained the morass, all + trace of a way had disappeared. Not only were the reeds torn asunder + and sunk by the pressure of those in front, but the bog itself was + trodden into the consistency of mud. Every step sunk us to the knees, + and sometimes higher. Near the ditches, we had the utmost difficulty + in crossing at all. There being no light, except what the stars + supplied, it was difficult to select our steps, or follow those who + called to us that they were safe on the other side. At one of those + ditches, I myself beheld an unfortunate wretch gradually sink until + he totally disappeared. I saw him flounder, heard his cry for help, + and ran forward with the intention of saving him; but before I had + taken a second step, I myself sunk to my breast in the mire. How I + kept from smothering is more than I can tell, for I felt no solid + bottom under me, and sank slowly deeper and deeper, till the mud + reached my arms. Instead of rescuing the poor soldier, I was forced + to beg assistance for myself. A leathern canteen strap being thrown + to me, I laid hold of it, and was dragged out, just as my + fellow-sufferer was buried alive, and seen no more. + + All night we continued our journey, toiling and struggling through + this terrible quagmire; and in the morning reached the Fishermen's + Huts, mentioned before as standing on the brink of Bayou Bienvenue, + near Lake Borgne. The site is as complete a desert as the eye of man + was ever pained by beholding. Not a tree or a bush grew near. As far + as the eye could reach, an ocean of weeds covering and partially + hiding the swamp presented itself, except on the side where a view of + the Lake changed, without fertilizing, the prospect. Here we were + ordered to halt; and perhaps I never rejoiced more sincerely at any + order than at this. Wearied with my exertions, and oppressed with + want of sleep, I threw myself on the chilly ground, without so much + as pulling off my muddy garments; in an instant all my cares and + troubles were forgotten. After many hours, I awoke from that sleep, + cold and stiff, and creeping beside a miserable fire of weeds, + devoured the last morsal of salt pork my wallet contained. + + The whole army having come up, formed along the brink of the Lake; a + line of outposts was planted, and the soldiers commanded to make + themselves as comfortable as possible. But there was little comfort. + Without tents or shelter of any kind, our bed was the morass, and our + sole covering the clothes which had not quitted our backs for a + month. Our fires, so necessary to a soldier's happiness, were + composed solely of weeds, which blazed up and burned out like straw, + imparting but little warmth. Above all, our provisions were expended, + with no way to replenish in reach. Our sole dependence was the fleet, + nearly one hundred miles away, at anchor. It was necessary to wait + until our barges could make the trip there, and return. For two + entire days, the only provisions issued to the troops were some + crumbs of biscuit and a small allowance of rum. As for myself, being + fond of hunting, I determined to fare better. I took a fire-lock and + went in pursuit of wild ducks, of which there seemed plenty in the + bog. I was fortunate enough to kill several, but they fell in the + water, about twenty yards out. There was no other alternative. + Pulling off my clothes, and breaking the thin ice, I waded out and + got my game, and returned to shore, shivering like an aspen. As I + neared the shore, my leg stuck fast in the mire, and in pulling it + out my stocking came off, a loss that gave me great discomfort, until + we went aboard the fleet. I request that I may not be sneered at when + I record this loss of my stocking as one of the disastrous + consequences of this ill-fated expedition. + + As the boats returned, regiment after regiment set sail for the + fleet. But, the wind being foul, many days elapsed before all could + be got off. By the end of January, we were all once more on board our + former ships. But our return was far from triumphant. We, who only + seven weeks ago had set out in the surest confidence of glory, and I + may add, of emolument, were brought back dispirited and dejected. Our + ranks were woefully thinned, our chiefs slain, our clothing tattered + and filthy, and our discipline in some degree injured. A gloomy + silence reigned throughout the armament, except when it was broken by + the voice of lamentation over fallen friends. The interior of each + ship presented a scene well calculated to prove the misadventures of + human hope and human prudence. On reaching the fleet, we found that a + splendid regiment, the 40th Foot, of one thousand men, had just + arrived to reinforce us, ignorant of the fatal issue of our attack. + But the coming of thrice their number could not recover what was + lost, or recall the fateful past. There was no welcome, nor + rejoicing; so great was the despondency that no attention was given + to the event. A sullen indifference as to what might happen next + seemed to have succeeded all our wonted curiosity, and confidence of + success in every undertaking. + + On the 4th of February, the fleet weighed anchor and set sail, though + detained by adverse winds near the shore of Cat Island until the 7th, + when it put to sea. Our course, towards the east, led to the + conjecture that we were steering towards Mobile. Nor was it long + before we came in sight of the bay which bears that name. + + +SECOND ATTACK ON FORT BOWYER, MOBILE BAY. + +So great and so repeated had been the reverses of the British arms, that +an opportunity to retrieve lost prestige, even in a small degree, could +not well be permitted to pass unimproved. The great flotilla of sixty +vessels, with the fragments of the shattered army, which set sail with +flags and pennants gayly flying in the breeze from Negril Bay, Jamaica, +but a little over two months ago, was still a power upon the sea, at a +safe distance from Jackson's triumphant army. The little outpost of a +fort that guarded Mobile Bay, which had inflicted a heavy loss on, and +beaten off, a squadron of the enemy's ships a few months before, lay in +their path homeward, and it was determined to invest it, and to +overwhelm it with numbers. On the sixth of February, the great armament +appeared in sight of Dauphin Island. On the seventh, twenty-five ships +anchored in a crescent position extending from the island toward Mobile +Point, where stood the fort. On the morning of the eighth, the enemy +landed five thousand troops opposite the line of ships at anchor, +investing the fort by sea and land. The fortification was erected for +defense mainly on the sea side, to render it formidable to ships +attempting to enter the pass into Mobile Bay. On the land side was a +sandy plain, rendering it incapable of defense against a superior force +protected by extensive siege works. The enemy mounted a number of +batteries behind parapets and epaulements, which directed their fire +upon the weakest parts of the defense. The fort was gallantly defended +by a garrison of three hundred and fifty men, under command of Colonel +William Lawrence. Some losses were inflicted on the besiegers as they +continued to push their works to within short musket-range of the fort. +But the heavy cannonading and fire from small-arms encircled the +besieged from every direction, and further defense became hopeless. +Terms of surrender were agreed to on the eleventh, and on the twelfth +the garrison marched out with the honors of war, yielding possession to +the enemy. + + +NEGOTIATIONS FOR PEACE CONCLUDED ON THE 24TH OF DECEMBER, 1814. + +The small victory at Mobile Bay was barren of any gain to the British +cause; for, on the fourteenth, two days after the surrender, +intelligence came from England to General Lambert that articles of peace +had been signed by the plenipotentiaries of the belligerent nations, in +session at Ghent. Gleig remarks, in his "Narrative": "With the reduction +of this trifling work ended all hostilities in this quarter of America; +for the army had scarcely reassembled, when intelligence arrived from +England of peace. The news reached us on the fourteenth, and I shall not +deny that it was received with much satisfaction." + +On the nineteenth, General Jackson issued an address from headquarters, +from which we reproduce as follows: "The flag-vessel, which was sent to +the enemy's fleet at Mobile, has returned, and brings with it +intelligence, extracted from a London paper, that on the twenty-fourth +of December articles of peace were signed by the commissioners of the +two nations." + +Thus, on the day after the first landing of the British army on +Louisiana soil, and after the first battle was fought at night, terms of +peace were agreed on. It was fifteen days after that auspicious event +until the battles on the eighth occurred, causing such disaster and loss +of valuable lives to the English army and nation; and fifty-two days +from the signing of articles until a message of the good news was +received by the commander-in-chief of the British forces. There was no +alternative but to await the slow passage of the ship across the wide +Atlantic, with sails set to breeze and calm, and sometimes tossed and +delayed by adverse storm. To-day, the news of such an event would be +flashed over the great cables under the sea and the network of electric +wires throughout the land, in the twinkling of an eye after its +occurrence. Such an advantage at the time would have been worth to +England the entire cost of the telegraph system of the world. + + +LEGISLATURE SUPPRESSED UNDER MARTIAL LAW--CHARGES OF TREASONABLE +UTTERANCES. + +On the morning of the twenty-eighth of December, just as the British +began their attack on the American line, General Jackson issued an order +forcibly forbidding the meeting of the Legislature in session, and for +taking possession of the legislative halls. The proceeding created great +excitement in the civil and military circles of the city, especially +among the members of the body and their immediate friends. The author is +indebted to Mr. William Beer, of the Howard Library of New Orleans, for +the loan of a copy of a rare little book entitled "Report of the +Committee of Inquiry on the Military Measures Employed Against the +Legislature of the State of Louisiana, the 28th of December, 1814." In +the full report of the testimony taken by the committee, we have a +history of the causes which led to this open rupture between the +commander-in-chief and the General Assembly of Louisiana, and of its +incidents and issues. + +Since the landing of the British army on the twenty-third, there were +afloat in nebulous form some rumors of disaffection toward the American +military occupation of Louisiana, among an element of the population +unfriendly to the sovereignty of the United States over the territory +since its purchase from Napoleon. Up to the time of the military +occupation under Jackson, this hostile feeling seemed to display its +temper and policies mainly in matters of civil procedure. There was very +naturally a jealous opposition on the part of many leading citizens, of +French and Spanish descent, of whom the population west of the +Mississippi was almost entirely made up, against the annexation of the +territory east of that river as part of Louisiana, on equal terms of +citizenship and co-sovereignty. This east territory, they felt, had been +rudely seized and possessed by the United States, against the claim and +protest of Spain. It was being settled by American people, who in time +would help to Americanize the country, and to lessen the power and +control of the former creole domination. The virtues of a patriotic +love of their native countries yet lingered in the bosoms of these +citizens--a patriotic love which, when finally transferred to the new +government they were under, burned as brightly for the new sovereignty +as for the old. + +Captain Abner L. Duncan, aid to Jackson, testified before the committee +as follows: + + On the 28th, Colonel Declouet (of General Morgan's command) coming in + haste from the city, joined this respondent and begged him to inform + General Jackson that a plan was on foot among several members of the + Legislature for the surrender of the country to the enemy. Colonel + Declouet named in confidence to myself, to Generals Jackson and + Morgan, and to Major Robinson, several members as persons determined + on making the attempt. He added, that he heard one or more members + say, that Jackson was carrying on a Russian war (alluding to the + burning of Moscow), and that it was best to save private property by + a timely surrender; that he, Colonel Declouet, had been invited to + join in the measure. On this respondent making the communication to + General Jackson, the order he received was: "Tell Governor Claiborne + to prevent this, and to blow them up if they attempt it!" + + Colonel Declouet told me the plan had been first disclosed to him by + the Speaker of the House, Mr. Guichard. He said in presence of + General Jackson and Mr. Daresac, that many other influential men were + concerned in it, and that they had held several night or secret + meetings on the subject. He gave the names of Mr. John Blanque and + Mr. Marigny, and generally all those voting with Mr. Blanque in the + House. He stated that, as an inducement offered to unite in the + plan, he was informed by Mr. Guichard that General Jackson would burn + and destroy everything before him sooner than surrender the country, + and that the English would respect private property. I understood + also, from some members of the House, Mr. Harper and Mr. Fickland + among them, and in the Senate from General Morgan and Mr. Hireart, + that an attempt would be made to dismember the State. I also + understood from other members that they would consider it an act of + violence; and would resist it by violence. + +Colonel Declouet was the chief informant at headquarters; but rumors had +been rife for several days of disloyal utterances and of mysterious +proceedings, which caused uneasiness to the civil and military +authorities, and especially to Governor Claiborne, who had made known +his apprehensions of trouble from the disaffected element, warning +General Jackson of the dangers possible from this quarter. The +Legislature was to convene on the twenty-eighth; and it was intimated +that the overture for a surrender might be resolved upon that day. Such +a possible action, in the very crisis of battle, could be but an attempt +to marplot the military plans of the commander-in-chief, and to marshal +an enemy in the rear. The information brought in so abruptly on that +morning by Colonel Declouet made a profound impression on the mind of +General Jackson. The enemy had already opened the battle of the +twenty-eighth of December, with the forward movement of his columns and +under the heavy fire of his batteries. + +In the excitement of the moment, Jackson gave the verbal order to his +aid, Captain Duncan, to be delivered at once to Governor Claiborne for +immediate execution. This order, as rendered by Captain Duncan, directed +the Governor to summarily close the halls of the Legislature, and to +place a guard at the doors to prevent a meeting of the body until +further orders. Duncan testified that the General put in emphasis the +words: "Tell Governor Claiborne to prevent this, and to blow them up if +they attempt it!" + +The order was executed. The Governor commissioned General J.B. Labitat, +of the Louisiana troops, to enforce it; he placed a guard of soldiers at +the doors of the building, and forbade entrance to the members on that +day. Captain Duncan had put spurs to his horse and started on a lope to +the city with the order. On the way he met Colonel Fortier, an aid to +the Governor, who consented to promptly deliver the order, permitting +Duncan to return. In the proceedings of the committee, Honorable Levi +Wells, member of the House of Representatives from Rapides Parish, +testified that on the twenty-eighth, under an order of General Jackson, +an armed guard was placed at the doors of the legislative halls in the +city of New Orleans, which was to hinder the members from assembling; +"and even to fire on them, should they dare to persist in their design; +and that the life of a representative of the people, and a member of the +Body, was exposed to the greatest danger; that a sentinel, to hinder him +from repairing to his post, presented his bayonet and threatened to run +him through with it, unless he retired, adding to this outrage the most +insulting tone." + +Through the mediation of friendly counsel the views of both the civil +and military chiefs were modified. The order was revoked within +twenty-four hours, and the guards withdrawn; on the twenty-ninth, the +Legislature was permitted to convene. In the conclusion, the committee +exonerated Speaker Guichard and other members of the Legislature +referred to as under suspicion, and severely censured Colonel Declouet +and Captain Duncan as the indiscreet authors of all the trouble. The +measures taken by General Jackson and Governor Claiborne were effectual; +while the report of the committee was evidently drawn to modify and +explain the imputed indiscretions of some of their fellow-members who +had been compromised. The procedure did not include all the legislators; +for some of these had volunteered their services, shouldered their +muskets, and gone to the front of battle. + +A feeling of keen resentment toward General Jackson and some officers +involved in this affair was nursed long after by these legislators. +After peace was assured and hostilities at an end, the Legislature voted +a resolution of thanks for valiant services in defense of Louisiana to +the officers and soldiers from the States of Kentucky, Tennessee, and +Mississippi, with the request to the Governor that he should convey the +sense of this resolution in appropriate terms in a letter each to the +officers in command of these troops, respectively. The resolution was as +follows: + + _Resolved_, That the thanks of the General Assembly be presented, in + the name of the State, to our brave brother soldiers from Tennessee, + Kentucky, and the Mississippi Territory, and their gallant leaders, + Generals Coffee, Carroll, Thomas, Adair, and Colonel Hinds, for the + brilliant share they have had in the defense of this country and the + happy harmony they have maintained with the inhabitants and militia + of the State. + + MAGLOIRE GUICHARD, + _Speaker of the House of Representatives_. + + FULWAR SKIPWORTH, + _President of Senate_. + + Approved, February 2d, 1815. + + WM. C. CLAIBORNE, + _Governor of State_. + +The great chieftain could well afford to pass the slight in silence, +hailed as he was by the acclamations of the multitude--the deliverer of +the country, and the hero of the nation! + +A similar resolution of thanks was voted to the officers and troops of +Louisiana, who had so patriotically sprung to arms on the invasion of +the enemy, and who had so gallantly fought in the several battles of the +campaign. In this resolution separate mention was made of each of the +officers of the State troops and their several commands, reciting the +meritorious services they had rendered, in terms of special praise, +making exceptions of certain officers who had incurred the displeasure +of some of the honorable legislators. + +Under the first resolution, letters were addressed each to Generals +Coffee and Carroll, of Tennessee, to Major Hinds, of Mississippi, and to +Generals Thomas and Adair, of Kentucky. As these letters are of similar +tenor, we quote only the correspondence with General Adair: + + NEW ORLEANS, February 25th, 1815. + + _Sir_: To a soldier who has done his duty in all the conflicts in + which his country has been involved, from the War of Independence to + the present moment, it must be matter of great exultation to notice + the valor and firmness of the children of his old friends; to be + convinced that they are the true descendants of the old stock. That + the young men of your brigade should have looked up to you in the + hour of battle, as their guide and their shield, is only a + continuation of that confidence which their fathers had in a chief + whose arm had so often, and so successfully, been raised against the + foe. The enclosed Resolution of the General Assembly of Louisiana + will show you the high sense which is entertained in this State of + your services and of those of your brothers in arms. Be towards them + the vehicle of our sentiments, and receive for yourself the + assurances of my respect and best wishes. + + WM. C.C. CLAIBORNE, + _Governor of Louisiana_. + + To General John Adair. + +The response of General Adair: + + GOV. WM. C.C. CLAIBORNE. + + _Sir_: I have the honor of acknowledging the receipt of Your + Excellency's note, inclosing a Resolution of the Legislature of + Louisiana, generously awarding the thanks of the State to the militia + from her sister States, who aided in the late successful struggle to + expel a powerful invading enemy from her shores. + + To a proud American, citizen or soldier, the consciousness of having + faithfully discharged his duty to his country must ever be his + highest and most lasting consolation. But when to this is added the + approbation, the gratitude of the wisest, the most respectable part + of the community, with whom and under whose eye it has been his + fortune to act, it will ever be esteemed, not only the highest reward + for his services, but the most powerful incentive to his future good + conduct. + + Accept, sir, for the Legislature, my warmest acknowledgments for the + honorable mention they have made of the corps to which I belong, and + for yourself the esteem and respect so justly due from me, for your + polite and highly interesting note of communication; and my best + wishes for your health and happiness. + + JOHN ADAIR. + + +GENERAL JACKSON--CLASH WITH THE COURT. + +A member of the Legislature, Mr. Loillier, severely censured the +commander-in-chief for continuing New Orleans and vicinity under martial +law after the defeat and embarkation of the British army, and for his +arbitrary course in sending a body of creole troops to a remote camp +near Baton Rouge, in response to their petition for a discharge. Jackson +ordered his arrest. Loillier applied to Judge Hall, of the United States +District Court, for a writ of habeas corpus, which was promptly granted +by the court. General Jackson summarily ordered the arrest of Judge Hall +also; and that he and the assemblyman both be deported beyond the +military lines, as persons liable to incite insubordination and mutiny +within the martial jurisdiction. Intelligence of the treaty of peace at +Ghent soon followed, and martial law once again yielded to civil +authority. + +Judge Hall, resenting what he deemed a great indignity upon the court, +issued an order, summoning Jackson to appear before him to answer a +grave charge of contempt. Jackson's attorney attempted to plead in his +defense, but the judge silenced him, and set the hearing a week after. +On the thirty-first of March, Jackson appeared in court in person, but +refused to be interrogated. As his defense had been denied, he announced +that he was there only to receive the sentence of the court. Judge Hall +then imposed a fine of one thousand dollars, which sum the veteran +offender drew from his pocket and handed in to the court. + +These proceedings were attended with profound excitement throughout the +city and community. The hero of the day had a determined following +present in crowds at and near the court-room; and among these were the +Baratarian contingent, with their leaders, and others as desperate as +these. But the great commander had set the example of implicit obedience +to the law, and no disrespect to the court was shown. But as the General +sought to retire from the scene, the enthusiasm of the crowds overleaped +all bounds of propriety. With shouts and roars of applause the devoted +people lifted him in their arms and upon their shoulders, and bore him +in triumph through the streets of the city to his headquarters, despite +the chagrin and helpless protestations of the victim of their +admiration. Tall and gaunt, and angular in person, with his long, spare +limbs dangling helplessly about him, and rocked and swayed by the +movement of the masses under him, the great warrior was never in all his +life before in a position more awkward and undignified. The master of +men and emergencies was unthroned for one time in life. + +The money to pay the fine was proffered over and over again to reimburse +him by ardent friends, but Jackson would listen to no terms of payment +of the fine, except out of his own purse. He alone had committed the +offense--if there was an offense--and he alone would assume to pay the +penalty. It was not until 1844, one year before his death, that Congress +passed an act to refund the principal and interest, which amounted then +to twenty-seven hundred dollars. In advocacy of this bill Stephen A. +Douglas, then Senator from Illinois, made his maiden speech upon the +floor of the Senate of the United States. + +ENGLAND'S PURPOSE TO CONQUER AND HOLD POSSESSION OF THE TERRITORY CEDED +BY NAPOLEON, AND TO ESTABLISH HER DOMINION IN THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. + +There are evidences that the English Government had revived an old dream +of conquest and expansion, by which she might once again establish +dominion west of the Alleghany Mountains, by the capture of New +Orleans, the key to the lower Mississippi Valley. It is a well-known +fact in history that that government refused to recognize the legitimacy +of the sale and transfer of the Territory of Louisiana by Napoleon to +the United States. She had looked upon the transaction with a covetous +and jealous eye, for she had nursed the hope some day of adding to her +own vast possessions, by conquest or purchase, not only the domain of +Louisiana, but that of Florida also. Had it not been that she was +engrossed with her military and naval forces in the turbulent wars in +Europe, during the ascendant period of Napoleon, the British Government +would most probably have employed her armies and navies mainly in the +accomplishment of these aims of territorial aggrandizement. Her invasion +of the Northwest territory from Canada, at the opening of the War of +1812-15, which so disastrously ended with the destruction of the British +fleet by Commodore Perry on Lake Erie, and the annihilation of the +British army by General Harrison at the battle of the Thames, was but an +entering wedge to her deep designs. After the fall of Napoleon and the +pacification of Europe relieved her armies and navies of further service +on that side of the ocean, she, in her pride and insolence, believed +that she would be invincible in America. Her cherished dream might now +at last be realized by the conquest and permanent possession of +Louisiana. We have mentioned the significant fact that overtures for +peaceful negotiations had been mutually arranged as early as January, +1814, and commissioners soon after appointed to meet at Ghent. When the +capitulation at Paris and the exile of Napoleon to Elba occurred within +a few brief months, repeated excuses for the delay of negotiations by +the British envoys were made. The United States wanted peace on +equitable terms, for she had nothing to gain by continuing the war. +England dallied and delayed; meanwhile marshaling her military and naval +forces for a final crushing blow on her American foe. When articles of +peace were signed on the twenty-fourth of December, the British +Government knew that information of the event would not reach the +belligerents in the Gulf of Mexico until some time in February. But His +Majesty, the King of England, and his councilors, confidently believed, +as did the officers in command of the English army and navy in this +expedition, that the victorious invaders would eat their Christmas +dinner in the subjugated city of New Orleans, and there to stay. + +Gleig, an educated officer with the army of invasion, who became the +chief English historian of the campaign, in his "Narrative," has to +say: + + The primary cause of our defeat may be traced to a source more + distant than I have mentioned; I mean to the disclosure of our + designs to the enemy. How this occurred, I shall not take upon me to + declare; though several rumors bearing at least the guise of + probability have been circulated. The attack on New Orleans was + professedly a secret expedition, so secret indeed that it was not + communicated to the inferior officers and soldiers in the armament + until immediately previous to our quitting Jamaica. To the Americans, + however, it appears to have been long known before. And hence it was + that, instead of taking them unawares, we found them fully prepared + for our reception. _That our failure is to be lamented no one will + deny, since the conquest of New Orleans would have been, beyond all + comparison, the most valuable acquisition that could be made to the + British dominion throughout the whole Western hemisphere. In + possession of that post, we should have kept the entire Southern + trade of the United States in check, and furnished means of commerce + to our own merchants, of incalculable value._ + +On the 29th of August, 1814, Colonel Edward Nichols, in command of the +land forces quartered in the Spanish capital of Pensacola, issued a +proclamation, from which we quote: + + Natives of Louisiana! On you the first call is made to assist in + liberating from a faithless, imbecile government, your paternal soil. + Spaniards, Frenchmen, Italians, and British; whether settled, or + residing for a time in Louisiana, on you also, I call to aid me in + this just cause. The American usurpation in this country must be + abolished, and the lawful owners of the soil put in possession. I am + at the head of a large body of Indians, well armed, disciplined, and + commanded by British officers, a good train of artillery with every + requisite, seconded by the powerful aid of a numerous squadron of + ships. Be assured, your property, your laws, the tranquility and + peace of your country, will be guaranteed to you. Rest assured that + these brave Indians only burn with an ardent desire of satisfaction + for the wrongs they have suffered from the Americans, to join you in + liberating the southern province from their yoke, and drive them into + the limits formerly prescribed by my sovereign. The Indians have + pledged themselves not to injure the persons or properties of any but + enemies to their Spanish or English fathers. A flag, Spanish, French, + or British, over any door, will be a certain protection. + + Inhabitants of Kentucky! You have too long borne with grievous + impositions. The whole brunt of the war has fallen on your brave + sons; be imposed on no longer; but either range yourselves under the + standard of your forefathers, or observe a strict neutrality. If you + comply, whatever provisions you send down will be paid for in + dollars, and the safety of the persons bringing it, as well as the + free navigation of the Mississippi, will be guaranteed to you. + + Men of Kentucky! Let me call to your minds the conduct of those + factions which hurried you into this civil, unjust, and unnatural + war, at a time when Great Britain was straining every nerve in + defense of her own, and the liberties of the world. Europe is now + happy and free, and now hastens justly to avenge an unprovoked + insult. Accept of my offers; everything I have promised, I guarantee + to you, on the sacred honor of a British officer. + +We might repeat such evidences of the purposes and plans of the +expedition to Louisiana. But we will close the subject with the +impressions of General Jackson himself. + +In a contribution to the Philadelphia Times, of the 1st of November, +1898, Colonel A.C. Buell is authority for the following: + + "It was related to me," says Colonel Buell, "by the late Governor + William Allen, of Ohio, when, as correspondent of the Missouri + Republican, I visited the venerable statesman at his home near + Chillicothe, in 1875. After an interview on the current political + situation, Governor Allen became reminiscent. A scrap-book beats the + best of memories in the world; so I will quote from my scrap-book the + exact text of this reminiscence. The Governor said: + + "'Shortly after Arkansas was admitted into the Union, in 1836, I, + being a member of Congress, then called at the White House. General + Jackson--he always preferred to be called General, rather than Mr. + President--invited me to lunch with him. No sooner were we seated, + than he said: Mr. Allen, let us take a little drink to the new star + in the flag;--Arkansas! This ceremony being duly observed, the + General continued: Allen, if there had been disaster, instead of + victory, at New Orleans, there would never have been a State of + Arkansas. + + "'This, of course, interested me; and I asked: Why do you say that, + General? + + "'Then he answered that: If Pakenham had taken New Orleans, the + British would have claimed and held the whole of Louisiana Purchase. + + "'But, I said, you know, General Jackson, that the Treaty of Ghent, + which had been signed fifteen days before the decisive battle, + provided for the restoration of all territory, places and + possessions, taken by either nation from the other, during the war, + with certain unimportant exceptions. + + "'Yes, of course, Jackson replied, but the minutes of the conference + at Ghent, as kept by Mr. Gallatin, represent the British + commissioners as declaring in exact words: "We do not admit + Bonaparte's construction of the law of nations; we can not accept it + in relation to any subject-matter before us." + + "'At that moment, pursued General Jackson, none of our commissioners + knew what the real meaning of those words was. When they were uttered + the British commissioners knew that Pakenham's expedition had been + decided on; our commissioners did not know it. Now, since I have been + Chief Magistrate, I have learned, from diplomatic sources of the most + unquestionable authority, that the British ministry did not intend + the Treaty of Ghent to apply to the Louisiana Purchase at all. The + whole corporation of them,--Pitt, the Duke of Portland, Grenville, + Perceval, Lord Liverpool, and Castlereagh, denied in toto the legal + right of Napoleon to sell Louisiana to us. They held, therefore, that + we had no right to that Territory. So you see, Allen, that the words + of Mr. Gouldburn, on behalf of the British commissioners, which I + have quoted to you from Albert Gallatin's minutes of the conference, + had a far deeper significance than our commissioners could penetrate. + These words were meant to lay the foundation for a claim on the + Louisiana Purchase, entirely external to the provisions of the Treaty + of Ghent. And in that way, the British government was signing a + treaty with one hand in front, whilst the other hand, behind its + back, was dispatching Pakenham's army to seize the fairest of our + possessions. + + "'You can also see, my dear Allen, said the old General, waxing + warmer, you can also see what an awful mess such a situation would + have been, if the British programme had been carried out in full. But + Providence willed otherwise. All the tangled web that the cunning of + English diplomacy could weave around our unsuspecting commissioners + at Ghent was torn to pieces, and soaked with British blood, in half + an hour, at New Orleans, by the never-missing rifles of my Tennessee + and Kentucky pioneers; and that ended it. British diplomacy could do + wonders; but it could not provide against such a contingency as that. + Now, Allen, you have the whole story; and know why Arkansas was saved + to the Union.'" + + +JUST LIKE JACKSON. + +During the war of 1812-15, the officials of the English Government, +civil and military, distinguished themselves by their haughty arrogance +and insulting tone of superiority toward the American people; and were, +with revengeful malice, guilty of vandalism, spoliations, and cruelties, +which were a disgrace to civilization, not to speak of the massacres and +butcheries of thousands of women and children by the savage Indians, +whom they employed and paid to commit these crimes. Andrew Jackson soon +put an end to these English barbarisms wherever he commanded the +American armies. An incident, illustrative of his summary methods of +dealing with the insolence of his enemies in authority, occurred at +Pensacola. The English fleet and army had come in and quartered there in +the Spanish capital, with the approval and aid of the Spanish governor, +though Spain was at peace with the United States. The British assured +him that they would soon be in possession of Louisiana and the coast +country, and would fully protect the Spaniard as an ally and friend. +When Jackson marched his army to Pensacola, and sent in a message to the +governor to expel the British soldiers from the city and order their +fleet out of the harbor, the reply of the Spaniard was truckling to the +English in tone and evasive and insolent toward the American officer in +command. General Jackson replied in the following language: + + Your Excellency has been candid enough to admit your having supplied + the Indians with arms. In addition to this, I have learned that a + British flag has been seen flying on one of your forts. All this is + done while you are pretending to be neutral. You can not be surprised + then; but on the contrary will provide a fort in your town for my + soldiers and Indians, should I take it into my head to pay you a + visit. In future, I beg you to withhold your insulting charges + against my government, for one more inclined to listen to slander + than I am; nor consider me any more as a diplomatic character, unless + so proclaimed to you from the mouths of my cannon. + +The old hero meant all he said; for he marched upon the town, forced a +surrender, sent the British flying to their ships for safety, and +compelled the fleet to put to sea. + + +HUMILIATION OF ENGLAND. + +No event in the modern history of her military operations brought a +deeper disappointment and a keener sense of humiliation to the English +Government, and to the nation, than did the disastrous failure of this +expedition, fitted out in haughty pride for the invasion and conquest of +Louisiana. The true story of the campaign and battles was in the main +suppressed by the Tory press, in the interest of the reigning dynasty +and to save the pride and prestige of a really great and imperial +people. A coincidence occurred to aid in diverting the mind of the +public from the contemplation of the deplorable event. On the 23d of +February, 1815, news of the defeat at New Orleans reached London. On the +same day arrived the intelligence of the escape of Napoleon from Elba, +and of his landing on the shores of France. Public attention was +diverted by the new sensation. The government press fostered the +illusion, and the horrors of New Orleans were not so fully known or +felt. + +William Cobbett, the noted Liberal essayist and author, of England, +wrote of the event: "And this was all the people of the duped nation +ever heard of the matter. Bonaparte had landed from Elba, and the battle +of Waterloo soon succeeded. Both the Government and the people were glad +to forget all about this unmerciful beating in America. This battle of +New Orleans broke the heart of European despotism. The man who won it +did, in that one act, more for the good and the honor of the human race +than ever was done by any other man." + +The author, discussing the incidents and issues of this remarkable +campaign, in the light of the vast superiority in both military and +naval forces of the British over the Americans, their more thorough +equipment, and their veteran discipline under the best-trained officers +in the world, put the inquiry: "How can we account for the repeated +reverses, and the final over-whelming defeat and expulsion from the +country, of such a vast and formidable armament by an inferior body of +raw recruits, suddenly improvised for defense from the militia of the +country, and but poorly armed and equipped?" "Providence!" was the +reply; nothing less than Providence could have baffled and beaten such +a powerful foe, bent on conquest and spoliation for a wicked purpose, +with a wicked spirit, and in a wicked cause. England's boastful pride +and intolerant and cruel insolence toward her American kindred was +humbled at last. The God of battle had once again in time punished a +strong nation for its stubborn crimes, and given victory to the +oppressed. Providence was with Jackson and his militia! + + +DEATH OF LORD PAKENHAM. + +Pakenham died the death of the brave soldier, the heroic Briton, and the +beloved commander. His wounds were mortal, and he was at once borne back +to headquarters unconscious and dying. No last words came down to us +through the grief-stricken aids who ministered to him in his last hour. +The British accounts of his wounding and death-scenes are conflicting +and unsatisfactory. Judge Walker, in his work, "Jackson and New +Orleans," after much research, says that Pakenham was wounded first +while attempting to rally the Forty-fourth Regiment, whose chief +officer, Colonel Mullins, had failed to lead it to a second attack, +after the first repulse by the Tennessee and Kentucky infantry. A +musket-ball broke his right arm, and another killed his horse. His aid, +Captain McDougall, assisted him to mount his own horse, a creole pony, +and led him forward by the bridle-rein, the General's wounded arm +hanging helpless at his side. Pakenham continued in front, and to +encourage his men. As the Ninety-third Highlanders came up, he raised +his hat in his left hand, waved it in the air with enthusiasm, and +shouted: + +"Hurrah! Hurrah! brave Highlanders!" + +A discharge of grape-shot almost annihilated the group. One shot passed +through the General's thigh, and at the same time through the body of +the pony, and both went down, never to rise again. As the aid raised him +once again in his arms, the chief received a third and fatal wound in +the groin. He was borne back then, near to his headquarters, and placed +under a large oak tree, where, beyond the surgeon's skill, he shortly +breathed his last. + + +BRITISH SOLDIERS WON LAURELS IN EUROPEAN WARS. + +From English authorities we learn that there were in the English army, +under Pakenham, regiments that had won laurels at Martinique, Badajoz, +Salamanca, Vittoria, the Pyrenees, and Toulouse. The English chronicler, +Cooke, says of some of these veterans, who touched, on their way to +America from the coasts of France, the shore of Old England for a few +days, that "scraps from our colors, or other little souvenirs, were +craved for with outstretched hands, to find a resting place in the fair +bosoms of the ladies of Devonshire." + +Others again were but recently transported from the fiery ordeals of +Corunna, Busaco, and Ciudad Rodrigo, says the same author. England never +sent forth from her borders a braver or better-disciplined body of +soldiers, as was proven in every trial of campaign and battle of the +invasion of Louisiana. No other troops in the world could have behaved +with more sturdy gallantry or fought with superior courage. Their defeat +was destiny. Providence and General Jackson did it! + + +GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON. + +Andrew Jackson was born in the Waxhaw settlement on the 15th of March, +1767, so near the border of North and South Carolina as to leave it a +question of contention as to which State may claim the honor of his +nativity. His father, Andrew Jackson, came over from Carrickfergus, on +the north coast of Ireland, in 1765. His mother was Elizabeth +Hutchinson. The father died before the birth of Andrew. His birthplace +was a rude log cabin of the border. His education was limited to the +elementary studies of the country schools of his day. At the age of +fourteen he entered the colonial army, and, young as he was, displayed +the same spirit of patriotic courage and indomitable will that made him +famous. Two elder brothers had entered the army before him, and both +gave their lives a sacrifice to the cause of liberty. The mother died +soon, of grief and the hardships of war. Young Andrew was taken +prisoner, and roughly treated by his captors. He was nearly starved in +prison at Camden. While thus confined, an English officer insolently +ordered him one day to black his boots. Jackson indignantly refused, for +which offense the brutal officer beat him over his head with his sword, +inflicting injuries which caused suffering in after life. This incident +is related to have greatly intensified Jackson's hatred of the English +throughout his life. An orphan, and alone in the world, when the War of +the Revolution was over he was apprenticed to learn the saddler's trade. +At eighteen he began the study of law, in the office of McCoy, in +Salisbury. + +In 1788, Jackson was appointed public prosecutor for western North +Carolina, now Tennessee. He removed and located at Nashville, and very +soon was engaged in an active and remunerative practice. In 1796, he sat +as a delegate in the convention at Knoxville, to frame a constitution +for Tennessee, admitted into the Union as a State in that year. He was +the first representative in Congress of the new State. But one year +afterward, he was elected a senator of the United States Congress. In +1798, he resigned his seat in the Senate to accept an appointment as +judge of the Supreme Court of his State, which office he held for six +years. He engaged repeatedly in personal rencounters and duels, and in +the latter received wounds that caused him great physical suffering +during life. + +Since 1801, he had been commander of the Tennessee militia. On the +declaration of war against England, Jackson offered his services, with +twenty-five hundred troops, to the Government for the defense of the +country. He was ordered to Natchez with two thousand men to operate +against any movement of the enemy on New Orleans. No enemy appearing on +the coast, he was ordered by Secretary Armstrong, of the War Department, +to disband his army. This foolish order Jackson disobeyed, and very +properly led his men back to Tennessee before dismissing them. His +famous campaign against the great Creek nation, in 1814, and his +repeated victories over these savage allies of England, breaking their +power and compelling peace; his Gulf Coast campaign and battles around +New Orleans, crushing the British army and driving it from the country; +his successful career as President of the United States, are well known +in the history of our nation, and distinguish him as one of the ablest +and most forceful characters our country has ever produced. He died at +the Hermitage, full of honors and renown, on the 8th of June, 1845, +having lived a patriot citizen, an able military chieftain, and a great +leader in the civic affairs of State and nation. + + +ISAAC SHELBY, GOVERNOR OF KENTUCKY. + +Fortunate was it for Kentucky and for the nation that Isaac Shelby +directed the military affairs of the Commonwealth during the period of +the second war with England. This famous pioneer of the famous pioneers +of Kentucky was born in Maryland, on the 11th of December, 1750, near +Hagerstown. Early in life he was employed as a land surveyor. On the +threatened invasion of Virginia by the federated army of the Northwest +tribes under the celebrated chief, Cornstalk, he was lieutenant of a +company in the command of his father, General Evan Shelby, and gained +distinction for gallant services in the great victory won at Point +Pleasant on the 10th of October, 1774, which forced the Indians to sue +for peace. He visited Kentucky in 1775, with the vanguard of pioneer +explorers, and marked the lands which afterward, in 1780, he returned +and secured by entry and upon which he settled with his family after the +Revolutionary War. + +When he removed from Maryland, he settled near the borderline of +Virginia and North Carolina, then not well defined. Believing his +residence on Virginia soil, he was elected to the Virginia Legislature +in 1779. But the survey of the boundary line determined him a citizen +of North Carolina, and as such he was officially known after until his +final removal to Kentucky. In the gloomiest period of the War for +Independence, in the southern colonies, after the defeat at Camden and +the surrender of Charleston, Shelby became famous as a border leader of +what seemed the forlorn hope of the colonists, and for his frequent +victories over the enemy. With Colonels Sevier and Clarke, he led his +command to the attack and capture of a strong fort in the Cherokee +country, which had, garrisoned by British, Tories, and Indians, greatly +harassed the settlers in west North Carolina. Soon after, in August, +1780, he inflicted a loss of several hundred by an attack on the British +at Musgrove's Mill, South Carolina, and escaped with little loss of his +own men. But his greatest victory, and one of the most decisive of the +war, was won at King's Mountain. Joining forces with Colonels Sevier and +Campbell, a bold attack was planned and made on the notorious General +Ferguson, encamped on King's Mountain. Without artillery, these +frontiersmen, with their flint-lock rifles, boldly attacked Ferguson's +veterans, advancing on the enemy up the mountain side, and keeping up +the fight until Ferguson and nearly four hundred of his men were slain, +and over seven hundred made prisoners. + +[Illustration: ISAAC SHELBY. + +First and Sixth Governor of Kentucky.] + +After the close of the war, in the winter of 1782-3, General Shelby +removed to Kentucky and settled in Lincoln County, where he remained +through life at his elegant home and upon his ample estate, the model +citizen and patriot. His civic and military fame preceded him, for many +of his soldiers of the Revolution were his emigrant neighbors. When +Kentucky took the initial steps toward Statehood in the Union, Shelby +was a member of the convention of 1787-8, and also of the convention to +frame the first constitution, of 1792. By unanimous consent, he became +the first Governor of the Commonwealth, in 1792, and was inaugurated as +Governor at Lexington on the first of June. On the sixth of June, in +courtly style, the Governor appeared in person in presence of the +legislators, in joint assembly, and read to the august body his first +message, formally delivering to the Speakers of each House a copy in +manuscript, and then retired in dignified state, when the Speakers each +adjourned the members to their respective halls. This was in imitation +of the custom of the British monarchs, followed by the colonial +governors in America, and by Washington himself in his first inaugural +ceremonies. + +So much had Governor Shelby established himself in the esteem and +confidence of the people, that with unanimity he was elected a second +time to serve as Governor in the critical period of 1812, when a second +war with England became a certainty. His indomitable and patriotic zeal +counted no costs and reckoned at no sacrifice to punish the invaders and +drive them from our soil during the three years of hostilities. In this +time, under his several calls, over twenty thousand volunteers were sent +to the Army of the Northwest under Harrison, from Kentucky. By these +mainly, the shameful surrender of Hull, at Detroit, was retrieved, the +victory of the Thames won, and the British and their Indian allies +driven from the borders, from Detroit to Buffalo, for the remainder of +the war. At the battle of the Thames, won by Kentuckians, Governor +Shelby led the three thousand volunteers whom he had called out for this +campaign, in person, though in his sixty-fourth year of age. On his +return to the capital of his State, when a last requisition was made by +the Secretary of War, in 1814, thousands of volunteers answered his call +for troops to reinforce the army of General Jackson in the Southwest, of +whom three regiments, of twenty-two hundred men, were accepted and sent +to New Orleans. Governor Shelby notified the Government at Washington +that, if ten thousand soldiers were needed to repel the enemy and drive +him from our soil in the Southwest, Kentucky was ready to supply them on +brief notice. + +Peace once again reigned when his second term as Governor ended. He +retired to his country home, where he spent the evening of his life, +honored and esteemed by a grateful and devoted constituency of +citizenship as few men were. He died at his home on the 26th of July, +1826, in the ripeness of years and of honors. + + +GENERAL JOHN ADAIR. + +John Adair was born in Chester County, S.C., in 1759, and was the son of +Baron William Adair, of Scotland, whose wife was a Moore. After +remaining some years in South Carolina, Baron Adair returned to +Scotland. The son became a soldier in the Revolutionary War when quite a +youth, and served with gallantry in the colonial army. He was made +prisoner, and was treated with repeated cruelties by the enemy. He was a +member of the convention which ratified the Constitution of the United +States. He removed to Kentucky in 1787, and settled in Mercer County. He +took an active and prominent part in the Indian border wars, having been +appointed major by General Wilkinson. He was in many frays with the +savages, in one of which, after several repulses of a body of Indians +largely outnumbering his own forces, he was defeated by Chief Little +Turtle, though he brought off his men after inflicting more serious +losses on the enemy than his own. This was near Fort St. Clair, in Ohio. +In 1793, General Scott appointed him a lieutenant-colonel. He +represented Mercer County in the Legislature several times, and was once +Speaker of the House. + +Adair's name became involved with Aaron Burr's in the military movements +in Kentucky and the Southwest which have become known in history as +"Burr's Conspiracy," as did the names of Andrew Jackson and other +prominent men of this country, of unquestioned loyalty to our nation. +Burr's designs, with all the lights thrown upon the question, have +remained a mystery to this day. If he contemplated ultimate treason, he +did not fully disclose it to many who were disposed to sympathize with +and to lend aid to what they were persuaded was a legitimate expedition +to wrest from Spanish rule territory in dispute, or which "manifest +destiny" determined should come under the rule of the United States as +against the aggressions of Spain or England. Burr undoubtedly misled +many good and patriotic men, who abandoned his fortunes when the +intimations of treasonable designs were charged against him, which +brought him to trial. + +In 1805, when John Breckinridge resigned his seat in the United States +Senate to become attorney-general under Jefferson, Adair was elected to +fill the unexpired term. He entered the military service again, and at +the battle of Thames River acted as volunteer aid to Governor Shelby. +For gallant conduct on this occasion he was made a brigadier-general in +1814. He took a leading part in recruiting the volunteer troops for the +reinforcement of Jackson's army at New Orleans, and in their +transportation down the river. General Thomas, in chief command of +these, being prostrated with illness, the command fell upon General +Adair. He displayed courage and military skill in the disposition of his +troops, and especially in the final contest on the eighth of January, +under difficulties that were seriously embarrassing. + +In 1820, he was elected governor of Kentucky, and held this office when +the great questions of relief, and Old Court and New Court, began to +disturb the peace and tranquility of the Commonwealth. In 1831, he was +elected a member of Congress, and in the national house served on the +Committee on Military Affairs. He died on the 19th of May, 1840, and was +buried in the State cemetery at Frankfort, where a monument, erected at +the cost of the State, with proper inscription, stands over his grave. A +fine oil portrait of him hangs on the wall of the capitol, at +Frankfort. + + +COLONEL GABRIEL SLAUGHTER. + +Who commanded a regiment of Kentucky troops in the battle of New +Orleans, was a native of Virginia, but immigrated to Kentucky in pioneer +days and settled in Mercer County, about four miles east of Harrodsburg, +on the turnpike road leading to Lexington. Though a man of ability, and +much esteemed, he seems to have lived in the retirement of private life +until the maturity of middle age. He early became a member of the +Baptist church, in which he led a consistent and zealous life, taking a +prominent part as a layman in the promotion of the interests of religion +and of the denomination with whom he fraternized. His character and +worth made him prominent among the brotherhood. He often represented his +church as its messenger, and was usually called to preside as moderator +over the associations within the jurisdictions of which he lived. His +hospitality was of that warm and generous kind which was characteristic +of pioneer days. His ample and comfortable country mansion, situated +upon a much-frequented highway, came to be known far and wide as the +"Wayfarer's Rest." + +Under the call of Governor Shelby, in 1814, he enlisted a regiment of +volunteers for the army of the Southwest from Mercer County and the +counties adjacent, which was one of three regiments accepted for this +service. The gallant and distinguished part taken at New Orleans, in the +great battle of the eighth of January, by Colonel Slaughter and his +regiment, has been set forth in the pages of this book. No troops +engaged on the American side on that day did more fatal execution upon +the enemy's rank and file than did these. Every man of the regiment was +in rifle-range, and all did deadly work. + +Though courteous and gentle in manner, Colonel Slaughter was possessed +of invincible firmness and independence when occasion required or a +sense of duty urged. An incident illustrates. General Jackson, who held +him in high esteem, appointed him to preside over a court-martial. The +decision did not meet with the favor of the chief, and he ordered a +reconsideration and reversal of proceedings. Colonel Slaughter declined +to comply, saying: "I know my duty, and have performed it." Jackson's +esteem was not lessened by the manliness of the answer. + +His gallantry at New Orleans brought the name of Colonel Slaughter +prominently to political notice, and the next year, 1816, he was +nominated and elected lieutenant-governor, on the ticket with George +Madison for governor. Madison was not destined to wear the civic honors +which an ardent constituency had woven to crown him. He died in +October, a few months after the election. Slaughter succeeded him, and +was duly installed as governor. An active opposition party made an open +issue of the question as to whether the lieutenant-governor was eligible +to become governor by succession, under the Constitution, or that a +successor should be chosen at an election to be called by act of the +Legislature. There had been no precedent to this date. The question was +fiercely agitated, in and out of the legislative halls, during two years +of the executive term, before a subsidence of partisan feeling ended the +contest. Governor Slaughter held firmly to his convictions of +constitutional right, came safely through the angry waves of opposition, +and served out his term of four years with credit to himself and the +Commonwealth. The question was settled by this precedent, no more to be +raised, that, under the constitutional provisions then in force, the +lieutenant-governor should succeed to the office of governor upon the +"death, resignation, or refusal to qualify" of the governor-elect. + +[Illustration: GABRIEL SLAUGHTER, + +Eleventh Governor of Kentucky.] + +On the expiration of his term Governor Slaughter retired to his country +home, and resumed his occupation as a farmer, leading a quiet and useful +citizen life until the end. He died at his home in 1830, aged +sixty-three years. + + +KENTUCKY'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE WAR OF 1812-15. + +It is worthy of mention to the credit of Kentucky that, with a +population of four hundred thousand, she furnished for the nation's +defense, during the three years of war with England and the savages who +allied with her, forty regiments of volunteer militia, besides a number +of battalions and companies, over twenty-four thousand men in all, from +1812 to 1815. Excepting a small force of volunteers from the then +Territory of Ohio, and a few regulars, her troops made up the entire +body of the army of General Harrison in the Northwest campaign, ending +with the decisive and crushing victory at the battle of Thames River, +over the combined army of British under General Proctor, and Indians +under Tecumseh. That battle was fought and won by the impetuous charges +of the Kentuckians, under Colonel Richard M. Johnson, against the +Indians, and his brother, Colonel James Johnson, against the British, +before the forces in the rear, mainly Kentuckians also, could be brought +into action. Before Commodore Perry met the English fleet on Lake Erie, +he called for one hundred riflemen from Harrison's army to perch upon +the masts and rigging of his ships, as sharpshooters, to pick off the +seamen and gunners from the enemy's decks. One hundred Kentuckians +volunteered in this perilous service, and others vied with them the +honors of the place, though all were landsmen and strangers to the sea. +The British commodore made a similar call on Proctor's men and +Tecumseh's Indians, but none cared to confront the dangers of such a +service. The fleets coming to close quarters, the deadly fire of the +riflemen in the rigging helped to strew the decks of the enemy's ships +with dead and wounded, and to silence the guns by shooting down the +gunners. + + + + +APPENDIX + + +LIST OF KENTUCKIANS IN THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS + + +I + +ROLL OF FIELD AND STAFF, MITCHUSSON'S REGIMENT OF KENTUCKY DETACHED +MILITIA, WAR OF 1812, COMMANDED BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL WILLIAM +MITCHUSSON + +WILLIAM MITCHUSSON, Lieut.-colonel. +SAMUEL PARKER, Lieutenant-colonel. +REUBEN HARRISON, Major. +THOMPSON CRENSHAW, Major. +JOSIAH RAMSEY, Adjutant. +CHRISTOPHER G. HONTS, Quartermaster. +WILLIAM PRINCE, Paymaster. +JOHN C. PENTECOST, Surgeon. +STEPHEN C. DORRIS, Surgeon's Mate. +ISAAC CALDWELL, Sergeant-major. +MOSES THOMPSON, Quartermaster-sergt. +JOHNSON LOUGHLIN, Fife Major. + + +CAPTAIN THOMAS GRIFFIN'S COMPANY + +THOMAS GRIFFIN, Captain. +BOSWELL PULLIAM, Lieutenant. +ALLEN HAYS, Ensign. +DAVENPORT VENABLE, Sergeant. +TERENCE KIRBY, Sergeant. +SIMEON ACTON, Sergeant. +SAMUEL SPILMAN, Sergeant. +WILLIAM BAIRD, Corporal. +JOHN O'NEAL, Corporal. +JONATHAN EWBANK, Corporal. +ALEXANDER CHAMBERS, Corporal. +JAMES C. PULLIAM, Drummer. +JOSEPH RIGHT, Fifer. + +PRIVATES + +Brown, James, +Baird, David, +Bigsby, John, +Biggs, David, +Berry, John, +Button, John, +Button, Zacheus, +Bardwell, James, +Bass, Isaac, +Creek, David, +Chayson, David, +Cowin, James, +Cowen, John, +Dobson, Thomas, +Dry, John, +Deal, Henry, +Doke, William, +Dowell, David, +Emberton, John, +Fraley, Nicholas, +Garrett, Joseph, +Grisane, Samuel, +Gibson, John, +Gressom, Thomas, +Hobach, Mark, +Highsmith, William, +Horton, Daniel, +Hamilton, Robert, +Hoofman, Elam, +Huckaboy, Joseph, +Huckaboy, Nathan, +James, Jacob, +Jackson, Elijah, +Johnson, Luther, +Johnson, Robert, +Kirby, John, +Kirby, Leonard, +Kirby, Isaiah, +Lee, Mathias, +Miller, Samuel, +Morris, Miles, +Meadows, Jesse, +Noles, Robert, +Nelson, William, +Oliver, Dury, +Pruett, Moses, +Pinkerton, James, +Rigsby, John, +Ragland, Benjamin, +Sayres, John, +Stovall, Dury, +Seagrave, John, +Springer, John, +Slaton, Ezekiel, +Stamp, Charles, +Thompson, John, +Wetherspoon, James, +Williams, Milam, +Weatherspoon, Wiley, +Welch, Thomas, +Weatherspoon, Major, +Wooten, Daniel, +Wiley, John, +Wildman, Burnell. + + +CAPTAIN ROBERT SMITH'S COMPANY + +ROBERT SMITH, Captain. +MORTON A. RUCKER, Lieutenant. +ASA TURNER, Ensign. +THOMAS KILGORE, Sergeant. +PETER CASH, Sergeant. +DANIEL POWELL, Sergeant. +JOHN PETERS, Sergeant. +WILLIAM SANDEFEW, Sergeant. +CHRISTOPHER HARDESTY, Corporal. +CHARLES W. BROWN, Corporal. +JAMES MILLER, Corporal. +JAMES BRUNTS, Corporal. +SAMUEL SKINNER, Drummer. + +PRIVATES + +Arnet, William, +Butler, Samuel, +Barnes, John, +Bramley, Daniel, +Capps, Joshua, +Crabtree, John F., +Clements, John, +Crabtree, James, +Calender, Isaac, +Cross, Joseph, +Ducate, James, +Dixon, Payne, +Ezell, Harrison, +Fickas, John, +Fugudy, Benjamin, +Gillum, William H., +Gibson, John, +Hawthorn, Robert, +Holifield, William, +Hardin, Ennis, +Hardesty, Clemons, +Hendrix, Thomas, +Keatch, Ovid, +Lambert, Joel, +Lambert, William, +Mayo, John, +Martin, Daniel, +Miller, William, +McNamer, Philip, +McGraw, John, +McCoy, James, +Pullom, John, +Parrick, Thomas, +Rolls, Abijah, +Read, James R., +Stephens, George, +Smith, Matthew, +Skillett, Thomas, +Sutherland, Ransom, +Scott, James W., +Stephens, Jesse, +Tarpin, William, +Weathers, John, +Wiggins, Joshua. + + +CAPTAIN THOMAS STERRETT'S COMPANY + +THOMAS STERRETT, Captain. +JOHN AUSTIN, Lieutenant. +HENRY MINES, Ensign. +JOHN BREWER, Sergeant. +NATHAN YOUNG, Sergeant. +JAMES B. REVILL, Sergeant. +NICHOLAS KING, Sergeant. +DAVID C. FEELDING, Sergeant. +THOMAS BRIDGES, Corporal. +NATHAN JOHNSON, Corporal. +STEPHEN WADE, Corporal. +JOHN COSTILOW, Drummer. +BENJAMIN TEMPLER, Fifer. + +PRIVATE + +Bratton, George, +Brown, Henry, +Condra, William, +Carter, William, +Coal, Joseph, +Calvert, John, +Cunningham, Brackett C., +Dawson, James, +Dawson, Jonas, +Dawson, John, +Dawson, Johnson, +Davis, Thomas, +Evans, Richard, +Ethell, James, +Forkner, Martin, +Fegert, Alexander, +Franklin, Stephen, +Galloway, William, +Hay, James S., +Heavener, John, +Hammond, Thomas, +Harris, Elijah, +Hendrick, James, +Holloway, Thomas, +Harlan, George, +Jenkins, Samuel, +Johnson, Richard, +Kown, William, +Kown, Nathan, +Kimble, William S., +Kidwell, James, +Kelsey, David, +Lawrence, James H., +Long, Abner, +Marshall, James, +Mannon, Thomas, +Moge, Jacob, +McClammon, James W., +McClammon, John S., +Miller, Philip, +Mannon, William, +McMurry, William, +Newman, Jacob, +Newman, William, +Owensby, Nicholas, +Pollard, Elijah, +Paulk, Moses, +Pitman, William, +Roundtree, Turner, +Roundtree, Kelly B., +Srader, John, +Stroude, Doran, +Stagner, Jeremiah, +Summons, George, +Stone, John, +Stroud, John, +Templer, Jesse, +Thompson, Edward, +Wilkinson, James, +Wood, Mark D., +Wood, William, +Wiley, Elijah, +Whitlow, Henry. + + +CAPTAIN SAMUEL F. MALONE'S COMPANY + +SAMUEL F. MALONE, Captain. +ELIAS BUTTON, Lieutenant. +DENNIS COCHRAN, Ensign. +MATTHEW SIMON, Sergeant. +CORNELIUS MANLEY, Sergeant. +JAMES MCALISTER, Sergeant. +ROBERT T. ANDERSON, Sergeant. +ABNER WELLS, Corporal. +HEZEKIAH LARD, Corporal. +JAMES GASH, Corporal. +JAMES BLACK, Corporal. +JESSE PULLIAM, Drummer. +JAMES ROBERTSON, Fifer. + +PRIVATES + +Alexander, Thomas, +Brown, William, +Berry, Moses, +Blair, Andrew, +Bagman, James, +Bloyd, John, +Clark, Roderick, +Clark, Joseph, +Chapman, Job, +Dishmore, James, +Dishmore, William, +Duff, Fielding, +Denison, Zade, +Dewesse, Elisha, +Dunagan, Thomas, +Emerson, William, +Edgar, Josiah, +Edgar, Johnson, +Ellis, Hercules, +Farley, Clay, +Greathouse, Hiram, +Garrison, David, +Harris, John L., +Huffman, Cornelius, +Howell, Hudson, +Handy, Jesse, +Hardin, Thomas, +Hoge, Edmund, +Johnson, John, +Jenkins, William, +Lewis, Charles, +Lyon, William, +Logsdon, John, +Merritt, John, +McKinney, Charles W., +Mitchell, James, +Newell, John, +Nunegard, William, +Nation, Laban, +O'Neal, Bennett, +Owens, William, +Pickett, John, +Pulliam, John, +Penick, James, +Roundtree, Henry, +Reed, William, +Scott, Robert, +Sutterfield, Eli, +Scott, Joseph, +Tribble, Harris, +Thacker, Allen, +Taylor, James, +Taylor, Isaac, +Williams, William, +Wheeler, Bond, +Young, Asa. + + +CAPTAIN JOHN C. DODD'S COMPANY + +JOHN C. DODD, Captain. +WILLIAM HARRALL, Lieutenant. +BERT MOORE, Ensign. +ROGER FILLEY, Sergeant. +JORDAN MCVAY, Sergeant. +HIRAM PRUNELL, Sergeant. +WILLIAM PERKINS, Sergeant. +WILLIAM STORY, Sergeant. +BENJAMIN D. CERBY, Corporal. +MAHALA INGRAM, Corporal. +JOHN SULLIVAN, Corporal. +ROBERT RICHEY, Corporal. +FLEMING CASTLEBERG, Drummer. +WILLIAM LAUGHLIN, Fifer. + +PRIVATES + +Anderson, Evan, +Baker, Seth, +Barnett, Samuel, +Bridges, Thomas, +Bridges, William, +Barton, William, +Bird, Jacob, +Cammack, William, +Carlew, Henry, +Campbell, Lindsey, +Carter, James, +Carlew, John, +Cannon, Israel, +Carlew, Robert, +Davidson, Alexander B., +Dison, Bennett, +Drennan, Samuel, +Dunn, Alexander, +Duff, James, +Entricon, John, +French, Joseph, +Green, Levi, +Gaskins, Thadeus, +Green, James, +Gilkey, John, +George, Pallam, +Hancock, John, +Hughes, James, +Heath, Riland, +Hobart, Joseph, +Jenkins, Arthur B., +Jenkins, Whitenell W., +Kenady, William, +Long, William, +Leech, Abner, +Lamb, William, +Leech, Zadock, +Law, Samuel, +Love, William, +McNabb, John W., +Miller, John, +Moore, Edmund, +Mercer, Drury, +McClear, William, +McElhana, William, +Manas, John, +Neily, John, +Nowlin, John, +Pickering, William, +Patterson, Thomas, +Philips, Samuel S., +Quarles, Stores, +Robison, Kinsey, +Robison, William, +Ritchey, Alexander, +Ramage, Benjamin, +Rhinhart, Samuel, +Robison, Hugh, +Strawmut, John, +Strawmatt, William, +Saxon, Lewis, +Smith, Stephen, +Stations, Moses, +Trimm, Charles, +Taylor, Solomon, +Whitenell, John, +Wadlington, James, +Wells, Henry, +Witherow, Samuel, +Washington, Thomas C. + + +CAPTAIN EDWARD WILBURN'S COMPANY + +EDWARD WILBURN, Captain. +JOHN M. CABINESS, Lieutenant. +JAMES BARRING, Ensign. +CHARLES LEWIS, Sergeant. +CHARLES LONG, Sergeant. +HOPKINS BOND, Sergeant. +JAMES WHITE, Sergeant. +JAMES YOUNG, Corporal. +JOHN WILLIAMS, Corporal. +WILLIAM BRISTOE, Corporal. +JOSEPH HOOPER, Corporal. +ANDREW TURPIN, Drummer. + +PRIVATES + +Anderson, James, +Ashlook, Thomas, +Agee, William, +Allen, Samuel, +Bedford, John C., +Bunch, Israel, +Banning, Clark, +Burges, John, +Belk, John, +Belk, James, +Craft, Gilbert, +Cheetham, Hezekiah, +Carpenter, James, +Craft, George, +Condrey, Elifus, +Dohirty, Alexander, +Eldridge, William, +French, John, +Gwinn, Joseph, +Hicks, Richard, +Helms, James, +Hollett, Solomon, +Jackman, Richard, +Linsey, Henry, +Lynn, James, +Loller, James, +Lynn, Charles, +Lewis, John, +Mitchell, William, +Moody, John, +Murry, John, +Minst, Francis, +McElvain, Samuel, +Nell, Philip, +Newman, Isaac, +Ogden, David, +Reynolds, Charles, +Richardson, Shaderick, +Reynolds, Amos, +Rush, Samuel, +Staton, Joseph, +Stockton, Jesse, +Thurman, William, +Thurman, Littleberry, +Tooly, William, +Vann, John, +Venable, Daniel, +Wilburn, William, +Winfrey, William, +Young, Robert. + + +CAPTAIN ROBERT PAXTON'S COMPANY + +ROBERT PAXTON, Captain. +DANIEL ZIBB, Lieutenant. +WILLIAM RHEA, Ensign. +WILLIAM P. MONTGOMERY, Sergeant. +CAMPBELL GILMORE, Sergeant. +ISHAM READY, Sergeant. +ALEXANDER BROWNLEE, Sergeant. +JAMES ARMES, Sergeant. +ARCHIBALD RHEA, Corporal. +ASHBY JONES, Corporal. +WILLIAM HOGAN, Corporal. +ANTHONY DAVIS, Corporal. +ALLEN MILLER, Rt. W.M. + +PRIVATES + +Atwell, Richard, +Berry, Franklin, +Butler, Nathan, +Buckingham, Peter, +Baker, William, +Barrett, Thompson, +Broner, William, +Byes, Armstrong, +Batron, Robert, +Calhoun, John, +Cunningham, James, +Caldwell, Andrew, +Duncan, James, +Dobson, Joseph, +Dobson, Robert, +Faris, John, +Gillingham, John, +Gooch, William, +Good, William, +Hampton, Stephen, +Harvey, John, +Hays, Campbell, +Hays, James I., +Hays, Andrew E., +Hunt, James, +Hayes, James, +Hogan, Nathan, +Helton, Thomas, +Hogan, John, +Isaacs, Samuel, +Janes, Berry, +Lampton, Jesse, +Lumpkin, Abraham, +Lisle, Peter, +Lile, Vincent, +Lemons, Isaac, +Montgomery, Robert M., +Morr, William, +Montgomery, Cyrus, +Moseby, Micajah, +McDaniel, William, +McKinsley, William, +Mathews, Samuel, +McMillan, Joseph M., +Morris, John, +Ormes, Elly, jr., +Ormes, Nathan, +Ormes, Elly, +Ormes, Nathan, +Price, Robert, +Riley, William, +Russell, Joseph, +Ray, John, +Raffity, John, +Smith, Isaac, +Skaggs, Charles, +Smith, Thomas, +Smith, Samuel, +Stearman, William, +Tribble, Absalom, +White, John D., +Waggoner, Willis, +White, John C., +Wilson, Thomas, +Woodard, Abraham, +White, John, +Wheeler, Charles. + + +CAPTAIN JAMES ROBISON'S COMPANY + +JAMES ROBISON, Captain. +LUKE NICHOLAS, Lieutenant. +GEORGE NEGLEY, Ensign. +THOMAS ARMSTRONG, Sergeant. +LILY SULLIVAN, Sergeant. +SAMUEL ELISON, Sergeant. +JAMES ALEXANDER, Sergeant. +KARR HICKS, Sergeant. +DUNCAN CAMPBELL, Corporal. +EDWARD ROBISON, Corporal. +AARON STALLINGS, Corporal. +ROBERT WILLIAMS, Corporal. +GEORGE LACEY, Fifer. + +PRIVATES + +Alexander, John, +Aainsworth, Joseph, +Baker, Thomas, +Britt, Robert, +Barnes, Thomas B., +Byle, John H., +Blakeley, Samuel, +Boreland, Samuel, +Coleran, Alexander, +Coleman, Robert M., +Cravins, Jesse, +Dunn, Richard, +Dinsmore, Jacob, +Davis, Clem, +Davis, Joseph, +Darneal, Thomas, +Edwards, Edward, +Furguson, William, +Filson, Jesse, +George, James, +Gare, Isaac, +Gibson, Meredith, +Grace, Henry, +Hamby, James, +Hunter, David, +Hunter, William, +Henderson, Ezekiel, +Handy, Benjamin, +Hardin, Samuel, +Hardin, Benjamin, +Inman, Thomas, +Lancaster, Henry, +Messick, George, +Morris, Ely, +Messimore, George, +Malin, Thomas, +Mitchell, William, +Mesamore, Jacob, +Nickson, William, +Pyle, William, +Pyle, David, +Stutt, Nicholas, +Shelton, Elijah, +Shelton, William, +Shelton, Abraham, +Savage, William M., +Shelton, Joseph, +Shelton, Robert, +Smith, Samuel, +Smith, Cloud, +Sullivan, Levi, +Thompson, Lawson, +Thompson, John, +Threet, James, +Thradford, Walker, +Thomas, James, +Tell, Joseph, +Wingard, David. + + +CAPTAIN ALMY McLEAN'S COMPANY + +ALMY MCLEAN, Captain. +EPHRAIM M. BRANK, Lieutenant. +WILLIAM ALEXANDER, Lieutenant. +ISAAC DAVIS, Ensign. +JOHN STULL, Sergeant. +HENRY NUSELL, Sergeant. +ENOCH METCALF, Sergeant. +JORDAN O'BRIEN, Sergeant. +JAMES LANGLEY, Corporal. +MOSES MATTHEWS, Corporal. +EDWARD H. TARRANTS, Corporal. +GEORGE HILL, Corporal. +ABNER B.C. DILLINGHAM, Fifer. + +PRIVATES + +Apling, Henry, +Anderson, John, jr., +Allen, Linsey, +Anderson, John, +Allison, McLean, +Bishop, James, +Barker, Samuel, +Bone, Cornelius, +Bonds, Lott, +Carter, James, +Craig, John, +Combs, Jesse, +Cob, Elijah, +Craig, Robert, +Crouch, Isaac, +Claxton, Jeremiah, +Dewitt, William, +Donnald, James, +Evans, James, +Ferguson, John K., +Foley, Mason, +Fox, Nathan, +Fowler, Jeremiah, +Gany, Matthew, +Gant, Thomas, +Gamblin, John, +Grayham, William, +Hewlett, Thomas, +Hines, John, +Howard, Isaac, +Hensley, Leftridge, +Hewlett, Lemuel, +Hubbard, Liner, +Jains, Edward, +Kern, George, +Kennedy, George F., +Lott, James, +Lynn, Gasham, +Lynn, Henry, +Leece, Samuel, +McGill, James, +Moore, Thomas, +Matthews, Jacob, +McFerson, James, +Martin, John, +Macons, Peter, +Nanny, Spencer, +Norris, Thomas, +Nixon, James, +Penrod, George, +Ripple, Michael, +Row, Adam, +Ripple, Jacob, +Rhodes, Bradford, +Sever, Michael, +Sumner, Thomas, +Sumner, William, +Sunn, John F., +Sanders, George, +Voris, John, +Wilcox, Elias, +Williams, Noah, +Wade, Hendley, +Wilson, John, +Williams, William, +Yaunce, Lawrence. + + +CAPTAIN ROBERT PATTERSON'S COMPANY + +ROBERT PATTERSON, Captain. +JOHN HENRY, Lieutenant. +JAMES PORTER, Ensign. +ALLEN CARTER, Sergeant. +GEORGE T. ASHBURN, Sergeant. +GRAVES GUNN, Sergeant. +FRANCIS PORTER, Sergeant. +GEORGE HICKMAN, Corporal. +ALLEN KUYKENDALL, Corporal. +WILLIAM BAILEY, Corporal. +ROBERT HENRY, Corporal. + +PRIVATES + +Albert, Jacob, +Allen, Andrew, +Barrett, Enoch D., +Brian, William, +Barringer, Jonathan, +Barnett, James, +Brown, Richard, +Burchfield, Thomas, +Brown, William, +Brown, Jimmy, +Bailey, James, +Clawson, John, +Collins, Dixon, +Coleman, Archibald, +Clevenger, Asa, +Caradine, David, +Cooksey, Warren, +Collins, Hollen, +Carlisle, Mathew, +Diamond, John, +Diamond, James, +Elam, John, +Finley, Andrew, +Ford, John, +Farmer, Gray B., +Glister, Thomas, +Gist, William, +Gidcomb, John, +Gibson, Jordan, +Gilky, Thomas, +Henderson, Carnes D., +Haney, Joseph, +Hodge, Nathan, +Hadden, William, +Hunsucker, Samuel, +Holley, William, +Jameson, Andrew, +Kown, Andrew, +Kenedy, Neil, +Kuykendall, Mark, +Larkins, Joseph, +Land, Lewis, +Land, Moses, +Morris, William, +McFarland, William D., +Moore, Jeremiah, +Mann, John, +Miller, John, +Mitchell, Blake, +Neebart, Alexander, +Page, William, +Porter, Oliver, +Ralls, Robert, +Rails, Green, +Smith, Ezekiel, +Sears, Abraham, +Smith, Joseph, +Smith, Asa, +Steele, Moses, +Thomas, John, +Thomas, Thomas, +Taylor, Peter, +Tannehill, Benjamin, +Williams, David, +Wheeler, Seburn, +Woods, William, +Wilson, Benjamin, +Wood, Peter. + + +II + +ROLL OF FIELD AND STAFF, SLAUGHTER'S REGIMENT, KENTUCKY DETACHED +MILITIA, WAR OF 1812, COMMANDED BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL GABRIEL +SLAUGHTER + +GABRIEL SLAUGHTER, Lieutenant-colonel. +LANTY ARMSTRONG, First Major. +WILLIAM WAKEFIELD, Second Major. +SAMUEL MACOUN, Lieutenant. +WILLIAM RODES, Lieutenant. +ROGER THOMPSON, Lieutenant. +HORATIO GAITHER, Surgeon. +ROBERT H.C. PEARSON, S. Mate. +GEORGE C. BERRY, S. Mate. +THOMAS CURRY, Sergeant-major. +STROTHER H. GAINES, Quartermaster-sergeant. +JOHN THOMPSON, Assistant Quarterm'r. +THOMAS WITHER, Fife Major. +ABNER DECKER, Drum Major. + + +CAPTAIN GEORGE McAFEE'S COMPANY + +GEORGE MCAFEE, Captain. +WILLIAM BOHAN, Lieutenant. +JOHN M. JORDAN, Ensign. +JOHN LEWIS, Orderly Sergeant. +JULIUS RUCKER, Sergeant. +JAMES PIERSON, Sergeant. +SAMUEL R. TROUER, Sergeant. +JOHN COCHRAN, Sergeant. +ANDERSON POWERS, Corporal. +DANIEL BOHAN, Corporal. +DANIEL HAY, Corporal. +THOMAS ROBARDS, Corporal. + +PRIVATES + +Adams, Alexander, +Barnes, Zachariah, +Brim, Landy, +Brown, Thomas, +Bunton, Samuel, +Bradshaw, James L., +Berns, Philip, +Bryant, Daniel, +Bradley, Jacob, +Barclay, David, +Cummings, Alexander, +Curry, Thomas, +Combs, Joseph, +Cummings, Abraham, +Coovert, Simon, +Curry, James, +Cooney, James, +Cooney, Daniel, +Davis, George, +Dean, William, +Dodson, George, +Dunklin, William, +Ellis, Daniel, +Foreman, Jacob, +Goodnight, Alexander, +Green, William, +Gilmore, Joseph, +Gabbert, James, +Harlow, Thomas, +Haley, Edmund, +Hulton, John, +Horn, John, +Horn, Philip, +Hall, Barnet, +Johnston, William, +Jones, William, +Jones, Thornton, +Kirkham, Joseph, +Knox, George C., +Kirkpatrick, James, +Lytle, Lewis, +Lockhart, Levi, +Lewis, Elijah, +Lister, Cornelius, +Lister, Stephen, +McAfee, Samuel, +McDonald, Clement, +McCoy, Joseph, +McMinny, William, +Mullikin, John, +Montfort, Jacob, +Mitchel, Jacob, +Napier, William, +Poulter, Joseph, +Pierson, Joseph, +Philips, Aaron, +Preston, George, +Quigley, John, +Ray, William, +Rynierson, Jacob, +Rains, Allen, +Roberts, William, +Ruby, Jacob, +Robertson, Samuel, +Roberts, James, +Silyers, John, +Short, James, +Short, William, +Shields, William, +Sams, Russell, +Sample, James, +Short, Coleman, +Sally, Rany S., +Stone, Levi, +Thomas, Thompson, +Towner, Samuel, +Thompson, George P., +Toomy, Isaac, +Thomas, Edmund G., +Voris, John, +Violet, Sinclair, +Walker, John, +Wilson, John H., +Wells, John, sr., +Wilson, Anthony, +Wells, John, jr., +Whitberry, Jacob, +Weathers, Thomas, +Yest, Jacob. + + +CAPTAIN JOHN EVANS' COMPANY + +JOHN EVANS, Captain. +JOHN CUPPINHEIFER, Lieutenant. +ROBERT GILMORE, Ensign. +AARON BARROW, Sergeant. +THOMAS GALLIWAY, Sergeant. +JOSEPH HEDRICK, Sergeant. +GEORGE DUNCAN, Sergeant. +JOHN EVANS, Corporal. +JOHN BURKE, Corporal. +WILLIAM MCCULLOUGH, Corporal. +THOMAS NICHOLS, Corporal. + +PRIVATES + +Barker, Thomas, +Bebber, John, +Beadle, Seaton, +Barnet, James, +Barnet, Jubille, +Bowmer, William, +Barns, Mathew, +Burman, James, +Bowen, William, +Briant, Morgan, +Collins, Andrew, +Dishmon, James, +Dick, Archibald, +Dove, James, +Evans, John, +Elkins, Richard, +Floyd, Thomas, +Fitzpatrick, Samuel, +Fitzpatrick, George, +Gough, John, +Gilmore, William, +Griffin, John, +Gregory, Samuel, +Hargus, Thomas, +Herrin, Joel, +Hendrickson, Thomas, +Hendrickson, Gibson, +Hardister, William, +Hargus, John, +Harp, Westley, +Harmons, Jesse, +Hedrick, Jacob, jr., +Hudson, Robert, +Hudson, Manoah, +Hedrick, Jacob, sr., +Hanes, Ezekiah, +Hunt, William, +Hamilton, James, +Humphries, David, +Hunt, Samuel, +Johnson, James, +James, Daniel F., +Jasper, Andrew, +McAllister, John, +Moody, Martin, +McCarty, William, +McCan, William, +McKaughan, William, +Neal, Isaac, +Preston, William, +Price, John, +Reagan, William, +Ridge, Robertson, +Riley, William, +Sneed, John, +Stroud, Ansel, +Tartar, Frederick, +White, Edward, +White, Elisha, +Woolsey, Thomas, +White, David, +Weatherman, Simon, +Wilson, Bird, +Weddle, George, +Weddle, John, +Wright, Walter, +White, John. + + +CAPTAIN LEONARD P. HIGDON'S COMPANY + +LEONARD P. HIGDON, Captain. +DAVID HUSTON, Lieutenant. +JOHN YOUNG, Ensign. +SAMUEL HANDLEY, Orderly Sergeant. +WILLIAM BAILEY, First Sergeant. +BARTON HAWLEY, Second Sergeant. +FRANCIS HAGAN, Third Sergeant. +JAMES W. TYLER, Fourth Sergeant. +ISAAC ANDERSON, Corporal. +JAMES MCDANIEL, Corporal. +HENRY HOLTZCLAW, Corporal. +NATHANIEL HARRIS, Corporal. + +PRIVATES + +Audd, Ambrose, +Anderson, Samuel, +Bredwell, Noah, +Bowl, James, +Burkhead, Isaac, +Blanford, Francis, +Baldwin, McKinsey, +Bishop, Solomon, +Brown, Frederick, +Blann, James, +Burkhead, Basil, +Basey, Jesse, +Bevin, Walter, +Bean, Judson, +Baldwin, Samuel, +Brown, James, +Connor, James, +Clark, Zacheus, +Cissel, James, +Coffman, Michael, +Calvert, Thomas, +Cane, Michael, +Clark, John, +Clemens, Thomas, +Connell, Hiram, +Connolly, Basil, +Cosby, Overton, +Clark, Abner, +DeMorgan, Reuben N., +Drake, Jacob, +Dunn, Simpson, +Davis, Lemuel, +David, Amos, +Elliot, Greenbury, +Foxworthy, George, +Fox, William, +Fowler, Thomas, +Gibson, Henry, +Hanon, Ezekiel, +Harrison, Grove, +Hansford, William, +Hagerman, Tunis, +Higdon, James, +Hibbs, John, +Hall, Philip, +Knott, Henry, +Lefler, John, +Lent, William, +Lane, Benjamin, +McDaniel, Redman, +McLaughlin, Jesse, +Malon, Jacob, +McDaniel, William, +Miles, Francis, +Magnill, Richard, +McDaniel, John, +Osborn, Samuel, +Parrish, Francis, +Popham, Hawkins, +Popham, William, +Paul, James, +Polk, James, +Rynearson, Peter, +Roberts, George, +Rozner, William, +Smither, Joel, +Smith, John, +Turner, Joseph, +Vinson, George, +Witherton, John, +Wise, John, +Wise, Joseph, +Watson, Joseph, +Wilson, Benjamin. + + +CAPTAIN JONATHAN OWSLEY'S COMPANY + +JONATHAN OWSLEY, Captain. +LOFTIS COOK, Lieutenant. +STEPHEN LYONS, Ensign. +SAMUEL P. MAGILL, Sergeant. +HENRY SHARP, Sergeant. +JOHN LOGAN, Sergeant. +JOHN GILBREATH, Sergeant. +JOHN WOOD, Sergeant. +WILLIAM FORSYTHE, Corporal. +ROBERT BRYANT, Corporal. +JOHN HUFF, Corporal. +THOMAS SCOTT, Corporal. + +PRIVATES + +Adams, Edward, +Bettis, John, +Bower, Francis, +Bryant, William, +Burnett, Nicholas, +Berry, Labon S., +Ball, Isaiah, +Brook, John, +Baldwin, Joseph, +Burton, William, +Bowman, Jacob, +Breden, James, +Coombs, John, +Cox, Leroy, +Cavenaugh, Philemon, +Cash, William, +Dudarar, Coonrod, +Dudar, William, +Dodson, Thomas, +Davis, Nathan, +Doolin, James, +Davis, John, +Dasswell, Jesse, +Duncan, William, +Embree, Elijah, +Etone, Elijah, +Ervin, Francis, +Edwards, Peter, +Forsythe, David, +Goodnight, John, +Gooch, Roland, +Gibson, John, +Gill, Angel, +Hill, Zachariah, +Hotzclaw, Benjamin, +Hackley, James, +Hair, John, +Hutson, Lodrick, +Harvey, James W., +Haynes, James, +Holmes, George, +Hall, James, +Jackson, William, +Low, Thomas, +Lavinder, John, +Lawrence, Hugh, +Lynn, James, +Martin, William, +McRoberts, Andrew, +McMullen, John, +McCrutcheon, William, +McManny, Charles, +Newcomb, Wilson, +Nelly, Edward, +Oalder, Jonathan, +Pettit, Walker, +Pence, John, +Parsons, Obediah, +Prewitt, David, +Ray, Joseph, +Renalds, Fountain, +Roberts, James, +Ross, Thomas J., +Raybourne, John, +Simpson, John, +Sutton, Walker, +Souder, Jefferson, +Spratt, Thomas, +Singleton, McIntire, +Stephens, John, +Singleton, Thomas, +Tedrick, Jacob, +Warden, William, +Wade, Jeremiah, +Wood, William, +Warren, Burris. + + +CAPTAIN JOHN FARMER'S COMPANY + +JOHN FARMER, Captain. +WILLOUGHBY ASHBY, Lieutenant. +JOHN FIGG, Ensign. +JESSE KEETH, First Sergeant. +DAVID WELLER, First Sergeant. +ISAAC CHAMBERS, First Sergeant. +ISAAC HOUSTON, Second Sergeant. +OWEN R. GRIFFITH, Third Sergeant. +CORCELIUS WOODS, Fourth Sergeant. +SAMUEL HEFFLER, First Corporal. +BARNARD BRIDWELL, Second Corporal. +GEORGE WELLER, Third Corporal. + +PRIVATES + +Angel, George, +Anderson, Thomas, +Anderson, John, +Berton, William, +Bright, John, +Brown, Robert, +Bennett, Jery, +Brewer, James, +Boly, Peter, +Carter, William, +Carico, James, +Chaplain, Jery, +Carter, Samuel, +Carter, Joseph, +Conor, George, +Cane, Mathew, +Doneheu, James, +Denbow, James, +Davis, Jesse, +Dewitt, Abraham, +Davis, John, +Gilkey, William, +Grubb, William, +Glass, James H., +Hampton, David, +Hill, Robert, +Harden, John, +Huffman, George, +Hagan, Dory, +Ice, James, +Jones, Joseph, +Jones, John, +Johnston, William, +Johnston, Joseph, +Kenny, William, +Keth, Isaac, +Low, Richard, +Lerit, Joseph, +Lanam, James, +Mattingly, Edward, +Medcalf, James, +Medcalf, Benjamin, +Marshall, Daniel, +Miller, Frederick, +Micater, Patrick, +Philips, George, +Powers, Richard, +Reed, Richard, +Robinson, Alexander, +Spilman, Henry, +Springston, Abraham, +Sinkhorn, William, +Shaream, George, +Seals, John, +Thompson, James, +Thompson, John, +Walker, Howard, +White, John, +White, Francis, +Wilcox, Isaac, +York, John. + + +CAPTAIN ADAM VICKERY'S COMPANY + +ADAM VICKERY, Captain. +JOHN GARNER, Lieutenant. +JOHN BARROW, Ensign. +HIRAM GREGORY, Sergeant. +THOMAS BROWN, Sergeant. +MOSES BARNES, Sergeant. +ALEXANDER BROWN, Sergeant. +HARMAN ELROD, Sergeant. +WILLIAM HURT, Corporal. +GEORGE DODSON, Corporal. +THOMAS RYON, Corporal. +LAPSLY HALL, Corporal. + +PRIVATES + +Ard, James, +Andrew, Alexander, +Acre, Peter, +Burnham, Owen, +Bell, John, +Ballard, John, +Burnet, James, +Baker, James, +Baker, Stephen, +Barnes, William, +Bowman, Willis, +Barnes, Enos, +Brown, Lewis, +Brown, Barnabus, +Butrim, Cornelius, +Craig, John H., +Casson, John, +Caughorn, William, +Cook, Enos, +Cox, David, +Cooper, Caleb, +Duffey, John, +Dean, James, +Davis, William, +Dabney, Charles, +Elrod, Adam, +Foster, John, +Gray, Jesse, +Gholson, Samuel, +Gibson, Stephen, +Gooding, Abraham, +Gibson, Thomas, +Hains, John, +Hill, William, +Hall, Henry, +Hill, Claiborn, +Keniday, John, +Kogan, William, +Lea, John, +Luster, John, +Lenn, James, +Lambert, Henry, +Livingston, Robert, +Miller, George, +McGown, Solomon, +Mills, Ulissius, +Moore, David, +Mays, David, +Neal, Jesse, +Pow, Alexander, +Ray, John, +Southword, John, +Shaw, John, +Shelton, John, +Savage, John, +Shelton, James, +Smith, William, +Stephens, Peter, +Smith, Henry, +Stephens, Thomas, +Smith, George, +Sallee, William I., +Tiller, John, +Thornton, John, +Thomas, Samuel, +Wade, John, +Willice, John, +Woods, James, +Welsher, Joshua, +West, Joseph, +Welsher, Josiah, +West, Alexander, +Wade, Elisha, +Wray, Daniel, +Wallace, Barnabus. + + +CAPTAIN WILLIAM WOOD'S COMPANY + +WILLIAM WOOD, Captain. +PETER OATMAN, Lieutenant. +THOMAS BROWN, Ensign. +HENRY ROBINSON, Sergeant. +ABSALOM RICE, Sergeant. +GEORGE HERRING, Sergeant. +ISAAC THERMAN, Sergeant. +THOMAS JONES, Sergeant. +JOHN MCKINSEY, Corporal. +JOHN ALLEN, Corporal. +SIMON MOBELY, Corporal. +JOHN BOURNE, Corporal. + +PRIVATES + +Anderson, Garland, +Anderson, Thomas, +Adams, John, +Blankenship, John, +Brown, Stanton, +Bailey, Lewis, +Beech, Joel, +Brown, William, +Burton, Allen, +Brown, Edwin, +Barren, Mathias, +Barker, Richard, +Boadly, Peter D., +Brown, John, +Clements, Thomas, +Coy, Samuel, +Chambers, Abraham, +Coy, Thomas, +Clark, William, +Davidson, John, +Duggins, Richard, +Dooly, Jacob, +Duncan, George, +Dotson, Thomas, +Edens, Mathew, +Elliott, Reuben, +Erton, Henry, +Graham, Robinson, +Gill, John, +Greenstaff, George, +Garvin, William, +Green, Thomas, +Gromer, Henry, +Gayheart, Isaac, +Hotsclaw, Martin, +Horley, William, +Hurd, William, +Hay, Isaac, +Huffman, Henry, +Henderson, Joseph, +Hicks, Fleming, +Hoskins, Samuel, +Holmes, Isaac, +Jackman, Thomas, +Lampton, William, +McMeas, Jacob, +Martendale, Moses, +McFadgin, James, +Moore, Moses, +Miller, James, +Mayfield, Sutherland, +Naylor, Jesse, +Newcomb, Lance, +Naylor, George T., +Naylor, John, +Pow, William, +Pollard, Abner, +Preston, John, +Pucket, William, +Spencer, John, +Stone, James, +Stanton, Fleming, +Skiler, John, +Stephens, William, +Stephens, ----, +Thacker, Elijah, +Turpin, James, +Tarrent, Larkin, +Tunget, Benjamin, +Vance, Jacob, +Weather, John, +Warren, Joseph, +Wiley, Benjamin, +Woodal, John, +Warmouth, Thomas, +Warmouth, Githean, +Williams, Oscar, +Williams, George, +Yancy, George. + + +CAPTAIN WILLIAM WADE'S COMPANY + +WILLIAM WADE, Captain. +JOHN RIFFE, Lieutenant. +MATHEW COFFEE, Ensign. +DAVID JOHNSON, Sergeant. +JOSHUA MOORE, Sergeant. +JOHN D. THURMOND, Sergeant. +JOHN SPEARS, Sergeant. +JOHN SHANNON, Sergeant. +WILLIAM JONES, Corporal. +JOHN ESTIS, Corporal. +STARLING COULTER, Corporal. +JACOB CUNNINGHAM, Corporal. + +PRIVATES + +(Obinion or) Albanion, Geo. +Barnett, Skuyler, +Carmen, William, +Curdum, William, +Coxe, Joseph, +Carter, Moses, +Cloyd, Joseph, +Charlton, Levi, +Coulter, Morris, +Carman, Ezekiah, +Clifton, Nehemiah, +Clifton, Isaiah, +Cinkhous, Henry, +Cunningham, Thomas, +Clark, Thomas, +Dyer, William, +Duncan, Flemmin, +Dobbs, William, +Drummond, James, +Davenport, Thomas, +East, Nimrod, +Ewebank, James, +Ecten, Charles, +Edwards, Aaron, +Ellis, John, +Figg, William, +Gentry, Benjamin, +Gee, John, +Hite, Burton, +Harvey, Robert, +Harvel, Squire, +Hutcherson, Samuel, +Johnson, Luke, +King, Thomas, +Linthicum, Thomas, +Lee, Francis, +Lee, Joseph P., +McCutchan, Samuel, +Minor, Laban, +Mason, James, +McWherton, Jesse, +Mason, Thomas, +McCan, William, +Mason, Thomson, +Northcut, Arthur, +Noble, Thomas, +Pankey, John B., +Price, Robert, +Royaltree, Henry, +Riffe, Christopher, +Ragsdale, Gabriel, +Royaltree, William, +Riffe, Abraham, +Reed, Philip, +Routsaw, Coonrod, +Raglin, James, +Reed, Little B., +Studer, David, +Seabron, Jehu, +Stepp, William, +Selch, Nicholas, +Skidmore, John, +Snow, John, +Studor, Randal, +Stanton, William, +Thomas, Robert, +Tailor, Jacob, +Vorus, Abraham, +Vantres, Jacob, +Williams, Amos, +Wright, Bennett C., +Whitesides, David, +Williams, Richard, +Yager, Lewis. + + +CAPTAIN EDWARD BERRY'S COMPANY + +EDWARD BERRY, Captain. +DAVID RODMAN, Lieutenant. +THOMAS MCINTIRE, Ensign. +STEPHEN THOMPSON, Sergeant. +GEORGE ELLIOTT, Sergeant. +STARLING THOMPSON, Sergeant. +CHARLES FOWLER, Sergeant. +JOHN AUSTIN, Sergeant. +ANDREW POWEL, Sergeant. +JOEL NELSON, Sergeant. +PHILIP RICHARDSON, Sergeant. +JOHN MCCLURE, Sergeant. + +PRIVATES + +Adams, Henry, +Burns, Isaac, +Bennett, George W., +Baker, James, +Baker, William, +Bryan, John, +Barnett, William, +Champion, Joseph, +Cannon, Robert, +Cogenom, George, +Campton, James, +Casey, David, +Catlin, Seth, +Carter, Benjamin, +Cross, William, +Creagh, Christian, +Davis, Robert, +Earl, Samuel, +Ferguson, Daniel, +Franklin, Edward, +Graves, John, +Hickerson, John, +Hickerson, Joseph, +Hilton, Henry, +Hart, William, +Higgins, David, +Jackson, James, +Lockett, Samuel, +Lannom, Lewis, +Lawson, Chester, +Lawson, Berry, +Lambert, David, +Lannom, Samuel, +Miles, Alexander, +Miller, Joseph, +Morgan, Abraham, +McMurry, Thomas, +Maxwell, Charles, +Morris, Reuben, +Matherly, Joel, +Malone, William, +Milbourn, Israel, +McMurry, William, +Mann, William, +McAllister, James, +Mead, Joseph, +McMurry, William, +McAllister, Daniel, +Miles, Edward, +Montgomery, Thomas, +Nelson, William, +Oldridge, Nathaniel, +Prewitt, Daniel, +Prater, Reson, +Richards, Zodick, +Ridge, Cornelius, +Ridge, William, +Right, Robert, +Right, William, +Reed, Nathan, +Seamster, Pleasant, +Simpson, Floyd, +Stump, Johnston, +Simpson, Asa, +Taylor, Jeremiah, +Tolby, Jonathan, +Whitter, William, +Watham, James H., +White, Thomas L., +Watham, Nicholas, +Whitten, Jeremiah, +Whitehouse, John, +Whitehouse, Cornelius, +Woods, Henry. + + +CAPTAIN WILLIAM PHILIPS' COMPANY + +WILLIAM PHILIPS, Captain. +GODHART SMACK, Lieutenant. +JOHN LUDWICK, Ensign. +ASA R. HILL, Sergeant. +JOSEPH ABEL, Sergeant. +WILLIAM MCENERY, Sergeant. +CHARLES COLTER, Sergeant. +HENRY COWAN, Sergeant. +ROBERT ROCHESTER, Corporal. +JOHN GRAYHAM, Corporal. +JOHN MOBLEY, Corporal. +ROBERT BRUMFIELD, Corporal. +THOMAS HILL, Musician. +WILLIAM VANOY, Musician. + +PRIVATES + +Anderson, Thomas, +Blaire, James, +Brown, Francis, +Brown, Henderson, +Bullott, John, +Butler, William, +Botains, William, sr., +Botains, William, jr., +Baker, Henry, +Blacketler, William, +Camburn, Osburn, +Cissell, Thomas, +Cidwell, John, +Caho, John, +Cissell, Robert, +Cannon, Israel, +Cravens, James, +Cunstable, Stephen, +Cinkhorn, John, +Cundiff, James, +Cartico, Lloyd, +Collier, Daniel, +Easton, John, +Elliott, John, +Enson, George, +Green, Charles, +Gerton, John, +Grey, Charles, +Galesby, Edward, +Gains, Strother H., +Harris, Overton, +Harris, William, +Hinton, Shadrick, +Howard, Charles, +Hall, Thomas, +Knott, Jeremiah, +Landers, James, +Lyons, John, +Lyons, Charles W., +Lanham, William, +Lockman, John B., +Lockman, Charles, +Mercer, Martin, +Mills, Samuel, +Mattingly, Joseph, +Mahoney, William, +Miller, Ignatius, +Marby, Micajah, +Morgan, Jubel, +Meanally, Basil, +Meanally, John, +Mitchel, Jacob, +Newton, Ignatius, +Nichols, John, +Owings, James, +Patterson, Joseph, +Philips, Jesse, +Quigans, James, +Quigans, Joseph, +Stemmons, Henry, +Stanfield, John, +Smithers, Daniel, +Smith, Richard, +Simpson, Allugus, +Smith, John, +Sanders, John, +Updergrove, Joseph, +Vessels, Benjamin, +Vaun, Obediah, +Waid, Evan, +Wooley, John, +Williams, Edward, +Whitehouse, Thomas. + + +III + +ROLL OF FIELD AND STAFF, DAVIS'S REGIMENT, KENTUCKY DETACHED +MILITIA, WAR OF 1812, COMMANDED BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL PRESLEY GRAY + +PRESLEY GRAY, Lieutenant-colonel. +JOHN DAVIS, Major. +JAMES JOHNSON, Major. +WILLIAM WALKER, Major. +ZEBA HOLT, Major. +S.C. STEPHENS, Adjutant. +GEORGE P. MILLER, Paymaster. +ZACHARIAH TERRYHEL, Quartermaster. +ALLEN A. HAMILTON, Surgeon. +HENRY WINSLOW, Surgeon's Mate. +WILLIAM W. FORD, Sergeant-major. +SAMUEL STEWART, S. Mate. +WILLIAM VANCLEVE, Drum Major. +JOHN CURRY, Fife Major. +SAMUEL GRAY, Quartermaster-sergeant. +SAMUEL BLACKWELL, Quartermaster-sergeant. + + +CAPTAIN ROBERT THRUSTON'S COMPANY + +ROBERT THRUSTON, Captain. +HENRY GRESHAM, Lieutenant. +JOHN D. GOTT, Ensign. +SAMUEL S. GREEN, Sergeant. +DANIEL RAGSDALE, Sergeant. +JOHN S. SIMPSON, Sergeant. +AARON COLLETT, Sergeant. +GEORGE RUNGER, Corporal. +ADAM GILLILAND, Corporal. +ISAAC HILL, Corporal. +DAVID RICHEY, Corporal. +JOHN CURRY, Fifer. +THOMAS CURRY, Drummer. + +PRIVATES + +Armstrong, Benjamin, +Arnold, William, +Arnold, Robert, +Allen, Nathaniel, +Alexander, John, +Blanton, Thomas, +Bowman, James, +Bryant, Thomas, +Brooky, John, +Barnett, Philip E., +Blanchard, John, +Caldwell, William, +Cathran, John, +Cooley, Jesse, +Clark, David, +Crow, Andrew, +Chenowith, Thomas, +Collett, Moses, +Caplinger, John, +Cottonham, John D., +Daniels, George, +Dawville, Charles, +Elsbury, Jonathan, +Farmer, James, +Galbreath, William, +Hunter, Charles, +Hunter, Willis, +Hill, John, +Ingraham, James, +Inshmeyer, John, +Knapp, Charles, +Kirk, James, +Kincade, Matthew, +Lowell, Jacob, +Leggett, John, +Miller, Christopher, +Messen, James, +Milam, John, +McCartney, Andrew, +Newell, Archibald, +Osborn, John, +Porter, James, +Pittenger, Thomas, +Prewett, Joel, +Parsons, David, +Penley, Wesley, +Russell, John, +Ragsdale, Frederick, +Robinson, James, +Shrum, John, +Sharp, William, +Standiford, William, +Smith, Henry, +Spence, Willis, +Stillwell, Isaiah, +Stafford, Thomas, +Tyler, Willis, +Taylor, James, +Tadlock, Alexander, +Thursby, James, +Weems, James S., +White, Warren, +Woodward, John, +Washburn, Samuel S. + + +CAPTAIN THOMAS JOYES' COMPANY + +THOMAS JOYES, Captain. +ANDREW PORTTORFF, Lieutenant. +SAMUEL EARICKSON, Ensign. +JOHN HADLEY, Sergeant. +WILLIAM SALE, Sergeant. +JOHN BOOKER, Sergeant. +JOHN W. BAINBRIDGE, Sergeant. +JOHN RAY, Corporal. +JOHN O. HANLON, Corporal. +WILLIAM DUERSON, Corporal. +ABNER C. YOUNG, Corporal. + +PRIVATES + +Ames, Robert B., +Brinley, Jacob, +Bateman, Isaac, +Balee, Abraham, +Booty, John, +Brandenburgh, Absalom, +Bagwell, John, +Croxton, Cornelius, +Carson, Hugh, +Cardwell, William, +Carlton, Francis D., +Crossgrave, Charles, +Calhoun, Alexander, +Dunn, Thomas, +Davis, Squire, +Dougherty, Patrick, +Elms, William, +Floyd, Nathaniel, +Gosshort, Adam, +Greenawalt, John, +Glassgow, James, +Glassgow, John, +Guthrie, Moses, +Hilliard, Anson G., +Hill, Mason, +Hubbs, Jacob, +Holt, Samuel, +Johnson, William, +Jones, John, +Jackson, George, +Kelly, Christopher, +Lashbrook, Samuel, +Martin, Westley, +Meddis, Godfrey, +Morlow, Peter, +Miller, John, +Merryfield, John, +Miller, Levi, +Myrtle, William, +Miller, George, +Mayfield, Isaac, +Morrow, John, +Minter, John, +Meddis, John, (Waiter) +Newkirk, William, +Ormer, Peter, +Parish, Price, +Pearson, George R., +Pierce, Chester, +Ralston, Alexander, +Risley, James, +Ross, Thomas, +Stewart, James, +Stower, Patrick, +Slaughter, Jacob, +Stout, Michael, +Talbot, Thomas, +Thickston, William, +Tyler, Joseph, +Traceler, Philip, +Williams, Moses, +Woodward, James, +Wheeler, Jesse, +Welsh, Moses. + + +CAPTAIN WILLIAM WALKER'S COMPANY + +WILLIAM WALKER, Captain. +JOHN SMITH, Lieutenant. +JOHN WEBB, Ensign. +JOHN HARVEY, Sergeant. +JOHN H. GIBBS, Sergeant. +JOEL HARDIN, Sergeant. +ELIJAH YORK, Sergeant. + +PRIVATES + +Arterbury, James, +Bear, John, +Benedict, Tomkins, +Bear, Adam, +Bear, George, +Burgman, William, +Bates, Simeon, +Brewer, Charles, +Brown, Asa, +Carr, Elijah, +Clarke, Albin, +Cashman, Peter, +Cashman, John, +Case, Jacob, +Cowper, Joshua, +Caffrey, Thomas M., +Clayton, John, +Davis, Silas, +Dawson, John, +Dowddle, Thomas J., +Gardner, James, +Gilblaine, Robert, +Goatly, Thomas, +Gentry, William, +Glasscock, William, +Horton, Anthony, +Hulse, Josiah, +Holmes, Nicholas, +Hedges, Robert, +Hayes, Daniel, +Jarboe, Joseph, +Jackson, Isaac, +Johns, John, +Kindor, Peter, +King, John, +Keith, Jacob, +Langsley, John, +Liney, Zachariah, +Lyons, John, +Mattingly, Bennett, +Morgan, Lambeth, +Mellor, Jacob, +Millor, John, +Night, John, +Osten, Jeremiah, +Parpoint, Charles, +Pate, Allen, +Painter, William, +Pile, Francis, +Paul, George, +Pearman, Samuel, +Pearman, John, +Pate, Jeremiah, +Padden, John, +Radley, Ichabod, +Sally, Oliver P., +Sevancy, Glasberry, +Slack, William, +Thomas, Joseph, +White, William, +Whitaker, Jesse. + + +CAPTAIN JOSEPH FUNK'S COMPANY + +JOSEPH FUNK, Captain. +THOMAS TODD, Lieutenant. +MARTIN ADAMS, Ensign. +WILLIAM WALLACE, Sergeant. +ISAAC CARR, Sergeant. +JAMES AUSTIN, Sergeant. +JOSEPH WILLHORT, Sergeant. +FREDERICK MASON, Corporal. +JAMES PREWITT, Corporal. +JOHN YOUNG, Corporal. +THOMAS BATEMAN, Corporal. +WILLIAM TETER, Corporal. + +PRIVATES + +Anderson, Thomas, +Archer, Thomas, +Austin, William, +Austin, Daniel, +Bateman, John, +Briser, James, +Blankinboke, Jacob, +Brooks, Jacob, +Cann, Edward, +Campbell, James, +Campbell, George B., +Crews, Elijah, +Crews, Zachariah, +Crow, Andrew D., +Cox, George, +Edmondson, John, +Fiteshue, Cole, +Fitzer, Jacob, +Ferguson, Samuel, +Forus, James, +Gilman, Timothy, +Griffy, Samuel, +Greathouse, Luther, +Green, Joseph, +Gunn, Jonathan, +Green, John, +Harris, Thomas, +Hendricks, James F., +Hortly, John, +Hensely, Alexander, +Harmond, John, +Hobson, Milburn, +Ingram, James, +Jones, Hamilton, +Job, Andrew, +Jones, Thomas, +Johnson, Thomas, +Kalfers, Jacob, +Knight, John, +Louther, Henry, +Leggett, William, +Maxwell, William, +Mitchell, William, +Miller, Adam, +Pearce, John, +Powell, William, +Portlow, Samuel, +Portlow, Edward, +Rudy, George, +Shelman, Jacob, +Spalding, George W., +Steel, Andrew, +Stuart, Robert, +Shake, John, +Shake, Adam, +Shirley, Absalom, +Tyler, David, +Tyler, Absalom, +Williams, Benjamin, +Willhoit, Larkin, +Wilky, John, +Wood, Timothy, +Wood, Henry, +Wooden, Robert, +Woodward, Michael. + + +CAPTAIN ZIBA HOLT'S COMPANY + +ZIBA HOLT, Captain. +JOHN MONTGOMERY, Lieutenant. +ADAM MOWNY, Ensign. +WYAT COLEMAN, Sergeant. +WILLIAM STEWART, Sergeant. +HENRY BLUNT, Sergeant. +JOHN HOLODY, Sergeant. +THOMAS SUBLETT, Corporal. +JOSEPH PEW, Corporal. +NATHAN CHALFRANT, Corporal. +MARK WILLIAMS, Corporal. +JEREMIAH STOWERS, Fifer. + +PRIVATES + +Anderson, Josiah, +Agins, John, +Baker, Joseph, +Brasher, Reason, +Boon, Moses, +Brown, William, +Bags, John, +Barnhill, William, +Brent, James, +Barker, Samuel, +Colvin, James M., +Chase, William, +Conway, William, +Corin, William, +Crews, Jeremiah, +Dermit, James, +Drinkel, Timothy, +Dean, John, +Eallon, Charles, +Gillum, Charles, +Glenn, John, +Gillum, Benjamin, +Gilpin, George, +Glass, John, +Holt, John, +Hammon, John, +Heath, Martin, +Horton, James, +Gentry, Pleasant, +Gibson, Perrygon, +Gannon, Zachariah, +Jones, Hamilton, +James, Thomas, +Jones, Moses, +Kindor, Peter, +Kendall, Thomas, +Keyton, John, +Lattey, Mathew, +Lock, Samuel, +McGee, William, +Miller, William, +Montgomery, Robert, +McGannon, Thomas, +Overton, Moses, +Parrott, William, +Parker, Asa, +Reastine, John, +Reed, James, +Ragsdale, William, +Robbins, David, +Redding, Samuel, +Senor, David, +Spencer, Ambrose, +Sparks, Walter, +Spillman, Charles, +Sparks, Henry, +Taylor, John, +Thomas, John, +Veal, Thomas, +Watson, Samuel, +Williams, John, +Waters, Major, +Williams, Samuel, +Wiley, Matthew, +Wooders, Stephen. + + +CAPTAIN WILLIAM GANAWAY'S COMPANY + +WILLIAM GANAWAY, Captain. +JULIUS C. JACKSON, Lieutenant. +JOHN FIELD, Ensign. +JOHN CLEVER, Sergeant. +PETER BODINE, Sergeant. +SAMUEL C. MYERS, Sergeant. +HENRY LEACH, Sergeant. +SAMUEL KELLY, Corporal. +JOHN TRAVIS, Corporal. +JOHN COHEN, Corporal. +BENJAMIN THOMAS, Corporal. + +PRIVATES + +Anderson, Athel, +Bott, John, +Barron, Josiah, +Burnett, Abraham, +Barron, Thomas, +Barron, Shadrick, +Barnett, Felia, +Bennett, Briant, +Bartell, George, +Bennett, Reuben, +Brown, Isaac, +Brown, Henry, +Cane, John, +Conrad, Henry, +Collard, William, +Colaway, Walter, +Conrad, John, +Davis, George, +Dunlap, Henry, +Duff, William M., +Evans, William, +Fulkerson, Adam, +Fulkerson, John, +Haycraft, James, +Hogan, George, +Harris, Samuel, +Islor, Jacob, +Jones, Lemuel, +Jones, Philip, +Jordan, James, +Kelly, George W., +Kelly, Benjamin, +Lewellon, Jabez, +Lock, William, +Logsdon, James, +Moloham, Clement, +Myers, Benjamin, +Miller, Uriah, +Ogden, Zachariah, +Ogden, Levi, +Olvy, Thomas, +Olvy, Clement, +Ogden, James, +Philips, John, +Prunty, Robert, +Rice, Allen, +Spray, Jonas, +Sconse, John, +Tanner, Frederick, +Wakeland, William R., +Ward, Jesse, +Williams, Evan, +Welcher, William, +Wood, Robert. + + +CAPTAIN JACOB PEACOCK'S COMPANY + +JACOB PEACOCK, Captain. +BENJAMIN HENSON, Lieutenant. +JOHN KELLY, Ensign. +JOSEPH SWEARING, Sergeant. +JESSE BURCH, Sergeant. +BENJAMIN COLLINS, Sergeant. +JOHN SHIRKILIFFE, Sergeant. +WILLIAM TODD, Corporal. +LEVI RIDGWAY, Corporal. +JOSEPH RUDD, Corporal. +WALTER SMITH, Corporal. +CHARLES WILSON, Corporal. + +PRIVATES + +Burdett, William, +Burdett, Benjamin, +Beam, George, +Baldwin, McKensey, +Blanford, George, +Bishop, Henry, +Craw, Joseph, +Campbell, Jacob, +Cummins, John, +Clark, Joseph, +Collins, Elisha, +Cardwell, George, +Charles, William, +Cosby, Ignatius, +Davis, John, +Dumont, Peter, +Danielson, William, +Duberry, Benjamin, +Duberry, James, +Easton, Samuel, +Glass, Royal, +Greenwell, John B., +Harris, Essex, +Hardy, Jacob, +Hopewell, Thomas, +Herrin, James, +Johnson, Joseph, +Kerms, Daniel, +Kirk, William, +Kirke, Selerin, +Lashbrook, Thomas, +Merryman, Charles, +McArthur, John, +McDonald, Archibald, +Miller, Peter, +McDonnel, Miles, +McGary, Barney, +Martin, John, +Owens, George, +Osborn, Ezekiel, +Price, Samuel, +Polly, Joseph, +Pratt, Richard, +Pursley, Peter, +Quick, Ephraim, +Reed, Robert, +Rogers, John, +Rennels, Barney, +Shephard, William, +Shaw, William, +Steel, John, +Sligar, John, +Smock, Jacob, +Thompson, William, +Tonque, John B., +Whalen, Joseph, +Waters, Hezekiah B., +Younger, Ebenezer. + + +CAPTAIN ZACHARIAH TERRELL'S COMPANY + +ZACHARIAH TERRELL, Captain. +DAVID ADAMS, Lieutenant. +JAMES PERRY, Ensign. +JAMES VANCE, First Sergeant. +JOSHUA RUTLEDGE, Second Sergeant. +JOHN BUCHANNON, Third Sergeant. +ISAAC HURD, Fourth Sergeant. +JACOB COOPERIDER, Corporal. +PETER POLLY, Corporal. +GILBERT FLANKINS, Corporal. +THOMAS FRAZIER, Corporal. +ELIJAH SUMMERS, Corporal. +JESSE ISAACS, Musician. + +PRIVATES + +Armstrong, Richard, +Applegate, Elisha, +Burnett, William, +Bourne, Benjamin, +Briscoe, Warner, +Baker, Solomon, +Biggs, Hillery, +Blackwell, Samuel, +Bishop, Michael, +Blackwell, Robert, +Connelly, Rice, +Carico, Thomas, +Criswell, Robert, +Cardwell, John, +Corlin, Benjamin, +Dillon, John, +Dalgarn, Allen, +Deringer, Martin, +Davis, Jacob, +Davis, William, +Drake, John, +Ewin, Squire, +Edrington, John, +Floyd, Elijah, +Ford, John, +Gray, William, +Gouch, Nicholas, +Hollis, John P., +Hogan, Isaac C., +Hackworth, Joseph, +Harris, Samuel, +Jones, Rodham, +Jacobs, John, +Kirkindal, Henry, +Kipheart, Philip, +Lemaston, Ewin, +McGee, William, +Mudd, Francis, +Miller, Nathaniel, +Miller, Owen, +Myers, David, +Nelson, William, +Nelson, John, +Newman, Thomas, +Newman, John, +Neaver, Daniel, +Neville, James, +Neaves, William, +Paine, Elzy, +Roe, Nicholas, +Rodgers, John, +Runy, James, +Stutt, Christian, +Stodghill, Thomas, +Steel, William, +Sherburne, Pascal, +Sanders, Johnson, +Spencer, Thomas, +Steel, James, +Steel, Rankin, +Scott, James, +Todd, Samuel, +Terrill, John, +Vaniel, Henry, +Welch, William. + + +CAPTAIN AARON HART'S COMPANY + +AARON HART, Captain. +MOSES HART, Lieutenant. +NATHAN TUCKER, Ensign. +ARTHUR MCGAUGHEY, First Sergeant. +GEORGE SISS, Second Sergeant. +JOHN COLLINS, Third Sergeant. +JOHN BURRISS, Fourth Sergeant, +WILLIAM HUDDLESTON, Corporal. +WILLIAM WATKINS, Corporal. +DANIEL GREENWAIT, Corporal. +JAMES LINVILLE, Corporal. +DAVID WADDLE, Corporal. + +PRIVATES + +Alexander, Thomas, +Alexander, David B., +Arrington, Lewis, +Bennett, James, +Bliss, Francis, +Blain, James, +Clark, Eaden, +Clark, James, +Case, Joseph, +Cash, Jeremiah, +Cast, John, +Daugherty, Allen, +Gaddy, John, +Guardman, Jonathan, +Grigsby, John, +Graham, John, +Huston, William, +Hornbeck, Isaac, +Hudgins, John, +Johnston, Thomas, +Killam, Samuel, +Lender, Abraham, +McContis, William, +Miller, Philip, +Price, William, +Snyder, Fielding, +Sipes, Henry, +Stokes, Joel, +Shipler, George, +Thomas, Owen, +Utterback, Jacob, +Utterback, Thomas, +Watkins, Hankerson. + + + + +INDEX + + +Adair, General John, borrows guns for Kentucky troops, 73, 77, 98 + +Adair, General John, commands Kentucky troops, 71 + +Adair, General John, Legislature votes thanks, 141 + +Adair, General John, rupture with Jackson, 111, 118 + +Adair, General John, sketch of his life, 168 + +American forces in night battle, 23, 51 + +American losses in Louisiana campaign, 123 + +Appendix, roster of Kentucky Militia, three regiments, 177, 202 + +Armstrong, Major, regiment Kentucky Militia, 187 + +Army, British, with great armada, 2 + +Army, Jackson's, strange medley, 31 + +Arnaud, Major, retreat on 8th, 100, 110 + + +Baker, Colonel, battle of 8th, 73 + +Barataria, resort of Lafitte pirates, 19 + +Baratarians loyal to Americans, 21 + +Baratarians offer services to Jackson, 30 + +Battle at night, December 23d, 41 + +Battle, by assault, at Pensacola, 16 + +Battle in Mobile Bay, 15 + +Battle, January 8th, east bank, 76 + +Battle, January 8th, west bank, 99 + +Battle of December 28th, artillery duel, 53 + +Battle of Fort St. Philip, fleet repulsed, 125 + +Battle of gunboats with barge fleet, 27 + +Battle of January 1st, British in force repulsed, 56 + +Battle, second, in Mobile Bay, 132 + +Beale, Captain, in battle of 8th, 81 + +Beale, Captain, New Orleans Rifles, 31, 72 + +Beer, William, Librarian, v + +Bienvenue, Bayou, British invade at, 35 + +British army, covert retreat, 121, 126 + +British camp on Villere plantation, 38 + +British capture Fort Bowyer, Mobile Bay, 132 + +British designs to capture New Orleans and hold Louisiana, 146 + +British forces engaged in battle, January 8th, 76, 85 + +British forces engaged on west bank, January 8th, 93 + +British invade by Bayou Bienvenue, 38 + +British losses in battle of the 8th, 84 + +British losses in Louisiana campaign, 122 + +British mistakes, 50, 90, 101 + +British soldiers' laurels in European wars, 158 + +Butler, Adjutant-general, losses in battle of 8th, 84 + + +Carroll, General, commands Tennessee troops, 71, 77 + +Carroll, General, Legislature votes thanks, 141 + +Carroll, General, president Court of Inquiry, 109 + +Chalmette plantation battle line, 53 + +Claiborne, Governor, and Committee of Safety, 22, 40 + +Claiborne, Governor, closes halls of Legislature, 139 + +Cobbett, William, on battle of New Orleans, 156 + +Cochrane, Admiral, British, 1, 41, 90 + +Coffee, General, Legislature votes thanks, 141 + +Coffee, General, Tennessee Riflemen, 43, 71, 80 + +Colored troops, Major Daquin's battalion, 31 + +Colored troops, Major Lacoste's battalion, 31 + +Cotton bales not used for breastworks, 59 + +Court-martial called, 109 + +Creek Indians, defeated, sue for peace, 12 + + +Daquin, Major, battle of 8th, 72 + +Davis, Colonel, of Kentucky militia, 100, 110 + +Davis, Colonel, regiment Kentucky militia, 196 + +Declouet, Colonel, Louisiana troops, 46, 110, 137 + +Disloyal utterances give alarm, 33, 136 + +Disorder and chaos at New Orleans, 25 + +Dragoons, Mississippi, Major Hinds', 40 + +Duncan, Captain, reports disloyalty, 137 + +Durrett, R.T., Library, iii + + +England employs entire army and navy against America on fall of + Napoleon, 6 + +English views of campaign, 47, 60 + +Entrenched line, Jackson's, on January 8th, 69 + + +Fishermen spies favor British, 37 + +Fleet, English, anchors off Ship Island, 24 + +Fleet, English Armada, sixty sail, 1 + +Fortified posts around New Orleans, 30 + +Fort Mims massacre, 11 + + +Gaither, Doctor Horatio, surgeon Kentucky regiment, 187 + +Ghent, negotiations for peace put off, 7 + +Gibbs, General, killed in battle of 8th, 84 + +Gleig, Captain, English historian, 47, 60 + +Gleig, Captain, on battle of the 8th, 85 + +Gleig, Captain, on conquest of Louisiana, 148 + +Gleig, Captain, on the retreat of the British, 126 + +Gray, Colonel Presley, regiment Kentucky militia, 194 + +Guichard, Honorable Magloire, 46, 137 + + +Hall, Judge, fines Jackson, 145 + +Hall, Judge, suppressed by Jackson, 144 + +Hamilton, Doctor Allen A., surgeon Kentucky regiment, 196 + +Harrison, Major Reuben, regiment Kentucky militia, 179 + +Henly, Captain, post opposite New Orleans, 55 + +Hill, Major, British, on cause of defeat, 88 + +Hinds, Major, Legislature votes thanks, 141 + +Hinds, Major, of Mississippi troops, 40, 75 + + +Invasion of Louisiana, British designs, 4 + + +Jackson appointed to command Federal army, 9 + +Jackson assaults and captures Pensacola, 17 + +Jackson attacks British at night on landing, 40 + +Jackson, battle on west bank, 98-121 + +Jackson closes Federal court, exiles judge, 144 + +Jackson declares martial law, 32 + +Jackson defeats British at Mobile Bay, 15 + +Jackson fortifies at Rodrique Canal, 54 + +Jackson, General Andrew, destroys Creek Nation, 11 + +Jackson marches to Mobile, then to New Orleans, 22 + +Jackson on British conquest of Louisiana, 157 + +Jackson orders suppression of Legislature, 135 + +Jackson, sketch of his life, 160 + +Jackson's alignment on January 8th, 70-76 + +Jackson's report to Secretary of War, 123 + +Johnson, Major James, regiment Kentucky militia, 196 + +Jones, Lieutenant, in gunboat battle, 28 + + +Keene, General, British, 41, 80, 83 + +Kentucky troops, battle on west bank, 100, 110 + +Kentucky troops in battle of January 8th, 74 + +Kentucky troops, Louisiana women and men, noble conduct to, 67 + +Kentucky troops; neglect of government; bad condition, 64-68 + +Kentucky troops, reports libelous and sensational, 104 + +Kentucky troops, volunteer militia in War 1812-15, 174 + +King, Major, British, killed, 83 + + +Labitat, General, closes legislative halls, 139 + +Lacoste, Major, battle of 8th, 72 + +Lafitte, Captain Jean, and his pirates, 18 + +Lafitte, Captain Jean, British overtures, 20 + +Lafitte, Captain Jean, reveals all to Jackson, 21 + +Lambert, General, succeeds Pakenham, 83, 92 + +La tour, Major, author "Memoirs of War," 25 + +Latour, Major, comments, 94, 120 + +Latour, Major Lacarriere, chief engineer, 2 + +Lauderdale, Colonel, of Mississippi troops, 47 + +Lawrence, Colonel William, again defends Mobile, 132 + +Lawrence, Colonel William, defends Mobile, 16 + +Legislature, complimentary resolutions, 141 + +Legislature, Louisiana, suppressed by Jackson, 135 + +Legislature orders Committee of Inquiry, 137 + +Legislature report exonerates members, 140 + +Lockyer, Captain of English barge fleet, 29 + +Loillier, Honorable, sent beyond Jackson's lines, 144 + +Louisiana troops; Plauche's battalion, Beale's Rifles, Daquin's colored + battalion, Lacoste's colored battalion, Baratarians, General Morgan's + division, 40-44 + + +Marequez, Governor of Florida, aids British, 14 + +Marequez, Jackson's letter to, 154 + +Marequez surrenders Pensacola to Jackson, 17 + +Martial law at New Orleans, 32 + +McRae, Colonel, of Seventh Regulars, 40 + +Military operations, Northern and Middle States, 7 + +Mississippi troops 40, 75 + +Mitchusson, Colonel William, regiment Kentucky militia, 179 + +Mobile, British squadron repulsed at, 15 + +Mobile, headquarters of Jackson, 12 + +Morgan, General, at English Turn, 44, 52, 89 + +Morgan, General, command on west bank, 97, 103, 110 + +Mullins, Colonel, British, blamed for disaster, 88 + + +Nichols, Colonel, address to Louisianians and Kentuckians, 15 + +Nichols, Colonel, British, camp at Pensacola, 14 + +Nichols, Colonel, on conquest of Louisiana, 149 + +Nichols, Colonel, sends emissaries to Lafitte, the pirate, 20 + + +Ovations to Jackson, 145 + + +Pakenham, death of, was heroic, 83, 157 + +Pakenham, Lord, Commander-in-chief, 3 + +Pakenham, with Generals Gibbs, Keene, and Lambert, assumes command; + arrives December 25th, 56 + +Parker, Lieutenant-colonel, regiment Kentucky militia, 179 + +Patterson, battery on west bank, 55, 76, 105 + +Patterson, Commodore, battle of 23d, 42 + +Peace, news of, arrives, 133 + +Peire, Major, United States Regulars, 17, 51, 72 + +Pensacola assaulted and captured by Jackson, 16 + +Pensacola, capital Spanish Florida, 12 + +Pensacola made Indian recruiting camp by British, 14 + +Pentecost, Dr. John C., surgeon Kentucky regiment, 179 + +Plauche, Major, uniformed men, 34, 72 + +Providence and battle of New Orleans, 156 + + +Rence, Colonel, British, killed, 80, 83 + +Rodrique Canal, Jackson's line, 52 + +Ross, Colonel, American, 42, 72 + + +Seymour, Judge, William H., Latour's letter to, 119 + +Shelby, Governor, sketch of his life, 163 + +Ship Carolina burned with hot shot, 52 + +Ship Louisiana, destructive flanking fire, 54 + +Ship Louisiana saved, 52 + +Slaughter, Colonel, regiment Kentucky militia, 187 + +Slaughter, Colonel, sketch of his life, 171 + +Spies at Fisherman's Village, 35 + +Sugar hogsheads, British used on redoubts, 59 + + +Tennessee troops in battle of January 8th, 75 + +Tennessee troops, more arrive, 64 + +Thomas, General, disabled with illness, 65 + +Thornton, Colonel, battalion on west bank, 100 + +Thornton, Colonel, British, 38 + + +Villere, General, plantation, British camp, 38 + +Villere, Major, daring escape, 38 + + +Wakefield, Major, regiment Kentucky militia, 187 + +Walker, Major, William, regiment Kentucky militia, 196 + +War Department, incapacity of, 5 + +Wells, Honorable Levi, debarred from Legislature, 139 + +West bank, military blunders, 97 + +West bank of river, defenses begun, 54 + +West bank, Patterson erects battery on, 55 + + +Young, Colonel, of Louisiana militia, 75 + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Battle of New Orleans, by Zachary F. 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