Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-04-04
MISCELLANEOUS.
NEW ORLEANS.
INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES.

We extract the following interesting
remarks from IA letter addressed 10 the
New York Christian Advocate. over the
signature of A. c., and dated at Baton
Rouge, (i.a.) Dec. 5, 1915:
In crossing the leyee to the sieam-
baats. Of which there are bet yeen three
and four hundred plying between me
city and tie vari aus points above, We
have. at a sinsle glance of the eve. up
and down the river, general view ii
the immense business done upon these
waters. For the distance Of Two miles
o. more. the whole space is alive with
nea, hon SEES and mules. receiving and
delivering the property brought to and
taken from these shores. resembling the
crowd which sometimes gathers on
public occasion near the Battery in New
York. Forty Years ago, as you we'll re-
member, this city was merely the trading
post OF 4 foreign settlement, and Ibis
Whale country. bordering on the Gulf tf
Mexicn. was the territory Of powerful
European kingdom. Standing here and
cuniemplalin. the vastness of the region
along the valleys of this mighty river.
aud IFS mighty tributaries, the millions
who .nhabit them and the hundreds of
millions more who will SOON Join their
numbers. we cannot but admire the wis
doH. aud forecast IF the distinguished
statesman through s.husp agency. under
piayidence, Louisiana, at the cost uf on
iy SIS. 100000, was peaceably added to
the territory of the American states
though the constitutional authority Of
she act by which this pur, base OF The
f'rench nation was made. wa> serlousl,
doubted, and by no nne more 50 than the
president wt.o negotiated the treaty. and
tA.ugh the measure was the subject Of
violent adimadyersion at the time. amidst
the asperites Of party conflicts. tie
countrv now, with an undivided Voice.
awards its appreciation Of metsure by
which the central of the mouth Of the
Mississippi. the outlet ef the vast W e~tern
world. was given to the U. States.
As left the city. my mind reverted to
The events which t,ansprred five miles
below it TWEEN: Weight Years ago, and as
had been fav, red with The acquaintance
Of an intelligent gentleman who was all
actor in tie scene. ard had received
from him d cifcunstautial description oi
it. vivid impression rested upon ny
mind. AFtcr the march Of Gen. Jat IL
SON and bis army through Aiabama. to-
ward Pensacola, and his INVASION of
Florida, then owne,! by The Spaniar,Is.
bn the ground that the British and hos
tile Indians had fount.. protection in that
territory. lie negotiated for the surren.
der to lin Of Fort Baraccas, twelve
miles south OF Pensacola, then in the
pesscssion of the e. cihy. Just before
the time stipulated for tie surrender
the fort was blown up and The property
which bv stipulation belonged; to him. t.
large amount destroyed. In an instant.
on being appraised Ct this, lie predicted
the determination Of the Brush to at
) tack New Orleans, and ordered hi.
troops to march across the country t.
the mississippi. and down its bank to
that CITY. The General himself wen,
Lv water. After the arrival Of his army
b,Iow the town. the British troops, to II. e
number Of foGr thousand, landed on the
northwest shore OF Lake Borsne, and
marched through the woods and swamps
which prevail there TO the bank of the
mississippi River. under the command
.f Lord Pa kehham. where they arryf d
and encamred on the evening Of The ESQ
.f 3ecember, 1914, with tie determine
tom 10 march to the city the next morn.
;po. General Jdckson's foIces consist
81 of bnt little over tao thousand raw
militia. men. and the British troops were
lie uractised soldiers of Wellington
sr,v. The moment their arrival was
tuoxn. the American geh,ral announced
Ia determination to attack them that
s.aht. and Immediately ordered the
.hsroe TO commence. With daring
badness which scarcely knows paral.