Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-10-13
An Incident of the Battle OF New
Orleans.

An Incident of the Battle of New
Orleans.
A British officer, who was in the battle
Of New Orleans, mentions an incident o.
thrilling strangeness, and one very de-
scriptive of the Western hunter, many o
whom marched to the defence OF New Or'
leans, as volunteers in the army under the
renowned Andrew Jackson ;,
We marched said the officer, in sol'e
column of twelve thousand men, in dlrec
line upon the American defences. BE-
longed to the staff; and as we advanced
we watched through our glasses the posi-
ton and arrangements of our enemy WIFI
that intensity an officer only feels when
marching into the jaws of death, with the
assurance that. while he thus offers himself
as sacrifice to the demands of his coun-
try, in every action be he successful or
otherwise, will be judged with the most
heartless scrutiny.
1t was strange sight, that long range ol
cotton bales--a new material for breast
works, with the crowd of human beings
behind, their heads only visible above the
line of defence. We could distinctly see
their long rifles laying over the bales, and
the battery Of General Coffee directly in
front, with its great mouth gaping towards
US, as they waited to devour US, and me
position of Gen. Jackson, with his staff a.
round him. But what attracted our atten-
ton most was the figure of tall man,
standing on the breastworks dressed in
linsey-woollen, with buckskin leggins, and
broad-brimmed felt hat, that fell around
the face, almost conceallng his features
He was standing in one of those pictu-
rescue and graceful attitudes peculiar to
those natural men-dwelers in the forests
The body rested on the left leg, and sway
ed with curved line upward the right
arm was extended, the hand grasping the
rifle near the muzzle, the butt of which
rested near the toe of his right foot, while
with his hand he raised the rim Of the hat
from his eyes, and seemed gazing from bes
meath intensely upon our advancing COL
umn. The cannon of Gen. Coffee had o.
pened upon us, and tore through our ranks
with dreadful slaughter; but we continued
to advance, unwavering and cool, as if
nothing threatened our progress
The roar of cantoh seemed to have no
effect upoh the figure standing on the cot
tor bales, but he seemed fixed and notion
less as a statue. AT last he moved, threw
back the hat rim over the crown with his
left hand, raised the rifle 10 his shoulder,
and took aim at otir group. Our eyes were
riveted upon him. AT whom had he level
led his piece? But the distance was SO
great that we looked at each other and
smiled. We saw the rifle flash, and my
right hand companion, az noble looking
fellow as ever rode at the head of his regi-
ment, fell from his saddle. The hunter
paused few moments, without moving the
gun from his shoulder, then reloaded and
assumed his former attitude. Throwing the
hat rim over his eyes, and again holding it
up with the left hand, he fixed his piercing
gaze upon us,as if hunting out another VIC
tim. Once more the hat rim was thrown
back, and the gun raised to the shoulder.
This time we did not smile; but cast short glan-
ces at each other to see which of us must
die ; and when again the rifle flashed, an
other one ofus dropped to the ear!h. There
was something most awful in thus march
ing on to certain death.
Gen. Cofee's battery, and thousands of
'nusket balle playing upon o"r "anlrs we
cared not for-there was chance Of es:-
Gaping unscathed. Most of us had walked
upon batteries hundred times more de-
structive, without quailng: but TO know
that every time that rifle was levelled to-
ward us and its bulle! sprang from the bar
rel, one of us must as strely fall; to see
the cleaning sun flash as the deadly iron
came down, and see it rest motionless, as
if poised upon rock, and know when the
hammer struck. and the sparks flew to the
full primed pan,that the messenger of death
drove uherrihgly 10 its goal-to know this
and still march on, was awful.
l could see nothing but the tall figure
standing ON The breastwurk. He seemed
to grow, phantom-like, higher and higher,
assuming through the smoke the supernat-
ufal appearance of some great spirit. Again
did he reload and discharge his rifle with
the same unfailing aim and it was with
indescribable pleasure that beheld,, as we
heared the American lines, the stlphurous
cloud gathered around us, and shut that
spectral hunter from my gaze. We lost
the battle and to my mind the Kentucky
rifemen contributed more to our defeat
than anything else for while he remained
to our sight, our attention was drawn from
Our duties, and when at last we became eii-
shrouded in the smoke, the work was cot1.
plete we were in utter confusion, and un-
able, In the extremity to restore order suf-
fcient to make any successful attack.
SO long as thousands and thousands of
rifles remain IN the hands of the people, so
long as men come up from their childhood
able; ere the down appears ON the chin, to
hit the centre of mark or strike the deer
at $50 yards in the most vital point so
long as there is great proportion Of the
Republic who live free as the wild Indian,
knowing no law but that of right and the
honorable observance of friendly inter-
course, Aniefica Is Uncomfortable and all
the armies Of the combined world, though
they might drive them from the seacoast
and aefoss the Alleghany mountains, would
not be able to subdue the free-sohled hum
ter among the mountains and great prairies
and mighty rivers of the West,
The METHODIST PRopERrY.-The Com
missioner appointed by the Circuit Court
to ascertain the amount and value of the
property Of the Methodist Church between
the North aud the South branches has made
~, "A c.