Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1852-10-14
MISCELLANY Y. +.
Battle of New Orleans.

A British officer, who was in the battle of
New Orleans, mentions an incident of thrilling
strangeness, and very descriptive Of the Wes-
tern hunter, many of whom marched to the de-
fence of New Orleans, as volunteers in the
army under the world renowned Andrew Jack
son:
We marched, said the officer, in solid COL
umn of twelve thousand men, in direct line up
on the American defences. belonged to the
staff; and as we advanced, we watched through
our glasses the position and arrangements of
our enemy with that intensity an officer only
feels when marching into the jaws Of death,
with the assurance that while he thus offers
himself as a sacrifice to the demands of his
country, every action, to be successful or 9TH
erwise, will be judged with the most heartless
scrutiny.
1t was strange sight, that long range of
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 Gen. Coffee
directly in front, with its great mouth gaping
towards us, as they waited 10 devour us, and
the position of Gen. Jackson, with his staff
around him. But what attracted our attention
most was the figure of tall man standing
the breast-works, dressed in linsey wooden,
with buckskin leggins, and a broad-rimmed
felt hat, that fell around the face, almost con-
cealing his features. He was standing in one
of those picturesqe and graceful attitudes, pc
culiar to those natural men-dwelers in the for
ests. The body rested on the left leg, and
swayed with curved line upwards the right
arm was extended, the hand grasping the rifle
near the muzze, 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 beneath intensely upon our
advancing column. The cannon of Gen. Cof-
fee had opened upon US, and tore through our
ranks with dreadful slaughter; but we con-
tinued to advance unwavering and cool, as if
nothing threatened our progress.
The roar of cannon seemed to have no effect
upon the figure standing on the cotton bales,
but he seemed fixed and motioness as 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 our group.
Our eyes we're riveted on him. AT whom had
he levelled his piece! But the distance was
so great that we looked at each other and
smiled. We saw the rifle flash, and nv right
hand companion, as noble looking a fellow as
ever rode at the head of his regiment, fell from
his saddle. The hunter paused few mo-
ments, without moving the gun from his shoul-
der, then reloaded and assumed his former attI-
tude. Throwing the hat rim over his eyes,
and again holding it up with his left hand, he
fixed his piercing gaze upon US as if hunting
out another victim. Once more the hat rim
was thrown back and the gun raised to the
shoulder. This time we did not smile, but
cast short gances at each other, to see which
of US must die; and when again the rifle fash
ed, another of US dropped to the earth There
was something awful in thus marching on 10
certain death.
Gen. Coffee's battery, and thousands of mus
ket balls playing upon our ranks, we cared
not for-there was chance of escaping un-
scathed. Most of us had walked upon batteries
a hundred times more destructive without
quailing but to know that every time that rifle
was leselled towards US, and its bullet sprang
from the barrel, one of us must surely fall to
see the cleaning sun flash as the deadly iron
came down, and see it rest, motionless, as if
poised upon a rock, and know when the ham
mer struck and the sparks flew to the full primed
pan, that the messenger of death drove nner-
ringly to its goal-to know this, and still march
on was awful.
| could see nothing but the tall figure stand
ing on the breast-work. He seemed to grow,
phantom-like, higher and higher, assuming
through the smoke the supernatural 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 neared the American lines,
the sulphurons cloud gathered around US, and
shut that spectral hunter from my gaze. We
lost the battle; and to my mind, the Kentucky
rifeman contributed more 10 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 enshrouded in the
smoke, the work was complete we were il
utter confusion, and unable, in the extremity
to restore order sufficient to make any success
ful attack.
So long as thousand and thousands of rifle
J remain in the hands Of the people, so long a