Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-08-25
AN INCIDENT OF THE BATTLE OF
NEW ORLEANS.


A British officer who was at the battle
of New Orleans, mentions an incident of
thrilling strangeness, and one very des-
criptiye of the Western hunter, many Of
whom marched to the defence of New
Orleans, as volunteers in the army under
the renowned Andrew Jackson.
eve marched" said the officer, "in q
solid column Of twelve thousand men, in
direct line upon the American defences.
/ belonged to the staff and as we advan-
ced, we watched through our glasses the
position and arrangements of our enemy,
with that intensity an officer only feels
when marching in the jaws of death, with
the assurance that while he thus offers
himself a sacrifice to the demands of his
country, every action, be he successful or
otherwise, will be judged with the most
heartlcss scrutiny.
'' 1t was a strange sight, that long range
ofcotton bales--a new material for breast
works, with the crowd Of 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, and the position of Gen. Jackson with
his staff around him but what attracted
our attention most, was the figure of
tall man standing on the breast works
dressed in linscy-woolen, with buckskin
leggings, and broad -brimmed felt hat,
that fell around the face, almost concealed
his features. He was standing in one Of
those picturesque and graceful attitudes
peculiar to those natural men dwellers in
forests. The body rested on the left leg,
and swayed with curved line upwards
the right arm was extended, tho hand
grasping the rifle near the muzzle, the
butt of which rested near the toe of his
right foot, while with his left hand he raj
sed the rim of the hat from his eyes, and
seemed gazing from beneath intensely
upon our advancing colum. The cannon
of Gen. Coffee had opened upon US, and
tore through our ranks with dreadful
slaughter, but we continued to advance
unwavering and cool, as il nothing threa'
tened our progress.
The roar of cannon seemed to have no
effect upon the figure standing on the cot
ton bales, but he seemed fixed and motion
less as statute. At last he moved threw
back the rim over the crown with his left
hand raised the rifle to his shoulder and
took aim at our group. Our eyes were
rivited upon him at whom he levelled
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, as noble looking a fellow as
ever. rode at the head of regiment fell
from his saddle, the hunter paused for
few moments, without moving the gun
from his shoulder, then reloaded and as
sumed his former attitude, Throwing
the hat rim over his eyes, and again hold
ing it up with the left hand, he fixed his
piercing gaze upon us; as if hunting out
another victim. Once more the hat rim
was thrown back, the gun raised to the
shoulder. This time we did not smile but
cast short glanees at each other to see
which of us must die; and when again
the rifle flashed, another one of us dropped
to the earth. There was something most
awful in this marching on to certain death.
Gen. Coffee's battery, and thousands
of musket balls playing upon our ranks
we cared not for-there was chance of
escaping unscathed most of us had
walked upon batteries hundred times
more destructive without quailing but to
know that rifle was levelled towards US,
and its bullet sprang from the barrel, one
of US must as surely fall to see the glea.
ming sun flash as the deadly iron came
down, and sceit rest motionIess, as if poi
sed upon rock, and know when the ham
mer struck and the spark few to the full
primed pan, that the messenger Of death
drove unerriugly to its goal-to know this
and still march on was awful. Icould see
nothing but the tall figure standing on the
breast works, he seemed to grow phantom
Ike higher and higher, assuming through
the smoke, the supernatural appearance OF
some great spirit Of death; again did he
reload and discharge his ride with the
same unfailing aim, and with the same
unfailing result, and it was with indescri-
bable Joy that Ibeheld, as We neared the
American lines, the sulphuros cloud ga
ther around us and shut that spectral hun,
ter,from our gaze. We. lost the battle
and to my mind, the Kentucky riaemar
contributed more to our defeat than any
thing else; for while he remained to oul
sight our attention was drawn from oul
duties, and when at last we became en-
shrouded in the smoke, the work wa
complete, we were in utter confusion, anc
unable, in the extremity to restore ordei
sufficient to make any successful attack
So long as thousands and thousands o
rifles remain in the hands of the people, 81
long as the men come up from their child
hood, able ere the down appears ON the
chin to hiA- -the- -eentre NJ ?. mari. or strike
deer Il,