Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-03-30
Gen. JaeksOn's "Reminiscences Of the
fS Battle of New Orleans.

" PhiIo Jackson writes to the Savannah Jour
nal an interesting account of Visit to General
Jackson at the Hermitage in 1889, from which
we extract the following: "
"a g longed to hear him speak ofhis great bat
tie, and one of the greatest battles too Of modern
history the crowning exploit of his military life,
the battle of the sth of January, before New Or
leans. He had just returned from his last visit to
the city, and lamented the decease of his old COM
patriots since the battle All the officers except
Col. Tiebault, he observed, were dead. He then
graphically described the field, the fortifcations,
as he laughingly called them, and the victory, in
manner never shall forget. Mr.. Eaton (said
General Jackson) has greatly erred in his descrip-
tion of the American works. He says had 'a
strong breastwork of cotton bags" There acas
not lag of cotton on the field, SIR. ] had some
store boxes and sand bags, or bags filled with
sand, and these were extended along the lines;
but they were SO low that at the close of the ac-
ton, when the British surviving General, in COM
mand, came riding up on elegant horse, to
surrender his sword, when he got near me, |
heard him exclaim, with mortified surprise, ss Bar
ricades! by =, could leap them with my horse!"
laughed heartily at his astonishment, for so he
could, and besides one wing the works were not
completed; had nothing there but cornfeld
fence, if the British had only known to turn it!
But keeping men constantly throwing over fa-
cines and ladders of the works, the British were
effectually deceived. But [continues Gen. J.
never had so grand and awful an idea of the res
direction as on that day. After the smoke of
the battle had cleared off somewhat, our men
were in hot pursuit of the flying enemy,] then
saw in the distance more than five hundred Brit
ons emerging from the heaps of their dead COM
rades, all over the plan!-rising up and more
distinctly visible, as the field became clearer, COM
ing forward and surrendering as prisoners of war
to our soldiers. They had fallen at our first fire
on them, without having received scratch, and
lay PROSTATE, as if dead till the close of the
| ton.
Gen. Jackson regarded this action, justly, as
the most glorious of his life. That victory was
as glorious to his country, as to the hero of New
mastery battle has neuer been duly appreciated
in any history of it 1 have read. - IL
~ The following incident "came Off in a
certain poor-house in New Hampshire:
A young clergyman visiting the establishment,
seated himself by the side of deaf old woman,
when this conversation ensued: IT,. .ss.g
Clergyman, shouting, ,)-"How old are you,
my good Madam % .. ~ -z
Womam.-"Eighty Eight years old, last May y
Clergyman, Gin sad tone, ,)-'E Eighty eight
years old! Before eighty eight years shall have
passed over my head, shall be food for worms 70
Woman, (horrifed )-"Worm did you say 3
Are you troubled soih 'ena? I never knowd crowd
up men folks to have 'em bad p -srf sss .,..
The clergyman was observed to come away
very suddenly after that question and answer!
"Ma, has your tongue got legs % 81 ~
ssGot what, child % - E5* - saasza asss4.s sa
- "Got legs, ma q" ass&ss zsS52aas 2a4
"Certainly not; but why do you ask that silly
question !,' -.e 2-- = s,zx yss 4en