M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-01-19
gen. JacksOn's Victory ut New
OPIPaus.

movements at New Orleans we copy
from the January number OF HarpsrS
Magazine.
When Jackson returned to Mobile he
found urgent messages awaiting him,
with invitations to new and mora
glorious field of action. When, in the
spring of 1914, the great allied armies of
Europe approached Paris in triumph,
The Emperors Of Russia and Prussia en-
Tered that city, and Napoleon retired to
Elba, the peace Of the Continent seemed
secure, und many British troops were
Withdrawn. Almost twelve thousand
.ot them, chiefly veterans who had serv.
ed under Wellington in the Peninsula,
were borne by ID British fleet to the Gulf
oil Mexico; and toward the close OF the
year approached the waters near New
Orleans. They were commanded by the
experienced Sir Edward Pakenham, who
felt certain ofan easy conquest Of that
city and Of the entire southwest portion
OF our republic. 1t was this imminent
danger thd; caused messengers to speed
to Mobile and urge Jackson to hasten to
the defense Of the opportunity doomed
city. 1t was theatre Of duty precise.
y suited TO his desires and his genius,
aud he promptly obeyed the sum mons uf
Governor Claiborne and Others.
He found the peopel ina state OF
great alarm, without an adequate mill.
tary force to avert the blow. His pres.
ence inspired courage, yet the CO opera.
tion OF the civil authorities were 10
weak for the emergency. Without hes
itation, ne took all power into his own
hands-decared the city and vicinity
under martial law, and then bent all his
energies to the task of gathering an
army aud the preparation of defenses.--
Before the close of Dece ber, he had
completed line Of intrenchments, a
mile in length, from the bank OF the
Mississippi, four miles below the city,
toa dense cypress swamp, and had or.
ganized an army of full five thousand
men. He had over two thousand Ken.
tuckians, twenty-five hundred Ten.
nesseans, Louisiana militia, Mississip.
pi dragons, and brigade of mounted
men unedr General Coffee.
The British feet entered Lake Borgne,
and captured 1otila Of American gun.
boats; and on the 22d Of Dece ber,
twenty. five hundred British troops land
ed and took post on the Mississippi,
nine miles below New Orleans, On the
following evening, strong party of
Americans, led by Jackson in person, at
tackled the invaders, and killed and
wounded about four bundled of them,
but were ropulsed with loss of more
than one hundred af their own number.
Jackson, then fell back to his intrench.
ments, which on two occasions after.
ward, suffered severe cannoLading by
the enemy.
On the morning of the memorable 6th
of January, 1918, General Pakenham ad,
vanced toward the American lines, at
the head CT nine thousand men, leav.
ing reserve Of three thousand at his
camp. Jackson had now about six thou
sand expert markmen behind his en-
trenchments or stationed at the several
batteries on his extended line; but not
more than three thousand Of them were
well supplied with arms. All was
silence along those breastworks until the
British had approached withd heavy
gan.shot Of the batteries when a signal
was given, and terrible cannonads was
opened upon them. Undaunted BY the
havoc made, the veterans steadily ud.
vanced until within range Of the Ameri.
can rifles, when volley after volley pour.
ed deadly storm Of lead upon the in
vaders. The British line began to va.
yer. Then Pakenham fell, mortally
wounded, and the entire army aed in
dlsmay,
They left seven hundred dead, and
more tha. thousand wounded, upon
the field; while the Americans had only
Seuen killed and sir wounded! The enc.
my retreAted to thir camp and then to
their shipping,and escaped. Had promisd
supplies of arms reached Jackson in time
the whole British force might have been
captured.
The victory at New Orleans was
thorough and complete. 1t was the
browning act of the second war of Inde.
pendence; for already com missioners of
the two Governments had signed trea.
ty of peace. The Key City of the South.
west was saved in its hour of peril
Pakenham's signifi cant watchword, Boo
ty and Beauty, became the point for
ridicule-and when. twelve days after
ward, Jackson entered the town with
his victorious army, he wes hailed as
a LIBLRAToR! -+f
| Al