The Trinity journal., 1856-03-22

Bay- The New York Herald publishes
some extracts from a new work entitled
jackson and Neao Orleans, by Alexander
Walker. We give below an extract in re-
gard to the defences of the American forces
at the battle Of New Orleans, from which 1t
would appear that the cotton bales instead
of being used as a means of defence were an
injury to the army. We think, however, it
will be hard matter at this late day to
convince the American people that cotton
bales were not the principal means of defence
upon that occasion. Mr. Walker says
On the other side the Americans were
equally unsuccessful in attempting to employ
one of the great staples of the country for
warlike purposes. A tlatboat, which lay
near the American camp, had in it some ff-
ty bales OF cotton, the property of that since
famous cotton speculator, Vincente Nolte,
who had purchased them from Maj Plauche,
cammandant of the Orleans battalion. In
the hurried construction of the embankment
these bales had been rolled out and thrown
into the pile of earth to increase its bulk
of these bales knocked it out of the mound,
set fire to the cotton and sent it flying about
to the great dunger of the ammunition
The bales were consequently removed, and
some of them falling on the outside of the
breastwork into the ditch there issued from
them heavy smoke, which blinded the ar
tillerlsts and seriously obstructek their oper-
ations. Some of the men of Plauch6's bat
talon volunteered to eXtinguish the burn
ing cotton, and slipping over the breastwork
succeeded in doing so, not, however, without
injury, one of the parties being seriously
wounded. After this no cotton bales were
ever used in the breaStwork Yet a vulgar
error has long prevailed that Jackson's de-
fences were composed chiefly of this great
staple, which, though modern science has dis
covered to possess certain inAammable quail
tiles suited for some ofthe operations of war,
Is, perhaps, one of the most insecure and
dangerous materials out of which breast
work to resist cannon balls, shells and rock
cts could be constructed The imaginations
of the British excited by avarice 10y the
prospect of sharing the immense quantity of
this valuable product reported to be accumu-
lated in the city of New Orleans, might be
excused for seeing such vast heap of it ly-
ing, like the apple of Tantalus within their
grasp and alluring them to death and dis
grace. But American writer's are scarcely
pardonable for repetition of this absurdity,
that JackSons lines were composed, in whole
or in part, OF cotton bales. The experience
OF this campaign demonstrated that sugar
and cotton were intended for peaceful uses,
hn tinn
of humanity, and not as aids and appliances
III promoting mans destruction and encour
aging his passions 1t demonstrated this
other valuable truth, that the soil of Louis
lanna is the best material out of which to
construct its own defence 1t was the sole
material of Jacksons slight breastwoyk -
The British balls were imbedded in the soft |
elastic earth where they remained without
shaking or weakening the embankment. In
deed, they contributed to render it more
solid. The only mletS through which they |
had access into the lines were through the |
embrasures for the cannon, and nearly all |
these were penetrated several times. But
the British were not able to pursue these adj !
yantages. Their works were rapidly melt
ing before the fire of the Americans Soon
t'o' i'"o""o ""o oohplclcly slieHCeu anu
the parapets levelled with the plain. Then
the Americans raised the most stentorian
huzzas as Tie British artllersts were seen
stealing out OF their demolished works and
running as fast as they could for the nearest
ditch. The American batteries waXed |
warmer and continued their fire at the other |
redoubts until they, too, were soon in con-
ditOn similar to that which had been the |
first object of their fury.
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STARTLING SrArIsuCs.-In a temperance