Oroville daily Butte record., 1857-01-08
Topics of the Day.

Gus in the annals Of American his
tory, we know of no better theme
for the occasion, than brief MARIA
ton oe the events that, forty-two
years ago, transpired on the "old
battle-ground" of New Orleans.
At the time the great battle was
fought, so decisive of the valor and
prowess of the American militia,
New Orleans contained a population
of 10000 inhabitants, the larger pro-
portion of whom were French and
Spanish, and the city having been in
possession of the American govern
ment little more than three years,
(it was purchased from the French
in 1910 little disposition was mani
tested on the part of its inhabitants
to render the assistance to General
Jackson so urgently desired by him,
and which the imminent danger
threatening the city seemed to re-
quire. When this is taken into ac-
count, it may be easily imagined
that " Old Hickory" had other diff
culties to contend against than mere
lack of interest on the part of the
people of New Orleans, and want of
men, ammunition and arms reason
and desertion were rife on every side,
treason and desertion on the part of
those whose very homes he had come
to defend, against a relentless and
mercenary soldiery.
1t was with these and other diff
cultics and dangers staring him in
the face, that "the man of iron will"
made preparations to meet and sur
mount them all, and the manner in
which he accomplished his objects,
we will endeavor to relate as concise
ly as the subject will admit of.
The celebrated battle of the 8th,
although the one which ultimately
decided the fate of New Orleans, was
not the only one fought in defense of
that city. On the night of the 23d
December, 1914, battle of the ut
most Importance was fought, as it
had the effect to check the advance
of the enemy in their march toward
the city, which would have doubtless
been attempted next day. By this,
Jackson obtained time to complete
that ever memorable and impregna-
bic fortifcation (thc cotton bales) by
the assistance of which he was en-
abled to repel and completely rout an
enemy of twice his own numbers,
veterans in war, and fresh from the
victories of the Peninsular.
Our space not admitting of a de-
tailed account of the movements of
Jackson and his men between the
time of the battle of the Odd and
that of which this day is the anniver-
sary, we will proceed at once to give
short sketch of the glorious victory
of the Sth of January 1915.
By recurrence to the history of
the battle, we learn that for eight
days the two armies had lain within
sight of each other without anything
decisive having been effected. The
9Th of January at length arrived
The day dawned, and the signals of
the enemy were deserted, and our
outposts had hardly time to reach the
lines ere the British batteries opened
with showers of bombs and shot, and
the air was blazing with their con-
greve rockets. A thick fog by which
the morning was obscured, enabled
the two divisions of the enemy, COM
manded by Sir Edward Packenham
in person, supported by Generals
Keane and Gibbs, to approach within
a short distance of our entrenchments
unperceived. So soon as they were
discovered, three cheers went up from
the American ranks, and instantly