White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1860-01-12
BATTLE OF new ORLEANS.
By A BRITISH OrE1cER.


tie of New Orleans, mentions an. incl
dent Of thrilling straageness. and very
descriptive Of the Western hunters. many
of whom marched to the defense of New
Orleans as volunteers 10 the ssmy andsS
the renowned General Jackson:
We marched. said the officer. in solid
column of twelve Thousand men in @ di-
rect line upon the American defences.
I belonged to the staff. and as we a,ivan-
crd. watched through our glass the po-
Sition of our enemy with that int nsity
an officer only feels when marching into
the Jaws Of death. with the assurance
that while he TINS offered himself as a sac
rifice to the cause of his country. every
action. he il successful or otherwise. will be
Judged with most heartless scrutiny.
1t was strange sight. that long range
of cotton bales-a new material for breast
work-with their crowd of human beings
hehind their heads only visible above
the line Of defence. We conld distinct
ly see their long rifles lying over the bales.
aud the entire battery Of Gen. Coffee di
rectly in front. with Its great mouth gap
ing 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
breasiworks. dressed in linsey woolsey.
with bnckskin leggings. and a broai rim
felt hat. that fell around his face. almost
conrealing his features. lie was staniing
in one of those picturesque and graceful
attitudes peculiar to those natural men
jewellers in the forest. The boly restet,
on the left leg. and swayed with a
curved line upward the right arm
was extended. the hand grasping the
rifle near the muzzle. the butt OF
which rested near the toe Of the right foot.
while with his hand he raised the rim of
his hat from his eyes. and seemed gaz
ing beneath intensely npon our advanc.
ing cclnmn. The cannon of Gen Coffee
hal opened upon rs. and tore through our
ranks with dreadful slaughter but we
continued to advance, unwavering AMI
cool. as if nothing threatened our pro-
gross.
The roar Of cannon seemed to have no
effect upon the figure staining upon the
cotton bales. bnt he seemed 6xe,l anil
mntionleSs a. statue. At last he NOV
Q !. threw hack the hat rim over the crown
with his left hanl raise'l the rife to
his shoulder. and took aim at onr group.
Our eyes were riveted upon him. AT
whom had he levelel his piece? But the
d istance was so great that we looked at e rh
other and smiled. We saw the rifle fash.
and my right hand companion. as noble
a looking fellow a. ever role at the head
Of a regiment. fell from his saddle. The
hunter paused few moments without
moving his rifle from his shoulder. then
reloaded and resumed his former attitude.
Throwing the hat rim over his eyes. anil
again holding it mp with the left hand.
he fixed his piercing gaze upon ms a. IL
hunting nut another virtim. Once more
that hat rim was thrown back anil the
gun raised to the shonller. This time
we dll not smile. hut east short glances
at earh other to see which Of MS must die
and when the rife again flashed another
of MS dropped to the earth. There was
something awful in marching on to GER
tain death.
Gen. Coffee's battery. and thousands
If musket balls played upon our ranks
We cared not for them; there was a
chance Of escaping unscathel. Most Of
rs had walkel upon batteries hundred
times more destructive without qnailing.
Int to know that rifle was leveled towards
ms. anil as the bullet sprang from its bar
rel. one Of us must surely fall!-to see the
cleaning gnn fash as the iron came down.
AMI see it rest motionless. as IL poised mp
IN a rock, and know when the h,mmer
struck and the sparks Hew to the fall
primed pan. that the messenger Of death
drove unerringly to its .goal-to know
this anil still march, on was awful J
/ could see nothing bat the tall figure
staining On the hreastwork. He seemed
to grow phantom like taller and taller.
assdminspthrough the smoke the super
naturai appearance Of some giant spirit.
Again did he reload and discharge hisri-
Or with the same unerring aim > anil it
was with indescrihsble pleasure that ! be-
held &c we nearrd the ,AmericaR lines.
the sulphnrous smoke gather arHhd rs
and shnt that spectral hunter f'om, my
gage. We lot the battle. and to my
mind the Kentucky rifsman contributed
more to our defeat than ANYTHING else.
for while he remained to our sight our
attention wac drawn from onr dntirs
ani when, az last we became enshroHdei
in the smoke. the work was complete
We were in utter confusion. and nnahle.
in the extremity to restore onler sufficient.
" to make any successful attack.