Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-01-13
THE BATTLE or NEW ORLEANS.
described by one or Laa,te,s Meu


CALcAsIEu. La, December 2S, 1874.
To the Editor of the News:
In your issue of the 25th of December
appears an account OF an old cannon
brought up from the bottom Of the bay
by the scoop of the dredgeboat. From
the cut and description OF it given in
your paper, recognize it as an old
acquaintance.
You will remember that a short time
before the great battle of New Orleans,
the great and brave General Andrew
Jackson induced our captain, the brave
Lafitie, to help him fight the British
well remember the day .whe1 small
vessel-a schooner appeared off the
bar Of what is now called Galveston
Island. She displayed the American
ilag fired gun and then lowering her
national flag, ran white flag TO her
peak. That meant parley. La6tte
scanned the new conner closely with his
glass for some minutes, and then order
ing his four cared gig, pulled to the
schooner. Laftte boarded the schooner,
and he and young American officer,
whose name | afterward learned was
Observation-Disclosures Donnelson, of
General Jackson's staff--descende into
the cabin. There they remained an
hour or more, and then they came out.
As Laftte stepped over the schooner s
side to get into his gig, he said to Don
nelson: Tell General jackson | will
be with him. He may rely on me for at
least eighty skilled artillerists
The name Of the schooner was the
JohnHancock. and neat clipper she was
We pulled back to the fort, Lafitte saving
not word, but pulling 10 his quick,
nervous way his mustache proved to us
he was planning some desperate work.
That night the schooner weighed anchor
and left. The next morning there was
grand council held at the fort All
this occurred long, long time ago
nearly sixty years ago Mon Dieu how
time does fly 1t seems but yesterday.
Well, sirs, | don't want to be tedious, but
an old man is naturally garrulous. He
has SO much to live over 10 thought So.
sirs, bear with patiently.
l don't know what happeped 10 the
council, but two days after three Of our
best vessels, with the flower OF our Gil
busters, sailed for New Orleans, under
the command Of the brave Laftte him.
sell, Chauyet, his right bower, being with
him. After four days sail, we entered
the Mississippi river, and soon anchored
off New Orleans, little below the city.
! was then gunner on board the ten
gun brig Vengeance, commanded by
Chauvet, brave but cruel man. When
the British forces under Packenham ap
preached the city, in January, 1915, we
ran up and anchored above the city. All
was hustle and preparation. We took
out most OF the cannon aud placed them
in position in the works General Jackson
had hastily thrown up at Chalmette, and
one hundred and twenty picked artiller
lists, or gunners, with all our officers,
headed by the brave Laftte in person,
manned them.
On the 9Th of January the British
opened a terrific fire on us with their
feld.pieces, but as we were safe behind
our earthworks and cotton bales, we let
them waste their powder. LATTE, our
brave LATTE alb, how grand be looked
how his black eyes flashed Oh, he was
the genius Of the fight how bis French
blood boiled atthe sight OF red coat
Les Anglais per6desl Jackson, tall and
gaunt was moving among his men, oc
casionally observing the British line
with his glass, and turning anon to en-
courage his Tennesseeans and Kentucki.
ans, How impatient those rinemen an.
peered But Jackson's orders were
Reserve your fire, men, for close quar-.
ters.
Pretty soon the cannonading ceased
aud then we could see the long and solid
line OF British advancing, first as q slow.
steady pace, then double quick. When
they were within three hundred yards of
our works, Laftte, springing upon gum
carriage, thundered out, Firel"
Sacre bleul What sheet Of flame
leaps forth from our guns How the
front ranks OF the foe seemed TO melt
away Then jackson, with clear,
ringing voice that could be heard above
the roar OF battle, cried out. Make
every shot tell Fire low, my boys"
Crack crack went the unerring rifles.
Our guns roared Grape, canister aud
round shot went crashing through the
advarcing ranks. The foe reeied under
the fire. For On instant they faltered-
ior an instant only-then with closed
ranks they again advanced, under
most withering aud deadly fire. A gen.
eral officer leads them, he mounts the
parapel, waving his sword aud cheering
on his men; LATTE springs toward him,
pistol in hand, A fash -packenham
tails shot through the heart. The
British can no longer stand up under
our deadly fire, They wager and then
retreat In great confusion and disorder