The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-05
AMMUNITION FOR NEW ORLEANS.
now THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS
WAS wen.
The Steamer Enterprise ana Her Precious
Cargo.

WAS WONs
The Steamer Enterprise and Her Precious
Cargo.
GPlttsburg Evening Chronicle, Dec A]
Last Saturday afternoon, after the Chroni-
Gle had gone to press, and the working har-
ness was cast aside, Mr.. Morrison Foster, an
always welcome visitor, entered the office to
inquire for Cleveland paper, and, dropping
into a chair, the conversation that ensued, de-
sultory at first, insensibly drifted In direc-
ton that at all times possesses fascination
for us: the history Of the struggles and tri-
umphs OF the men vino twice tried conclusions
with the mother country, and each time
scored success.
The thing that impressed us most, how
ever, was Mr.. Fosters account of the means
employed to forward supplies to the forces
under Gen. jackson at New Orleans. Mr..
Foster derived the facts related from his
father, Major VIM. B. Foster, Deputy Com
missary and Quartermaster General United
States army, whose father before him had
served In the Revolutionary war, and whose
sympashies responded swiftly to the appeal
Of every man who served the flag. We will
endeavor to tell the story OF the steamboat
Enterprise as Mr.. Foster related it:
PITrsBURa IN 1914.
"The part Pittsburg played in 1914 was q
subject frequently referred to by my father
who, by virtue OF his position, was called upon
to forward not only ammunition, but all the
appurtenanceS OF camp life to the troops at
New Orleans. December, 1914 was the most
critical month In the war OF 1872. The British
capital, threatened Baltimore, penetrated the
lakes and threatened New Orleans. They
counted on an easy victory, confident that
they could anticipate efforts to relieve or de-
fend New Orleans, by availing themselves OF
transportation by coast, and realizing the OBJ
stacles to be overcome by the Americans In a
| long inland march. They knew-and every
American knew-that unless relief was ex-
| tended New Orleans speedily, the sun Of the
young republic would set in darkness deeper
than the December night in which the year
was closing. The Americans had sustained
disastrous defeats. The story OF homes
| ravaged and laid in ashes on the seaboard by
| the English, OF plumber and rapine, aroused
| the indignation OF the American people, They
had experienced a winter OF hardship and
bitter apprehension, which was intensified
| by the knowledge that the English, with
picked troops from Wellington's army, were
| sweeping round the coast to capture New Or
leans The condition Of the forces there and
| On the way to that point was well known to
| intelligent people. Unless ammunition could
be forwarded to the little army under Jack
| son, the English would make New Orleans a
base OF operations, lay waste the interior, and
make their own terms.
THE STEAMBOAT ENTERPRISE.
| What saved New Orleans, and altered the
| whole complexion OF the war, was the en-
ployment OF the steamb boat Enterprise built
| at Pittsburg (the first steamboat that ever
navigated Western waters), to transport am
| munition, guns, tents, fiints and other sup
plies to New Orleans. Ammunition was very
scarce In those days, and have heard my
/ father say lead was very dear. In addition to
| the pressing demand for ammunition, there
was an equally, strong demand for tents,
clothing, cartouche boxes, belts, camp kettles
and blankets everything necessary to camp
| life. The men who fiocked to New Orleans
had their guns, and but little else. The ex-
element in this city In those days, and In all
| the country round about, was wonderful. Ny
! thing that was needed for the emergency.
| Everybody that could help was pressed into
the service. He had saddlers working on
| belts and cartouehe boxes, timers making
| clothes and tents, while the children nodded
bullets. McClurg's foundry, located where
the PoStOffice now stands, provided cannon
balls and shells. No sacrifice was too great
at that time. Money being scarce, and the
government poor, my father paid for much OF
| the material out OF his own pocket 1t was
considered matter of life or death. Then
women and children staked their hopes on
| Jackson at New OrloanS.
| Old settlers In the neighborhood Of Flor
| ence, Ala, describing the men who went down
| from Kentucky and Tennessee to fight under
jackson ("Jackson's men" is the term they
use) invariably deprive them Of the equip
ments Of a soldier. They were struggling
never let an opportunity pass unimproved
when squirrel whisked his tail. How such
a motley crowd, without provisions, camp
equipments, proper, covering or discipline,
could check troops that afterwards immortal
lied themselves at Waterloo surpassed our
comprehension. But now the riddle was
solved. Here was the steamboat Enterprise
introduced apparently for the express pur-
pose OF filling up o gap.
Mr.. Foster resumed: "when you think
over 1t, that was great undertaking OF Capt.
Shreve's. He had on board everything they
didn't have In New Orleans, from uniform
and blanket to cartouche box and gun
wiper. The river was running full of ice.
There were no wood-yards in those days.
The boats crew had to go out, chop wood,
get 1t how they could, carry 1t on board and
| fire up with it-steam1ng along where not q
sound was heard but the crunch OF ice, the
whoop OF savage or the scream Of q panther
But Capt. Shreve made good time notwith-
standing all the obstacles. He left this city
on the evening Of December Is, 1914, and ar
rived at New Orleans January 5, 1815-three
time to supply Generals jackson and Coffee
with the supplies they 80 urgently required
| The steamer Enterprise performed its part
well. The dark cloud lifted slowly from the
country, and when the news Of Jackson's vic
tory was sent over the land, long before II
was known that peace was made at Client
the bells rang, bonfires were kindled, and the
people held jubilee to commemorate great
victory"
| BREATHlTT SIMPLICITY.
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