The National tribune., 1882-11-23
The Battle in the Dark.---HOW Gen.
Jackson Received the British.
by Gsor0s Cary EGoIeston.l

old veterans
1t seemed certain that such an army could
march into New Orleans with very little trouble
indeed, and everybody on both sides thought
so-everybody, that is to say, but General Jack
son. He meant to fight that question out, and
SIS the Legislature and many of the people in
the city would do nothing to help him, he put
the town under martial law, and worked night
and day to get together something like an
army.
On the 23d of December, 1914, the British
arrived at point few miles below the city,
and went into camp about noon. As soon as
Jackson heard of their arrival he said to the
people around him, "Gentlemen, the British
are below: we must fight them tonight"
He Immediately ordered his troops forward.
He had made soldier of everybody who could
carry gun, and his little army was curiousiy
mixed collection of men. There were few
regulars, III uniform; there were some Missis-
sppi troopers, and Coffee's Kentucky and Ten
nessee hunters, in huntiug-shirts and jean
trousers; there were volunteers Of all sorts from
the streets of New Orleans-merchants law
yers, laboTers clerks, and clergymen-armed
with shot-guns, rifles and old nIuskets there
were some criminals whom Jackson had re-
leased from prison on condition that they would
fight; there was battalion of free negroes,
who were good soldiers; and finally there were
about twenty Choctaw Indians.
With this mixed crowd Jackson had to fight
the very best troops in the British army. Only
about half of his men had ever heard bullet
whistle and less than half Of them were drilled
and disciplined; but they were brave men who
believed in their General, and they were about
to fight for their country as brave men should.
When all were ounted-backwoodsmen regu-
lars, city volunteers, negroes, Indians, and all
the whole army numbered only ., l31 men!
But weak as this force was, Jackson had made
up his mind to fight with it. He knew that
the British were too strong for him, but he
knew too that every day would make them
stronger, as more and more of their troops
should come.
The British camp was nine miles below the
city, on narrow strip of land between the
river and a swamp. Jackson sent gun-boat,
the Carolina, down the river, with orders to
anchor in front of the camp and pour fire Of
grape-shot into it. He sent Coffee across to the
swamp, and ordered him to creep through the
the British. He kept the rest of his army
under his own command ready to advance
from the front upon the enemy's position.
But no attack was to be made until after
dark. The army was kept well out of sight, and
the British had no suspicion that any attack
was thought of. They did not regard Jackson's
men as soldiers at all, but called them posse
colnitatus of ragamufins-that is to say, mob
of ragged citizens-and the most they expected
such mob to do was to wait somewhere below
the city until the British soldiers should get
ready to drive them away with few volleys.
So the British lighted their camp-fres. stacked
their arms for the night, and cooked their sup
pers. They meant to stay where they were for
a day or two until the rest of their force could
come up, and then they expected to march into
the town and make themselves at home.
Night came on, and it was exceedingly dark. |
At half past seven O'clock there came a fash
and a roar The Carolina, lying in the river
within a few hundred yards of the camp had /
begun to pour her broadsides into the British !
quarters. Her cannon vonited fire. and sent |
hail-storm of grape-shot into the camp, while |!
the marines on board kept up steady fire of
small-arms.
The British were completely surprised, but /
they were cool-headed old soldiers, who were |!
not to be scared by surprise They quickly /
formed a line on the bank, and, bringing up /
some cannon, gave battle to the saucy gun-boat. /
For ten minutes this fight went on between ,
the Americans on the river and the British ON .
shore, then Jackson ordered his troops to ad- /
vance. His columns rushed forward and fell (
upon the enemy, again surprising them, and .
forcing them TO fight on two sides at once. .
Coffee, who was hidden over in the swamp, no .
sooner heard the roar of the CGrolina's guns than
he gave the word to advance, and rushing out .
of the bushes, his rough Tenncsseeans and Ken
tuckians attacked still another side of the
British position.
Still the sturdy British held their ground,
and fought like the brave men and good sol
diers that they were. 1t was too dark for any
body to see clearly what was going The
lines on both sides were soon broken up into
groups Of soldiers, who could not
see III what direction they were marching, or
anything like regular fight. Regi-
meuts and battaions wandered about at their
own discretion, fighting whatever bodies of the
enemy they met, and sometimes getting hope
lessly entangled with each other Never was
there so complete tumble on o battlefield
Whenever two bodies Of troops met, they had
to call out to each other to find out whether
they were friends or foes; then If one body
proved to be Americans and the other British,
they delivered 2 volley, and rushed upon each
other in a desperate struggle for mastery.
Sometimes q regiment would win success in
one direction, and just as its enemy on that
side was driven back, it would be attacked from
the opposite direction. Cotfee's men were armed
with squirrel rifles, which of course had no
bayonets; but the men had their long hunting
knives, and with no better weapons than these
they did not hesitate to make charge after
charge upon the lines of cleaning bayOnets.
The British suffered terribly from the first,
but their steadiness was never lost for moment.
The mad onset of the Americans broke their
lines, and in the darkness it was impossible to
form them again promptly; but still the men
kept up the fight, while the officers, as rapidly
Is they could, directed their detached columns
toward protected positions.
Retreating slowly and in as good order as
hey could, the British got beyond the range Of
.he Cardinals guns by nine o'clock, and finding
position where bank of earth served for a
1rcastwork, they made final stand there. 1t
vas impossible to drive them from such posi-