The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-27
THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS.
The Cotton-Bale Story Observation-Disclosures
Story of the Fight.

Washington Sunday Herald
General Harvey has exploded one tradition that
was long connected with this fight, which was
that the Americans fought from behind breast
works cotton bales. 81 asked General Jack
son, General Adair and General Coffee, the lat
ter having the immediate command of brigade
of the Tennessee and Kentucky sharpshooters,
whose long rifles mainly did the work of death,
if there were any cotton bales used at ALL and
they all answered that the only works the Amer
leans had were of earth, about two and one-half
feet high, rudely constructed of fence rails and
logs laid twenty-fouP inches apart, and the space
between them filled with earth, and if
there had been any works constructed from
cotton bales, they must have known it. In
1925 was promoted to captain in the First
Infantry and sent to Nashville, Tenn. to recruit
for my regiment While there l met Generals
Jackson and Coffee very often and obtained
from the former many details of the battle of
Chalmette that are not in print
"'There was very heavy fog on the river on
the morning of the fight sal General jackson,
and the British troops were actually formed
and moving before l had my arrangements
made. But the instant l saw their formation.
said to Coffee BY G. they are ours? COT
fees part of our line was the flank, which
extended into the swamp. About a quarter of a
mile from it there was huge plantation drain
age canal such as are common in the Louisiana
lowlands Here General Packenham formed
his first attacking column. His formation was
column in mass of about fifty files front. This
artilerists had in a little redoubt in Coffee's
front, and that of some cannon
taken from a man of war, placed in battery
on the river and served by sailors. Coffee,
seeing the direction of the attack, which was in
tended to turn his flank, dashed forward and
said to his men: "Hod your fire until you can
see their belt buckles" The rihemen were
formed in two ranks behind the works men
toned, and when the first rank fred the second
was loaded and ready There were about
eighteen hundred men behind this frail cover,
all of whom were dead shots, and each had 100
bullets in his pouch and the necessary powder in
his horn. The British troops came up to within
100 yards of our work without firing musket
1t was a beautiful sight TO see. They marched
as steadily shoulder to shoulder as though they
were on review. At 100 yards distance the order
was given them to charge With cheer and at
double quick they came forward. They were
about sixty yards distant when a long blazing
flash ran all along our line. 1t as pretty
volley firing as ] ever heard or saw
THE smoke hung so heavy that for the NOM
ent | could not make out just what had hap
pened,' said General jackson. In another in
slant there was another sharp ringing volley that
proved it came from the rif1emen. ] called Tom
Overton and Duncan, of my staff, and we gal
loped over to Coffee's lire. just then the smoke
rose, and | saw that the head of the British col
umn had literally melted away In front of our
lines lay one writing, CHASTITY mass of dead and
dying red coats The column recoiled and fell
back to the canal, where they had started from,
and were there reformed This time the charge
was led by General Packenham in person. gal
lantly mounted and riding as cody and grace
fully as if he were on parade. Just as he came
within range of my rtemen | saw him reel and
topple out of his saddle, mortally wounded
have always believed he fell by the bullet of
free man of color in the fight, who was cee
brated rife-shot from the Attakapas country of
Louisiana