The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-02-06
THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS.
TAs Cotton-Bale Story Exploded--Jackson
Story of tho Fight.


1Ae Cott0n-Bale Story Exploded--Jackson'i
Story Of the Fight.
Gen. Harvey has exploded one ira
dition that was long connected with
this fight, which was that the Americans
fought from behind breastworks of
cotton bales. II asked Gen. Jackson,
Con. Adair, and Gen. Coffee, the latter
having the immediate command of the
Tennessee and Kentucky sharpshoot-
ers, whose long rifles mainly did the
work OF death, If there were any cot
ton bales used at all, and they all
answered that the only works the
Americans had were of earth, about
two and one-half feet high, rudely con-
structed of fence rails and, logs laid
twcnty-four inches apart, and the
space between them filled with earth,
and II there had been any works con-
structed 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 nv
regiment. While there met Gems.
jackson and Coffee very often and
obtained from the former many de-
tails OF the battle of Chalmette, that !
are not in print.
"There was a very heavy fog on the
river on the morning of the fight
said Gen. jackson, and the British
troops were actually formed and NOV
ing before had my arrangements
made. But the instant l saw their
formation, / said to Coffee: by c.,
they are ours Pr Coffee's part of our
line was on the flank which extended
into the swamp. About quarter of
mile from 1t there was huge planta-
ton drainage canal, such as are COM
mon in the Louisiana lowlands. Here
Gen. Packenham formed his first at
lacking column. His formation was a
column in mass Ut about fifty files
front. This was formed under the
fire OF the few regular artillerists I !,
had in little redoubt in Coffee's front,
and that of some cannon taken from :
man-of-war, placed in battery on :
the river and served by sailors. Cot (
fee, seeing the direction of the attack, =
which was intended to turn his flank, e
dashed forward and said to his men =
"Hold your fire until you can see their =
belt-buckles. The rifemen were
formed in two ranks behind the works y
mentioned, and when the first rank :
fired the second was loaded and ready. \,
There were about eighteen hundred y,
mon behind this fraiI cover, all of 81
whom were dead shots, and each had ~
100 bullets in his pouch and the neces- =; -
sary powder in his horn. The British ~
troops came mp to within 100 yards of - -
our work without firing a musket. 1t 81
was beautiful sight to see. They VI
marched as steadily shoulder to shout - -
Ter as though they were on review. ~
At 100 yards distance the order was u
ylven them to charge. With a cheer
md at double-quick they came for 70
yard. They were about sixty yards ~
listant when long-blazing flash ran 80
IL along our line. 1t was as pretty 70
olley-fring as ever heard or saw. Pr
The smoke hung so heavy that for N 1si
be moment could not make out Just WI
that had happened said Gen. Jack 49,
on. In another instant there was an On
Their sharp, ringing volley that prov ao
that it came from the rifemen. I W.
Allied Tom Overton and Duncan, of ga
y staff, and we galloped over to u
otee's line. Just then the smoke on'
,se and | saw that the head of the ioa
ritish column had literally melted ga'
way. In front of our lines Law one ing
rithing, CHASTITY mass of dead and qua
Ting red coats. The column recoil- ho
and fell back to tho canal where
ey had started from, and there re- &C
rmed. This time the charge we. linz
by Gen. Packenham in person, gal. "e'
ntly mounted, and riding as coolly owe
d gracefully as If he were on parade. ga;
st as lie came within range of my va We,
lemen saw him reel and topple 1ou'
t OF his saddle, MORALLY wounded. 10y 10y
,ave always believed he fell by the Sa a
llet OF free man of color in the f Nc,
mt, who was celebrated rifle shot -
)m the Attakapas country of Louisi- s tn1
a. ~ Washington Sunday Herald. peii