The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-02-13
THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS.
Tie Cotton-Bale Story Exploded-Jackson's
Story Of the Fight,

rhe Cotton-Bale Story Exploded-Jackson's
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,
Gen. 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
twenty-four inches apart, and the
space between them filled with earth,
and if there had been any works con-
structed from cotton bales they must
have known it. In 1925 I was promoted
to captain in the FIRST infantry and sent
to Nashville, Tenn, TO recruit for my
regiment. While there l 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 l had my arrangements
made. But the instant l saw their
formation, | said to Coffee: by C.,
they are ours ?" Cotfee's part of our
line was on the flank which extended
into the swamp. About a quarter of a
mile from it there was a huge planta-
ton drainage canal, such as are COM
mon in the Louisiana lowla.ls. Here
Gen. Packenham formed his first at
lacking column. His formation was a
column in mass uf about fifty files
front. This was formed under the
fire of the few regular artillerists I
had in a little redoubt in Coffee front,
and that of some cannon taken from
a man-of-war, placed in q battery on
the rivor and served by sailors. Cot
fee, seeing the direction OF the attack,
which was intended to turn his flank,
dashed forward and said to his men
"Hold your fire until you can see their
belt-buckles." The riflemen were
formed in two ranks behind the works
mentioned, and when the first rank
fired 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 neces-
sary powder in his horn. The British
troops came up to within 100 yards of
our work without firing a musket. 1t
was a beautiful sight to see. They
marched as steadily shoulder to shout
der as though they were on review.
At 100 yards distance the order was
given them to charge. With a cheer
and at double-quick they came for
distant when a long-blazing flash ran
all along our line. 1t was as pretty
volley-fring as l ever heard or Jaw.
"'The smoke hung so heavy that for
the moment 1 could not make out just
what had happened said Gen. Jack
son. in another instant there was an
other sharp, ringing volley that prov
/ ed that it came from the ritlemen. l
called Tom Overton and Duncan, of
my staff. and we galloped over to
Coffee's line. just then the smoke
Losc anu SD" tHat lHe ueau VI INC
British column had literally melted
away. In front of our lines lay one
writhing. CHASTITY mass of dead and
dying red coats. The column recoil-
ed and fell back to the canal where
they had started from, and there re-
formed. This time the charge was
led by Gen. Packcnham in person, gal.
lantly mounted, and riding as coolly
and gracefully rs if he were on parade.
just as he came within range of my
ritiemen l saw him reel and topple
out of his saddle, MORALLY wounded.
| have always believed he fell by the
bullet of a free man of color in the
fight. who was a celebrated rife shot
from the Attakapas country of Louisi-
ana Washington Sunday Herald.