Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-03-21
THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS.
The totton-Bale Story Expioded-tsene
Jacasen's story OF the Fight.

A.
Jacasen,s story OF the Fight.
Gen. Harney has exploded one trati-
ton that was long connected with this
fight, which was that Americans fought
rom behind lreastworks of cotton bales.
Il asked Gen. Jackson. Gen. Adair and
Gen. Coffee. the latter having the imme-
dlate command Of brigade of the Ten
nesgee and Kentucky shapshooters,
whose long rifles mainly did the work OF
death, il there were any cotton 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 constructed of fence-rails
and logs laid twenty -four inches apart
and the space between them filed with
earth, and if there had been any works
constructed from cotton bales they must
have known it. In 1926 | was promoted
to Captain in the First Infantry aud
sent to Nashville, Tenn, to recruit for
my regiment. While there | met Gens
Jackson and Coffee very often and OBJ
tanned from the former many details of
the battle of Chalmette that are not I'D
print.
There was very heavy fog on the
liver on the morning of the fight, said
Gen. Jackson, and the British troops
were actually formed and moving before
had my arrangements made. But the
instant [ saw their formation, | said to
Coffee, "By the Eternal, they are ours y
Cofee's part of our line was on the flank,
which extended into the swamp. About
quarter of mile from it there was a
| huge plantation drainage canal, such as
are common in the Louisiana lowlands.
Here Gen. Packenham formed his first
attacking column. His formation was
4 column in mass of about fifty files
front This was formed under the fire
/ Of the few regular artillerists | had III
listle redoubt in Coffees front, and that
of some cannon taken from man Of
war, placed III battery on the river and
served by sailors. Coffee, seeing the di-
rection of the attack, which was intend
ed to turn his flank, dashed forward and
said to his men, "Hold your fire until
you can see their belt buckles" The
rlhenen were formed in two ranks be-
hind the works mentioned, and when the
first rank firei he second was loaded
and ready. ! re were about eighteen
hundred men behind this frail cover, all
of whom were dead shots, and each had
100 bullets i'll his pouch and the neces-
sary powder in his horn. The British
troops came up to within 100 yards OF
our work without firing musket 1t
was beautiful sight to see. They
l4arched 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 long
blazing flash ran all along our line. It
was as pretty volley firing as ever heard
= saw.
The smoke hung SO heavy that for
tee moment | could not make out just
what had happened, said General Jack
son. In another instant there was an.
other sharp ringing volley that proved II
came from the rihemen. / called Ton
Overton and Duncan, of my staff, and
We galloped over to Coffee's line. Just
then the smoke rose. and [ saw that the
head of the British column had literally
melted away. In front Of our lines lay
one writhing, CHASTITY mass of dead and
diving red-coats. The column recoled
aud fell back toward the canal
where they had started from and were
there reformed This time the charge
was led by Gen. Packenham In person
gallantly mounted and riding as coolly
and gracefully as if he was on parade
Just as he came within range of ny
rihemen I saw him reel and topple ont
Of his saddle mortallv wounded | hav,
always believed he fell by the bullet Of
free man Of color in the fight who was
q celebrated shot from the Attakapa-
country If Louisiana = WlLshingts1