Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-01-15
THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS.

Gen. Harvey has exploded one tradition
that was long connected with the fight,
which was that the Americans fought from
behind breast works of cotton bales. 81
asked Gen. Jackson, Gen. Adair and Gen.
Coffee, the latter 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 an
swered that the only works the Americans
had were of earth, about two and one half
feet high, rudey constructed 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 constructed
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 met Gems. Jackson and Coffee very
often and obtained from the former many
details of the battle of Chalmette that are
not in print"
""There was heavy fog on the river on
the morning of the fight" said Gen. Jack
son, 'and the British troops were actually
formed and moving before l had my ar
rangements made. But the instant l saw
their formation, said to Coffee, BY G.,
they are ours?' Coffee's part of onr line
was on the flank, which extended into the
swamp. About a quarter of mile from it
there was huge plantation drainage canal,
such as are common in the Louisiana low
lands. Here Gen. Packenham formed his
first attacking column. His formation was
column in mass of about fifty files front.
This was formed under the fire of the few
regular artillerists l 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. Coffee,
seeing the direction of the attack, which
was Intended to turn his flank, dashed for
ward and said to his men: Hold your
fire until you can see their belt-buckles.'
The rif1emen were formed in two ranks
behind the works mentioned, and when the
first rank fired the second was ready. There
were about eighteen hundred men behind
this frail cover, all Of whom were dead
shots, and each had one hundred bullets in
his pouch and necessary poWderin his horn.
The British troops came up to within 100
yards of our works without firing musket.
It was 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 acheer and at double quick they came
forward. They were about sixty yards dis
tant when long blazing flash ran all along
our line. 1t was as pretty volley firing as
ever heard or saw"
"'The smoke hung so heavy that for the
moment could not make out just what had
happened,' said Gen. Jackson. In another
instant there was another sharp ringing
volley that proved it came from the rifle
men. I called Tom 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 dying red-coats. The column re-
coiled and fell back to the canal, where they
had started from, and were then reformed.
This time the charge was led by Gen. Pack.
enham in person, calamity mounted and
riding as coolly and gracefully as if he were
on parade. Just as he came within range
of my rifemen 1 saw him reel and topple
out of his saddle mortally wounded. ! have
always believed he fell by the bullet ofa free
man of color in the fight who was cele-
brated ritie-shot from the Attakapas county
of Louisiana"