The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-09-19
Our 0liu%
BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS.
A BRITISH ACCOUNT


of Jackson" With the necessary prelim-
mary and supplementary matter it fills 275
pages, and more interesting than one Of
Scott's romanees from beginning to end, as
it has the essential of truthfulness, and un-
like most histories tells both sides of the
story, the English as well as the American,
thereby giving complete picture. For the
English side Mr. Parton relies mainly upon
an interesting work by "Subaltern," enti-
tied ''The Campaigns of the British Army
at Washington and New Orleans, in the
years 1814-1815,' first printed in London
in 1921. The name of the author is not
mentioned, nor are there any means of as
certaining it. He lets us know nothing
about himself, except what is absolutely
necessary for the purposes of his narrative.
He was young, for he speaks Of the book
as a ''juvenile performance" had served in
Spain and Southern France before joining
the American expedition, and after his re-
turn probably took an active part in the
military operations which eliminated and
closed at Waterloo, Whoever he was, he
won and deserved high compliment from
competent Judge The Duke of Well
ington, according to Samuel Rogers Gre
collections" said ''The Subaltern is ex-
cellent, particularly in the American expe-
dition to New Orleans He describes all
he sees" Space permits but brief ex-
tracts, and to render these intelligent a
short summary of British movements prior
to the Sth of January, 1915, is required
The British feet of fifty ships, many of
them of the largest size, sailed from Negril
bay, Island of Jamaica, for the American
coast, on the 25th and 26th of November,
1914. The troops on board-all veterans
Of the Napoleonic wars-numbered 1850,
which the marines of the feet swelled to
$3.50. To these must be added some
hundreds of sailors, detached for shore
duty. The commander was Major Gen.
John Keane, an Irish officer who had dis
tinguished himself in Egypt and elsewhere,
and succeeded Gen. Ross, killed in Balti-
more. The point of destination was Lake
Borgne, and on the 18th of Dec the lighter
vessels entered this marine back door to
New Orleans, After sharp contest the
American cutters guarding the lake were
destroyed, and on the 21st all the troops
had disembarked on Pine Island. On the
22d, Gen. Keane with 1000 men and two
pieces of artillery started in boats for the
main shore, eighty miles distant They
met with no opposition, and by noon of
the next day were encamped on the banks
of the Mississippi within eight miles of
New Orleans. There is little doubt that
if Keane had pushed forward, instead of
hating when and where he did, the city
would have been captured, for the prepa-
rations to resist an attack were not com
pleted scarcely begun, indeed--and Jack
son had not anticipated such early arrival
of the enemy. But when the news reached
him he acted with characteristic prompt
ness and vigor, and on the same night the
British-surprised in their turn-received
the fire of the schooner Carolina, anchored
in the stream, and at the same time were
assailed by heavy force of infantry; which
had approached their position unperceived.
The fight lasted from eight in the evening
until three in the morning, and while the
British suffered severely they managed to
hold their ground. "Sqhaltern" was in
the thickest Of the fray, and did much to
avert what ought to have been an over
whelming disaster. His dearest friend, an
officer named Grey, was among the slain.
II threw myself upon the ground beside
him." he says, "and wept like ehild but
this was no time for the indulgence of use
less SORROW BY the 25th the remainder
of the army was brought up, and with them
came Sir Edward Pakenham and General
Gibbs; the former of whom superseded
Keane, and Immediately prepared to re-
sumo the offensive On the morning Of
the 9th, the Carolina was set on FIRE and
sunk by hot shot, and her consort, the
Louisiana, narrowly escaped similar fate
On the 2Sth a Reconnaissance in force
was made by the British, and repulsed
with considerable loss. On the 1st of JAN
uary another assault was delivered, with no
better success and heavier loss. Meanwhile
Jackson was Strengthening his fortifca-
tions, and on the 4th was reinforced by
2,25Q Kentuckians, scantily clad and not
half of them armed. They were more than
offset by British reinforcement of 1,600
men, under command of Mai. Gen. Lam
bert; which, "Subaltern" says, ''raised our
numbers to little short of 5000 men," He
estimates the American army at net less
than 5000 when the truth Is that Jack
son had at his disposal on the decisive day
less than 1000 effective troops From the
I'd of January to the night of the 7th
| Pakenham waa busy preparing for the final
assault, which he confidently expected
would open the road to New Orleans A
canal had been dug from Bayou Catiline to
the river, of sufficient depth to admit of
boats being brought up from the lake.
These boats were to convey a force across
the river to seize the American works
erected there, and turn the guns upon Jack
sons position. The canal however, was
almost failure. owing to the softness of
the soil, which fell in and obstructed the
channel We will now let "Subaltern"
talk
In this manner (alluding to the proposed
operations on the west bank of the river
was one part of the force to act, while the
rest were thus appointed. Dividing his
troops into three columns, Sir Edward di-
rected that General Keane, at the head of
the Ninety fifth, the light companies of the
Twenty first, Fourth and Forty fourth, to-
gether with the two black corps, should
make demonstration, or sham attack upon
the right; that Gen. Gibbs, with the Fourth,
Twenty-frst, Forty-fourth and Ninety
third should force the enemy's left, whilst
Gen. Lambert, with the Seventh and For
ty-third, remained in reserve, ready to act
as circumstances might require. But in
storming an intrenched position, something
more than bare courage is required. Seal
ing ladders and fascines had therefore been
prepared, with which to fill up the ditch
and mount the wall; and since to carry these
was service of danger, requiring corps
well worthy of dependence the Forty fourth
was for that purpose selected, as a regiment
of sufficient numerical strength and already
accustomed to American warfare. Thus
were all things arranged on the night of
the 7th, for the Sth was fixed upon as the
day decisive of the fate of New Orleans.
Whilst the rest of the army lay down to
sleep till they should be reused up to fight,
Col. Thornton, with the Eighty-ffth and
a corps of marines and seamen, amounting
in all to !, 400 men, moved down to the
a II L