News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-01-22
THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS.
The COttOn-Bnle Story FxpIOdad-Ge eneraI
JacksOn's story of the Fight.

Gen. Harvey has exploded one tradi-
ton that was long connected with this
fight, which was that Americans fought
| from behind breastworks of cotton bales.
Il asked Gen. Jackson, Gen. Adair and
/ Gen. Coffee, the latter having the imme-
diate command of brigade of the Ten
nessee and Kentucky shapshooters,
whose long rifles mainly did the work OF
death, if 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, ruaeIy 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
nave Known it--L--1e;a75-r vas promoted
to Captain in the First Infantry and
sent to Nashville, Tenn, to recruit for
my regiment. While there met G ms.
jackson and Coffee very often and OBJ
tanned from the former many details 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 moving before
had my arrangements made. But the
instant L saw their formation, 1 said to
Coffee, "By the Eternal, they are ours p
Coffee'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
Il column in mass of about fifty files
front. This was formed under the fire
Of the few regular artillerists I had in a
little redoubt in Ooffee'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 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
r,t1-nlen were formed in two ranks be-
ulnd the works mentioned, and when the
irst rank fred the second was loaded
and ready. There were about eighteen
hundred men behind this frail cover, all
# whom were dead shots, and each had
100 bullets in his pouch and the neces-
,dry powder In his horn. Tue British
roops came up to within 100 yards OF
'ur work without firing musket. 1t
vas a 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 d cheer and at double
quick they came forward. They were
,bout sixty yards distant when long
oIsziug flash ran all along our line. 1t
vas, as pretty volIey firing as L ever heard
-sr rs4.W.-----A--
The smoke hung so heavy that for
.ke moment | could not make out Just
What had happened, said General jack
on. in another instant there was an.
,ther sharp ringing volIey that proved it
came from the f4men. / called Tom
)verton and Duncan, Of my staff, and
we galloped over to Coff .e's line. Just
hen the smoke rose, and [ saw that the
mead of the British column had literally
melted away. In front of 0ur lines lay
one wrthing, ghastly mass OF dead and
lying red-coats. The colamn recolled
md fell back toward the canal,
where they had started from and were
there reformed. This time the charge
was led by Gen. Packenhsm in person.
gallantly mounted AMI riding as c1olly
and gracefully as if he was on parade.
Just as he came within range of my
rlfemen I saw him reel and topple out
Of his saddle mortally wounded. 1 have
always believed he fell by the bullet of
free man of color in the fight who was
celebrated shot from the Attakapas
country Of Louisiana. - W9ShingtDn
k3ln6GU Herald.