The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-06-26
BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS.


General .JHcksOn'a Description or Ii.
There was very heavy fog on the
river that morning, the British had for
med and were moving before knew 1t.
The disposition of the rihemen was very
simple. They were told off in Nos. l
and 2. No. | was the first to fire, then
step back and let No. shoot while he
loaded. About 600 yards from the rifle
men there was a great drainage canal
running back from the Mississippi river
to the swamp in the rear of the titled
land on which we We're operating. Along
this canal the British formed, under The
fire of the few artillery pieces | had
near enough to them to get their range.
Coffee. whom | directed to hurry to his
line, which was 70 he first attacked:
by ------, we have gol Them they are
ours!" Coffee dashed forward, and rid
ing along his line. called out: Don't
shoot till you can see their belt buck
les" The British were formed in mass
well closed up. and about two compa-
MES front.
The British thus formed, moved on
at a step, without firing Il shot. to with
In 100 yards Of the lncnling riflemcn
who were holding their fire till they
could see the belt buckles of their en-
emies. The British advance was exc
cuted as though they had been on par
ade. They marched shoulder to should
er, with the step of veterans, as they
were. At 100 yards distance from our
line the order was given: EXTEND col
limn: 'front.'" Double quick: march.
Charge With bayonct a, the charge
they came on us at Il run. | own 1t was
an anxious moment: | well knew the
charging column was made ND of the
picked troops OF the British army. They
had been trained by he Duke himself.
We're commanded by his brother- law
and had successfully held off the ablcst
of Napoleons marslals in the Spanish
campaign. My rificmen had never seen
such an attack, nor had they ever be-
fore fought white men The morning,
too, was damp; their powder might not
burn we'll God help u.s.! NUT
tered, watching the rapidly advancing
:, line. Seventy, sixty, fifty. forty yards,
were they from the silent kneeling rifle
men.
All of my men ] could sec was their
long rifles. rested on the logs before
them. They obeyed their orders WE'LL
not a shot was fired until the red-coats
were within forty yards. heard Cor-
fees voice as he roared out Now,
men, aim for the centre Of the cross
belts! Fire!" second after the or
der as rackling, blazing fash ran al!
along our line. The smoke hung 50
heavily In the misty. morning air, that
/ could not see what had happened. |
called Tom Overton and Abner Duncan
Of my staff, and we gallored toward
Coffee's line. In few seconds afte:
ringing volley. AS l came within l5o
yards of Coffee the smoke lifted enough
for Inc to make out what was happen
ing.
The British were failing back in &
confused. disorderly mass, and the en-
tire front ranks of their column Were
blown away. For 200 yards in on,
front the ground was covered with q
mass of writhing. wounded. dead, ant
dying red-coats. BY the time the rifles
were wiped the British lines was re
formed, and on it came agaiu. Thi:
time they were led by Gen. Pakcnhan
III person. gallantly mounted, and rid
ing as though he was on parade. Jus
before he got within range of Coffee
line ] heard a single rifle she. from
# group Of country carts we had bcc!
Il. using. about Its yards distant. "ni
moment thereafter saw Pakenha.n rec
and pitch out Of his saddle. have al
ways believed that he fell frcn. bullc
tf u free man Of color, who was Il fam
ous rife shot, and from the Atakappa
region Q! Louisiana. The second ad