The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-03-03
THEIR DEADLY FIRE.
THE AMERICAN RlFtEmEN AT THE
BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS.

A Description of the Engagement by Gen.
eral Jaokson-A Letter From 'oid Hick-
ory''-How Packenham's Veterans Were
Defeated by Frontiersmen.
In The Century William Hugh Rob
Irts has an article entitled ''Napoleon's
Interest In the Battle of New Orleans. "
In this is quoted hitherto unpublished
letter written by General Jackson 10 Mr..
James Monroe A portion of the letter
follows:
There was a very heavy fog on the
river that morning, and the British had
formed and were moving before knew
it. The disposition of the ri lemen was
very simple They were told OFF in Nos.
/ and 2. No. l was to fire first, then
step back and let No. 2 shoot while he
reloaded. About 500 yards from the rifle
men there was great drainage canal
running back from the Mississippi river
10 the swamp in the rear Of 'he titled
land un which we were operating. Along
this canal the British formed, under the
FIRE of the few artillery pieces l had
near enough TO them to get their range.
But the instant / saw them | said to
Coffee, whom l directed TO hurry TO his
line, which was TO be first attacked:
"By -, we have got them! They are
oursP' Coffee dashed forward, and, rid
ing along his line, called out, Don't
shoot till you can see their belt buckles!
The British were formed in mass, well
closed up, and about two companies
front.
The British, thus formed, moved on
at a quick step, without firing a shot. TO
within 100 yards of the kneeling rife
men, who were holding their fire till
they could see the belt buckles of their
enemies. The British advance was exc
cuted as though they had been on pa
rade. They marched shoulder to shoul-
der, with the step of veterans, as they
were At 100 yards distance from cur
line the order was given; Extend col
umn front! Double quick, marchi
chargel' With bayonets at the charge,
they came on us at run. ! own ii was
an anxious moment. ! well knew the
charging column was made up OF the
picked troops of the British army. They
had been trained by the duke himself,
were commanded 10y his brother-in-law
and had successfully held of the ablest
of Napoleon's marshals in the Spanish
campaign. Ny rifemen had never seen
such an attack, nor had they ever before
fought white men. The morning, too,
was damp. Their powder might not
burn well. ''God help usl' muttered,
watching the rapidly advancing line.
Seventy, 60, so, finally 40 yards, were
they from the silent kneeling rifiemen.
Aliof my men that could see was their
long rifles rested on the logs before
them. They obeyed their orders we'll
Not "a shot was fired until the redcoats
were within 40 yards. / heard Coffee's
voice as he roared out: ''Now, men, aim
for the center of the cross belts! Firep'
A second after the order a cracking,
blazing fash ran all along our line. The
smoke hung so heavily in the misty
morning air that 1 could not sea what
had happened. | called Tom Dverton
and Abner Duncan Of nay staff. and We
Gdl4OBtRA lON uAh 1bA4t1 > sAANH III ~ Wv
seconds after the first fire there came
another sharp, ringing volley. As /
came within $50 yards Of Coffee the
smoke lifted enough for me to make out
what was happening.
The British We're falling back in a
confused, fisorderly mass, and the en-
tire first ranks Of their column were
blown away. Fog zoo yards in our front
the ground was covered with a mass Of
writhing, wounded, dead and dying red
coats By the time the rifles were wiped
the British line was reformed, and on
il came again. This time they were led
By General PakeHhaaa in person, gall
lgntly mounted and riding as Though he
was ON parade. just before he got within
range of Coffce's line ] heard single
rife shot from group Of country carts
we had been using, about l75 yards dis
tant, and a moment thereafter ] saw
Pakenham reel and pitch out of his sad
die. have always believed he fell from
Ehe outlet Of freeman of color who
was famsHs rife shot and came from
the Atakappas region of Louisiana. The
second advance was precisely ike the
first in its ending. In five volieys the
1000 or more rifiemen killed and
~ounded 2,Il7 British soldiers, two
thirds of them killed dead or mortally
wounded. 4 dis pnt know where Gen
eral Pakenham was lying. ~ ] should
have sent to him or gone in person TO
offer any service in my power TO render.
was told he lived two hours after
he was hit. Ills wound was directly
through the liver and bowels General
Keene, ! hear, was killed. They sent
a flag go me, asking leave to gather
up their wounded a36 bury their dead,
which, of course. I granted. ! was told
by wounded officer that the rank ana
file absolutely refused to make third
Eharge. 1--WE have 10 chance with such
shooting as these Americans do" they
said.