The Portland daily press., 1897-01-02
BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS.
A Description Of the Engagement BY Gem
eral jackson.

In the January Century William Hugh
Robarts has an article entitled "Napole-
on 8 Interest in the Battle of New Or
leans" In this is quoted hitherto I'M
published letter written by General Jack
son to MIR. James Monroe. A portion of
the letter follows:
There was very heavy fog on the river
that morning, and the British had
formed and were moving before I knew
it. The disposition Of the rifiemen was
very simple. They were told off in num-
bers one and TWO. No. was to fire first
then step back ana let No. 2 shoot while
he reloaded. About six hundred yards
from the ri1emen there was great
drainage canal running back from the
Mississippi River to tho swarm in the
rear of the titled land on which we were
operating. Along this canal the British
formed, under the file of the few artillery
pieces had near enough to them to get
their range. But the instant saw them
| said to Coffee, whom directed to hur-
~ to his line, which was to be first att
tackled: "By --, We have got them;
they are OURS Coffee dashed forward,
and riding along his line, called out:
"Don't shoot till you can see their belt
buckles The British were formed in
mass, we'll closed up, and about two com.
panies front.
The Br tish, thus formed, moved Oh
at a quick step, without firing a shot, to
within one hundred yards of the kneel-
ing rifemen, who were holding their IRE
till they could see the belt buckles OF
their enemies. The British advance was
executed MS though they had been on
parade. They marched shoulder to shout
der, with the step of veterans, as they
were. At one hundred yards distance
from our line the orders were given:
extend column front. double quick,
march Charge." With bayonets at the
charge, they came on us at run. own
it was an anxious moment; ] well knew
the charging column was made up OF the
picked troops of tho British army. They
had been trained by the Duke himself,
were commanded by his borther- in-lAW,
and had successfully held off the Hblest OF
Napoleon Marshals in the Spanish cam
paign. My riflemen had never seen such
an attack, nor had they ever before fought
LIZ
their powder might not burn we'll.
"God help us.' l nuttered, watching
the rapidly advancing line. Seventy, SIX
ty, fifty, finally forty yards, were they from
tho silent &neeling rlflemen. All of my
men / could see was their long rifles
rested on the logs before them. They
obeyed their orders well; not shot was
fred until the redcoats were within forty
yards. l hoard Coffes S voice as he roared
out: "Now. men, aim for the csnter of
the cross-bslts. ire!' A second after
the order cracking blazing fash ran
all along our line. The smoke hung SO
heavily In the misty morning air that |
could not see what had happened. l
called Tom Overton and Abner Duncan,
of my staff, aud we Ralloped toward
Coffee's line. In few seconds after the
first fire there cams another sharp, ring
ing yolley. As came within one hun
dred and fifty yards of Coffee. the smoke
lifted enough for me to make out what
WAS happening.
The British were falling back in con-
fused, disorderly mass and the entire tr5t
ranks Of their column were blown away.
For two hundred yards in our front the
ground was covered with o mass OF with
ing wounded, dead and dying redcoats.
By ths time the rifles we're wiped the
British line was reformed, and on it came
again. This time they were led by Gen
eral Pahenham in person, gallantly
mounted, and riding as though, he was on
parade just before he got within range
Of Coffees line heard single rifle shot
from group of country carts we had been
using, about IT'S yards distant, and a
moment thereafter I saw Pakenham reel
and pitch out Of his saddle. 1 have al
ways believed he fell from the bullet of
free man of color, who was famous
rifle shot, and came from the Atakappas
region of Louisiana. The second advance
was precisely like the first in it's ending.
In five volleys the /, 500 or more Titiemen
killed and wounded 2. III british soldiers,
two-thirds of them killed dead or mortal
ly wounded. 1 did not know where Gen
eral Pakenham was lying, or l should
have sent to him. or gone in person, to Of
fer any service in my power to render.
1 was told he lived two hours after he
was hit. His wound was directly
through the liver and bowels. General
Keene. / hear, was killed dead. They
sent a flag to me, asking leave to gather
up their wounded and bury their dead,
which, of course, was granted. Twas told
by wounded officer that the rank and
file absolutely refused to make third
charge. eve have no chance with such
shooting az these Americans do" they
said.