The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-12-18
RESTS ON HIS MILITARY ACHIEVE
MEN'r All NEW ORLEANS.
ANDREW JACKSON AS A COMMANDER.
OF THE RED COATS
DY THE CELrO-AMERICAN.
ONLY EIGHT AMERICANS WERE KILLED.
BRITISH LOSS OVER TWO THOUSAND,
KILLED AND WOUNDED.

jackson knew what a great prize to
England New Orleans could become II
captured as Washington City had been,
says A. Oakley Hail. in l'mnk Leslic's
Monthly, for December One hundred
and fifty thousand bales OF cotton had
collected in the quaint French city be-
cause unable to be safely shipped, and
cotton was selling in the factory regions
abroad at fifty cents Il pound Incn
there, worth s2,Oo0O0o; and, moreover,
serviceable sea-going vessels were 1u.c
Mt the wharves, all worthy of capture
and prize money. Such knowledge
nerved Jackson to active tension of
plans. When he arrived In New Orleans
he found city Of mixed inhabitants,
divided against each other It's hctcro.
gcneous populace had only been recently
Americanized by the admission of Louis
iana to statehood. and tho old French
residents had not fully assimilatcd with
American feeling and condition. To all
appearances New Orleans was as ready
for British capture us had been the na-
tional capital. Jacksons hour of hero
ism had conc. and he was to be tho man
Of the hour.
Arrived In tho heart OF the city, jack
son brushed aside mere social attempts
Of welcome after the French methods,
and at once addressed himself to de-
fense. His mere presence had acted as
coalesence of peoples and infused order
and hope into distracting influences, for
his heroship with the Indians, as also
at Mobile and Pensacola, hnd become
household words, and what Wellington
had just become to London and Paris,
Jackson now was to New Orleans In
| deed. ho was the focus of obscrvnnt hope
all over the infant union, whose revolu-
tionary offspring were now renewing
that hatred Of George tho Thir--now u
truly mad king-which their sires had
cherished. Never was Jackson's ton
aclty of life more conspicuous or moro
fitted for the hospital than the camp,
with pnllid face and deep, shrunkcn owes,
and in constant pain from old wounds
and fatigue-this now of mind more
than even Of body--all spectators saw
that he was living on that will-power
which had secured to him his recent
name of Old Hickory; for although not
yet fifty years Old, he looked although
not acted. as a man beginning to ago.
In contemplating Jackson at this mo-
ment none should forget that great New
Yorker. Edward Livingston. who was
constantly beside him as aidc-dc -camp.
secretary. adviser and teacher.
Tho British will not enter your front
gate. said Jackson to the governor and
militia authorities. nlluding to the Mis-
sissippi mouth. "but by your back door,
referring TO the lakes. Wherefore, he
at once set out to Il personal Topographic
Cal survey of the surroundings OF this
rear entrance. Tho lakes were connected
by a strait, which ne Immediately forti-
fled. and on Lake Borgne, the connection
with the gulf In the direction of Mobile.
was Commodore Patterson, with SIX
gunboats and nearly 200 men, directed
by naval fighter of intrcpidity. of the
rank OF lieutenant. afterwnrd better
known as Commodore Ap-Cntesby Jones.
Meanwhile in Jamaica Bay, was conccn-
trated for immediate sni tho British
fleet of fifty armed vessels containing
some OF Lord Nelson's prizes. and undor
the command of Lord Nelson's Success
sor, Sir Alexander Cochrnne whilo 10. 900
sailors. 1000 relocated soldiers, and L.
500 marines were on board. A thousand
guns and thousands Of veterans were
preparing to Dollnce on comparatively
undefcndcd New Orleans and after it's
capture, to ascend the Mississippi, and,
as tho premier. Lord Castercagh,
phrased 1t. lay dcsolate nll Western
Yankee land and reconqucr tic old colo
nics. In due time the invaders arrived
both at the mouth of the Mississlpp
river and on the lakes. The portion q
the fleet at the former were-what with
the low water at tho Belize and the
trcachcr0us currcms-mrlctically hOry
du combat. and little Fort St. Philip,
well-manned through Jacksons plane.
| proved a profitable cause of delays:
wherefore. to the British ships ON Lake
Borgnc sole attention was given; and,
although the American gunboats did
their part Of opposition with skill and
courage. and made some havoc on Brit
ish decks. numerous and well-managcd
and exccllcntly armed cutters procured
q victory. and the British soldiers COM
menced to land within twelve miles of
the city. Panic began in the latter, and
a few British emissaries endeavored to
excite rising OF the slaves. who. how
ever, proved loyal. The governor and
legislature were more or less at odds.