The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1897-01-22
As jackson Told 1t.

lowing as JACKSON story Oh the famous
battle of New Orleans:
There was very heavy fog ON the
river that morning, and the British bad
formed and were moving before | knew
it. The disposition of the nhemen was
very simple. They were told off in
numbers one and two. No. l was to
fire first, then step back and let No. 2
shoot while he reloaded. About 600
yards from the rifemen there was
great drainage canal running back from
the Mississippi river to the swamp in
the rear of the titled land on which we
were operating. Along this canal the
British formed, under the fire of the
few artillery pieces | had near enough
to them to get their range. But the
instant l saw them l said to Coffee,
whom l directed to hurry to his line,
which was to be first attacked: "By-,
we have got them; they are ours! COT.
tee dashed forward, and riding along
his line, called out, Don't shoot till
you can see their buckles" The Brit
ish were formed in mass, we'll closed
up, and about two companies front.
The British. thus formed, moved on
at quick step, without firing a shot,
to within 100 yards of the kneeling
riAemen, were holding their fire till
they could see the belt-buckles of their
enemies The British advance was
executed as though they had been on
parade. They marched shoulder to
shoulder, with the step of veterans, as
they were. At 100 yards distance
from our line the order was given,
extend column front" double
quick, march! Charged With bayo-
nets at the charge, they came on as at
a run. | own it was an anxious mo-
ment; well knew the charging col
umn was made up of the picked troops
of the British army. They had been
trained by the duke himself, were COM
manded by his brother-in-law, and had
successfully held off the ablest of Ma
poleon's marshals in the Spanish cam
paign. My riAemen had never seen
such ar attack, nor had they ever be-
fore fought white men. The morning,
toe, was damp; their powder might not
burn we'll. "God help usP' l NUT
tered, watching the rapidly advancing
line. Seventy, 60, so, finally 40 yards
were they from the silent kneeling rife
men. All of my men could see was
their long rifles rested on the logs be-
fore them. They obeyed their orders
we'll; not shot was fired until the red
coats we're within 40 yards. | heard
i Cofee's voice as he reared out: "Now,
men, aim for the center Of the cross
belts! Firer' A second after the or
der a cracking, blazing flash ran all
along our line. The smoke hung so
heavily in the misty morning that
| could not see what had happened.
| called Tom Overton and Abner
Duncan of my staff, and we galloped
toward Coffee's line. In few seconds
after the first fire there came another
sharp, ringing volley. AS came with
in 100 yards of Coffee, the smoke lifted
enough for me to make out whit was
happening.
The British were falling back in a
confused, disorderly mass, and the en-
tire first ranks of their columns were
blown away. For 200 yards in our
front the ground was covered with a
mass of writhing wounded, dead, and
dying redcoats. By the time the rifles
were wiped the British line was reform
ed, and on it came again. This time
they were led by Gen. Pakenham in
person, CALAMITY mounted, and riding
as though he was on parade. Just before
he got within range of Coffee's line
heard single rife-shot from GROUP
of country carts we had been using, a
bout IT'S yards distant, and m meni
thereafter | saw Pakenham reel and
pitch out of his saddle. | have always
believed he fell from the bullet OF a
free man of ioor-who was famous
rifle shot, and came from the Atakappas
region of Louisiana. The second all
vance was precisely like tie first III il>
ending. In FIVE volleys the 1900 OF
more rifle men killed and wounded
PLY British soldiers, two thirds Of
them killed dead or MORALLY wounded
did not know where Gen. Pakenham
was lying, or l 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. His wound was through
the liver and bowels. Gen. 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, i granted. was
told by a wounded officer that the rank