Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1905-03-02
PERSONAL STORY
OF the Battle of New Orleans Left Unpublished
by Rev. William Calhoun Love, Who Died
in Frcdona in 1872.

thrn cred. he was nearly whirlcd round.
our company got an OLD keel boat with
only two small oars and, knowing the
suiftucss oi the stream, / fully expected
that Wo would land below the ecemy,
who were coming up, as ! thought
seeing many coming UPON the other
side of the river
Wc were ordered 90 load our guns and,
seeing The chances, as / thought. against
us. j couldn't eat my bread. / offered
Do to scYoral around me, but they all
SHOOK theirhcads.
loaded my gun and stood In silence
tlii Wc got over. We then marched down
the Ieyce, through the rain, aud, when
tine rain ceased, We were ordered again
to shoot of our guns, Mine failed TO
hro did nothing but flash.
] borrowed a Ratchet from a comrade
and sat down in the muu 10 unbreech
her aud while / was at this work the
order came 90 march. ! picked up the
barrel iu one hand and the stock in the
other and on | went, until we called a
halt to sec how many soldiers we could
gather cap that had run.
got some help and m getting the
hrDechpin out the load fell out. / could
not tell Tor certain, but nave ever been
OF the opinion that | had loaded her
with tho cartridge wrong end down,
which explained her failure TO 90 of.
While waiting Tor achievements TO
cross Ias wo could not gather 100 that
had been boo tie battle on the went side
of che river, they having shattered into
the svamps like so many wild turkeys,
I started out amongst the orange groves
and came across, hidden in a ditch, a
considerable amount OF household
plumber.
was interested IN nothing but nice
new tin bucket, with a lid, that would
hold about three quarts. needed Just
such bucket, and hooked IL.
We lay all night in ditch and, on
Monday morning, we received a new re
enforcement, and formed in three divi-
.ion- and marched down, determined TO
rctake our ureastworks, but before the
reinforcement crossed over, or rather on
Sunday evening, large sugar house was
discovered by some OF our boys, about
halt way between as and the enemy.
Several Of our party went down aud
brought up loads OF sugar. IL was said
at first that the British we're run out OF
tine sugar house.
AN got what they could eat and their
pockets full Besides, | filled my little
tin bucket and carried II back to our
camps on the cast side OF the river.
one division marched down on the
river, one lu the center and one in the
edge uf the swamp. | was in the center
division. Al was as silent as death
not a word spoken except 10y an officer,
and that was: keep dressed
The soldiers all looked, and no doubt
felt as solemn as death. | know that |
did. The most OF Us supposed that we
might want our handkerchieis To- band
ayes, aud we poured out our sugar on
the ground. You could see piles OF 1t as
we marched along,
Down the river some distance there
was mill run dug out from the river to
Inc swamp and the dirt thrown out on
enc side some four feet high. This OBJ
scured our sight below.
/ expected as soon as we crossed to
hear the enemy's cannon open upon us,
INIT TO our great Joy we there met our
scouts. who informed US that the British
had fed and recrossed the river.
No sooner did we get this information
than the heavens were seemingly rent
with shouts.
We were now marched back and re,
crossed the river and dismissed, and
were told to occupy our old camps. |
was so sore and stiff from the race the
dav before that il was with considerable
difficulty that reached camp
When we got there all our provisions
had heen stolen, and il was now night
and nothing to eat. Next morning we
drew provisions, but before we could