Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-12-27
WHEN GENHRAL JACKSON NHHUD
OPEN HOUSE I'M NEW ORLEANS


/ have heard my grandfather tell
time and time again of the reception
which Gen. Jackson gave to the British
on New Years day in the year OF grace
1916, and believe l a write it down
exactly as he repeated it to me, Tor
he was there, taking a very active part
in the ceremonies. if the reports OF his
superior officers are entitled to credit
AS of course they are.
You must know first of the situation
at New Orleans on the dawning Of this
New Years day, and that a be told
in few words.
General Jackson had on Christmas
day 1000 men, 20 pieces of artillery,
and two armed schooners with which
to defend the city; and the defense OF
New Orleans meant the defense OF
the state of Louisiana and the entire
Mississippi valley. The whole British
army consisted of 1000 land troops,
with a fleet numbering more than 50
vessels of all sizes and rigs, not a few
of which were well armed.
Two days after Christmas the enemy
had succeeded in destroying one of
Gen. Jeckson's vessels, the schooner
Caroline, thus leaving him only the
schooner Louisiana, and "a hours later
a battle was fought in which the Amer
leans gained a slight advantage.
Our people had thrown UP a breast
work three feet in height along the
entire front of the army, and now the
British built three half moon" batter
les, at equal distances apart, about 600
yards from Jacksou's line, arming
them with 80 heavy guns, which had
been brought up from the feet. These
batteries were formed of earth, hogs
heads of sugar, and, in fact, Of every
thing which it was supposed would
offer resistance to the missiles of the
Americans.
Then came New Years morning,
when both armies were hidden under
a dense fog which did not lift until
nearly eight o'clock; but as soon as
1t was possible to see surrounding OBJ
jects the British opened fire from their
batteries, and 1t seemed much as II
every gunner aimed at the house in
which was Gen. Jackson's headquar
tiers. In less than ten minutes the
building had been struck by more thar
a hundred shot and shell, and the com
mander-in-chief, with his staff, was
forced to seek some other place from
which to direct the troops in the battle
then just beginning.
American Fire Effective.
As a matter of course, the American
guns had not been silent while thu
enemy was pouring into the city sucl
a shower of iron. The 20 cannon
which had been mounted at differen
points along the line of breastworks
w~ere-~Qpened on the British batterie
on the levee, and those in front Of GU
position, until the enemy began to III
derstand that hogsheads of sugar o.
fered a poor resistance to a solid sho
for Immediately n was knocked int
Splinters its contents ran out, thereb
making big breaches in the works.
When this battle of the guns ha
continued for an hour or more, wit
the American lines comparatively I'll
harmed and the enemy's batterie
showing here and there great gar
which told that they would be spec
lily demolished unless there was
change in the method of fighting, til
British made a determined attack @
the left Of Gen. Jackson's line, whic
extended into the swamp, and m
grandfather was among those sent TO
ward to meet it.
And now to tell the story from m
grandfather's own lips, as 1t were:
when Coffee's Tennessee regimen
of which l was a member, gained TIL
portion of our line which the Britis
were threatening, they were advan
ing on the charge, most likely thinkiI
to brighten us by that long line Of eli
tening steel bayonets; but we hi
gone there for just such kind Of wor
and / venture to say that never one
us showed the white feather.
I'VE poured into their ranks a sho
er of lead which cut many a wide ga
but the Britishers only closed up t
line, coming forward like a machir
and showing us that Americans we
not the only ones who knew how to
at such a time.
We'll, for a few moments they &C
ally overran us with that line OF st,
points, and, having once discharg
our weapons, we had 10 chance to
load. The only thing for us, who (
not intend to be put out Of the ff
until 1t couldn't be helped, wal to gr
pie with that red coated machine,
we couldn't get nea enough, owing
the bayonets, to strike a decent bl
with our dubbed muskets.
1T was as rough-and-tumble a fi
as | ever saw, even when the CO
batants were unarmed, and the Fl
that we chung to them like cats v
what knocked the Britisher's out
time, for they, with all their exp'
encein such business, had never co
up against anything like It.
Struggle with Big Britisher.
1T was my Ill luck to get hold o
big Britisher. who was IL or 20 pour
the heavier, and stood q full hi
taller; but while he was trying to
me through with his bayonet, | ha'
chance to get the hold | wanted. |
down We went. Again had fortune
serted me, for while falling he 50 I
frfved u twist bis body that he fell
top, and for a few moments ! had a
~ nuch ~ / could do to keep pump