The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-09

\ Colonel Thornton made the advanced
on the western side.
4 The battle OF New Orleans lasted
only twenty-five mlnutes In those
twenty-five minutes regiment after
regiment OF British troops went inta
the jaws OF death and the Jaws closed
down upon them. AS they neared tho
American lines the men behind thu
breastworks moved them down. CAL
lnntly the British closed the gaps In
their ranks. sallantly they kept on.
but mon could not stand before tho
rain or bullets that came upon them
and at last they turned and fed Then
| another and another column advanced.
but only to add to the slaughter.
Fackenham fell
| General Gibbs fell. Generals. colo
nels, majors and captains fell until
there were few officers left to COM
mand the men. OF 5000 men sent into
action zoo were killed, 1,40o wounded
and 500 taken prisoners. And the
Americans los tonly eight killed and
thirteen wounded.
There was only one blot on the won
derful victory. The force sent to OPP
pose Thornton fed at the hrst fire
Had Thornton been earlier and his
force been larger he might have
reached New Orleans.
The British were permitted to re-
treat to their ships without interfer-
ence Jackson's force was too small
to risk an engagement except under
conditions OF his own selection. He
had done enough. with militiamen he
had defeated the conquerors OF Napo-
leon. He held New Orleans under mar
tial law until he got official notirca-
ton of the signing Of the Treaty OF
Ghent-the treaty that was signed long
before the battle of New Orleans was
fought.
The messenger from Washington
sent to advise him of the treaty sign
Ing broke all records on the trip, max
Ing the thirty-day Journey In nineteen
days, and then delivered a paper of
no Importance. having in his haste
picked up he wrong packet in depart
ing. Because Jackson put Judge in
jail who, chafng under the harshness
OF martial law. issued a writ of habeas
corpus which the General ignored tho
hero of New Orleans was arrested
month after his victory and fined
$1,000.
Court orders were trivial to tho
irascible soldier. So. too, were other
things when in the Seminole war he
went into Spanish territory In Florida,
took possession temporarily and
hanged Arbuthnot' and Armister as
British spies. One of them no doubt,
was guilty, the other not. but Jackson
saw the hand Of England in every
thing done to aid or comfort the rene.
gade Indians.
Jackson might be harsh and might
err grieyously at times. but to the peo-
pie he was glorious figure. In the
presidential campaign of 1924 he UNI
sGuestionably was entitled to the presl-
dency, but Wy a combination between
Clay and John Quincy Adams Congress
selected Adams when the issue was
left to Congress to decide.
There could be no such deal four
years later. Then he was elected by
an overwhelming majority, and again
four years later. He was not great
statesman, bnt he was good President
and few men left a greater impress on
his time. Never did he lose the affec-
lions OF the people. He was able to
choose his successor Martin Van Buren,.
and had much to do with the selection
of Polk to follow Van Buren,.
&, When he retired from the presidency
he had only $40 in the world aside
from few hundred acres Of his once
big estate. Several times he met
financial reverses. He never was
known to weep but twice, once when
his wife died and once when an old
friend to whom he applied for a loan
of $40. 900 sent the money and tried as
delicately as he could to get the old
soldier to accept 1t as a gift.
Sturdy and unbending he retained
his marvellous VIII power to the end.
He was but shell when the summons
came. one lung being gone completely
and only portion OF the other re-
manning. Perhaps nothing In all his
career was moro wonderful than his
hold on life, for although he bled
from the lungs every day for years.
although he was thin almost to ema-
citation, he lived to be more than
seventy-seven,
Copyright, 1910. by Richard spillane.