Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1910-05-31
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TIN HE American soldlery were raj
81 lying 10 the defense Of the
beautiful Crescent City, and
for weeks the surrounding
country presented scenes Of unparal-
leled military activity.
The meager troops of the defenders
were gradually REINFORCED by the OPP
erations of the recruiting forces. which
were sometimes ruthless in their man
ner Of ''persuading" men 10 join the
army And there was need of men
grave need.
The commander Of the British forces,
Sir Edward Pakenham. had in his
forces the picked veterans of foreign
wars. 10000 Of them in all-men who
had braved the terrors Of continental
campaigns under Wellington-men of
Drawn and skill and courage, who side
by side with the bearded Prussians,
had shattered the Old Guard of Napo-
leon at Waterloo.
Surely this proud array would make
brief work of Andy Jackson's raga-
mullins; surely this rawboned Ameri-
can rebel. with his combined force Of
only $500 soldiers. most Of whom were
but half trained, had no hope Of pre-
vailing against the flower of the Brit
ish army. Thus reasoned Sir Edward
Pakenham and his staff Of gilded adj |
visers, little remembering that those
men are twice armed who war for
home. for country and for right.
The closing days of the war Of 1912 |
were momentous ones for the Ameri- |
can people Proud Britain, shorn Of |
her briefly tolerated right" TO search |
American ships for supposed subjects |
in the ranks of the seamen and pre-
vented from perpetrating other gross |
injustices on Americans and American |
property, was battling on land to re-
gain the prestige which Yankee BRAY
cry had so sorely shattered on the
high seas. And it was in the general
neighborhood of New Orleans that
was to be struck decisive blow to
demonstrate the superior force of the
one time mother country.
But when a nation produces Gilbert
Steeles to wage its wars in the ranks.
throwing their lives in the balance.
risking life and love for the stars and
stripes that wave above them, then
indeed must invaders look sharply to
their muskets and their saber edges
and learn to weigh oppone&ts in
scale giving record that does not lie.
Dawn, following the night when Gil
hort ctaoIn LOFT Aa1aioipa ia NQlattp
at the planters house, found him
stretched in troubled sleep on the
ground In the camp with his mates.
AS yet the hastily mustered detach-
ment TO which he belonged had not
been able TO secure tents for any save
the officers, for the infant nation was
but III supplied with funds to provide
necessities for it's defenders.
shortly after the first streaks of
morning light painted the eastern sky
a bugle sounded. followed by the rata
tat-tat-tat-tat of a drum-reveille-and
the rows OF sleeping men unwound
themselves stitliy from their blankets.
gathered the rolled coats which had
served as pillows and proceeded to fall
in line before the crudely constructed
cook shack. where coffee and beans
would be served 10 them for breakfast.
The day had come. and over Gilbert
Steele there stole houghts-thoughts
of Madeleine de valette- which sub
dued his ordinarily gay spirits and
caused his comrades 10 survey him In
wonder ANA regret
The day Of the bis light and Gilbert