Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-08
Anniversary, Has Come to Be OBJ
served as Political Festival.
REPORTS OF THE CONFLICT
Participants in Engagement Did Not
Know Peace With England Had
Been Arranged.

WoH sucH lnper1SnaDIe renOWn as to Sc
cure future political success leading him
into the presidency.
The treaty of peace had been signed be-
tween the commissioners Of the United
States and Great Britain on the previous
oath of December. but owing to the alb
sence Of steam and other modes of rapid
communication this was not known for
| some time after the battle. The battle
fought was the browning of series of
hostil!ties between the British army un-
der Sir Edward Rockingham and Gen.
jackson. Jackson commanding a small
force of the regular army with volunteers
from kentucky, Tennessee. Louisiana and
other states. and force of gunboats I'M
der Commodore It. ID. Patterson. The
history Of this battle was we'll told i'm
songs which made their appearance soon
after. describing 1t in detail. one of them
called THE Battle of New Orleans" an
other THE Hunters of Kentucky" The
latter is Wa remembered in many of the
old families. This battle placed the Sth
OF January on the calendar for celebra-
ton In ensuing years.
First Celebration Here.
Here in Washington the first celebra-
ton took place in 1917, in the form of a
banquet to the hero. and was given at
5,
now the Metropolitan. It was attended by
practically all the prominent military and
naval officers here at the time as we'll as
members Of Congress and government of
ficials. Coming at an unreasonable time
of the year for outdoor celebration, 1t was
usual to observe the event by q dinner
and by ball. some by subscription and
others of public character. given by the
military companies of the time.
When, however. Gen. Jackson resigned
his commission and became active in the
politics Of the day and in the legislative
and christened jackson day" and it
was observed by the Jackson clubs
throughout the country. In 1929 the Jack
son Democratic Association Of this city
was organized. and yet survives, and few
anniversaries prior to the civil war were
allowed to pass without a banquet by the
association.
Jackson's Official Reports.
The story is best told in the following
official reports:
Camp. Four Miles Below New Orleans.
January 0. 1916.
Sir: During the days Of the 9th and
7th the enemy had been actively employ
ed In making preparations for an attack
on my lines. With infinite labor they had
succeeded on the night Of the 7th In get
ting their boats across from the lake to
the river. by widening and deepening the
canal on which they had effected their
power to impede these operations by a
general attack: added o other reasons,
the nature of the troops under my COM
mand. mostly militia, rendered 1t too haz-
arduous to attempt offensive movements
in an open. country against a numerous
and well disciplined army
Although my forces, as to number,
had been increased by the arrival of the
ceived very little addition; a small por-
ton only Of that detachment being pro-
vided with arms. Compelled thus to wait
the attack Of the enemy. I took every
made. and to defeat the object he had
In view. Gen. Morgan, with the New
Orleans contingent. the Louisiana mi
litia, and strong detachment Of the
Kentucky troops, occupied an intrenched
camp ON the opposite side OF the river,
protected by strong batteries on the bank.
erected and superintended by Commodore
Patterson.
Advanced to the Attack.
I'm my encampment everything was
ready for action, when. early in the
morning of the 9Th, the enemy after
throwing a heavy shower Of bombs and
congreve rockets, advanced their columns
on my right and left, to storm my in
trenchments. 1 cannot speak sufficiently
in praise of the firmness and delibera ton
with which my whole line received their
aproach-more could not have been ex-
pected from veterans Injured in war.
For an hour the fire Of the small arms
was as incessant and severe as can
be lima gined. The artillery, too. directed
by officers who displayed equal skill and
courage, did great execution. Yet the
column OF the enemy continued to adj
vance with frmness which reflects upon
them the greatest credit.
Twice the column which approached
me on the left was repulsed by the
troops of Gen. Carroll, those of Gen.
Coffee and division of the Kentucky
militia. and twice they formed again and
renewed the assault. At length however
cut to pieces, they fled in confusion from
the field, leaving 1t covered with their
dead and wounded. The loss which the
enemy sustained on this occasion can
not be estimated at less than 1900 in
killed. wounded and prisoners Upwards
OF three hunred have already been de-
livered over for burial: and my men are
still engaged In picking them up within
my lines and carrying them to the point
where the enemy are to receive them
This Is in addition to the dead and wound
ed whom the enemy have been enabled
to carry from the field, during and since
the action, and to those who have since
died Of wounds they have received"
Disproportion Of Losses.
On the 13.il he sent another report. as.
ne states, The first sent by mail may
have msca:ried. In this he states the
enemy's loss at 2,5S3 in killed. wounded
and missing-5OO HOO and 4s3, respec-
lively Including the engagement in De-