The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-01-14

IN ms preparations, His difficulties
We're many and would have daunted
any one else less energetic and re-
sourceful The national government
was unprepared to give him the help
he needed and of some Of the soldiers
sent him jackson wrote the secretary
Of war. Hardly one-half Of the Ken
lucky troops SO long expected, are
armed, and the arms they have are
barely fit for use"
! The winter was an unusually severe
one for Louisiana, being season of
we'll nigh daily rainfall, and when the
Kcntuckian part Of the Tennesseean
troops reached their destination they
went into camp without tents or blan-
kets, and, lacking even straw for bed
ding, they lay down on the open mry
ground to sleep with the temperature
at times below the freezing point
This restitution and subsequent sun
fering at once enlisted the sympathies
of the public, The legislature of Lou
isiana, in session, promptly voted $4,000
for relief, to which generous citizens
added $4,000. With these funds ma
terials We're purchased The noble
women of New orleans. almost with
out exception, devoted themselves day
and night to making up the materials
into suitable garments. In one weeks
time the destitute soldiers We're sup
piled and made comfortable"
As it turned out, these bacllwoods-
men bore the brunt of the British at
tack and, by their marvellous marks
lnanship crumped up the British col
umns as they swept on confidently to-
ward the American breastworks.
According to one historian, New
orleans at that time contained 10000
inhabitants. They We're animated by
the best spirit, but the men capable
of bearing arms, including the reen-
forcements Of militia from Tennessee
and Kentucky-a part of which arrived
after the landing Of the British--dd
not exceed 1000. They were all officers
ular warfare.
ION the high road nine miles off,
with no obstruction or defensible point
between was a regular army consist
ing with the reenforcements which
came in before the final action, of
about $1,000 men-veteran troops, COM
manded by veteran officers-amply
provided, flushed with victory and full
of the confidence which itself so often
insures success"
Andrew Jackson's inspiring pres
ence rendered that little corps of un-
disciplined, raw, unproVided American
militia an effective and inyincible body
of fighting men. 1t was not until De-
cember that Old Hickory reached
New Orleans, and this is the picture OF
him handed down by a contemporary
At that time General Jackson was 8
little less than As years old
"A tall, gaunt man of very erect
carriage, with countenance fun OF
stern decision and fearless energy
but furrowed with care and anxiety
His complexion was sallow and I'M
healthy; his hair was iron gray, an(
his body thin and emacated like that
of one who had just recovered from q
lingering and painful Illness. But the
fierce glare of his bright and hawk
like gray eye betrayed soul and
spirit which triumphed over all the in
frmities of the body. His dress was
simple, almost threadbare. A small
leather cap protected his head, and {
short Spanish blue cloak his body
while his feet and legs were encased in
high dragon boots, long ignorant OF
polish or backing, which reached to
the knee"
Immediately upon his arrival, Gen
eral Jackson declared martial law
proceeded to review and organize his
troops, and set about rearing defenses
with the least possible delay. The de-
lenses consisted of earthworks sup
ported by double rows of logs covering
a distance of 1000 yards inland from
the river and terminating at the inner
edge of the levee in forest thanked by
an impossible swamp. The levee was
the only line of land approach for the
British upon 1t ran the public high
road and such was the narrow battle
field available Part of the ground to
be defended by Jacksens men was 80
miry that 1t could not support the
weight of guns, and here it was that
the Tennesseeans and Kentuckians
were distributed in the hour of final
trial. 1t was this portion of the earth
works that the enemy sought to carry
by sheer numbers, and Jackson had
expected this and accordingly placed
there the cream Of his riflemen.
/ The American defenses were unfin-
ished when news came at 1870 in the
Afternoon of December 20 that the
British had landed four miles below
Jacksons lines, the United States
forces themselves having their earth
works five miles below New orleans
along the old canal, which was utiliz-
Cd to facilitate the defense. General
Jackson with characteristic prompt
tude and energy decided to attack the
enemy that evening. At the same time
orders were given that the American
schooner Caroline drop down the riv-