Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-01-08
BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS.

BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS.
One Hundred Years Ago Great Vic.
tory Was Won by Americans.
Written for The Yorkville Enquirer:
One hundred years ago today. q
great battle was fought in the city OF
New Orleans, between American and
British troops. And the strangest fact
of all was that the two nations engag-
ing in the fight were not at war when
the fight took place. 1t was during the
war Of 1912. For two years the Unit
ed States had been at war with Eng
land Neither side had gained any
really deciSive victory. Commodore
Perry and other American naval COM
manders had wiped out a number OF
English men-o'-war and merchant
vessels; while on the other hand, the
British had burned Washington and
done much other damage on land
Fourteen days before this battle, the
Treaty Of Ghent, by which peace had
been declared, had been signed. How
could the opposing armies in America
know Of the signing Of this declara
ton of peace in the Flemish town OF
Ghent? There were no cables under
the sea in those days; wireless tele-
graphy was an invention undreamed
of-neither were there steamboats,
The crossing Of the Atlantic was q
matter Of weeks, not days.
So for some time after the signing
Of this treaty the fighting went on
England had numerous soldiers in
America, and the Americans were
putting forth every effort.
This battle of New Orleans. fought
January s, 1915, was not a great bat
tie from point of numbers. 1t was de-
cisive however, and its outcome was
awaited just as keenly as are the re-
suits Of fights between the Allies and
Germans and Austrians in Europe, to-
day.
Sir Edward Packenham, who COM
mcrded the English troops at this
battle of New Orleans, was regarded
as being just as great soldier as Is
Earl Kitchener or Sir John French, in
England, at the present time. The
flower Of the English army was at his
command-the English people swore
by their general and his fine soldiers.
On the American side there were a
number of backwoodsmen, utterly un-
trained in the art of war. True. they
had fought in previous battles, and
many Of them were veterans Of the
Revolution; but between fighting and
blowing, they had never had the chance
to be trained in military tactics, etc.
as had their foes. Their muskets in.
cluded a wide variety Of manufacture;
and their uniforms-if they could be
termed as such, were never intended
for active service.
Andrew Jackson (Old Hickory their
commander, had a great deal Of expe-
rience in fighting Indians, but moi
English. Still he had the courage and
determination to win; and further
more possessed the love and esteem
Of his men.
For several days English ships
filled with English soldiers, had beer
lying in the harbor Of New Orleans
Old Hickory's troops were in The city
every man he could rake and scrape
about 5000 strong they were, and they
were kept busy making barricades
etc. of bales Of cotton.
1t was on a pretty morning that the
English made their attack, their IA
nous chieftain at the front. With
drums beating and flags flying they
advanced in solid formation; and
and when the order was given, they
made a rush to storm the cotton bar
ricades. There were 10000 Of these
splendid English troops-double the
number of Americans. The cottor
bales were not easily taken, however
and a whitening fire from American
guns met each and every attack
Charges of grape and canister were
poured into lneTl, anu lile cage
Americans even rushed from behind
their breastworks to grapple the ene-
my, whose musket fire and cannon
shots did little harm.
It was a short battle. In fact II
lasted only 25 minutes, historians say
The pride Of England could not with
stand such fire. Sir Edward Packen-
ham fell. His troops were dishearten-
ed. They broke and fled, leaving $500
of their number upon the field. The
American loss was eight killed and
thirteen wounded.
Next morning the English ships had
left the fair harbor of New Orleans. A
few days later news of the Treaty OF
Ghent was received, and remaining
English troops in the United States
took their departure for home. II
lacks only a few days Of being 1OC
years since English troops set foot on
coil fpac