THE PREPARATIONS FOR BATTLE. therefore, be the shortest and most tenable.* During the day and night of December 24 the British rushed the main body of their troops from the Isle aux Poix across Lake Borgne to the Bayou Bienvenu, and by Christmas morning more than 6,000 men had been concentrated at the Villeré Plantation, with Sir Edward Pakenham and Sir Samuel Gibbs in command. According to British authorities, their precise number on December 25, when Pakenham took command, was 5,040 rank and file. Afterward many more arrived, so that on January 6, 5,913 rank and file, or, including officers, not less than 6,500 Europeans, were encamped at Villeré's plantation. Besides there were two West India regiments numbering 1,043 rank and file, and about 1,200 marines and seamen; so that, deducting 800 men for camp duty, Pakenham could have put in the field a force of 8,000 disciplined troops, well officered and well equipped, to oppose whom Jackson had altogether about 5,000 infantry.† When Jackson retired from the field of the night battle, he halted his * Frost, Life of Jackson, p. 339; Adams, United States, vol. viii., pp. 345–352; McMaster, vol. iv., pp. 185-186; Phelps, Louisiana, p. 270; Stephen Crane, The Brief Campaign Against New Orleans, December 14, 1814, to January 8, 1815, in Lippincott's Magazine, vol. lxv., pp. 405-411 (1900); Latour, War in West Florida and Louisiana, pp. 89-112 and app. xxiii.-xxv. Adams, United States, vol. viii., pp. 352–354. See also C. T. Brady, The True Andrew Jackson, p. 91 et seq.; Charles Francis Adams, Lee at Appomattox and Other Papers. 75 A troops about five miles below New Orleans. Between the river and the swamp, the strip of open and cultivated land was narrower than elsewhere. A space of about 1,000 yards alone required strong defence. shallow, dry canal 10 feet wide (called the Canal Rodriguez) stretched across the plain from the river on one side to the swamps on the other. All day long the troops with the negroes of the neighborhood were busy deepening the canal and throwing up a parapet behind it.* Thus his front was a breastwork nearly a mile long, extending from the river into the swamp until it became impassable, and for the last 200 yards taking a turn to the The Louisiana descended the left. river to a point about two miles below Jackson's line, and about a mile below her in her old position opposite the British camp, lay the Carolina. Pakenham's first task was to drive away the two ships, since he could not allow his flank to be exposed to the fire of 15 or 20 heavy guns. Accordingly two days (December 25 and 26) were spent dragging 9 fieldpieces, 2 howitzers and a mortar across the swamps to the levee.† At dawn of the 27th, as the guns were ready, the British opened with hot * Latour, War in West Florida and Louisiana, p. 113; Lossing, War of 1812, pp. 1034-1035. Regarding the story of placing cotton bales in the breastwork, see Parton, Life of Jackson, vol. ii., pp. 110-111. Gleig (Campaigns, p. 310) gives these figures. See also Parton, Life of Jackson, vol. ii., pp. 112 et seq., 125. 76 THE ARTILLERY DUEL. shot and shell on the Carolina, which was soon set afire and destroyed.* The Louisiana was next attacked, but, after sustaining a severe fire, she was hauled beyond range and escaped up the river.f The way was then clear for an advance upon New Orleans, and the naval stores, artillery, and ammunition were brought up from the ships that the grand attack might be made without delay. This delay, though a short one, had enabled Jackson to strengthen his position and to make the needful preparations to impede the British advance. On December 28 the British army moved forward and continued the march for about three miles without halt or hindrance, but suddenly and to his great surprise, Pakenham beheld the half-finished breastworks of Jackson and immediately halted, fell back out of range, and ordered the troops to tent themselves.‡ The seamen were again set to work and guns were dragged through three miles of bog to the British headquarters. The Americans prepared batteries also and the plain # Cooper, Naval History, vol. ii., p. 145; Maclay, History of the Navy, vol. ii., p. 44; Roosevelt, Naval War of 1812, pp. 347-348, 469; Frost, Life of Jackson, p. 355; Parton, Life of Jackson, vol. ii., pp. 129-131. King, New Orleans, pp. 237-238; McMaster, vol. iv., p. 186; Adams, United States, vol. viii., pp. 355-356; Maclay, History of the Navy, vol. ii., pp. 44-45; Cooper, vol. ii., pp. 145-146; Roosevelt, p. 348; Lossing, War of 1812, p. 1035; Latour, War in West Florida and Louisiana, p. 118, and App. xxvi.-xxvii. Roosevelt, Naval War of 1812, p. 470; Parton, Life of Jackson, vol. ii., pp. 135-141. in their front was swept by 1 long 32-pounder, 3 long 24-pounders, and 1 long 18-pounder, besides which there were 3 long 12-pounders, 3 long 6-pounders, a 6-inch howitzer and a small brass carronade.* On the west bank of the river, about three-quarters of a mile away, Captain Patterson established a battery of 1 long 24pounder and 2 long 12-pounders, which covered the British batteries in flank. Thus the Americans possessed 16 guns, 6 of which were heavy pieces of long range. The British had about 30 pieces planted in eight batteries,† the main batteries being about 700 yards from Jackson's lines. Toward 9 o'clock on the morning of January 1, after the fog had risen, the British opened on Jackson's line with a heavy discharge of shot and a shower of rockets, but after the fire had continued without intermission more than two hours, the precision of the American gunners compelled the British gunners to abandon their batteries and desert their guns. On the other hand, the American works were comparatively uninjured, though three of the American guns, including the 32-pounder, were more * Latour, War in West Florida and Louisiana, p. 147 et seq. Buell (History of Andrew Jackson, p. 418) gives different figures. Gleig, Campaigns, p. 324; Adams, United States, vol. viii., pp. 357-361. See, however, the note in Roosevelt, p. 471. Latour, War in West Florida and Louisiana, p. 132. Buell, History of Andrew Jackson, vol. i., pp. 418-422; Frost, Life of Jackson, pp. 360-362; Parton, Life of Jackson, vol. ii., p. 156 et seq. THE BRITISH ATTEMPT TO FLANK JACKSON. or less damaged and two of the artillery caissons were blown up by the British rockets. The American loss was 11 killed and 23 wounded, while the British reported a loss of 76 killed and wounded and two missing between January 1 and 5, most of whom fell in the artillery battle.* Failing in these attacks and fearing to storm the American line, Pakenham decided to wait an entire week for Major-General John Lambert, then on his way with two fresh regiments. Meanwhile Admiral Cochrane suggested a plan for throwing a force over the river to turn Jackson's line from the opposite bank. Across the Mississippi opposite the British was Patterson's battery, and against this the British now prepared to move. Cochrane suggested that the draining canal in the rear of the Villeré plantation be deepened and extended to the river without the knowledge of the Americans. Thus boats might be floated to the back of the levee, dragged over its top, and launched on the Mississippi. Troops were then to be sent across to silence the battery, while the army in three columns, unhindered by the fire on their flank, fell upon Jackson's line.† The work was begun on January 4 and not until * Gleig, Campaigns, pp. 318, 325-326; Lossing, War of 1812, pp. 1038-1041; King, New Orleans, pp. 239-243; Adams, United States, vol. vii., pp. 361-366; McMaster, vol. iv., pp. 186-187; James, Military Occurrences, vol. ii., p. 370; Roosevelt, Naval War of 1812, pp. 471-473, Latour, War in West Florida and Louisiana, p. 135. + Roosevelt, Naval War of 1812, p. 475. VOL. VI-6 77 late on January 6, when it was completed,* did Jackson suspect the movement. On that day Lambert's division arrived.t The west bank was practically undefended when Jackson first heard that the British were about to occupy it. The guns of Patterson's battery were not in position to cover their own bank against attack from below. Major Latour had been engaged in laying out lines of defences on the west bank, but nothing had yet been completed. About a mile below the line of Jackson's work a bastion had been raised close to the river and near it a small redan or salient had been constructed, but this work was untenable in case of an attack from flank or rear. rear. It was occupied by 550 Louisiana militia in command of Colonel David Morgan. On the afternoon of January 7, after the British plan had been surmised, Morgan mounted 2 6-pounders and 1 12pounder on his lines, and late the same evening Jackson ordered 400 men of the Kentucky division to reinforce Morgan. They were to go to New Orleans first to obtain muskets, but upon their arrival there found only about 200 muskets, and as a result not more than 250 armed men, weary with marching and faint from hunger, reached Morgan's headquarters on the morning of January 8.‡ * Gleig, Campaigns, p. 329. Lossing, War of 1812, p. 1041; Parton, Life of Jackson, vol. ii., p. 170 et seq. Parton, Life of Jackson, vol. ii., pp. 177–178. 78 THORNTON'S ADVANCE; THE BRITISH PLAN OF ATTACK. Thus Morgan had less than 800 men with which to oppose whatever force the British might send to the attack.* Just as the Kentuckians arrived in Morgan's redoubt, the British on the eastern shore were forming to begin the assault. On the night of the 7th Pakenham detached about 1,200 men in command of Colonel Thorntont to cross the river and carry the American works there. Having effected Having effected this, Thornton was to signal his success and then Generals Gibbs and Keane were to make their attack. But Colonel Thornton was long in getting the boats afloat, and dawn had come before the first detachment of about 350 men had pushed off from the levee. Swept down by the current, the men landed about 6 o'clock far below the battery and formed as rapidly as possible. Meanwhile on the eastern bank Pakenham had drawn up his troops and was impatiently waiting for the first sound of Thornton's attack. As no signal came and fearing every moment's delay, Pakenham decided to begin the assault immediately. A rocket went up from the edge of the swamp, a single cannon answered from the American line, and then the artillery opened with a roar. The arrangements made by Paken Adams, United States, vol. viii., pp. 367-371; Roosevelt, Naval War of 1812, pp. 477, note, 479. † Buell (History of Andrew Jackson, vol. ii., p. 4) says only 980 men. Lossing, War of 1812, p. 1042. || Armstrong, Notices of the War of 1812, vol. ii., p. 170. ham for the assault were simple. Six of the 18-pound guns were mounted in battery, about 800 yards from the American line, to cover the attack. After Thornton's corps had been detached, the army was organized into three divisions, one of which, under General Gibbs, was to attack Jackson's left, a second under General Keane to attack along the riverside, and a third, the reserve, to be in command of Major-General Lambert.* The principal attack was to be made by Gibbs, commanding about 2,200 rank and file.† Keane had about 1,200 rank and file, while the reserve consisted of about 1,200 troops with the 200 artillerists and 500 troops of the West India companies. Thus, of the whole British force, 5,300 were to assault Jackson's lines, 1,200 were to cross the river and assault Morgan, and the rest were assigned to various duties.‡ To repel this assault, Jackson's numbers were the smallest element. His line of defence ran along the inner ridge of the Rodriguez canal, from the river bank to the woods, and thence to the swamp. On the plain it Gleig, Campaigns, pp. 330–332. † Parton, Life of Jackson, Gleig (Campaigns, p. 331) differently. * vol. ii., pp. 189–190. states this a little Roosevelt (Naval War of 1812, p. 476) makes the number of men 8,453 and, adding 13.3 per cent. for officers and others, a total of 9,600. Buell (History of Andrew Jackson, vol i., pp. 431-432) places the total force facing Jackson at 10,084, divided as follows: column of first attack under Gibbs, 2,392; column to support a second attack, under Keane, 2,660; reserve under Lambert, 5,032. |