USA > Louisiana > Orleans Parish > New Orleans > Standard history of New Orleans, Louisiana, giving a description of the natural advantages, natural history settlement, Indians, Creoles, municipal and military history, mercantile and commercial interests, banking, transportation, etc. > Part 14
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Though Aaron Burr was finally arrested and brought to trial, he was ac- quitted with the verdict "not proven." His life, however, was ruined, his hopes blasted, his pride crushed ; a fitting end for a traitor, whose discharge from the courts of law will never exonerate him in the pages of the just and careful his- torian.
Thus terminated the famous Burr affair in New Orleans, for their part in which General Wilkinson and Governor Claiborne were publicly thanked March 27, 1807, in addresses, to which they made fitting response.
While the foregoing events may seem trivial and their details unnecessary, they were of great importance in the evolution of New Orleans as a city of the United States. Her mettle was tried, her patriotism proved, her pulse felt, and in this manner preparation made for a great conflict, towards which, even then, events were slowly tending, and which was to prove, beyond doubt, the fidelity of our city and the valor of its inhabitants.
It may be as well to speak briefly of the fact that in April, 1809, General Wilkinson arrived in New Orleans with a number of United States troops, in the collecting of which he had been authorized by the Secretary of War, a conflict with Great Britain seeming at that time imminent and impending. These troops were quartered in the unhealthy lands of Terre aux Boeufs, about eight miles below the city, and in a few months 795 had perished out of 1,953. This fact, with other causes, rendered Wilkinson very unpopular, and in December he was succeeded by General Wade Hampton, father of the famous Southern soldier.
We will pass over the revolt of Bayou Sara in 1810 against the Spaniards, and the various events that, April 30, 1812, made Louisiana a state, with the faithful Claiborne still at her head as governor. We now come to the War of 1812, in which New Orleans played so important a part, that its causes must be briefly mentioned, although they belong to the history of the United States. In order, however, that events may be seen in their proper perspective, some mention must be made of affairs which shook the whole country, and filled with anxiety and eager longings the inhabitants of New Orleans.
The arrogance of England, and the cool impertinence of her attitude. toward the United States, were enough to justify a declaration of war on the
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part of Jefferson, who was president in 1808. England and Franee were then at war, and the former, by her "orders of eouneil," forbade any traffie of Amer- iea with the latter, or with any of the French dependeneies.
This gave Great Britain boundless liberties in examining our ships and seizing our seamen, under the pretense of searching for British deserters. France, by her retaliatory measures, the Berlin and Milan decrees made matters worse, and Jefferson's famous embargo aet was the last straw upon the back of crippled American commerce. True, this act of Jefferson's was repealed just before the inauguration of Madison ; but, though America showed great patience under her afflictions, and was indeed averse to war at that particular time, it beeame unavoidable, and on June 18, 1812, was deelared by aet of Parliament, the motion being carried by a vote of 79 to 49 in the House of Representatives, and by 19 to 13 in the Senate, and the peace-loving president signified his ap- proval of the aet.
For the first year or two of the war but little active part was taken by New Orleans, though on the 15th of July, 1812, Brigadier-General Wilkinson as- sumed.command, and a steamboat was sent down to Fort St. Philip for the pur- pose of reeonnoitering. It returned September 2 without having seen a sign of the enemy. By the 20th of December six uniformed companies of militia were ready for action in the city, and on that day the Seventh U. S. Infantry, which had been quartered at Pass Christian, marched into town under Major Gibson. January 6, 1813, the Third U. S. Infantry, under Colonel Constant, arrived. The Orleans Guards, Captain Reynolds, and Louisiana Blues were ready for action, also.
On January 12, 1813, the ship Jane, from Greenoek, Scotland (twelve men and twelve guns), the first really valuable prize of this port, was taken by the privateer sehooner Spy, and brought to New Orleans.
It was in 1814 that events began to erowd thiek and fast. Colonel Nicholls, the British commander, then at Pensaeola, Florida, sent emissaries and proc- lamations endeavoring to incite the Louisianians to revolt, promising to restore them to Spain, holding out tempting offers, threatening, entreating, command- ing. All this was received with contempt by those to whom it was addressed, who, while they might distrust each other, remained universally faithful to their country. The Creoles then, as always, were loyal patriots and brave soldiers, and even those of Spanish descent did not love the British sufficiently to yield to them. However, the knowledge of Nicholls' manœuvers caused great anxiety
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in the city, and, being reported to the government by Claiborne, caused active measures to be taken ; and the news soon came that volunteer troops would be sent from Kentucky and Tennessee, and that Andrew Jackson, the most famous officer in the American army, would take command. (Dimitry.)
The citizens of New Orleans, thinking it time to do something toward the defense of their city, held a meeting September 15 (1814) at Tremoulet's coffee house, Edward Livingston, a true patriot and brilliant orator, presiding, while Richard Relf acted as secretary. A committee of nine men, as follows, was ap- pointed to co-operate with the government for the safety of the state: Edward Livingston, Pierre Foucher, Dusan de la Croix, Benjamin, George M. Ogden, Dominique Bouligny, J. Noel Destrehan, John Blanque and Augustin Macarty.
During the meeting the charge of disaffeetion toward the government, made by the British, was indignantly denied, and on the 24th of the month the com- mittee published a fine address written by Livingston, which did much to excite the patriotism of the eity. But when Legislature assembled November 10th little was done, the mutual distrust and lack of confidence crippling the entire body, and six weeks after it convened we find Louis Louaillier, chairman of the committee of ways and means, complaining that "No proof appears of patriot- ism, but in a disposition to avoid all expense, all fatigue." In faet, suspicion and hesitation and confusion ruled the city until the arrival of General Jackson December 2, 1814, when order and confidence were restored, proving how much the personality of a great man can do. Even the dread of England, which had humbled "the mighty Napoleon," failed to benumb and paralyze the efforts of our brave New Orleanians toward the defense of their country.
There is a little story told to the effect that the old housekeeper of J. Kilty Smith, at whose home on the Bayou St. John Jaekson was received, was much disappointed when she saw, instead of an imposing looking general, "an ugly old Kaintuck flat boatman." But whatever his appearance, Jackson was a mili- tary genius, and his power was felt from the moment of his arriving in New Orleans.
An interesting episode previous to these events was the expedition against the Baratarian smugglers (by some called pirates), who, with their brave leaders, Pierre and John Lafitte, occupied the Island of Grand Terre. On his arrival the indefatigable Colonel Nicholls had made overtures to this band, offering John Lafitte $30,000 and a captaincy in the British army. This offer was re-
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fused, and Lafitte instead proffered his services to Governor Claiborne. The governor, acting on the advice of the officers of the army, militia and navy, rc- · fused this offer, and instead sent an expedition, which captured the Baratarian stronghold in September, 1814. Jackson, however, accepted the services of the Lafittes and the Baratarians, who fought so well that they received the general's thanks and a full pardon at the close of the war.
The troops at this time in New Orleans did not present a very formidable appearance; in the seventh and forty-fourth regiments of the United States be- tween seven and eight hundred men; Major Planche's battalion of volunteers, 500; two regiments of state militia, containing about 1,000, besides 150 sailors and marines, and a battalion of free colored men, making in all an aggregate of 2,000. On the river were two men-of-war, the ship Louisiana and the schooner Carolina, but neither was in a state of preparation. When, on December 19th, General Carroll had arrived with 2,500 Tennesseeans, and on the 20th General Coffee with 1,200 riflemen from the same state, the forees amounted to between six and seven thousand men, ineluding United States regulars, Louisiana voluu- teers and militia and the Tennesseeans. Those old enough to be exempted from duty had joined in companies of veterans, formed to preserve order. The people were by this time aflame with zeal, and were working tooth and nail for the preservation of their city.
On the 18th of December Jackson reviewed all troops in New Orleans, and a fine address was read by Edward Livingston to the embodied militia, to the battalion of uniform companies and to the men of color. The following is a brief extract :
" Natives of the United States: They are the oppressors of your infant politieal existence with whom you have to contend ! They are the men your fathers conquered whom you are to oppose. Descendants of Frenchmen ! Na- tives of France ! They are English, the hereditary, the eternal enemies of your ancient country, the invaders of that country you have adopted, who are your foes ! Spaniards ! Remember the conduct of your allies at St. Sebastian and recently at Pensacola, and rejoice that you have an opportunity of avenging the brutal injuries inflicted by men who dishonor the human race."
Major-General Villere of the state militia withi 600 men reached the city on the 29th.
Later (early in January) General Thomas and General Adair, with 2,000 poorly equipped Kentuckians, joined our forces. So ragged and miserable were
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these men, and also some of the Tennesseeans, that on the suggestion of Louail- lier an appropriation of $6,000 was made for their relief. This was swelled from other sources to $16,000, and the ladies of New Orleans made up the ma- terial purchased into wearing apparel, which in about a week was distributed and put to use. We are, however, anticipating events, for an affair of much importance took place about the 12th of December. This was the Battle of Lake Borgne.
In November the magnificent fleet of the British, at least fifty armed ves- sels, was sighted off Pensacola. The largest was the Tonnant, an eighty-gun boat, won by Nelson at the battle of the Nile, and commanded by the dreaded Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane. Among the ships were five of seventy-four guns, one of fifty, one of forty-four, several of thirty-eight, one of thirty-six, one of thirty-five, several of thirty-two, five of sixteen guns, three bomb crafts, eleven transports and various other vessels; in all, about 1,000 guns, 10,000 sailors and the army of 7,500. The entire British expedition against Louisiana amounted to 14,450, in three divisions, General Sir Edward Packenham being commander in chief, General Gibbs commanding the first division, General Lam- bert the second, General Keane the third. The fleet was under Admirals Coch- rane, Codrington and Malcolm. The British fleet reached the entrance to Lake Borgne December 10, 1814, and light draft vessels with troops immediately entered that body of water. A little American flotilla of five gun-boats, 182 men and twenty-three guns, under Commander Thomas A. Jones, was then recon- noitering in Lake Borgne. Pursued by the enemy (forty-three barges, with as many cannon and 1,200 men, under Captain Lockyer), and prevented by the winds from escaping, the little flotilla stood at bay, near the Rigolets, and after a gallant fight both Jones and Parker, who took his place, being severely wounded, was compelled to surrender to the enemy. The American loss was ten men killed, forty-five wounded; of the British nearly 300 were killed and wounded. This battle left New Orleans defenseless, and the enemy master of the lakes.
Jackson had been indefatigable in measures for the defense of New Or- leans. He had visited the forts and had them strengthened, and others estab- lished. He had had Bayou Manchac and other outlets leading from the Mis- sissippi to the lakes, closed; and after the battle of the 12th had sent Major Lacoste with the dragoons of Felicina, and the battalion of colored men to the rear of the city. Another "colored" battalion was formed, chiefly of refugees
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from St. Domingo, and placed under the command of Major Daquin. Seven- teen thousand dollars was given to Jackson to use in such fortifications and batteries as he might deem necessary, and $11,000 more was afterward given him for the same purpose. Hands were asked of the planters to assist in build- ing, and were supplied in great numbers. Debts were forgiven, inducements held out to volunteers, the writ of habeas corpus was suspended, and strict mar- tial law declared. The people did everything in their power to assist. Special mention should be made of the fact that the French subjects, instead of taking shelter in their nationality, eagerly volunteered their services, being urged to do so by the French consul, the Chevalier de Tousac.
On the night of December 21, a detachment of the British army (which had landed at Pine Island), reached Villere's Canal, through the Bayou Bienvenu (it is thought, owing to the treachery of some Spanish fisherman). On their way they captured a little band of nine Americans, stationed as an outpost on the Bayou de Catiline. On the 23rd, a force of about 3,000 British troops sur- rounded Villere's plantation, in which was a company of militia, and took them all prisoners. Young Major Villere, however, made his escape, and, having killed his favorite dog to avoid detection on the road, reached the city about two o'clock, in time to warn General Jackson of the enemy's approach. Jackson hastened to station his men in what he thought the best manner; a detachment of artillery, with two field pieces and a body of marines being sent in advance; the Tennessee riflemen, Mississippi dragoons and Orleans riflemen, to a planta- tion two miles below the city, followed by the battalion of negroes, 44th regiment, and a battalion of the city militia. Claiborne and two regiments of the state militia undertook to guard the Gentilly Road in case of a possible approach from Chef Menteur. The Carolina, under Commodore Patterson, was sent toward the enemy.
Jackson, in this emergency, acted with great promptitude and energy. The same quickness and activity on the part of the British might have made New Orleans theirs. But they delayed, and when at half-past seven, Jackson and his troops having reached the Villere plantation, the Carolina fired a terrific broadside in among the British, they were fairly dazed for a moment, and a hundred of them were slain before they had grasped the situation. Most of them, in fact, were engaged in preparing supper.
When ready for battle, Jackson's left wing was drawn up in line between Lacoste's and Laronde's plantations. The seventh and forty-fourth regiments
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formed a battalion before the enemy, and soon commenced fire. To the right were Planche's and D'Aquin's battalions, and toward the wood, eighteen Choc- taw Indians, commanded by Captains Jugeaut and Allard. To Colonel Ross was given superior command of the battalions of militia. Coffee's division came later, to fall on the rear of the enemy, and 350 of the state militia, stationed at English Turn, under Captain Morgan, advanced to assist, upon hearing the guns, but, not being able to find their way in the darkness, retreated. The artillery occupied the high road.
The Br tish boats were, meanwhile, busily landing reinforcements to the number of 2,500 men, the 21st, 44th and 93rd regiments, and a division of ar- tillery. The 1st regiment was stationed at an angle of the road. Other troops were stationed on the sides of the levee; outposts were between Laronde's and La Coste's plantations, and among the negro huts of the latter place. A detach- ment of the rocket brigade was placed behind the levee, and a few cannon near Villere's sugar works. In a'l, there were 4,500 of the enemy ; less than 2,200 of our men. The battle that followed Jackson's command, "Now, boys, give it to them for the honor of America," was full of confusion in the darkness. At one time, some of Planche's men took the 44th for British troops, and com- menced firing on them. But, though nothing was really gained, neither side be- ing victorious, the British loss was over 400, killed, wounded and prisoners ; ours, 24 killed, 115 wounded and 75 prisoners. This is on Engineer Latour's authority.
Meanwhile, in the city, great anxiety was felt, owing to a report that Jack- son had given orders to blow up the powder magazine and set fire to the houses if the enemy were successful; and also that the British were inciting the slaves to rebellion. Confidence in the General, however, returned with the morning.
After the battle of the 23rd, Jackson complimented: "The 7th, led by Major Pine, and the 44th, by Colonel Ross ; the battalion of city militia under Major Planché, who behaved like veterans; Savary's brave colored men; the city riflemen, and Colonels Butler and Piatt, Major Chotard, Colonel Haynes, Messrs. Livingston, Duplessis and Davezac, Colonel de Laronde, Major Villeré of the Louisiana Militia, Major Latour of the engineers, and Drs. Kerr and Flood."
Jackson decided at daybreak to retire to his position behind Rodriguez Canal, in reality an old mill-race, partly filled and covered with grass.
On the 27th the British, by hot shot, set fire to the Carolina, and after she
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had been abandoned by the crew, her powder magazine blew up. On the 28th, their artillery played on the Louisiana, but she answered with such tremendous fire that after seven hours of cannonading, the enemy's columns were broken and forced to retire, to the great credit of the Louisiana and of Lieutenant Thomp- son. The British were forced to abandon several batteries which they had erected on the river the night before. Rockets were thrown all day, but while terrifying at first to the American forces, unaccustomed to such means of war- fare, they did little damage to troops drawn up or behind ramparts. On the 28th we lost 7 men killed, 10 wounded, among the former Colonel Henderson of Tennessee. The British lost perhaps two or three hundred.
On the 1st, as soon as a heavy fog had lifted (about 8 A. M.), three batteries of the British opened fire on General Jackson's headquarters, but were answered so vigorously that about 1 P. M. two were abandoned. The swampy ground in- terfered greatly with the progress of the British.
About this time the second division of the Louisiana militia, under Major General Thomas, arrived from Baton Rouge.
The culminating battle of the war occurred on the 8th, which is to-day cele- brated as a legal holiday. Jackson had intrenched his forces behind the ancient mill-race that ran, in appearance, like an old draining ditch along the Rodriguez and Chalmette plantations, five miles below the city. A parapet was raised, which on the 8th extended cannon proof as far as the woods. The levee had been broken in places, and the water allowed to flow in so as to insulate the enemy as much as possible. In making the embankment, cotton bales were tried, but did not prove cannon proof.
The American troops were stationed as follows :
On the levee road Battery No. 1, under Captain Humphreys of the U. S. artillery ; in the most elevated position, seventy feet from the river bank, Battery 2, under Lieutenant Norris ; 90 yards from No. 1, and 50 from No. 2, Battery No. 3, under Captains Dominipa and Bluche; 20 yards from No. 3, Battery No. 4, under Lieutenant Crawford; 170 yards from No. 4, Battery No. 5, under Colonel Perry and Lieutenant Kerr; 36 yards from No. 5, Battery No. 6, under Lieutenant Flaujeac ; 190 yards from No. 6, Battery No. 7, under Lieu- tenants Spotts and Chauveau ; 60 yards from No. 7, Battery No. 8, under a cor- poral of artillery. Planche's Battalion was between 2 and 4; D'Aquin's colored regiment between 4 and 5.
At the bend where the woods began, in a miserable mud hole, General Coffee
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and General Carroll, with their Tennesseeans and Kentuckians, awaited the enemy. There was a redoubt on the river, and a company of the Seventh Regi- ment, under Lieutenant Ross.
On the British side were regiments 4th, 44th, 21st, 85th, 93rd and 95th.
A thick fog enabled the enemy to approach very close, sixty or seventy deep, before they were perceived. They had repaired their abandoned batterics. When Jackson gave the signal, and his men three cheers, a perfect volley of artil- lery ensued on both sides.
On the opposite bank of the river, with batteries which Commodore Patter- son had erected, was General Morgan with the Orleans contingent, the Louisiana militia and Kentucky troops.
The enemy continued to press forward for an hour in spite of the incessant fire. General Packenham, the commander, General Gibbs and General Keane werc mortally wounded, and the command fell to Lambert. It was evident after a while that the British were falling back. Colonel Rennie, the brave com- mander who, with a detachment, stormed the redoubt, was killed just as he leaped on the wall, and the city riflemen mowed down his men.
But as victory seemed certain on the left of Jackson's line, the right fell back. There is much excuse to be made for this, as they were in an exceedingly difficult position-in a regular swamp, faint with hunger and greatly fatigued. General Humbert with a reinforcement of 400 came to their aid; but it was not until a truce had been sought for to provide for the dead and wounded, and Lambert during its negotiation had crossed the river, that Jackson was able to retake the former excellent position of his right-hand troops.
Across the river General Morgan was attacked by the Britishı, under Colo- nel Thornton, and, being taken by surprise, his men were routed. But the British did not follow up this victory, and it did not benefit them.
The day was really ours when, at 10 o'clock A. M., General Lambert re- quested a temporary truce that the dead and wounded might be cared for. The actual fighting is said to have lasted only about an hour. The detachment which Lambert expected as a reinforcement failing to pass Fort St. Philip, the British commander decided to evacuate, and on the night of January 18th the enemy silently stole away, leaving, according to Dimitry, their huts and flags, with stuffed uniforms for sentinels. Much credit is due Jackson for the fact that he did not attempt to pursue the enemy, wisely concluding that the lives of his brave soldiers were of more account than the glory which might accrue to him from taking a number of prisoners.
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The American loss during the entire campaign consisted of 55 killed, 85 wounded, 93 missing; total 233. Only 13 were killed and wounded on the 8th.
The entire British loss, according to Major-General Lambert, was as follows : Killed, 1 major-general, 1 lientenant-colonel, 2 majors, 5 captains, 2 lieutenants, 11 sergeants, 1 drummer and 266 rank and file; wounded, 2 major-generals, 3 lieutenant-colonels, 2 majors, 18 captains, 38 lieutenants, 9 ensigns, 1 staff of- ficer, 34 sergeants, 9 drummers and 1,126 rank and file; missing, 3 captains, 12 lieutenants, 13 sergeants, 4 drummers, 452 rank and file ; in all, 289 killed, 1,242 wounded and 484 missing, an aggregate loss of 2,015.
In the brief relation of the foregoing battles I have followed rather closely the accounts of Major Latour and of Judge Martin, both of whom are careful historians and were present on the scene of action. Major Latour speaks poet- ically of the laurel and cypress growing in such abundance among the swamps near the scene of these events. The laurel seemed to wave for the Americans ; the cypress for the brave British soldiers, who, after fighting against the famous army of Napoleon, fell before our inexperienced militiamen.
In reality, the Battle of New Orleans was fought after the War of 1812 was at an end; for the Treaty of Ghent had been signed on the 24th of Decem- ber, but the news did not reach this country till the 18th of February. It was not till March 13th that Jackson was officially notified of the conclusion of the war, and in the meantime, being determined to preserve martial law, he had become involved in controversies with the editor of the Louisiana "Gazette," whom he "muzzled" for publishing premature news of peace; with the French consul, who dispensed certificates of French citizenship to assist in evading the military rule, and whom Jackson ordered to leave the city in three days; with Louis Louiaillier, who published in the Louisiana "Courier" an article criticising these high-handed proceedings ; with Judge Dominie A. Hall, who granted to Louiail- lier a writ of habeas corpus; and with Mr. Hollander, who expressed disapproval of the general's actions. The three last offenders were arrested, but on the ar- rival of news from Washington were released. Afterwards Jackson was fined $1,000 by the United States District Court, which fine he paid without com- plaint. At the close of March he left the city.
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