USA > Louisiana > The history of Louisiana : from the earliest period, Volume II > Part 22
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28
329
THE FIFTEENTH.
1814]
fore he made his final determination known. He instantly sent to a merchant in New-Orleans, the letter he had received and Nichols' proclamation, with directions to communicate them to Claiborne, and deliver him a letter, in which Lafitte offered his services, and those of his people, to defend the part of the state he occupied, or be otherwise employed against the enemy; asking only that a stop might be put to the proscription of his brother, himself and their adherents, by an act of oblivion. He con- cluded with the assurance that, if his request was not granted, he would forthwith leave the state to avoid the imputation of having co-operated in an in- vasion of Barrataria.
Claiborne called together the principal officers of the army, militia and navy, and laid before them Lafitte's letter, and the papers he had received; they recommended, that he should not have any inter- course, or enter into correspondence with any of those people. Major general Villere and Claiborne were the only persons, at this meeting, who disap- proved of the recommendation.
At the expiration of the delay, captain Lockyer came to the place indicated, to receive Lafitte's final answer, but being met by no one he returned.
Early in this month, the quota of the militia in the state, which had been ordered to be held in readiness, in consequence of a requisition of Jackson, who had succeeded Flournoy, in the command of the seventh military district, was directed by Claiborne to rendez- vous in New-Orleans, to be organized and taken into the service of the United States.
Fort Boyer, the fortification which Wilkinson, after the Spanish garrison was driven out of Fort Charlotte, VOL. II. 42
1
.
330
CHAPTER
[1814
at Mobile, had erected, on a point of land which com- mands the entrance of Mobile bay, was found a great obstacle to the operations of the British in Louisiana, and an effort was made, in the middle of September, to take possession of it.
Commodore Perry, with a flotilla of four vessels of war, in which he had brought Nichols and his troops to Pensacola, took on board thirteen hundred men, six hundred of whom were Indians; his ships had ninety-two pieces of heavy artillery. Major Law- rence, who commanded the fort, had a garrison of one hundred and thirty men and twenty pieces of cannon. Perry landed a part of his soldiers, who erected a battery, the guns of which and those of the ships, be- gan at once a tremendous fire: but the fort was so gallantly defended and his own ship was so injured that he was obliged to set fire to her: the other three were so absolutely disabled, that the commodore took the men he had landed, on board, and sailed away, having had one hundred and sixty-two men killed and as many wounded.
On the eighteenth of September, the expedition that had been prepared, in New-Orleans, by commodore Patterson and colonel Ross, reached the settlement of Barrataria men; those people had abandoned it, as soon as they perceived the vessels, leaving a quantity of goods, that were saved; the houses were all de- stroyed,
On the return of the British flotilla, which had been repulsed before fort Bover, the British were permit- ted to garrison the forts at Pensacola. Jackson, who was then at Mobile, determined on taking possession of that town, in order to deprive the enemy of a place of shelter and refuge. Ile accordingly assembled at
---
331
1
THE FIFTEENTH.
1814]
fort Montgomery, on the Alabama river, a body of about four thousand men, composed of regulars and militia from the state of Tennessee and Mississippi territory, and, soon after, led them towards Pensacola, and halted within two miles of the town, on the sixth of November.
Major Peire, an aid of Jackson, was now despatch- ed with a communication to the Spanish governor, an- nouncing to him, that the army of the United States did not approach with any hostile views to Spain, and had no object but to deprive the British, with whom they were at war, of a place of refuge, in which they prepared the means of annoying the inhabitants of the adjoining territory of the United States. He there- fore required, that the governor should admit a garri- son out of the army of the United States in fort St. Michael and that of the Barrancas, till a sufficient Spanish force, to enable the colonial government of Pensacola, to support the neutrality of the Catholic king's territory, should arrive. The major was fired on, although he approached alone, and bore a con- spicuous white flag: he reconnoitred the fort and distinctly saw it occupied by British troops; the Spanish flag was displayed over it: but information was received that, on the preceding day, both the Spanish and British flags had been simultaneously hoisted.
Jackson, on the return of Peire, sent a letter to the governor, by a prisoner, demanding an explanation. A Spanish officer soon after arrived, with a letter from the governor, containing assurances of his having had no participation in the transaction complained of, and that if the communication was renewed the messenger would be received with due respect. Peire went in
332
CHAPTER
[1814
accordingly, at midnight, and on Jackson's proposi- tion being rejected, declared that recourse would be had to arms.
Accordingly on his return, on the seventh, three thousand men were marched in three columns, along the beach, in order to avoid the fire of fort St. Michael ; but when in sight of the town, the artillery proving too heavy for the sand, the middle column was ordered to charge, and as soon as the head of it appeared in the principal street, a Spanish battery, of two pieces of cannon, was opened on it: it was immediately carri- cd at the point of the bayonet, with the loss of eleven men killed or wounded; the Spaniards had one man killed and six wounded.
'The governor now made his appearance, with a white flag in his hand, and being met by some officers, at the head of the troops, declared his intention to ac- cept the proposition made to him. Jackson, on being informed of this, hastened to the house of the intend- ant, who assured him the town, arsenals, forts and mu- nitions of war would be surrendered. On this, Jack- son ordered hostilities to cease, and his troops to march out of town.
Notwithstanding the strong assurances of the gov- ernor and intendant, the forts were not surrendered. Jackson was making preparations to storm fort St. Michael, when the officer commanding it, lowered his flag and yielded the fortress, before a single blow was struck.
The troops were marching towards fort St. Charles, of the Barrancas, when the British blew it up, and re- treated to their shipping, with some of their Indians. Those of the latter, who did not go on board, fled
B
333
THE FIFTEENTH.
1814]
across the country; the others were landed on the Apalachicola, and, immediately after, the vessels sail- ed away.
The American army, shortly after, returned to Mo- bile.
Wilkinson .- Eaton .- Latour .- Archives .- Gazeltes.
334]
CHAPTER
[1814
CHAPTER XVI.
First session of the second legislature .- Jackson arrives at New-Orleans .- British fleet off Pensacola .- Cap- ture of the flotilla of lake Borgne .- Barataria men join the army .- Proceedings of the legislature .- Gon- erals Coffee and Carroll .- Major Hinds .- Embargo. Affair of the twenty-third of December.
THE second state legislature had began its first ses- sion on the tenth of November, 1814. The following extract from Claiborne's speech, shows how little foun- dation there was in the rumor, that circulated, of the disaffection of the inhabitants of Louisiana: "In the patriotic ardor, which pervades the state, I behold a pledge of its fidelity, and devotion to: the American union. This ardor, this American spirit, has been tested by the facility with which the late requisition, for an auxiliary force of militia infantry, has been car- ried into effect, by the laudable zeal with which the volunteer cavalry and riflemen have pressed forward in their country's cause. In meeting the requisition, I am satisfied with the conduct of every officer, whose duty it was to co-operate; and I have noticed, with pleasure, the promptitude with which most of the re- giments furnished their contingent. But, for the valu- able services of the cavalry and riflemen, we are par- ticularly indebted to the distinguished patriotism of the citizens of Feliciana and Attakapas. You cannot,
-
1814]
THE SIXTEENTH 335
gentlemen, too highly appreciate the patriotic, the martial spirit which at present exists."
General Jackson reached New-Orleans on the se- cond of December, and, on the next day, descended the river to view fort St. Charles, at Plaquemines, and other works which were projecting on the opposite bank. A committee of the legislature waited on him, with the copy of a resolution of that body, testifying, that the great and important services, lately rendered by him and the gallant army, under his command, en- titled them to the thanks and gratitude of the general assembly.
Accounts were now received from Pensacola, that a very large naval force of the enemy was off that port, and it was generally understood New-Orleans was the object of the attack; cighty vessels were in sight, and more than double that number were momentarily looked for. There were vessels of all descriptions and a large body of troops. Admiral Cochrane comman- ded the fleet, and his ship the Tonnant, was off the port.
Lieutenant Jones, who commanded on lake Borgne, a flotilla consisting of five gun-boats and a schooner, was ordered to reconnoitre and ascertain the disposi- tion and force of the enemy, and in case they should attempt, through this route, to effect a disembarkation, to retire to the Rigolets, the principal pass between lakes Borgne and Pontchartrain, and there, with his flotilla, make an obstinate resistance and contend to the last. He remained off ship island till the twelfth, when the enemy's force being much increased, he re- tired to a position near the Malheureux island, from whence, on his being attacked, he had a better oppor- tunity of making his retreat to the Rigolets, where alone he was instructed to make opposition. This
₹
336
CHAPTER
[1814
pass and that of Chef Menteur, unite at the entrance of the lake, and form a narrow channel, on reaching which the gun-boats would be enabled to present as formidable an opposition, as could be made to all the force that could be brought against them, and put at defiance any effort that could be made against the city through that route.
On the thirteenth, Jones perceived the enemy's bar- ges approaching him, and immediately weighed his anchors, with the design of reaching the Rigolets: but found this absolutely impracticable. A strong wind having blown for some days to the east, from the lake to the gulf, had so reduced the depth of water, that the best and deepest channels were insufficient to float his little squadron; the oars were resorted to, but in vain. Every thing that could be spared was thrown overboard; but this was also ineffectual. At last, a sudden tide brought a momentary relief, lifted the boats from the shoals, and Jones directed his course to the Rigolets, and came to an anchor at one o'clock on the next morning, in the west passage of the Mal- heureux island, and at day-break saw the pursuit had been abandoned.
There was, at the bay of St. Louis, some public stores, which he had sent the schooner Sea Horse, to bring off. The British barges made two vain attempts to capture this vessel. Her commander deeming it impossible to execute Jones' orders, destroyed the stores: and seeing the enemy returning in great force, blew up the schooner and retreated by land.
On the morning of the fourteenth, the enemy's bar- ges were seen approaching the gun-boats: a retreat became impossible; the wind was entirely lulled, a perfect calm prevailed and a strong current setting to the gulf, rendered every effort, to reach the Rigolets,
-
337
THE SIXTEENTH.
1814]
unavailing, the resolution was taken to fight as long as there remained the hope of the least success. The line was formed, with springs on the cables. Forty- three barges, mounting as many cannon, with twelve hundred fine men, were advancing in an extended line, and came soon in reach; at half after eleven o'clock they commenced to fire, and the action imme- diately became general. Owing to a strong current setting out to the cast, two of the boats were unable to keep their anchorage, and floated about one hundred yards in advance of the line. The enemy advanced in three divisions; the centre one bore down on the centre boat, commanded by the senior officer, and twice attempting to board, was twice repulsed, with an immense destruction of officers and men and the loss of two boats, which were sunk. Jones being too severely wounded to maintain the deck, the command devolved on Parker, who no less valiantly defended his flag, till his wounds compelled him to retreat, and the boat was soon after carried: another boat, though gallantly defended, was soon after taken and the guns of both turned on the others, which were compelled to surrender. The loss on board of the gun boats was ten men killed and thirty-five wounded: that of the- British not less than three hundred. The Americans had five boats, one hundred and eighty-two men, and twenty-three guns. The force of the assailants has already been stated.
The loss of the gun boats left the enemy complete master of the lakes to the east of the island on which the city of New-Orleans stands, and gave him the fa- cility of reaching it by any of the waters running cast- erly to any of these lakes.
The crisis appeared really alarming. The force in New-Orleans consisted only of seven hundred men of
VOL. II. 43
338
CHAPTER
[1814
the seventh and forty-fourth regiments of the United States, and one thousand state militia, besides one hun- dred and fifty sailors and marines. 'Three thousand men of the militia of Tennessee, under general Carrol, and a body of twelve hundred and fifty riflemen of the same state, under general Coffee, were looked for; and it was reported, a body of twenty-five hundred men from Kentucky, under general Thomas, were on their march; and it was deemed, that after leaving a sufficient part of the militia of the state in the different parishes to keep the slaves in awe, three thousand men might be brought to the defence of the city-making, with some aid from the Mississippi territory, a general total of about twelve thousand: but the enemy was much nearer to the city than three-fourths of this force.
Although the population of New-Orleans was com- posed of individuals of different nations, it was as pa- triotic as that of any city in the union. The creoles were sincerely attached to liberty and the general go- vernment: they had given a strong evidence of this, on their admission into the union, by the election of the governor, judges, and almost every other officer sent to them by the President of the United States. The Spaniards were very small in number, and a few of them might have been elated to see the flag of their nation raised in the country, but they had no sympa- thetic feeling for the British: the individuals of that nation who were not naturalised had retired into the interior. There were a few from almost every other European nation, but nothing was apprehended from them.
Claiborne was sincerely attached to the government of his country, and the legislature was prepared to call forth and place at Jackson's disposal all the resources of the state.
-
339
THE SIXTEENTH.
1814]
The disappointment of some, who had unsuccess- fully struggled for ascendency, had united them in op- position to Claiborne's measures. There were a few citizens of the United States of considerable talents and influence among them, many of whom had seats in the legislature; and hitherto, when no immediate danger seemed to threaten, had thrown some difficulty in the way of Claiborne on his attempt to bring a part of the militia into the service of the United States. The go- vernor, who in 1806 had joined Wilkinson in the cry of spies and traitors, was disposed to consider his op- ponents as of that character.
Hall, the district judge of the United States, had become obnoxious to a few individuals; he had been from the beginning very strict in enforcing the laws of congress, and persons brought before him for breaches of the revenue, embargo or non-importation laws, had conceived the idea that he was extremely severe. Among the papers of Lafitte, which had been Jately taken at Barataria, had been found letters of several merchants, who had hitherto sustained a good charac- ter, affording evidence of their being accomplices of that man, and prosecutions had been instituted against some of them. The stern impartiality of the judge had induced a belief they had much to apprehend: the counsel, whom they had employed, were generally the opponents of Claiborne.
The want of an able military chief was sensibly felt, and notwithstanding any division of sentiment on any other subject, the inclination was universal to sup- port Jackson, and he had been hailed on his arrival by all. There were some, indeed, who conceived that the crisis demanded a general of some experience in ordinary warfare; that one whose military career had begun with the current year, and who had never met
-
340
CHAPTER
[1814
with any but an Indian force, was ill calculated to meet the warlike enemy who threatened : but all were willing to make a virtue of necessity, and to take their wishes for their opinions, and manifested an unbound- ed confidence in him. All united in demonstrations of respect and reliance, and every one was ready to give him his support. His immediate and incessant attention to the defence of the country, the care he took to visit every vulnerable point, his unremitted vigi- lance and the strict discipline enforced, soon convinced all that he was the man the occasion demanded.
Unfortunately he had been surrounded, from the moment of his arrival, by persons from the ranks of the opposition to Claiborne, Hall and the state govern- ment, and it was soon discovered that he had become impressed with the idea, that a great part of the popu- lation of Louisiana was disaffected and the city full of traitors and spies. It appears such were his senti- ments as early as the eighth of September; for in a letter of Claiborne, which he since published, the go- vernor joins in the opinion, and writes to him "I think with you that our country is full of spies and traitors." The governor was not unwilling to increase his own merit, by magnifying the obstacles he had to surmount: he therefore stated in his correspondence with Jack- son every opposition he met with, and did not fail to represent every one, who did not think as he did, as ini- mical to the country. Those who immediately sur- rounded Jackson on his arrival, with a view to en- . hance his reliance on them, availed themselves of eve- ry opportunity to increase his sense of danger.
Time, which is the true test of the soundness of opinions, has shewn that the people of Louisiana de- served well of their country during the invasion, and that not one shadow of treason or disaffection appeared in them.
341
THE SIXTEENTH.
1814]
An instance, of what is called the machinations of foreigners, has been recorded. Colonel Coliel, a Span- ish officer of the garrison of Pensacola, had an only daughter married to Lacroix, a wealthy planter, and was on a visit at his farm, a few miles below the city: in writing thence to one of his friends in Pensacola, he stated the weakness of the force the British would have to encounter in Louisiana, and expressed his be- lief of their success. 'This letter was intercepted and sent to Claiborne, who submitted it to the attorney- general. The latter thought there was no room for his interference, but gave it as his opinion, that in time of war, when an invasion was apprehended, the gover- nor might send away any foreigner whom he suspect- ed of any concert with the enemy. On this the colo- nel was ordered away, and obeyed. The communi- cation between New-Orleans and Pensacola was open; there was no British force in the latter place, and the information conveyed was such as might have been had from any traveller. The colonel acted per- haps indiscreetly, but it is far from being clear he had any hostile view.
Jackson had Claiborne's assurance that the latter would receive and obey his orders, and support all his measures for the common defence.
The legislature was in session, since the beginning of the preceding month. We have seen that Clai- borne, at the opening of the session, had offered them his congratulations on the alacrity with which the call of the United States for a body of militia had been met, which, with the detail of the proceedings of that body, is the best refutation of the charges which have been urged against them. It will shew, that in attachment to the union, in zeal for the defence of the country, in liberality in furnishing the means of it, and in minis-
342
CHAPTER [1814
tering to the wants of their brave fellow-citizens who came down to assist them in repelling the foe, the genc- ral assembly of Louisiana does not suffer by a compari- son of its conduct with that of any legislative body in the United States. 'The assertion, that any member of it entertained the silly opinion, that a capitulation, if any became necessary, was to be brought about or ef- fected by the agency of the houses, any more than by that of a court of justice, or the city council of New- Orleans, is absolutely groundless.
As early as the twenty-second of November, Lou- aillier, one of the members of the house of representa- tives for the county of Opelousas, whose name will be frequently mentioned in the sequel of the work, in a report, which he made as chairman of the committee of ways and means, had drawn the attention of the le- gislature to the necessity of their making suitable pro- vision for the defence of the country. "Who," it is said in this document, "has not admired the patriotic ardor which was displayed in the execution of the works deemed, by the principal cities of the union and our sister states, necessary for the protection of such as could be assailed by the enemy ? The magistrates, the citizens, the officers of the general government, manifested the utmost zeal to obtain the desired ob- ject-their safety and the ignominious retreat of the enemy were the glorious result of their efforts. How does it happen that such a noble example has not been followed in this part of the union ? Are we so situated as to have no dangers to dread? Is our population of such a description as to secure our tranquillity ? Shall we always confine ourselves to addresses and procla- mations? Are we always to witness the several depart- ments entrusted with our defence, languishing in a state of inactivity hardly to be excused, even in the
343
THE SIXTEENTH.
1814]
most peaceable times? No other evidence of patriot- ism is to be found than a disposition to avoid every ex- pense, every fatigue-nothing as yet has been perform- ed; it is the duty of the legislature to give the neces- sary impulse, but it is only by adopting a course en- tirely opposite to that which hitherto has been pursued, that we can hope for success-if the legislature adds its own indolence to that which generally prevails, we can easily foresee that ere long, a capitulation, similar to that obtained by the city of Alexandria, will be the consequence of a conduct so highly culpable.
A considerable force is now assembled under the orders of general Jackson, which will speedily receive large reinforcements from the militia of the western states, but it is nevertheless true that the principal ave- nues to our capital are not in a situation to insure its preservation; and that unless we are determined to provide for its safety ourselves, unless we act with a promptness and energy equal to the torpor which seems to have invaded the principal branches of our government, that force will only be employed in retak- ing this territory, which must fall an easy prey to the first efforts of an invading foe; the legislature has been convened for the purpose of raising a fund adequate to - the expenses necessary to ward off the dangers by which we are threatened-this is the object which must be accomplished-little does it matter whether this or that expenditure ought to be supplied by the ge- neral or by the state government, let us not hesitate in making such as safety may require; when this shall have been secured, then our claims to a reimburse- ment will be listened to."
On the same day, Roffignac, the chairman of the committee of defence, presented a plan, which was di- rected to be communicated to Claiborne, for the in- formation of Jackson.
-
--
344
CHAPTER [1814
Commodore Patterson having, on the seventh of December, suggested a plan of defence against any at- tempt of the enemy to ascend the Mississippi, the legislature, after having ordered it to be laid before Jackson, directed the committee of defence to ascer- tain what number of men, and the quantity of ordnance and other arms, the commanding officers of the land and naval forces would require, that it might be known what was to be supplied by the state.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.