USA > Tennessee > The history of Tennessee, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 15
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Concentrating his forces, Jackson determined to attack the enemy that evening. Marching from the city at the head of the regulars, Coffee's brigade, the city militia, and Hind's Mississippi - dragoons, he arrived within view of the British
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE. [1814.
camp a little before dark. Jackson's plans were speedily arranged. The schooner Caroline, drop- ping down the river, was to give the signal of attack, by opening a fire upon the British left, while Coffee's brigade, taking a circuitous route, was ordered to advance against and turn their right. The main body, under Jackson in per- son, pushed forward to assail them in front.
It was dark night, when the Caroline, floating quietly down the stream, anchored abreast of the enemy's watch-fires, and directed by their light poured a heavy and destructive fire upon the most crowded portion of the encampment. Hav- ing had no suspicions of the real character of the Caroline, the British were thrown into momentary confusion by this unexpected attack. Recover- ing, however, they extinguished their watch-fires, and retired a short distance into the open field ; meanwhile answering the cannonade of the ves- sel by harmless volleys of musketry and dis- charges of Congreve rockets.
When the Caroline commenced firing, Coffee had reached a point which he believed to be in front of the centre of the enemy's right wing. Extending his own line parallel with the river, he marched directly toward the camp. He had scarcely advanced a hundred yards, when not knowing that the British had been forced back from the river, he was startled by encountering a sudden and heavy discharge of musketry.
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NIGHT ATTACK.
1814.]
The moon had now risen, but shone dimly through the gathering fog. Though fired upon, Coffee's riflemen could not mark their assailants with that distinctness which was necessary to the fatality of their aim, and consequently to the success of their movement. Ordered to advance, however, they moved forward bravely, utterly regardless of what might be the strength of the force opposed to them, and gaining a nearer po- sition opened upon the enemy, who speedily gave way, retreated, rallied again, and were a second time forced back by the deadly fire of the Ten- nesseeans.
In the mean time, after a desperate struggle and a great deal of confusion on both sides, Jackson had broken the enemy's centre. Coffee again charging on their right, drove his oppo- nents once more before him. Thus successfully assailed at three points, the British abandoning their original position at length stood firm in a very strong one, between an old levee, which sheltered them from the Caroline, and a new one, raised within, which covered them from the rifles of the Tennesseeans.
Finding that this position could not be carried, and that the enemy, reinforced during the contest, - now greatly outnumbered him, Jackson remained inactive on the battle-field till day-break, and then withdrew to a strong stand-point, two miles
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE. [1814.
closer to the city, where the Mississippi and the swamp approached nearest each other.
The loss of the British in this night attack was estimated at four hundred killed, wounded, and missing. That of the Americans was but twenty-four killed, one hundred and fifteen wounded, and seventy-four made prisoners.
Had the enemy advanced at once upon Jack- son, the ultimate fortune of their expedition would probably have been different. But, as the American commander had foreseen, his spirited night assault threw them into alarm and rendered their subsequent operations cautious and slow. Ignorant of his strength, which the American pri- soners exaggerated greatly, they waited to bring up reinforcements and artillery. Profiting by their delay, Jackson proceeded with almost in- credible activity and labour to fortify his natu- rally strong position. Having deepened and widened the shallow ditch which stretched across his front from the Mississippi to the swamp, he formed a rampart along the line with bales of cotton, and covered it with earth.
On the 27th, a British battery, planted on the levee near the late battle-field, succeeded in set- ting fire to and destroying the Caroline. Gather- ing confidence from this slight success, the enemy, led by Packenham in person, the next day left their encampment in force, drove in Jackson's outposts, and approaching within half a mile of
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FIRST REPULSE. 261
his lines, began a furious attack upon them with artillery, bombs, and Congreve rockets. Checked in their advance by Jackson's five pieces and by a raking fire from the Louisiana, sloop-of-war, the British, after maintaining a continued can- nonade of seven hours duration, finally withdrew with the loss of more than a hundred in killed and wounded.
During this attack a detachment of the enemy, moving against the extreme left of the American line, were there met by Coffee and his riflemen. Though greatly outnumbering the Tennesseeans, the British were driven back. Perceiving from this demonstration, however, that his left might be turned, Jackson immediately proceeded to strengthen his defences in that quarter by ex- tending his rampart of cotton bales, logs, and earth into the swamp, an arduous task, which was intrusted to Coffee and his brigade. When completed, the new breastwork was left to be de- fended by the Tennesseeans, who hourly expect- ing an attack, maintained their post night and day, resting and sleeping on logs and brush, by which they were elevated above the waters that surrounded them.
Matters now approaching a crisis, Jackson began to be disturbed by apprehensions of in- ternal treachery. Waited upon by a special com- mittee of the Louisiana legislature, he was asked what his course would be if he were driven from
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his_position. "If," replied the general, "if I thought the hair of my head could divine what I should do, I would cut it off. Go back with this answer. Say to your honourable body, that if disaster does overtake me, and I am driven from my line to the .city, they may expect to have a very warm session." After the war, in answer to a question on this point, "I should have retreated to the city," such were Jackson's words, "fired it, and fought the enemy amidst the surrounding flames. There were with me men of wealth, owners of considerable property, who would have been among the foremost to apply the torch to their own dwellings."
A rumour flying about the city that Jackson had determined upon this course, the speaker of the Louisiana senate began to make inquiries of the general's aid, Major Butler, as to the founda- tion for it. From this and other more significant circumstances, it was conjectured that the legis- lature contemplated saving the city by offering to capitulate. Apprizing Governor Claiborne of his suspicions, Jackson directed him to keep a close watch upon the legislature, and should a motion be made to capitulate, to place a guard at the door and confine the members to the hall. Misinterpreting the general's orders, Claiborne, without waiting for the necessary contingency, placed an armed force at the door of the capital, and prevented the legislature from convening.
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1815.] BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS.
Instead of shutting the members in doors, as Jackson had desired, he turned them out.
At length, after a severe conflict on the 1st, in which Packenham had a second time failed in an' attempt to batter down the American breastwork, the morning of the 8th of January, 1815, found both armies prepared for what proved to be a final struggle.
On the right of Jackson's line, which was strengthened by an advanced redoubt, were posted the regulars and Louisiana militia. Coffee's rifle- men still held their position in the swamp on the left, while Carroll's Tennesseeans and the re- cently arrived Kentucky militia formed the cen- tre. Along the line were judiciously disposed eight separate batteries, mounting in all twelve guns. On the right bank of the river, General Morgan, with fifteen hundred men, was stationed behind an intrenchment, defended by several brass twelves and by a battery of twenty-four pounders, under the direction of Commodore Patterson. As many of the Kentuckians and others were unprovided with arms, they were set to work at throwing up a second line of intrench- ments, as a place of rally should the breastwork be carried.
A detachment having crossed the river to as- sail Morgan, the main body of the British, at the firing of two signal rockets, moved forward with steady rapidity to storm Jackson's position.
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE. [1815.
Through the dense fog that hung heavily over the plain, the regulated tramp of the middle column, led by Packenham in person, was heard plainly long before it appeared. Guided solely by the sound, the American batteries opened a destruc- tive fire upon the approaching assailants; who, nevertheless, closing their ranks as fast as they were thinned, pressed forward with a steady and unshaken front.
It was not until the fog lifting disclosed them fully to view, and the ramparts before them blazed with a sheet of deadly flame from the rifles of the Tennesseeans, that these brave men began to show signs of wavering. Still they moved forward, only to fall by hundreds. A few gain- ing the ditch in front of the American works, remained there during the rest of the battle, and were afterward made prisoners. Their comrades, unable to endure the storm of balls and bullets. that incessantly assailed them, fell back in dis- order, meeting death even in retreat. Hastening to restore order, Packenham fell dead in the arms of his aid-de-camp. Generals Gibbs and Keene were next borne from the plain, the one mortally and the other severely wounded.
At this moment, General Lambert, the next in command, coming up with the reserve, met the retreating column and succeeded in rallying it for a second effort. Again the enemy moved forward only to encounter once more that suc-
1815.] BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS. 265
of deadly volleys. A few reached the ditch, many fell riddled with rifle-bullets, the rest fled in confusion. A third time Lambert and his officers endeavoured to win victory and save their reputations. But threats and en- treaties were equally vain. Not a man could be found willing to advance again upon what seemed to be certain and unavailing death.
Meanwhile the British column operating upon the American right, under the command of Lieu- tenant-Colonel Rennie, had met with temporary success. The redoubt, as yet unfinished, was carried, but with a fearful loss of life. Having crossed the ditch and mounted the wall, waving his sword and calling upon his men to follow, Rennie fell dead. Gaining the redoubt, the vic- tors found themselves unable to advance farther, and exposed to a murderous fire from the breast- work, they with difficulty maintained the position they had purchased so expensively. Finally, the centre column being repulsed, they effected a disorderly retreat.
On the left, where Coffee's brigade awaited their assault, the British signally failed. The swamp and the stern resistance of the Tennesseeans were obstacles they were unable to overcome, or even to attack with spirit; and when the two other columns fell back they also withdrew with less confusion and with less loss, but not with less complete defeat than their companions.
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE. [1815.
In the mean time, the British detachment against Morgan on the opposite bank had met with entire success. But the failure of Packen- ham rendered that success of little value. Re- garding the lost position as an important one, however, Jackson contemplated regaining it by force; but having alarmed Lambert by an inge- nious stratagem, that general withdrew the vic- torious detachment, and hastened to abandon the whole enterprise. On the day after the battle, he commenced with great secrecy the preparation for re-embarking his troops, first falling back to his original landing-place at the head of Lake Borgne, from which point the army finally retired on the 27th.
With regard to the British loss on this fatal day there are many conflicting accounts. Their killed, wounded, and prisoners, according to the report of the American inspector-general, did not amount to less than twenty-five hundred. Lambert's account represented it at two thousand and seventy. The force of the enemy actually engaged on both banks of the river has been va- riously stated at from seven to nine thousand. That of the Americans numbered in all between four and five thousand, a considerable portion of whom were destitute of arms, and consequently unable to engage in the fight. Of the whole number, but seventy-one were killed and wounded on both sides of the river.
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1815.]
CHAPTER XXIII.
Return of Jackson to New Orleans-Opposition of the Citi- zens to the continuance of Martial Law-Imprisonment of a member of the legislature by order of Jackson-Arrest of Judge Hall-Intelligence of peace-Return of Hall to New Orleans-Arrest and trial of Jackson for contempt of court -- A fine imposed-Demonstration of popular sympathy- Dismissal of the Tennessee volunteers-Honours awarded Jackson by Congress-McMimm elected governor-Diffi- culties with the Cherokees-With the Florida Indians- Jackson ordered to take the field-Tallahassee towns burned-Seizure of the Spanish fort at St. Mark's-Skir- mishes with the Indians-Execution of Arbuthnot and Am- brister-Jackson takes possession of Pensacola-Protest of the Spanish minister-Execution of Arbuthnot and Ambris- ter discussed by Congress-Jackson sustained by the House of Representatives-Florida ceded to the United States.
WAITING until the greater part of the British had taken to their ships, Jackson returned with the main body of his troops to New Orleans. His entrance into the city was a scene of tri- umph and rejoicing.
Doubtful as to whether the enemy had wholly abandoned their enterprise, Jackson deemed it necessary to keep New Orleans a little longer under the restrictions of martial law. Now that danger seemed to have passed away, this state of things was not borne with very patriotic fortitude. Much discontent began to show itself.
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE. [1815.
An anonymous article on the subject, full of bitter complaints, and calculated to excite a bad feeling among the troops, having appeared in one of the city papers, Jackson compelled the publisher to disclose the name of its author. The latter, proving to be a member of the legis- lature, was forthwith committed to prison, with the prospect of being tried for his life by a mili- tary court. A writ of habeas corpus was im- mediately issued on his behalf by Judge Hall, of the United States District Court. But, de- termined to settle at once the question of autho- rity which he believed the proceeding was in- tended to test, Jackson, instead of obeying the writ, arrested Hall and sent him out of the city.
Two days afterward, on the 13th of March, official intelligence arrived of the ratification of a treaty of peace between Great Britain and the United States. The aspect of affairs now changed. Martial law ceasing, Hall, returning. to the city, resumed the exercise of his judicial office, and caused process to be served on Jack- son to appear and show cause why an attach- ment should not issue against him for con- tempt of court in resisting the writ of habeas corpus.
Answering this summons, the general ap- peared at court on the 30th of March, and through his counsel offered a written statement in defence of what he had done. After con-
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1815.] TRIAL OF JACKSON.
siderable discussion the court permitted certain portions of this statement to be read. That part of it, however, in which Jackson gave his reasons for declaring martial law, Hall refused to hear, and ordered the issue of an attachment, returnable on the following day.
At the time appointed, assuming the dress of a civilian, Jackson entered the crowded court- room, and had nearly reached the bar when, being recognised, the whole audience saluted him with a loud and enthusiastic cheer. Re- storing silence by a deprecating move of his hand, he sat down, whereupon Hall, rising, and intimating his fear of a popular outbreak, was about to order an adjournment.
" There is no danger," interrupted Jackson. " There shall be none. The same arm that pro- tected this city from outrage will shield this court or perish in the effort."
Thus reassured, Hall proceeded to business, and called upon the general to answer certain interrogatories, by which his guilt or innocence was to be determined.
" You would not hear my defence"-such were Jackson's words-" although you were ad- vised that it contained nothing improper. Un- der these circumstances I appear before you to receive the sentence of the court, having nothing further to offer. Your honour will not under- stand me as intending any disrespect to this
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE. [1815.
court, but as no opportunity has been afforded me of explaining the reasons and motives by which I was influenced, so is it expected that censure or reproof will constitute no part of that sentence which you may imagine it your duty to pronounce."
This plain speaking brought the affair to a speedy termination. Giving his decision, Hall imposed a fine of one thousand dollars, for which amount the general's check was immediately tendered to the clerk. Again cheering, the excited throng in the court-room now hurried ' Jackson out of doors, forced him into a carriage from which the horses had been taken, and dragged him in tumultuous triumph to his hotel. Fearing, from this perhaps excusable but still dangerous demonstration of popular sympathy, that his over-earnest friends might commit some unpardonable excess in his name, Jackson, in a brief address proclaiming the " important truth that submission to the civil authority is the first duty of a citizen," was finally enabled to allay a feverish excitement that seemed to threaten personal injury to the judge whose decision had just been made.
Giving a more legitimate, or at least less ex- travagant turn to the expression of their regard, Jackson's friends in New Orleans immediately made up the amount of his fine by subscription, and placed it in bank to his account. The
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M'MIMM GOVERNOR.
1816.]
general would not accept it, however, and pro- posed that the sum should be disposed of for the benefit of those whose relatives had fallen in the late battle. As a matter of course his sug- gestion was promptly acceded to.
In the mean time the Tennessee volunteers, having been dismissed, had marched home by land, arriving at Nashville after a long and tedious journey, in which they suffered much more by sickness than they had done from the enemy. They were soon followed by Jackson, who met from his townsmen a reception of the most gratifying character. By Congress he was rewarded for his gallant service with a vote of thanks, a gold medal commemorative of the bat- tle of the eighth of January, and by being retained as one of the two major-generals of the United States army under the new peace esta- blishment.
At the election of this year-a year ever to be remembered with pride by the citizens of Tennessee-Willie Blount, of whose active and energetic patriotism remark has been more than once made in the course of this narrative, was succeeded, as chief executive of the state, by Joseph M'Mimm.
In 1816 considerable dissatisfaction was cre- ated throughout the state on account of a new treaty arranged by the general government with the Cherokees, whose claim was recognised to
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE. [1817.
the country on the southern course of the Ten- nessee River, which had been recently yielded up by the conquered Creeks. In consequence of the murmurs thus excited fresh negotiations were presently entered into, and the Cherokees induced to limit themselves, on the south side of the Tennessee, to the parallel of Huntsville, in Alabama. Almost the whole of the present State of Alabama, and a large tract in southern Tennessee, were thus laid open to settlement.
In 1817, repeated depredations by the Indians of Florida having rendered a resort to arms un- avoidable, Jackson, who still commanded in the south, was ordered to take the field, with au- thority to call for troops from Tennessee.
Immediately issuing a summons for two thou- sand Tennessee volunteers, Jackson hastened to Hartford, on the Ockmulgee river, in Georgia, there to organize the militia of that state. At the head of these he presently marched toward Fort Scott, built near the confluence of the Flint and Chattahoocheeivers, and where about a thousand regulars were assembled. The coun- try being new and barren, it was only by his indefatigable personal exertions that the general kept the troops supplied with provisions. Reach- ing Fort Scott, he found the Tennesseeans not arrived, and being still without adequate means of subsistence, hurried forward to meet the pro- vision boats expected from New Orleans. As a
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INDIAN WAR.
1818.]
depot for these supplies he built Fort Gadsden, not far from the head of Apalachicola Bay.
Having been at length furnished with provi- sions, Jackson, on the 26th of March, 1818, advanced against the Seminole towns in the neighbourhood of what is now Tallahassee. During the march his force was augmented by a party of Creek warriors, and a portion of the Tennesseeans whose advance had been retarded by the difficulty of procuring supplies.
Having easily defeated the Indians, whose villages were burned and their fields destroyed, Jackson proceeded to St. Mark's, the only Spa- nish fort in this section of Florida, and demanded its surrender on the ground that the Seminoles had there received aid and comfort. The Spa- nish commandant hesitating, an American de- tachment entered the fort and took forcible but bloodless possession.
Though still scantily supplied, the general now marched from St. Mark's, through a region almost entirely under water, to attack an Indian town near the mouth of the Surranee. He had expected to surprise the enemy, but found them prepared for resistance-their women and chil- dren having been sent away-under the lead of one Ambrister, a British trader. It was through this man's partner, a Scotsman named Arbuth- not, whom Jackson had found at St. Mark's, that the Indians received notice of the approach of
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HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
[1818.
the Americans. But though thus forewarned, the savages were unable to cope with the supe- rior force opposed to them; and, after two con- siderable skirmishes, they fled from their village, which was burned, leaving their white leader a prisoner.
His men being worn down with fatigue and beginning to suffer from a scarcity of provisions, Jackson thought it inadvisable to march against the more southern Seminole towns, and presently set out on his return to St. Mark's. Reaching that place, he put Arbuthnot and Ambrister on trial for their lives before a court-martial. The former, found guilty of exciting and stirring up the Indians to war with the United States, and of providing them with means to carry on hos- tilities, was sentenced to death. Similar charges were preferred against Ambrister, with the addi- tional one of affording the savages his personal assistance. He, too, was found guilty, and sen- tenced to death; but, on reconsideration, this sentence was mitigated to stripes on the bare back, and imprisonment at hard labour for a year. Having reason to believe Ambrister quite as guilty as his partner, Jackson disap- proving of this modification, took the responsi- bility of reinstating the original sentence, and ordered both the incendiaries to be executed.
Shortly subsequent to this affair, Jackson received intelligence that the Spaniards of Pen-
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1818.]
DISPUTES WITH THE SPANIARDS.
sacola had been instigating, or encouraging at least, Indian depredations upon the settlers of Alabama. Immediately advancing against that place, he was met by a protest from the Spanish governor, who declared that he would forcibly resist any invasion of the territory under his jurisdiction. Jackson pushed forward notwith- standing, and the next day entered Pensacola unopposed, the governor having taken refuge in a fort some six or seven miles below the town. But the Americans erecting batteries and open- ing a cannonade, the garrison of this work final- ly capitulated.
Intelligence of this act reaching Washington some seventy days later, the Spanish minister warmly protested against it. In reply, Mr. Adams, the secretary of state, declared that, though Jackson had acted without orders, yet, considering the aid and encouragement afforded by the forts of St. Mark's and Pensacola to hostile savages, notwithstanding the existence of treaty obligations binding the Spanish au- thorities to restrain the Indians under their ju- risdiction, the general was abundantly justified in all that he had done. Still as the Seminoles were now defeated, the United States offered to restore Pensacola immediately, and St. Mark's whenever Spain should have there sufficient troops to keep in check the surrounding Indians. While negotiations were pending on this sub-
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