CHAP.
XLIV.

Shortly after the adjournment of the Convention, the legislatures of Massachusetts and Connecticut, viewing 1814. the law of Congress which authorized the enlistment of minors and apprentices, as a violation of their rights and unconstitutional, passed laws that subjected the recruiting officers to fine and imprisonment; and required the State judges to release any such minor or apprentice on application of the parent or guardian. Fortunately the war was soon after brought to a close, and the necessity for enlistments under this oppressive and demoralizing law, was removed.

CHAPTER XLV.

MADISON'S ADMINISTRATION-CONCLUDED.

Jackson enters Pensacola.-New Orleans defenceless.-The British land.Jackson's Measures of Defence.-Battle of New Orleans.-The Distress of the Country and Embarrassment of the Government.--The Relief.Treaty of Peace.—The Frigate President captured.--Successes at Sea. -War with Algiers.—Treaty with that Power.-Treaty with the Indians.-Financial Disorders.-State of Indiana.-Jolin Fitch.-Robert Fulton. First Steamboat.

XLV.

WHEN arranging affairs with the Creeks, General CHAP Jackson learned that the Spaniards at Pensacola had welcomed the hostile Indians, and also that a British 1814. man-of-war had furnished them with arms. Intelligence of this was sent to Washington, whence orders were transmitted to Jackson to seize Pensacola. That these orders were six months on the way, may illustrate the efficiency with which the War Department was conducted. Meantime some British men-of-war arrived in the harbor, from which a Colonel Nichols landed men and began to enlist the Creeks. Jackson now sent urgent appeals to his favorite Tennessee mounted men to hasten to his aid. The British soon after attacked Fort Bowyer on the east shore of Mobile Bay. The fort was defended by one hundred and thirty men, under Major Lawrence. The vigorous defence soon repulsed the enemy, one of whose ships blew up and the rest were fain to depart. This success encouraged the people of Louisiana and Mississippi in their efforts to defend New Orleans themselves,

XLV.

CHAP. without depending upon the General Government. Jackson wrote repeatedly to Washington for orders and re1814. ceived none, but when the three thousand Tennesseans, under General Coffee, arrived, he took the responsibility to enter Pensacola and demand that the British should Nov. leave the place. He also intimated in emphatic terms to the Spanish governor, that he would hold him responsible for permitting the British to occupy his territory, for the purpose of encouraging the Creeks in their hostility. The British immediately blew up a fort which they had erected seven miles below the town, and took to their ships.

6.

S.

Confident that the enemy designed to direct their efforts against New Orleans, Jackson sent in advance General Coffee to some point on the Mississippi, with the mounted men, while he himself followed, as soon as circumstances would permit. The defences of New Orleans were in a deplorable condition; since Wilkinson left, nothing further had been done to repair them. The city contained nearly twenty thousand inhabitants, not onehalf of whom were whites. These were principally of French origin, and others of foreign birth, none of whom were ardently attached to the United States. Jackson hastened to the point of danger. He availed himself of every possible aid; he released the convicts in the prisons, and enrolled them for the occasion; accepted the offered services of Lafitte, the head of the Baratarian buccaneers. He also issued an address to "the noble-hearted, generous, free men of color," to enroll themselves for the defence of their country. To this call, under an act of the Louisiana Legislature, they heartily responded.

While he was thus unprepared, the British fleet cast anchor off the entrance of Lake Borgne. It had on board twelve thousand land troops, besides four thousand sailors and marines. These troops had recently been under the Duke of Wellington, in the Peninsular war, and were commanded by able and experienced generals; Sir Ed

JACKSON'S PREPARATIONS CONFLICTS.

635

XLV.

ward Packingham, a brother-in-law of the Duke of Wel- CHAP. lington, Gibbs, Keene, and Lambert. Three days later, after a severe contest, they captured the entire American 1814. flotilla on Lake Borgne.

The Louisiana militia were immediately called out, but they were ill supplied with arms. Some months previous, Jackson, anticipating this very emergency, had urged upon the War Department at Washington to send a supply of arms from the arsenal at Pittsburg. The government agent, unwilling to pay the usual freight on the only steamboat then running to New Orleans, shipped the arms on board keel boats. Thus twenty-five cents on a hundred pounds of freight were saved by the government, and Jackson received the muskets after the battle!

General Coffee had reached Baton Rouge, at which place he received orders to hasten with all speed to the scene of action. With eight hundred of his best mounted men-all unerring marksmen, armed with rifles and tomahawks he made the extraordinary march of one hundred and fifty miles in two days. Thus, by similar exertions, in the space of a fortnight, Jackson had five thousand

20.

men, four-fifths of whom were militia. Other difficulties Dec. presented themselves. Owing to the want of co-operation on the part of the legislature, and the necessities of the times, he proclaimed martial law.

The enemy landed two thousand light armed troops, under General Keene. Jackson marched to meet them with the regulars, and Coffee's men dismounted. Soon after dark the battle began; the enemy were driven from one point to another, till finally they found protection behind a levee. Good service was done in this conflict by the armed schooner Carolina, which ran in near the shore, and with her guns swept their ranks. This successful repulse of the invaders greatly encouraged the Ameri

cans.

The next day Jackson took a position on solid ground

Dec.

23.

XLV.

CHAP. nearly a mile in breadth; the river protecting one flank, and a swamp the other. Though strongly reinforced, the 1815. British made no attempt the following day to retrieve what they had lost, being deterred by the reports of prisoners, who greatly exaggerated the strength of Jackson's force. This delay was profitably occupied in strengthening the defences; bales of cotton were used as a rampart, and the ditch was extended to the swamp. Five days after the enemy advanced and drove in the American outposts, and when within half a mile of the ramparts opened with artillery and Congreve rockets. Yet Jackson replied with so much vigor, with his five heavy guns, that after a cannonade of seven hours the enemy withdrew, having suffered considerable loss.

1.

Within three days after this repulse, they made Jan. another attack with much heavier artillery. Their movements were concealed by a dense fog, and the intimation of their approach was given only by their cannon balls crashing through the American camp, but Jackson had so strengthened his works, that the British-their guns dismounted and silenced-were again compelled to retire; but it was to make preparations for a grand assault.

4.

Presently twenty-two hundred Kentucky riflemen Jan. arrived; of whom unfortunately one-half were without arms, and could not be supplied. These Jackson placed to throw up a second line of intrenchments in the rear of the first line.

When prepared, the British moved to the assault, under the cover of a battery of six eighteen-pounders, which had been erected the previous night. The main Jan. column was led by Packenham in person, intending to storm the centre, one column moved along the river and carried a redoubt, another, led by Gibbs and Keene, advanced along the edge of the swamp.

8.

As the advancing columns came within range, the American artillery opened upon them with deadly effect,