from the contest. At two in the morning of the 12th, the whole British army precipitately retreated, leaving their sick and wounded behind, and reached Chazy, eight miles distant, before their flight was discovered. Upwards of 500 deserters soon afterwards came in, and their whole loss was supposed, by General Macomb, to be about 2500; that of the Americans was only 99. Such was the issue of this powerful expedition, the last operation undertaken by the enemy in that quarter. The double victory of the army and navy raised the hopes, and exalted the reputation of the American people, and had a powerful effect upon the issue of the negotiations then pending between the two countries.

CHAPTER XXII.

General Jackson proceeds to New Orleans-Great Display of mental EnergyThe Militia of Kentucky and Tennessee are hastened onward to defend the CityFortifications thrown up-Negroes compelled to work-Martial Law proclaimed -American Lines on both Sides of the Mississippi-Destruction of the Schooner Caroline-The great Battle of New Orleans, on the Eighth of January-Americans gain a glorious Victory and save New Orleans.

"Justum et tenacem propositi virum—

Si fractus illabatur orbis,

Improvidum ferient Ruinæ."

"The man resolved, and steady to his trust,
Inflexible to ill, and obstinately just;

From orbs convulsed should all the planets fly,
World crush on world, and ocean mix with sky;
He, unconcern'd, would view the falling whole,
And still maintain the purpose of his soul."

ANOTHER brilliant series of events remains to be recorded before we terminate the narration of military operations. In the extreme south, as well as on the remote northern frontier, a ray of glory was shed on the closing scenes of war, and a fresh lesson inculcated of the strength and power of a free

people contending against the invaders of their soil. After the conclusion of the contest with the Creeks, General Jackson fixed his head-quarters at Mobile, where he received information that about 300 British troops, under Colonel Nicholls, had arrived at Pensacola, and that an additional force of thirteen sail of the line, and 10,000 men, were daily expected. With his characteristic promptitude, he immediately made an additional call on the people of Tennessee, and took efficient measures to prepare for defence. The entrance of the bay of Mobile is defended by fort Bowyer, which was at that time garrisoned by 120 men of the 2d infantry, under Major Lawrence. On the 15th of September, Colonel Nicholls appeared, with four vessels of war, off the port, and soon afterwards landed a body of 300 men, composed of regulars and Indians. An attack was commenced at the same time by land and water; but, after a cannonade of three hours, the British vessels were compelled to retreat, and the commodore's frigate was so much disabled, that she drifted on shore, where she was set on fire and abandoned by her crew, only 20 of whom, out of 170, escaped. The troops retreated by land to Pensacola.

The government of Florida, having thus suffered its neutral territory to be violated, for the purpose of inflicting an injury on the United States, General Jackson resolved to demand satisfaction. He therefore marched from Mobile with a body of Tennessee volunteers, 2000 of whom had recently joined him, some regulars, and a few Choctaw Indians; and, having arrived in the vicinity of Pensacola on the 6th of November, he sent a flag, which was fired on and forced to return. He now determined to take possession of a place which had been so long made use of by the enemies of the republic to its annoyance. Early on the 7th, the troops were put in motion. The American encampment being to the west, it was supposed the attack would be made in that quarter, and accordingly the chief preparations of defence were made by the British and Spaniards on that side. The main body of the Americans, however, were directed to an opposite point, and the garrison, being completely surprised, were soon driven

from their positions; capitulation was then signed, by which Pensacola and the different fortresses were surrendered to the United States. The fort, called the Barrancas, which commanded the entrance of the bay, remained yet to be taken possession of. General Jackson was about marching his army for this purpose, when intelligence was received of its destruction by the British troops, who, with their shipping, then evacuated the bay. The government of the United States had not authorized the re-construction of them, and General Jackson soon afterwards returned to Mobile.

While at Mobile, intelligence was received that a formidable expedition was preparing for the invasion of Louisiana, and General Jackson proceeded immediately to New Orleans. Here abundant occasion was offered for the exercise of his varied talents, and the display of his mental energy. This important city was not properly defended at any one of the points from which it might be assailed; its population was various, disunited, apprehensive, and discontented; many had refused to comply with the militia draft, and even the legislative assembly was not free from the spirit of disaffection. In this state of things, the most decided and efficient measures were necessary, and General Jackson was not slow in adopting them. The defences of the Mississippi were strengthened; the inlets or bayous to the east were obstructed; the militia of Kentucky and Tennessee, who had been ordered out by the government, were hastened in their progress, and the patriotism of the people aroused by every means in his power.

At length, early in December, a fleet of sixty sail of vessels was discovered off the Ship island. A naval force of five gunboats, under Lieutenant Jones, had been collected on the lakes east of the town, which it was supposed would be able successfully to defend the narrow inlet; and now, on the news of the enemy's approach, Lieutenant Jones made sail for the passes of the lake Pontchartrain. Here, on the 13th, he was attacked by the enemy's barges, to the number of forty-three, with upwards of 1000 men, and, after a gallant defence of an hour, was compelled to surrender. The capture of these vessels having given the enemy the entire command of the ap

proaches to New Orleans in that quarter, General Jackson redoubled his vigilance and exertions. The militia of the city was called out en masse; an embargo was laid on the vessels in the harbour; the negroes were impressed and compelled to work on the fortifications; and, soon afterwards, martial law was proclaimed. These strong and unusual measures, which nothing but the urgency of the case could have justified, led probably to the salvation of New Orleans.

Most of the bayous and canals leading to the Mississippi, had been obstructed or guarded with care. One, called the bayou Bienvenu, being little known, was unfortunately left open and undefended, except by a picket-guard. On the 22d, the enemy came suddenly on the American detachment, surprised them, and having pushed rapidly, reached the bank of the river by two o'clock in the afternoon. General Jackson, who had been joined the preceding day by 4000 Tennessee militia, under General Carrol, resolved immediately on attacking them. With about 2000 men, consisting of General Coffee's brigade of militia, a small body of regulars, and the city volunteers, with a detachment of artillery, he marched in the afternoon of the 22d, leaving General Carrol's force, and the city militia, to defend the Gentilly road.

The left of the enemy's line resting on the river, General Jackson ordered the armed schooner Caroline to take a station from which a fire could be advantageously opened upon it, at the same moment that the attack should be made by the land forces. This plan was put in execution about seven in the evening. The brigade of General Coffee rushed impetuously on the British right, while General Jackson, with the remainder of the forces, assailed their left, and the battery of the Caroline was directed with considerable effect. The enemy, although taken by surprise, soon formed, and withstood the assault with bravery. A thick fog arising, the American commander withdrew his troops, and, at four in the morning, retired to a strong position near the city. His loss in this short engagement was 24 killed, 115 wounded, and 74 missing. That of the British was, in all, 213.

The American troops were now earnestly employed in

strengthening the position taken by General Jackson, after the affair of the 23d. These lines, which subsequent events have rendered memorable, were on both banks of the Mississippi. That on the left was nearly straight, about one thousand yards in length, with a parapet, and a ditch containing five feet of water, extending on the right to the river, and on the left to a thick and impervious wood. On the right bank, was a heavy battery of fifteen cannon, which enfiladed the advance to the lines on the left. In the meantime, the enemy had been reinforced by the main body of the army, and a large train of artillery, under Sir Edward Packenham, the commander-in-chief of the expedition. Having previously destroyed the schooner Caroline, by a battery erected for the purpose, the whole British army was marched up the levee on the 28th, and, at the distance of half a mile, began a furious attack, with rockets and bombs. The fire from the American lines was, however, directed with so much more precision, that the British general drew off his troops with some loss. At daylight, on the 1st of January, the cannonade was renewed from the batteries erected by the enemy. near the American lines, while, at the same time, a bold attack was made on General Jackson's left, which ended in the repulse of the assailants. In the evening, they retired from their batteries, leaving behind a considerable quantity of warlike munitions.

Shortly after this event, both armies received an accession of strength; that of General Jackson, by the arrival of 2500 Kentuckians, under General Adair, and the invaders by General Lambert, with 4000 men. The American troops now consisted of about 8000 men, many of whom were badly armed; the British were in number not less than 10,000, mostly veterans, and provided with every necessary article of war. Preparatory to the grand assault of the lines, it was necessary for the British commander to obtain possession of the batteries on the right bank, which the want of boats prevented his reaching. With great labour, he at length succeeded in cutting a canal from the bayou to the Mississippi, by which he was enabled to transport his boats to the river.