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I 1 : IMt. S1AMDAKD MAGAZINE SECTION OGDEN, UTAH, JANUARY 2, 1915. H m n ' " - , mmn When Every American Could Shoot I . : : A.: , rv If i- ' n 1Tiiiii I T JiS&V " ' One hundred yean a?o on the elchth of January t lie Americans and British fought their i;ist battle. In the interim a groat change has come o er tiic American people. In stead of the rough and ready men of the back woods who couldn't af ford to waste a bullet, there lias been developed a generation of Americans who hardly know how to handle a rifle. The men who fought the British at New Orleans were probably the best hand to hand lighters the world has ever reen gathen. d together in one army. These men were recruited from Kentucky and Tennessee, from the streets cr Xew Orleans and from the bandits of the Gulf Coast. So rough were these Kentucky and Tennessee fighters thai they were referred to contemptuously by the ,V British as the "Dim Shirts." This aggregation of militia men Andrew Jackson assembled for tho defense of Xew Orleans knew little about drill. Their military drill knowledge consisted of how to forward march, charcc and fire. There were 3.000 In this arms Of militia men. On the British side there were 12.000 trained veterans who had fought with Wellington. They were vet erans from the Spanish Peninsular campaign and from other great battlefield? of Europe. The secret of the success of An drew Jackson's men was that they knew how to shoot. Every man In Old Hickory's army took careful aim before firing and when t he day was done General Lambert, i in commander of the shattered I British forces found 2.017 of his 'I men were dead or wounded. Fie hundred were taken prisoner. Even the commander owed his office to tho fortune of battle, for the British chief commander Gen. Edward Pa kenham fell with his men. On the American side the losses were only eight killed and thirteen wounded. Historians reneraTlv discredit the Importance of the Battle of Xcw .' Orleans. H was fought a month after the treaty of peace between the United States and England had been signed at Ghent. Had the British won the day they doubt less would have been forced to Withdraw as the terms of the treaty gave then-. n territory. But in tho days of the War of 1S12 there were no cable? under the se-n There were no fast ninil ocean greyhounds to race across tho Atlantic with words of peae. In America word from Washington to Xew Orleans traveled by plow poat ar.d Andrew Jackson did not know peace had been declared. Neither did tho British. General Packenham conceived the idea of capturing Xew Orleans ond taking the whole of Louisiana Territory which had been ceded to America b Xapoleon only twelve years before. With an expedition of picked men he sailed into the Gulf of Mexico lor the attack, l General Ja kson had been directed by tho War Department at Wash ington to attack Pensaoola, which at that time belonged to Spain. All of Florida was Spanish territory In those days. Spain was not at war v.'ith tho United States but the Spaniard. In Florida had allowed the English to violate their neu trality v. ilh Impunity, The English tiBcd Pensacolfl as an outfitting sta tion fr m which naval and military movements were made against Mo bile and against American shipping coming down the Mississippi for West Indian potts. JACKSON HEARS OP New ORLEANS plot. Jackson drove tho British out of i Fensncola anil destroyed the wharta there as punishment to the citizens for allowing their port to be used &a a base for British operations. But he- did more than win a victory. Ho discovered a plan was on foot to attack New 'Orleans. If Jackson had lived a hundred years later ho would have wired to Washington II for Inst ructions, but there was no time. He wrote a letter to Wash ington i.-ii'im hi superiors ho was Ik 3n Iim way to New Orleans and ho 2 Put the letter In care of a trusted messenger, who was instructed to Ht the teller rather than let it fall Into th hands of another. Mounted on his favorite white horse he moved to Xew Orleans by Forced marches. He reached there to find the- city almost indifferent to its fate. They were loyal to tho United States and hated England, bur they did not believe the Eng lish would come In force largo enough to conquer them The British already had defeated the American flotilla of six small ves sels and had entered Lake Borgne at the time Jackson arrived. Gov ernor Claiborne had begged tno legislature to declare martial law sriil impress everybody into mili tary service, but the legislature did not wish to act Jackson accom plished what Claiborne could not do. Troops were mustered and drilled for the battle. Among the troops was a company of free neproes and another of Choctaw Indians. Jackson's enthusiasm fired the city and recruits offered themselves for BOrvii e Women and children sang In the streets. For the mo3t part the Inhabitants were French Creoles. They sang "La Marseil laise1 "Le Chant du Depart" as the soldh rs drilled. Jackson's "Dirty Shirts" from the backwoods taught them how to sing Yankee Doodle and soon the French Creoles were Blnging not only their old French songs, but were liberal with the strains of Yankee Doodle. While Jackson was building forts and throwing up breast works and making plan against every contin gency a visitor came to his head quarters one night and offered his services. T would like to fight," said the visitor. "Hut I am proscribed. In X-w Orleans they call me a pirate. Ms brother recently escaped from fall there. They have hunted me in tnc swamps ana uiey nave meet to burn my ships In the channels Of the river. I am John Lafllto of Bn rat aria " I know you for s hellish bandit." said Old Hickory. "You have robbed from everybody and have sold your booty in the markets of Xew Orleans through your agents. You ought to be hung. I do know that you are a fearless man. and I have a half notion to accept your offer for we need men who can shoot in the battle which is com ing." "If I come I will bring my brother Pierre on whose head there is a reward of $1,000. Both of us would light for you and the only request we have is that you pardon us our past and permit us to live in peace the rest of our das. We will on our part promise to abide by the laws of the United States no matter how Irksome they are to u " JACKSON' ACCEPTS OHTR OF PIRATE BROTHERS. Jackson agreed to accept the aid of the pirates, but he could not promise them clemency after the battle. He- said they would be safe, however, until the British were repelled and then if the State o Louisiana saw fit to punish th m for their past deeds he would k.c them a chance to get back to tho bayous and swamps. However, if they fought bravely he would rec ommend clemency for them. The brothers agreed. Baratarla was a pirate strongold on one of the sluggish channels of the Mississippi River below Xew Orleans. The inhabitants had made their living not only by pirating on commerce, but they had smug gled in slaves from Africa. Just be fore the invasion by Packenham the British had made overtures to the Baratarlans They wished the pirates to aid them in the capture of Xew Orleans. Lafltto half way agreed to Join them and In that way gained Information as to the size of the British force. He gave all the information to Jackson. When he Joined tho American Army ho brought with him his band of freebooters. Tho country below Xew Orleans was so swampy it was not Inhab ited at the time of the Battle of Xew Orleans except by the pirates and a few adventurous hunters. THE: hattletieki where fp Jackson heal the Brit- -iSBw ish near New Orleans, as While it was known the British were landing on Lagc Borgne their exact location could not be deter mined Pickets were scattered over the countrya but when a man has an arms of only 3,600 men ho can not spare many pickets. One of these pickets stationed at an important location on Lake Borgne was captured .and from him the British learned where the oth er pickets were stationed. These were picked up one by one. On December 2 3 the British landed at a little Ushers' illaf;e on the shoi S of Ivike Borgne. Their scouts had been over a great deal of the land In the meantime and had decided on their approach to Xew Orleans. From the fishers' village they pushed on along the shores of a bayou and entered a swamp. Skirt ing a plantation at the edge of the swamp they marched until they arrived at the banks of the Missis sippi River shortly before noon of the same day. Jackson was com pletely surprised. The cathedral bells were rung In alarm and the trooos hastily assembled to give battle. The British paused to rest and await thcrcft of the army. Jack son s men v.ero given supper and then they moved on the British. While the army marched down on the banks of the stream, the Amer ican river boat, Carolina, dropped down alongside. The Carolina sh lied t be Brit ish. The :-hellin" u ;is followed by an order from JackSOU to charge. The battle was fought in the dark. Thcr. were no par ticular results. Historians say Jackson's chief aim in lighting was to gain prestige. Before daybreak he drew back about two miles to what Is now tho suburbs of Xew Orleans The Brit ish erected breastworks and awalti d re-enforcements. Cannon were un loaded and broughT across 'h country for the British, while Jack son's final detachment of back woodsmen also arrived from Ken tucky and Tennessee. On Xew Year's Pay the British advanced to the attack. Jackson's men Aero defended by cotton bales and earthworks. The British out classed them In artillery. The bat tle was nothing but ;i skirmish as far as the fighting on shore was concerned. Shot from the British guns, however, wrecked the Caro lina. Her guns were brought ashore and from then on were used by Jackson's land force. Oh the day of the final battle Jackson's lino of defense stretched from a BWamp to the river, a dis tance of a half-mile. He had only twelve cannon, but the guns were manned by the best gunners in the world. Among those who manned the guns were artillery men from the United States regular army, ome French soldiers under Flau le&O. who had fought under Xapo leon, sailors from the burnt Caro lina. New Orleans Creoles and the Bafilte brothers with their pirate bands. All knew how to handle ar tillery and on the day of the battle they gave a good account of them selves. From battery to batten' the line was filled out with a confusion of arms and trappings. On the extreme right under the levee of the Missis sippi v;is a company of regular in fantry and a company of Orleans Bitles with dragoons who handled a howitaer. Next was a battalion of Lousiana Creoles In gay and varied uniforms. Tho sailors of the Carolina came next with their cannon. Xear them were the pirates with two guns, Then w as a battalion of negroes and mulattoea At their left were tho Frenchmen under Flaujeac. Along side the Frenchmen were the Ten ncsseeans in homespun clothes and It Was Just 100 Years From I January 8, When I Andrew Jackson's Back- 1 woods Sharpshooters, ffl Beat the Flower of the J British Army at New Orleans I :. V " . .,v - '-V' . fl.mnel shirts under the command of Colonel Carroll. Adair s Ken tuckians were next to Carroll and next to the swamp were Colonel Coffee's Tcriiiosseeofliis- It was against this mingled force thai Gen Edward Packenham threw his army the morning of January 8. Part of his force was sent across the Mississippi Biver to attack Com modorc Patsrson, who had a marine buttery on tho west bank of the river opposite Jackson's entrench ments. On the east ride of the river Gen- ral Packenham 's brilliant array be gan the movement against tho Americans at daybreak. It was a far different urmy from those who fought on the other side, instead of n motley array of men tho British were all In brilliant uniform. Gener al Packenham rode on a black horse and led his troops. He was a brave General, if there ever was one, but he had never led an urmy against sharpshooters and he did not know what he was golns against. Ho was the target for many guns and long before the day had grown old, both Packenham and his black charger had fallen mortally wounded. Sever al of his Generals fell with him. At 8 p. m General Lambert, who had risen to the command through the slaughter of his superiors, led the shattered soldiers from the field. Several daj's later they disembarked at Lake Boyne and left America for ever. The house where General Jackson had his headquarters remained standing until four years ago. It was then torn down to make room for the switch yards of the Frisco & Rock Island railroads. Until it was razed It was one of the show places of Xew Orleans. Bullets still were embedded in the wall3 of the, place. For many years before its destruction it was the country home of Henry T. Beauregard. A monument marks the battle ground site. Every schoolboy knows how the American people honored Andrew Jackson by making him President of the United States. It is interest ing to know what happened to the Lafitte brothers. They were grant ed amnesty for all they had done before the battle and John Lafltte became a prominent ward politician of Xew Orleans. An Epileptic Camp. Life in the open air with healthy employment Is proving 100 per cent more beneficial in the treatment of epilepsy than experiments with rat tlesnake venom or other much heralded drugs, according to the recent report of the Pennyh anla Epileptic Hospital and colony farm, at Oak-bourne, Chester County. The hospital is a little commun ity of itself. Segregated from the rest of the world, seventy-five pa tients find their tasks and pleasure nlthln the limits of the extensive farm, and are not only improving their physical condition, but are making farming a practical experi ment. There is work for every one, whether in the fields, the dairy or future wellbelng. I To perfect the wnrk, Samuel "W, J Morton, president of the hospital I and farm, has urged that $160,000 I be added to the present endowment I fund. With added pr I vision for I maintenance, it Is hoped 'that mor M advanced work in tho "study and I treatment of epilepsy can be car- fl rled on. Trails Mate Twenty-Seven Tears, Mrs. Mary X. Grainger, an En- jfl glish woman 50 years old, saye she I has found In Kansas City the father B of her two children who deserted ',M her In Canada twenty-seven years ago. j Francis Grainger, the man Mrs. 1 I Grainger claims as her mate, is mar- i I rled and has a family. He conducts I a hardware store at 2216 East ' I Eighteenth street. Ho denies he I knows Mrs. Mary Grainger. I After traveling more than 5,000 miles and searching for her hus- 1 band for a generation, Mrs. Grain- 1 ger came to Kansas City. 1 The story told to Virgil Yates, an iJ assistant prosecutor, sounded like a 1 passage from a novel and caused a I warrant to be issued against Grain- J ger, charging wife abandonment. -M Mrs. Grainger said sho knew her I husband as Isaac Grainger. V "It was in England that I met him 1 near forty years ago,-' Mrs. Grain- 1 ger told the assistant prosecutor. I "He was in the English Army and M I was a girl who lived near a rifle range where the soldier boys prac- ?( "As I was WMt'-hing them one day, 'V J with my knitting in my hand, one v, Bffj of the soldiers came over and took my scissors He laughingly told me he was going to keep them. I was llattered by his neat fitting uniform and his smile, and I said I didn't "That was the beginning After ! m that I went to the rifle range often ilj each time seeing the man I was u beginning to love. In three years he 1 J m m I the truck patch. During the last year, $i,4::3 was realized, as a re sult of the farm produce raised. The orchards brought in SS9.44, and $804.13 was earned by the patients in raising vegetables. Girls and women at the colony have been busy making tho vari ous harvests profitable Jellies and preserves are put up and enough vegetables canned to last until next e;ir. Sewing classes also show splendid results and each patient takes considerable pride In the num ber of new dresses she is ablo to make for her own use. An efficient corps of social work ers among tho patients endeavor to Interest all In the surroundings and increase tho homo feeling. So soon as possible, each patient is given responsibility for some department, and the results show that colony life in the country under wise and Judicious management is solving tho problem of epileptic care. It is for the childrer that au thorities of the hospital hold most hope. With a perfectly equipped Schoolroom and teacher, the little onei gradually aro grasping the pos sibilities of their environment and building splendid foundations for j was discharged from service, and ll we lived together in England for Ijl several years Then we went to Canada, where two children came flH into our home. "We never were mar- f! rled, but became husband and wife lll under common law. 'fl "One night, just twenty-seven years ago last month, he left and H never returned. I waited and watt- H ed, hoping he would return to me. Finally I decided to find him. I l came to the Unjted States and when my work permitted me, I went from ifl city to city in search of the father i of my children. ! "I heard he was in Kansas City fl and T came here. I found my hus- iH band had lived here twenty years and was married and had children. I went to his store and there I told him who I was." jM Job Missed It. "Bout de only trouble dat Job missed," said Uncle Bben, "was jm runnhV fur office SB' bavin' friend I come aroun' de mornln' after clec I J tion to tell him whur he made hit K mistake." Washington Post. Jfl