martial law, and in one instance, where he had ordered a traitor to be imprisoned, and where that traitor had been set at liberty by Judge Hall, the General thought it necessary to imprison the judge also. These, to be sure, seem harsh measures, but the necessity of the case required harsh measures, and had such measures not have been taken, New Orleans would, most undoubtedly, have fallen into the hands of the British, and our country would have suffered incalculable disgrace and disaster. In the midst of every kind of difficulty, with his faithful little army, did General Jackson await the British invader. He had, to be sure, a faithful army, with faithful officers; but they were badly armed and equipped, while the citizens around him had almost yielded to despair, thinking that, with such means, there was not the slightest hope of opposing the splendid armament that was coming against them, and which consisted of the flower of the British army who had just conquered Napoleon Bonaparte.

It was with these difficulties and dangers staring him in the face, that General Jackson proceeded to make preparations to surmount them all, and the manner in which he succeeded will be related in the following chapters.

CHAPTER XVIII.

BATTLE OF THE TWENTY-THIRD OF DECEMBER.

N order that the reader may the more fully understand the military operations carried on in the defence of New Orleans, it may not be improper to make a few remarks upon the peculiar situation of that city.

New Orleans is about one hundred and

five miles from the mouths of the Mississippi River, and situated around a bend, on the left, or eastern bank. It is generally approached by vessels by the river, although small craft, such as schooners and sloops, navigate lakes Pontchartrain and Borgne, (an arm of the sea, lying behind the city, and separated from it, as well as from the river, by a narrow tract of country, which is, for the most part, an impassable and forest-covered swamp.) A narrow strip of land, varying from a few hundred yards to two or three miles, borders the river, gradually

tapering off into a swamp as it recedes, until it reaches the lakes. This strip of land is covered with plantations of sugar and cotton, &c., and protected from inundations of the river by an embankment of earth, called the "Levee," which runs up far above the city. The same is found on both sides of the river.

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Now the English armament, instead of coming up the river, entered the lakes and commenced landing their forces, on the 23d of December, upon this strip of dry land, about eight miles below the city. They reached the dry land by means of a stream or "Bayou," (a sort of natural canal,) called the Bayou Bienvenu, through which they passed in their boats. They were as yet ignorant that Jackson had been making such preparations to receive them, and instead of marching directly upon the city, which would have been the safest course, their commander resolved to encamp where he had landed, on the plantations of two or three French settlers.

When General Jackson received intelligence that the British were landing through Bienvenu and Villere's canal, he determined to attack them instantly, and therefore ordered the brigades of generals Coffee and Carroll, who were encamped about four miles above New Orleans, into the city. So

prompt were these, that in two hours they were in the streets and ready. As yet General Jackson could not tell what force of the British had arrived at Lacoste's and Laronde's plantations, (these were the plantations lying between the river and the Bayou Bienvenu,) nor whether this was not intended as a feint to draw off his attention from some other point of approach, for, as we have seen, there were several other directions by which the city might be reached. Labouring under this doubt, he detached General Carroll with his division, along with Governor Claiborne and the Louisiana militia, to take post on the Gentilly road, which led from Chef Menteur (another landing-place,) to New Orleans. Their orders were to defend this approach should the British make their appearance on it, to the last extremity.

With the remainder of his troops, in all about 2000 men, Jackson hastened down the river towards the point where it had been reported the British were effecting a landing.

Alarm pervaded the city. The marching and countermarching of the troops, the proximity of the enemy, with the approaching contest, and uncertainty of the issue, had excited a general fear. Already might the British be on their way and at

hand before the necessary arrangements could be made to oppose them. To prevent this, Colonel Hayne, with two companies of riflemen and the Mississippi dragoons, was sent forward to reconnoitre their camp, learn their position and their numbers, and if they should be found advancing, to harass and oppose them at every step until the main body should arrive.

Everything being ready, General Jackson commenced his march, to meet and fight the veteran troops of England. An inconsiderable circumstance at this moment evinced what unlimited confidence was reposed in his skill and bravery. As his troops were marching through the city, his ears were assailed with the screams and cries of innumerable females, who had collected on the way, and seemed to apprehend the worst of consequences. Feeling for their distresses, and anxious to quiet them, he directed Mr. Livingston, one of his aids-de-camp, to address them in the French language. "Say to them," said he, "not to be alarmed: the enemy shall never reach the city." It operated like an electric shock upon these terrified creatures. To know that he, himself, was not afraid of a fatal result, inspired them at once with confidence, and changed their fears into hopes.