Page:Cambridge Modern History Volume 7.djvu/377

 1814J British attack on New Orleans. 345 time to collect men and raise fortifications. A surprise was for this reason impossible; and, General Ross having fallen in a skirmish, the attempt on the place was abandoned, chiefly because the navy was prevented from co-operating by vessels sunk in the entrance to the harbour. The British land force re-embarked without molestation, and now proceeded south towards the littoral of the Gulf of Mexico. Here operations had been already undertaken by the British, with the object of supporting the Creek Indians, who had risen in 1813 at Tecumthe's instigation, massacred some hundreds of whites at Fort Mimms, and threatened every American post and every home in Georgia and Ten- nessee. This rising was crushed by the Americans under General Andrew Jackson after severe fighting early in 1814 ; and the tribe was compelled to agree to a disadvantageous peace in August of that year. A small British detachment had disembarked at Pensacola, which nominally belonged to Spain, in July, and was so active in issuing proclamations of an insulting nature that it absorbed all Jackson's attention, when he should have kept his eyes fixed upon New Orleans, which was the place marked down for the next serious attack. Pensacola was cleared of the invaders by Jackson in November ; but in December the same force which had captured Washington, now reinforced to a strength of about 6000 men, appeared off Lake Borgne and the mouth of the Mississippi, and destroyed the American gunboats on the lake. In New Orleans there was no great devotion to the American cause; and, but for the presence of Jackson, the city would probably have capitulated tamely enough. Jackson, however, after weeks of indolence, displayed remarkable energy. He organised the defences as well as was possible at the last moment ; proclaimed martial law, ignoring the Louisiana legislature; and was opportunely reinforced by levies from the Mississippi States. On December 23 the British arrived within seven miles of the city, unmolested and unwatched. For some hours New Orleans was at their mercy; and, had they boldly attacked, the town must have fallen. But the British vanguard was numerically weak ; and Major-General Keane, who was in command, thought it wiser to wait for the arrival of the bulk of the force before delivering his attack. That same night Jackson, having recovered from his first surprise, took the offensive, attacking the British and inflicting upon them heavy loss in an indecisive action. On the 25th Major-General Sir E. Pakenham arrived and took command ; but he hesitated before ordering an assault, and determined to try the effect of a regular artillery preparation. Heavy guns were dragged up, and days were wasted, during which the American forces were growing in number, and their defences in strength. Their works consisted of three successive lines, on the east bank of the Mississippi, running across a strip of land, a mile wide, from the river to a swamp, so that they could not be turned. In front of the southern- most ran a canal, of varying width and four feet deep. The rampart ce. x.