Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/25

 JACKSON

JACKSON

rapid succession. Jackson opened his attack with deUberation, and the niglit battle followed, wiiich lasted one and a half hours, when the enemy fell behind their intrenchments with a loss of foi'ty-six killed, one hundred sixty-seven wounded, and sixty-four taken prisoners. The Americans lost twenty-four killed, one hun- dred five -wounded, and seventy-four missing. On the 24th the American line was established behind the Rodriguez canal and intrenched. When earth became scarce, cotton bales were sul)stituted, and a line of defence a mile long was built and two small pieces of cannon placed in position on tiie highway the first day, and by the 2Tth the defensive works were complete. Meanwliile the Carolina's and Louisiana's guns commanded the plain, and when a " redcoat" ap- peared, opened fire. On the 28th General Paken- liam made a reconnoissance of the American position which cost him fifty killed and wounded, while the Americans lost nine killed and eight wounded. The fire from the Louisiana was the immediate cause of Pakenham's withdrawal. An artillery duel of January 1 cost the British thirty killed and forty wounded, and the Americans •eleven killed and twenty-three wounded, most of the Americans being idle spectators. The artil- lery fire caused the cotton bales to bound out of place and catch on fire, and they were all re- moved and replaced by the black spongy soil of the delta which received the balls without con- cussion. On January 4 the two regiments from Kentucky arrived, and the British force was re- inforced by 1700 fresh troops from England. On Jan. 8, 1815, the battle of New Orleans was fought and won by General Jackson, and not sure of complete submission on the part of the enemy, he proposed on the 9th to move on the retreating British force and cut them off from their transports and force a surrender, but an in- formal council of his officers opposed the move- ment. Col. Edward Livingston and General Adair thought the risk too great and the advan- tage to be gained too small, and Jackson did not persist. He contented himself with annoying the retiring enemy with a vigorous cannonade from the forts and ships by day and by hunting parties after dark. The attack on Fort St. Philip by the British fleet in order to gain the passage of the Mississijipi continued from Jan- uary 8 to the 17th, and the unsuccessful fleet withdrew on Jan. 18, 1815. At the same time the British army began its silent retreat undtn- the cover of the darkness of the night, and the next morning, Jan. 19. 1815, the American army first discovered the absence of their foe, and on the 27th every vestige of a British sail had dis- appeared from their sight. It was not till Mon- day, March 13, 1815, that General Jackson was

officially informed of the ratification of the treaty of peace, and hostilities were publicly de- clared to be at an end. In the iuterinr, during the reign of martial law, Jackson had caused the arrest of the avowed writer of an offensive news- paper article, and also the judge of the court be- fore whom the journalist had been summoned to appear, and when these men were released by Jackson they caused him to appear before the court to purge himself of contempt. He ap- peared as a private citizen, but refused to answer the interrogatories of the court, and he was fined the sum of $1000, whicii he paid. He left New Orleans, April 6, 1815, with his wife and adopted son, who had reached the citj' a few days after the announcement of peace. His progress homeward was one of triumph, and crowds greeted him at every cross-roads and landing. He spent the summer at the Hermitage and in Octo- ber made the journej- to the national cajiital on horseback. His welcome on his arrival at Lynch- burg, Nov. 7, 1815, was extremely enthusiastic, the entire populace partaking in the ovation. At a grand banquet at which Jefferson was pres- ent, Jackson offered the toast: " James I\Ionroe, late Secretary of War. " He reached Washing- ton, Nov. 17, and the next morning called upon President Madison and his cabinet. At the close of the war with Great Britain the army had been reduced to 10,000 men and Jacob Brown had been made commander of the Northern division and Andrew Jackson of the division of the South, and his visit to Washington was to consult with Mr. Crawford, secretary of war. as to the posts and stations to be maintained. His stay in Washington was a continuous round of festivity. He returned home early in 1816, visited New Orleans in March and after holding a grand review in that city returned to the Hermitage by way of the Creek. Cherokee, Chickasaw and Choctaw settlements, having talks with the respective chiefs and settling old disputes, as well as purchasing lands in Tennessee held by the Cliickasaws by doubtful claim. In the presidential campaign of 1816 he supported James Mom-oe and after his election carried on an extended correspondence in reference to the men to be his cabiiu't advisers. Then followed his notable pei'sonal controversies and correspon- dence with Gen. Winfield Scott and General Adair. In the Seminole war the general forgot his personal quarrels, and his advice to President Monroe was so to conduct the campaign against the Indians as to empower (Jeneral Gaines, the American commander, to follow the fugitive Seminole into Spanish territory ami to enforce his surrender from Spanish protection. On Dec. 26, 1817, he was ordered by Secretary of War Calho\in to take personal command of the U.S. •