Life of Andrew Jackson. 357 



pointed. If the enemy flee before us, we will overtake and chastise 

 him ; we will teach him how dreadful, when once aroused, is the 

 resentment of freemen. But it is not by boasting, that punishment 

 is to be inflicted or victory obtained. The same resolution that 

 prompted us to take up arms must inspire us in battle. Men thus 

 animated, barbarians can never conquer. The reliance of our ene- 

 mies will be upon the damage they can do whilst you are asleep ; their 

 hopes shall fail them in the hour of experiment. Soldiers who know 

 their duty are not to be taken by surprise. Our sentinels will never 

 sleep : yet, whilst it is enjoined upon the sentinels vigilantly to watch 

 the approach of the foe, they are, at the same time, commanded not 

 to fire at shadows. Imaginary danger must not deprive them of 

 entire self-possession. 



" Great reliance will be placed by the enemy on the consternation 

 they may be able to spread through our ranks by the hideous yells 

 with which they commence their battles ; but brave men will laugh 

 at such efforts to alarm them. It is not by bellowings and screams 

 that the wounds of death are inflicted. You will teach these noisy 

 assailants how weak are their weapons of warfare, by opposing them 

 with the bayonet. What Indian ever withstood its charge ? what 

 army of any nation ever withstood it long?" 



Peace being now concluded with the Indians, who were thus de- 

 tached from their English alliance, Jackson, in the spring of 1814, 

 was appointed to the protection of the lower country, against which 

 a tremendous expedition was then in preparation. He reached the 

 city of New Orleans on the 1st December, arid the enemy landed 

 on the 23rd ; but the various skirmishes previous to the great battle 

 fought on the 8th January, 1815, our limits will not permit us to 

 describe. The English army was now within six miles of the city, 

 upon an open plain on the margin of the Mississippi. The following 

 is the account of Mr. Eaton of the position of the American army, 

 and of the famous events of the 8th January, 1815 : " Our general 

 had formed his line behind a deep ditch, that stretched to the swamp 

 at right angles from the Mississippi river. There were two circum- 

 stances strongly recommending the importance of this place : the 

 swamp, which from the high lands at Baton Rouge skirts the river 

 at irregular distances, and in many places is almost impervious, had 

 here approached within four hundred yards of the Mississippi, and 

 hence, from the narrowness of the pass, was more easily to be de- 

 fended ; added to which there was a deep canal, whence the dirt 

 being thrown on the upper side, already formed a tolerable work of 

 defence. Behind this his troops were formed, and proper measures 

 adopted for increasing its strength, with a determination never to 

 abandon it, but there to resist to the last, and valiantly to defend those 

 rights which were sought to be outraged and destroyed. 



" The 8th of January at length arrived. The day dawned, and the 

 signals intended to produce concert in the enemy's movements were 

 descried. On the left near the swamp a sky-rocket was perceived 

 rising in the air, and presently another ascended from the right next 

 the river. They were intended to announce that all was prepared 

 and ready to proceed and carry by storm a defence which had twice 



