The Battle of New Orleans 227 



hundred 17 men ; for the darkness and confusion that 

 added to the horror, lessened the slaughter of the 

 battle. 



Jackson drew back about three miles, where he 

 halted and threw up a long line of breastworks, 

 reaching from the river to the morass; he left a 

 body of mounted riflemen to watch the British. All 

 the English troops reached the field on the day after 

 the fight; but the rough handling that the foremost 

 had received made them cautious about advancing. 

 Moreover, the left division was kept behind the 

 levee all day by the Carolina, which opened upon 

 them whenever they tried to get away; nor was it 

 till dark that they made their escape out of range 

 of her cannon. Christmas day opened drearily 

 enough for the invaders. Although they were well 

 inland, the schooner, by greatly elevating her guns, 

 could sometimes reach them, and she annoyed them 

 all through the day; 18 and as the Americans had 

 cut the levee in their front, it at one time seemed 

 likely that they would be drowned out. However, 

 matters now took a turn for the better. The river 



17 Forty-six killed, 167 wounded, 64 missing. I take the 

 official return for each side, as authority for the respective 

 force and loss. 



18 "While sitting at table, a loud shriek was heard. ... A 

 shot had taken effect on the body of an unfortunate soldier 

 . . . who was fairly cut in two at the lower portion of the 

 belly!" (Gleig, p. 306.) 



