The Battle of New Orleans 239 



was posted the Seventh regular infantry, 430 strong ; 

 then came 740 Louisiana militia (both French 

 Creoles and men of color, and comprising 30 New 

 Orleans riflemen, who were Americans), and 240 

 regulars of the Forty- fourth regiment; while' the 

 rest of the line was formed by nearly 500 Kentuck- 

 ians and over 1,600 Tennesseeans, under Carroll 

 and Coffee, with 250 Creole militia in the morass on 

 the extreme left, to guard the head of a bayou. In 

 the rear were 230 dragoons, chiefly from Missis- 

 sippi, and some other troops in reserve; making in 

 all 4,700 men on the east bank. The works on 

 the west bank were further down stream, and were 

 very much weaker. Commodore Patterson had 

 thrown up a water-battery of nine guns, three long 

 24*5 and six long I2*s, pointing across the river, and 

 intended to take in flank any foe attacking Jack- 

 son. This battery was protected by some strong 



Americans were armed with them; and the British breach- 

 ing batteries had a heavier "load" of artillery than did the 

 American lines. Gleig says that "to come nearer the truth" 

 he "will choose a middle course, and suppose their whole 

 force to be about 25,000 men" (p. 325). Gleig, by the way, 

 in speaking of the battle itself, mentions one most startling 

 evolution of the Americans, namely, that "without so much 

 as lifting their faces above the ramparts, they swung their 

 firelocks by one arm over the wall and discharged them" at 

 the British. If any one will try to perform this feat, with a 

 long, heavy rifle held in one hand, and with his head hid be- 

 hind a wall, so as not to see the object aimed at, he will get 

 a good idea of the likelihood of any man in his senses at- 

 tempting it. 



