The Battle of New Orleans 257 



much to the nature of the ground on which he 

 fought ; but the opportunities it afforded would have 

 been useless in the hands of any general less ready, 

 hardy, and skilful than Old Hickory. 



A word as to the troops themselves. The Brit- 

 ish infantry was at that time the best in Europe, 

 the French coming next. Pakenham's soldiers 

 had formed part of Wellington's magnificent Penin- 

 sular army, and the>r lost nothing of their honor at 

 New Orleans. Their conduct throughout was ad- 

 mirable. Their steadiness in the night battle, their 

 patience through the various hardships they had to 

 undergo, their stubborn courage in action, and the 

 undaunted front they showed in time of disaster 

 (for at the very end they were to the full as ready 

 and eager to fight as at the beginning), all showed 

 that their solcfierly qualities were of the highest 

 order. As much can not be said of the British artil- 

 lery, which, though very bravely fought was clearly 

 by no means as skilfully handled as was the case 

 with the American guns. The courage of the Brit- 

 ish officers of all arms is mournfully attested by the 

 sadly large proportion they bore to the total on the 

 lists of the killed and wounded. 



An even greater meed of praise is due to the 

 American soldiers, for it must not be forgotten that 

 they were raw troops opposed to veterans ; and in- 

 deed, nothing but Jackson's tireless care in drilling 



