250 ANDREW JACKSON 



" as if by magic." 1 But if there was any magic in the 

 case, it lay in the bold initiative by which he got the 

 game into his own hands and kept it there. As soon 

 as he heard of the landing of the British, he went forth 

 to attack them, rightly believing that their ignorance 

 of the country might be set off against their superb 

 discipline. He made a spirited night attack upon 

 their camp, while from the river the heavy guns of the 

 schooner Carolina raked them with distressing charges 

 of grape. The effect was to check the enemy's prog- 

 ress and give Jackson time to complete his intrench- 

 ments in a very strong position which he had chosen, 

 near the Bienvenue and Chalmette plantations, on the 

 east side of the river. On the farther side he placed 

 the militia of Kentucky and Louisiana, under General 

 Morgan. The British numbered twelve thousand men 

 under command of Wellington's brother-in-law, the 

 gallant Sir Edward Pakenham. To oppose these vet- 

 erans of the Spanish peninsula, Jackson had six thou- 

 sand of that sturdy race whose fathers had vanquished 

 Ferguson at King's Mountain, and whose children so 

 nearly vanquished Grant at Shiloh. On the 8th of 

 January Pakenham was unwise enough to try to over- 

 whelm his adversary by a direct assault all along the 

 line. It was repeating Bunker Hill and anticipating 

 Cold Harbor. On the west bank, indeed, the British 

 weight of numbers prevailed, pushed the militia out of 

 the way, and seemed to open a chance for turning 

 Jackson's position. But all this was rendered futile 

 by the stupendous catastrophe on the eastern bank. 

 "Don't waste any shots, boys," said Jackson, as the 

 long lines of redcoats were seen approaching, "make 



1 Sumner, 39. 



