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'Patriotic Fire' Rages in the Battle of New Orleans William Connery
Book Review: "Patriotic Fire: Andrew Jackson and Jean Laffite at the Battle of New Orleans," by Winston Groom: (Alfred A. Knopf Publishers, New York 2006, 292 pages, $26.00) The devastation wrought upon New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina brought that beautiful and wild Southern city into the American psyche, for a very inglorious reason. After the storm, there was talk by some of abandoning the city, that it was an uninhabitable place. But with help from neighbors far and near, the city is rising again and will regain its stature as the Big Easy, the home of hot jazz and Mardi Gras. So it is fortuitous that this book, written by the man who brought us "Forrest Gump" and a slew of history books, has delivered the story of the greatest battle of the War of 1812, a battle that took place two weeks after the Peace Treaty had been signed. [Editor's Note: Learn more about General Andrew Jackson's epic Battle of New Orleans, Go Here Now.] In his "Introduction," Groom gives his rationale for writing this book about this particular battle. It so happens that his other historical works have some connection to a member of his family. A great-grandfather served in the cavalry of the Confederate general "Fighting Joe" Wheeler and was the connection for his Civil War history "Shrouds of Glory." Groom's personal link appears in his first novel, "Better Times Than These," about the Vietnam War, where he served in the U.S. Army. Of course his best-known work, "Forrest Gump," has its Vietnam link. Groom's connection to the War of 1812 was with Major Elijah Montgomery, a great-great-great-grandfather who fought along side Old Hickory.
Story Continues Below
I can see where the author is coming from. Although I usually write and speak on various Civil War topics, I do have a geographical link to the War of 1812. I grew up on East Pratt Street in Baltimore, about ½ block from the Patterson Park Pagoda, which is part of the defensive line where 10,000 soldiers, militia, and Revolutionary War veterans (including General David Poe, Sr.—grandfather of Edgar Allan) waited to protect the city while Fort McHenry was being bombarded. Old Hickory and the French Privateer, those British troops that left Baltimore harbor still aching for a fight, would get more than they bargained for in the Crescent City. We begin to learn more of the two "Americans" who could join their forces to save the dream that was the American Republic. Andrew Jackson was a rough-hewn man, born 1767 in the backwoods of the border country between North and South Carolina (both states like to claim him as a native son). His father had died shortly before his birth, leaving a widow with three young sons to care for. Then came the Revolutionary War, which reached Andrew's part of the Carolinas in 1779, the year his older brother Hugh died at the battle of Stono Ferry.
The chief British protagonist was the "cruel and remorseless" Col. Banastre Tarleton (Col. Tavington in the Mel Gibson film "The Patriot"). Andrew and his other brother Robert were captured by a British raiding party. It was at this point that Andy refused to clean a British officer's boots and received the physical and psychical scars that turned him into a patriot and hater of the British. It is not coincidental that Andy's brother and mother soon died due to deprivations and diseases brought by the foreign troops. As the British army neared New Orleans, one of their leaders (Col. Nicholls), set out for Grand Terre Island, about 40 miles south of the city, the meet the leader of the pirates of Barataria, Jean Laffite. Originally from French Haiti, Jean had moved to New Orleans after the slave revolt led by Toussaint L'Ouverture. Laffite would not have considered himself a pirate at all, but a privateer, operating under "letters of marquee," to capture foreign shipping. Since the American government had instituted an embargo before the war (which especially hurt the New England states, which by 1814 were on the verge of seccession), the goods that Jean "liberated" were in great demand. Col. Nicholls offered a large bribe to Jean if he would lead the invaders up the bayous and back roads into the city. He also wanted the use of the pirates' ships and men. This is the amazing part of the whole book. Jean Lafitte, who was under a warrant of arrest by the U.S. government, could have taken the money and retired a wealthy man. Instead he sent a letter to New Orleans warning the authorities, and escaped to some upriver friends while the Americans came and raided his island. This took place in September. When Andy arrived at the end of November, he at first turned his nose up at Jean and his "hellish banditi." By mid-December, as the British fleet was gathering near the mouth of the Mississippi, Jackson finally relented and met with the man. Maybe he expected a bandata, cutlesses and a parrot on his shoulder. Instead he met a well-dressed gentleman, ready to offer his service to the Americans. The rest of the story, as we say, is history. The British have to row their troops 80 miles, through bayous and swamps, and still are able to land in a spot unprotected by the Americans. The initial troops are successful, but wait for reinforcements, giving time for U.S. forces to gather and block their progress. Several skirmishes take place, just before Christmas and on New Years Day. The main British attack comes on Jan. 8, 1815, with horrific results. Total casualties for the Brits are over 3,000 (killed, wounded and missing). Total American is about 400. And what became of the two heroes? Andy Jackson was elected twice to the presidency (1828 and 1832) and probably postponed the Civil War for 30 years when he faced down John C. Calhoun (his own vice president) and the South Carolina Nullification Act. Jean Lafitte never got his property back or was compensated by the U.S. government. He moved to Galveston, where his enterprises were wiped out by a hurricane. He eventually settled in Alton Ill. (across the river from St. Louis), under the name John Lafflin. According to some reports, he was killed in a sea battle, hanged by the Spanish, died of disease in Mexico, or murdered by his own crew. What can be learned by this great battle? That Creoles, Cajuns, French, Kentuckians, Tennesseeans, and free men of color could serve under a raw-boned commander and stand up to the greatest army on earth, declaring themselves citizens of the Democracy of America. William Connery is a freelance writer living in Alexandria, Va. Most of his articles and book reviews have appeared on the Civil War page of The Washington Times. He is available for Civil War and historical talks and tours in the Baltimore-Washington area. He can be reached at william.connery@verizon.net.
[Editor's Note: Learn more about General Andrew Jackson's epic Battle of New Orleans, Go Here Now.]
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