Jean Lafitte Historic Resource Study (Chalmette Unit)

1. Niles' Weekly Register, February 11, 1815, p. 376; Latour, Historical Memoir, p. 136; Buell, History of Andrew Jackson, I, 426.

2. Bassett, Life of Andrew Jackson, I, 189. Tatum implied that the refinement to the left end of the line occurred after the January 1 encounter. "Journal," p. 122.

3. Dickson, "Journal of Operations in Louisiana," pp. 47, 48, 50; Colonel Alabranche to Major General Jacques Philippe Villeré, January 4, 1815. Villeré Papers, Historic New Orleans Collection.

4. "Journal," p. 168; Latour, Historical Memoir, pp. 144-45. See also "Battle of New Orleans, 8th January, 1815," Blackwood's Magazines, XXIV (September, 1828), p. 355; Parton, Life of Andrew Jackson, II, 172. Meuse, Weapons of the Battle of New Orleans, p. 30. Buell stated that the levee formed the river side of the structure. History of Andrew Jackson, I, 401. Laclotte's engraving, "Defeat of the British Army...," indicates that the work rather straddled the levee and that, furthermore, the side facing the river was lined with fence palings, probably as an outer revetment. Laclotte places this side of the redoubt within but a few feet of the water's edge. Some writers, Walker, for example, describe the fortification as a hornwork, which it was not. Jackson and New Orleans, p. 307. Walker claimed the structure contained three embrasures (Ibid.), whereas Casey believed it contained two. Louisiana in the War of 1812, p. 79.

5. Ellery, "Notes and Comments."

6. Latrobe, Impressions Respecting New Orleans, p. 43.

7. "John Coffee Order Book, 1814-1815." John Coffee Papers. Southern Historical Collection. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; National Archives. Record Group 98. Records of U.S. Army Commands, 1784-1921. Entry 73; Parton, Life of Andrew Jackson, II, 173; Casey, Louisiana in the War of 1812, p. 79.

8. See Latrobe, Impressions Respecting New Orleans, p. 45; Ellery, "Plan Showing the Disposition of the American Troops...."; Joyes Map. Latour does not show this structure in "Plan of the Attack and Defence of the American lines...."

9. Latour, Historical Memoir, pp. 114-16; James, Border Captain, p. 247; Casey, Louisiana in the War of 1812, p. 55; Brooks, Siege of New Orleans, p. 175.

10. Parton, Life of Andrew Jackson, II, 175; Lebreton, "Men Who Won the Battle of New Orleans," p. 29; Samuel Weller letters in Courier-Journal: Louisville, February 5, 1888. Filson Club Collection; Ellery, "Notes and Comments." Ellery stated that blankets and clothing were lacking. Ibid.

11. Buell, History of Andrew Jackson, I, 404.

12. Parton, Life of Andrew Jackson, II, 175-76.

13. "General Carroll's Expedition" pp. 58-59.

14. Latour, Historical Memoir, pp. 113-14; Parton, Life of Andrew Jackson, II, 175-76; Rowland, Andrew Jackson's Campaign Against the British, p. 321; Letter of James Kempe, January 9, 1815, as published in the Mississippi Republican, January 18, 1815. Manuscript Division, Southern Historical Collection; "Trimble's Account of the Battle of New Orleans.

15. "Journal of Operations in Louisiana," p. 14.

16. Rowland, Andrew Jackson's Campaign Against the British, p. 311.

17. "Trimble's Account of the Battle of New Orleans." The same account, with slightly different wording, appears in Rowland, Andrew Jackson's Campaign Against the British, pp. 332-33.

18. Bradford to F.A. Browder, January 6, 1815. Department of Archives and Manuscripts, Louisiana State University.

19. Latour, Historical Memoir, pp. 138, 139-40, 141, 143; "General Carroll's Expedition," pp. 57-58; Dickson, "Journal of Operations in Louisiana," p. 41; Casey, Louisiana in the War of 1812, p. 68.

20. Latour, Historical Memoir, p. 141; Thomas Joyes, "Account of Service in War of 1812," p. 6. Thomas Joyes Papers. Manuscript Division, Filson Club Collection, Louisville, Kentucky; Bassett, Life of Andrew Jackson, I, 190; Buell, History of Andrew Jackson, I, 423-24. About fifty Indiana volunteers from the area of Vincennes were included among the Kentucky troops. Ibid., 425-26.

21. Latour, Historical Memoir, pp. 143-44.

22. Letter published in Courier-Journal: Louisville, February 5, 1888. Samuel Weller Manuscripts. Manuscript Division, Filson Club Collection.

23. "Journal," p. 119.

24. Report of Captain H. D. Jones, Royal Engineers, March 30, 1815. Quoted in Casey, Louisiana in the War of 1812, p. 72.

25. General information about Line Dupré is from Tatum, "Journal," pp. 114, 122-23; Latour, Historical Memoir, pp. 136, 141; "Map Showing the Landing of the British Army its several Encampments and Fortifications on the Mississippi and the Works the erected on their Retreat; also the different posts Encampments and Fortifications made by the several Corps of the American army during the whole Campaign," in ibid.; Latrobe to Major General Villeré, January 7, 1815. Jacques Philippe Villeré Papers. Historic New Orleans Collection; Nolte, Fifty Years in Both Hemispheres, p. 217; "Trimble's Account of the Battle of New Orleans"; William James, Full and Correct Account; II, 367; Parton, Life of Andrew Jackson, II, 150; Buell, History of Andrew Jackson, I, 191; Villeré, Jacques Philippe Villeré, p. 54; Owsley, Struggle for the Gulf Borderlands, p. 152; Brooks, Siege of New Orleans, pp. 173, 193, 216-17, 219.

26. Report of Captain H.D. Jones, Royal Artillery, March 30, 1815. Quoted in Casey, Louisiana in the War of 1812, p. 72.

27. J. Tanesse, "Plan of the City and Suburbs of New Orleans," 1815. Louisiana Collection, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University, New Orleans. See also B. Lafon, "Plan of the City and Environs of New Orleans," 1816. Library of Congress. Geography and Map Division.

28. Parton, Life of Andrew Jackson, II, 167; Buell, History of Andrew Jackson, I, 414-15; Bassett, Life of Andrew Jackson, I, 190-91; James, Full and Correct Account, II, 367; Casey, Louisiana in the War of 1812, p. 72.

29. Tatum, "Journal," p. 123; Latour, Historical Memoir, p. 125; Latour, "Map Showing the Landing of the British Army"; Buell, History of Andrew Jackson, I, 414; Parton, Life of Andrew Jackson, II, 150.

30. Jackson to Morgan, December 25, 1814. Lieutenant John Peddie, "Sketch of the Position of the British and American Forces near New Orleans." BPRO, London, War Office 1, Vol. 141. David B. Morgan Papers. Manuscript Division Library of Congress; Latour, Historical Memoir, pp. 117, 124-25, lx-lxi, James, Full and Correct Account, II, 367; Walker, Jackson and New Orleans, pp. 306-07; Buell, History of Andrew Jackson, I, 414; DeGrummond, Baratarians, pp. 127-28; Casey, Louisiana in the War of 1812, pp. 68-69, 76-77; Brooks, Siege of New Orleans, pp. 173-74, 193, 209, 216; Brown, Amphibious Campaign, p. 120. There appears to be some discrepancy among accounts as to the guns occupying Patterson's shore battery. Major Tatum stated that "several batteries [were] errected [sic] mounting one and two Guns each some of which were 24 lbrs., the balance 18, 12 and 9 lbrs. These batteries were errected at different places and extended near a mile from the upper to the lowest." "Journal," p. 118. There occurred considerable dispute over the propriety of Morgan's selection of Raguet's Canal against Latour's recommendations. See Historical Memoir, pp. 166-68.

31. Correspondence of Andrew Jackson, II, vii-viii; Casey, Louisiana in the War of 1812, p. 77. For a description of the perceived ill-preparedness of Morgan's militia by one who was there, see Thomas Joyes, "Defense of Kentucky Troops in War of 1812." Manuscript Division, Filson Club Collection.

32. Ellery, "Notes and Comments."

33. Laclotte apparently employed artistic license in showing the mortar being discharged during the battle. "Defeat of the British Army...." This recapitulation of the artillery is drawn from the maps cited in the earlier accounting, plus MacRea, "List of Officers and Men serving at the Batteries." See also, Casey, Louisiana in the War of 1812, pp. 79-80; Latour, Historical Memoir, pp. 147-49, 150-51; Casey, "Artillery in the Battle of New Orleans," pp. 31-32; Meuse, Weapons of the Battle of New Orleans, pp. 28-30; Walker, Jackson and New Orleans, pp. 312-14; Parton, Life of Andrew Jackson, II, 173-74; Brooks, Siege of New Orleans, pp. 214-15. One account states that the mortar was still in place behind the intrenchment more than three months after the battle. Diary of Samuel Mordecai, March-June, 1815. Manuscript Division. Southern Historical Collection. For a discussion of the numerous discrepancies among sources concerned with enumerating Jackson's artillery strength, with a focus on problems with Latour's account, see J. Fred Roush, "Preliminary Report of Cannon and Carriages at Chalmette, 1815" (unpublished manuscript dated June, 1955, in the library of the Chalmette Unit of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park), pp. 1-3, 5-7.

34. Bassett, Life of Andrew Jackson, I, 191-92.

35. Buell, History of Andrew Jackson, I, 406; Casey, Louisiana in the War of 1812, p. 81; Meuse, Weapons of the Battle of New Orleans, p. 46.

36. Latour, Historical Memoir, pp. 149-52; Ellery, "Notes and Comments"; Walker, Jackson and New Orleans, pp. 314-15; Parton, Life of Andrew Jackson, II, 173-74; Bassett, Life of Andrew Jackson, I, 192; Roosevelt, Naval War of 1812, p. 478; Rowland, Andrew Jackson's Campaign Against the British, pp. 340-42, 344; Brooks, Siege of New Orleans, p. 216; Brown, Amphibious Campaign, p. 137. For a discussion of apparent discrepancies regarding troop disposition in Latour's account, see Reilly, British at the Gates, pp. 290-91. Ellery, who was present, praised the abilities of the Kentucky and Tennessee troops over the regulars. "Accustomed from their infancy to hunting, they become expert marksmen, and feeling safe behind their lines, freely exert their skill. Taking their own time, choosing their distance and selecting their objects, their shots generally tell; while regular troops, firing generally by platoons, in straight lines, at the word of command, and without aim, lose most of theirs. From the firing therefore of militia wth correct aim, at selected objects, and of course in various directions, a multiplied cross-fire is necessarily produced." "Notes and Comments."

37. From Buell, History of Andrew Jackson, I, 247-48. These figures do not include the 500 Kentucky and Louisiana troops at Line Dupré. Ibid., I, 428.

38. Thad Mayhew to "Dear Susan," January 26, 1815. Department of Archives and Manuscripts, Louisiana State University (see also "A Massachusetts Volunteer at the Battle of New Orleans," The Louisiana Historical Quarterly, IX [January, 1926], p. 31); John A Fort to "Dear Brother," January 28, 1815, in "Historical Documents," The Louisiana Historical Quarterly, XXXII (January, 1949); Latour, Historical Memoir, p. 154; Rufus King to unidentified recipient, February 11, 1815. Rufus King Collection. Manuscripts Division, New York Historical Society.

39. Nolte, Fifty Years in Both Hemispheres, p. 221; Samuel Luce to parents, January 19, 1815. Manuscript Division, Filson Club Collection.