of course now abandoned; not, however, until the guns had been spiked.

This unfortunate route had totally changed the aspect of affairs. The enemy now occupied a position from which they might annoy us without hazard, and by means of which they might have been enabled to defeat, in a great measure, the effects of our success on this side the river. It became therefore an object of the first consequence to dislodge him as soon as possible. For this object, all the means in my power, which I could with any safety use, were immediately put in preparation. Perhaps, however, it was owing somewhat to another cause that I succeeded even beyond my expectations. In negotiating the terms of a temporary suspension of hostilities to enable the enemy to bury their dead and provide for their wounded, I had required certain propositions to be acceded to as a basis; among which this was one-that although hostilities should cease on this side the river until twelve o'clock of this day, yet it was not to be understood that they should cease on the other side; but that no reinforcements should be sent across by either army until the expiration of that day. His excellency Maj. Gen. Lambert begged time to consider of these propositions until ten o'clock of to-day, and in the meantime recrossed his troops. I need not tell you with how much eagerness I immediately regained possession of the position he had thus hastily quitted.

In a subsequent letter, general Jackson states the loss of the enemy to have been much greater than what he at first computed. Upon information which was believed to be correct, colonel Haynes reported it to have been in total two thousand six hundred, viz. seven hundred killed, fourteen hundred wounded, and five hundred prisoners, including one major, four captains, eleven lieutenants, and one ensign, who were among the latter. The American loss on both sides of the Mississippi was thirteen killed, thirty-nine wounded, and nineteen missingtotal seventy-one. Of this number six were killed and seven wounded in the action on the eastern bank of the river, and the residue in a sortie after the action and in the action on the western bank. Among the British officers killed were Sir Edward Pakenham, lieutenant-general and commander in chief, (cut asunder by a cannon ball) major-general Gibbs, colonel Raynor, majors Pringle, Whitaker and Wilkinson. Among their wounded was major-general Keane, severely.

Numerous accounts official as well as unofficial, represent this battle to have been the greatest ever fought on the American continent. For disparity of loss a parallel can scarcely be found in ancient or modern history. So determined were the enemy to carry our works that many came up to the very muzzles of our guns, and some penetrated into our lines, where they were either killed or taken prisoners. Many fell mounting the breast-works; others were slain upon the works and the ditch in front

was, in many places, literally filled with dead and wounded. The roar of artillery from our lines was incessant, while an unintermitted rolling fire was kept up from our muskets. The atmosphere was filled with sheets of fire and volumes of smoke. For an hour and a quarter the enemy obstinately con tinued the assault; fresh men constantly arriving to fill up their lines thinned by our fire. Their determined perseverance and steady valour, were worthy of a better cause; nor did their troops falter, until almost all the officers who had lead them to the attack had fallen. At one time, a body of the enemy succeeded in gaining possession of a bastion on our right with three pieces of cannon in it; but so destructive was our fire, that every man who entered was either killed by our riflemen or disabled before they could spike the guns. Our men soon returned to the charge and regained the bastion. So intent were the enemy in getting over our works, that they pulled off their shoes for the purpose of climbing them; but nearly all who made the attempt were either killed or taken prisoners.

The guns of commodore Patterson's batteries, on the opposite side of the river, did great execution, until the retreat of the Kentucky troops, who had been posted near them. The commodore, finding himself thus deserted, was compelled, with a handful of brave men, to retire, after spiking his guns. The British afterwards burnt the gun carriages, being foiled in their expectations of using the guns to annoy our troops on the opposite shore.

Previous to the battle of the 8th of January, the pirates of Barataria, who had been held in custody, were released by order of general Jackson, upon condition that they would assist in defending the city of New-Orleans. In the battle of that day they proved themselves excellent artillerists, and were, together with a few Frenchmen, successfully employed in serving the pieces. They were afterwards released from any further confinement, having received (at the request of the general assembly of Louisiana) a full pardon from the president of the United States.

Soon after the battle, the enemy sent in a flag of truce, and twenty-four hours were allowed them to remove and bury their dead. In one small spot alone, on the left of our lines, they found three hundred and sixty-eight dead bodies. In the course of the day forty carts and ten boats arrived at New Orleans, loaded with wounded prisoners, who were put into the barracks, which were converted into temporary hospitals; about one hundred and fifty unwounded prisoners were also put in confinement.-To the wounded every attention was paid by the citizens⚫ the nuns of the convent took the glorious lead. They under the immediate superintendance of the Abbe Douburg, threw open their doors and converted all their houses, separated from their main building, into a hospital, where they themselves, at their own expense, and with their own hands, took care of the sick and wounded. The ladies of New-Orleans were also employed in the same charitable acts of benevolence, as likewise in making clothes for our

soldiers. The future historian will delight to contrast the destroying and brilliant virtues of the one sex, with the preserving and not less attracting virtues of the other.

Immediately after their repulse, the enemy commenced active operations for a re-embarkation of their troops. Nearly the whole of the sick and wounded were sent on board their vessels, together with such baggage and munitions of war as could be safely spared. During these operations, the enemy kept up a menacing attitude-frequent indications were given of an intention to renew the attack on our lines, and vigorous works of defence were thrown up in front of our camp. The rear of their army retired first, while they displayed a numerous body of men to the view of our troops, and at night their fires seemed rather to increase than diminish. They had erected batteries to cover their retreat, in advantageous positions, from their original encampment, to the bayou through which they entered lake Borgne. The cannon placed on these batteries would have raked a pursuing army in every direction, and any attempt to storm them would have been attended with very great slaughter. Having made the necessary arrangements, the whole British army precipitately retreated on the night of the 18th of January; an account of which was officially given by general Jackson to the secretary of war.

The enemy's loss after decampment, and on shipboard, (including about three hundred drowned while