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Letters of Gen. Adair and Gen. Jackson relative to the charge of cowardice made by the latter against the Kentucky troops at New Orleans.

Letters of Gen. Adair and Gen. Jackson relative to the charge of cowardice made by the latter against the Kentucky troops at New Orleans. Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845. 400dpi TIFF G4 page images Printed by Thomas Smith, editor of the Kentucky Reporter, 1824 Lexington, Ky., 1824 9735239Ad These pages may be freely searched and displayed. Permission must be received for subsequent distribution in print or electronically. Letters of Gen. Adair and Gen. Jackson relative to the charge of cowardice made by the latter against the Kentucky troops at New Orleans. Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845. Printed by Thomas Smith, editor of the Kentucky Reporter, 1824 Lexington, Ky., 1824 $IMLS This electronic text file was created by Optical Character Recognition (OCR). No corrections have been made to the OCR-ed text and no editing has been done to the content of the original document. Encoding has been done through an automated process using the recommendations for Level 1 of the TEI in Libraries Guidelines. Digital page images are linked to the text file. RELATIVE TO THE MADE -BY THE LATTER. \GAINST THE KENTUCKY TROOPS' AT Js'EW ORLEANS. TO'THE PHILTERS OF THE RERORTER, Natchez, May 6, 181?'. I HAVE read with surprise in 3rour paper of the 25th of April a letter fr.o'm General Jackson of the 11th ult. in which he makes use of my n;:;ne and character, in a way (unprovoked on my part) and altogether unwarranted from any document he has produced. The General observes rathei-'vaiiahtl y, " neither General Mair nor any other mem,'lifts or ever will drag j ram me a falsehood." I assure him most sincerely, I had no wish to drag from him a falsehood; my sole object was to obtain from him the truth, and thus relieve my countrymen and fellow soldiers'from what I then deemed and still believe, an unmerited reproach. "^o effect this object, I referred the General to the testimony of respectable officers taken before the court of enquiry, which was certainly much more to be relied on than the hasty report of Gen, Morgan or Coin. Patterson. I really wish the General's ardent love of truth had continued with him until he had written 'va few sentences more. After quoting a paragraph from the History of the War, he writes: "Here ivs have the positive declaration of the author, that this forged paper, icas forged* by Gen. Jldair, and it remains for the General to let the world knoiv, from whence he obtained it." I may well ask, where does the General find this positive declaration of .the author, thnt I hare committed a forgery? I have not read this History of the TV ur, but there is certainly no such declaration contained or expressexi , This ii not t!ie word used-by OenernlJaekson, but a misprint, which wai corrected in the sucge n number of the Reporter. JacUsun assevted that the paper had been furnished by Adair^ io I believe there is any aliusioo. ^lielni; that publication had it . .o ueen deemed by the Historian and . .^., juii, explicit and satisfactory, so far as related to himself; and not a dry reluctant sentence of justification. It was not therefore, I presume, to this publication by Maj. Helm, (which was not published as coming from the Genera! on my application) but to the General's short, equivocal answer to my letter in New-Orleans, that the Historian alluded in this offensive paragraph. -If the Historian had really been deceived, and had indeed made a charge so highly criminal and so .-.mportant against me, can Gen. Jackson reconcile it to the duty of a good citizen, or of a high minded soldier, to become the propagator (in a public Newspaper) of a calumny so unfounded, when he had Maj. Helm's letter before, him acknowledging himself the author? The crime of forgery is justly detested by all honest men on account of the pecuniary losses and injury that may arise therefrom; but the wilful, wicked, malignant propagator of slander wiil ever be equally detested by every one who sets a just value on character or the peace of society. The General seems determined not to quit this forgery (as he terms it) until he has tortured it in every way his imagination could point out, most likely to do me an injury. He says, " Tiierejore this forged Dish, dressed in the true Spanish style*' 8fc, To this sentence I must call his particular attention; and I have a right to expect, for his own sake, if not for mine, that he will explicitly state whether this sentence, was intended to have a peculiar allusion to myself, or was a general expression arising out of his own knowledge or' opinion of Spanish duplicity. In the General's letter to you of the 11th of March, he thinks it "strange and unaccountable, that the, 400 ICen-luckians sent over the river with Cot. Davis ivere not anued, as Gen* jldair acknowledges the receipt of between 400 and 500 guns fr:?m a, corps of exempts in the city on the same day.i7 It is certainly more strange that Gen. Jackson should not have avoided the ridicule attributable to such an ignorance of what was done in his own camp at that eventful period, when by turning to his book of orders (if indeed he lias any such book) he would have seen that those men were directed to be sent from General Thomas's camp unarmed to the city of New-Orleans, there to receive arms and pass the river. lie has sent you a report ot Gen. Morgan, made on the Sth of January, stating his (Morgan's) force at 1600 men; here again he seems to have forgotten, that considerable reinforcements were sent to Gen? Morgan on the morning of the Sth and most probably included in that report A detachment of Kentuckians, under Major Harrison were sent from the lines., ?f from 4 to 500 men., immediately after the battle ended, and 1 understood other corps of the Louisiana militia were likewise sent. I have long since been of opinion, that no wise or prudent General would ever fight over his victories a second time on paper; perhaps no instance could be drawn from history, where this rule would more forcibly apply than to the battle of the 8th of January below .New- i will not at this time follow the General through his long and angry letter, nor is it necessary. He seems however unwilling to dismiss the Kentuckians, without edging in what in vulgar phrase might be termed a side wipe, in his allusion to the detachment under Major Hinds on the night of the 25th January The General cannot have -forgotten the conversation that took place between him and myself the next day, on that subject. If he has, I will again assure him, that Maj. Johnston who commanded the Kentuckians on that detachment^ was extremely anxious,' that a strict investigation and scrutiny should be had into his conduct and that of his men in that unimportant affair.. My whole conduct on this subject was prompted only by a sense of duty to my country and my fellow soldiers My letter to the General and to Gov. Shelby, the General's answer with a certified copy of the proceedings of the court of enquiry are lodged in the Secretary of State's office in Frankfort, free for the inspection of every citizen. I am siiil ready to justify every statement I have made. As to the publication by Maj. Helm, I never saw nor heard of it, until I found it in a newspaper; and if any combination existed to impose on the world through this paper it must have been between Gen. Jackson and Maj. Helm, who seem from the General's shewing, to have corresponded on. the subject at the time of its publication. From the strange and im-looked for attack made by the General on me. the manner and irritability with which lie has pursued it, I can scarcely hope that he will do me justice in future, I will assure him, whatever his course may be9 that he will never find me for a moment lose sight of that respect; which is due to my country or myself. JOHN ADAIR. GEN. JACKSON TO GEN. ADAIR. Nashville, QSrd July, 1817". Gen. John Adair. SIR:- On my return to this place from Riwassee, whither my duties called me nearly tv/o months since, I was presented with the Lexington Reporter, containing your letter addressed from Natchez to its editors, dated the 6th May, 1817. The surprise you profess to feel, at reading my letter of the 11th April, cannot be real; for it is well known you left Kentucky after the 38th of February, when the publication appeared which drew from me that communication; a publication which contained a forgery under the sanction of my name, and which was given to the world, for the. purpose of tarnishing the reputation of two brave officers (Patterson and Morgan) whose conduct, during the campaign below New-Orleans, merited and received my entire approbation.- A publication containing too, an extract from the "History of the late war in the western. country," which held me up to the world, as having been dragooned fay you, into "a dry, reluctant ssv^vp r\f *"i+ifirp+i'vr!,5' toward the fugitives on the right bank of the ' ii : ;] : 'i..... !. sving seen this previously to your leaving; Ksntuckv, witlVa knowledge of its falsity, should have allayed your surprise; while a just magnanimity, corresponding with the high respect, aad exalted sense of my worth, professed to be felt and expressed by you in your letter to Col. Anderson., from the Greenville springs, of the 28th" August 1815, should have in duced you to have given so base a production, a prompt and positive contradiction the instant it appeared. Having omitted' to do this, you had no right to calculate on my silence. Nay sir, your having left the country without doing it, too evidently manifested a continuation of that deception and misrepresentation, which is discoverable in your letter to me of the 20th of March, and to Gov. Shelby of the 10th of April, 1815. It is you, General, who appear to write to the editors in a passion; and this passion does not arise from any expression of mine, but from an error in the editors; whether it be accidental or design is for you and themselves to decide,; they have published it correctly in a note in the same paper, and corrected it in a subsequent one; It is a subject on which X feelno concern. On this, as on similar occasions, when any become irritated with me, on false premises or information, and make loud complaints through public prints of acts never done, 1 regard it not: such passions always subside without injury. You ask through the Rejwrier an explanation of my allusion to the "Spanish Dish," It will not be given; my letter speaks" for itself. It is plain, and without inuendo. You are charged by the Historian with having furnished, the forgery commented on; you can read it coolly^ and draw your own conclusions. This is my only explanation. I am astonished at your impudence, to speak of fighting buttles over again. You well know sir, that your misrepresentations and falsehoods, combined with those of your colleague, and the Editors of a newspaper, have been disturbing the tranquillity of the public mind., by endeavouring to cast a stigma on the well corned fame of brave and meritorious officers; and seeking to convince the world, that men were heroes who ingloriously fled before the enemy. For the purpose of forestalling public opinion, you have expressed a fear that I will not do you justice. This is only deception, for you know me better. As far as 1 know it, you shall have the truth. The evidence will be your verbal and written reports; your acknowledgements; and the official statements and certificates of correct and honorable men. The truth shall be told. Where you deserve praise it will be bestowed; and where you have wilfully and knowingly misrepresented, it will b.e as freely commented on, and yourself exposed. , Your letter to me of the 20th of March 1815, must have been written upon a supposition that my love of popular applause could not withstand the desire of ingratiating myself with those, comparatively, few Kentuckians who had tarnished their reputation; or my vanity, your flattering encomiums. I believe I may say that 1 have always enjoyed the good opinion of the virtuous and brave Kentuckian, and 1 hope I ever shall. In my answer however, you found your mii-take* and met with a reply that negatived, your overgrown numbers eu tho left bank; while my disbelief respecting the borrowed firms on the 7th from the corps of exempts was strongly, though silently., marked. I did suppose that after that answer, you would have had more prudence lhan to have given publicity to statements, convinced as you must hove been; that there were many who knew iUvm to be incorrect; particularly those in your letter to Gov. Shelby. You la-ist have acted from an apprehension that I would either be kept iu ignorance of, or nut notice them at least, you considered the cud in view justified the 28th of August was evidently written to be shown to me, believing that my silence would be thereby secured. I annex it here, together with one from Col. Anderson to Major Reid, my aid-de-camp, that a clue may be afforded by which to develop your conduct. (A) From"these letters it appears that you were much my friend that you were endeavouring to search for the author of the falsehood, with the manifest design of having every thing corrected, that no blame should be attached to me; if blame were any where, it was with yourself and Col. Butler, who failed to report tu me. How far this accords with your letters to Governor Shelby and the editors of tlie He porter, an impartial public will determine. One word on that part of your letter to Col. Anderson in relation to the comparative numbers detailed for duty from Gen. Carroll's division, and the Kentucky detachment under your command. Of the troops immediately on the lines, one half, or one third, as occasion seemed to require, were night and day under arms. There was likewise, from those, a detail for guard and fatigue. Your detachment was not on the fines, and with their guard had but an occasional fatigue duty to perform: justice therefore required that a larger detail, in proportion to their respective aggregates, should be made from your detachment, than from those on the lines. The order was given accordingly, which sufficiently accounts for the augmented number of your detail. I will now take into consideration your letter io Governor Shelby, with such parts of yours to me as may relate to the same subject. You observe in your letter to Gov. Shelby: "General Jackson in his answer to my letter, seems still to think our numbers on the east bank, in the battle, did not exceed 550 men, and this opinion is founded on our morning report of the 12th, which made our number 959." I ask sir, in what part of my answer does it appear that my opiuiou was founded alone on that report? It was founded on your verbal report, when you arrived atflead Quarters with your detachment, your verbal reports until the battle of the 8th, the opinion of my Adjutant General, my aid-de-camp, Major Reid, General Carroll, Major jjilla-hunty and upon the express declaration of Major Thomas L. Butler, that no arms were procured from the corps of exempts until after the battle of the 8th, as well as your report of the 12th, which shewed that after all the arms brought with you, those taken from the enemy, and. those transferred from General Carroll's division, your whole number on the 12th amounted to but 959. These reasons combined with many others that might be added, induced me to state to you in my answer, "t!)us sir, although the Kentucky force in the action of that dav has been stated at 550, 1 am induced to think, from the best means I had of judging, that it was even less." Was this seeming to think? Was this resting icy opinion alone on that report? But sir, that report a-lane is conclusive, that on the 8th you had not, on my line, more than 550. In your letter to me of the 20 th of March you say, "Your (my) report is strictly true so far as it related to the arrival of the Kentucky troops, and to the situation on your lines on the 5th and 6th of January, not more that 550 of them being armed until the evening of the 7th." Now sir, unless you can make it appear that on the evening cf the 7th between 6 and 700 of the Kentuckians were armed by you and marched to my lines, it follows that the statement in your Setter to Governor Shelby, where you say, "1 am even well assured that we had i:i the battle, on the east bank, officers and men nearly 1200," must be incorrect.- You have never dared to assert that you reported to me on the evening of the 7th, or at any other time, until the troops were dis-b;mdod,that you had received any augmentation of-force, on the evening of the 7th; and surely 6 or 700 men marching into my camp would have been noticed, and spoken of; nay more, if it had been the fact, and that too on the eve of an expected battle, you being with. me on that night, would have eagerly reported this pleasing intelligence, at the time you reported the march of the 400 Kentuckians under the cormnantl of Col. Davis, to reinforce Gen. Morgan, agreeably to my order. Let us see in what manner you account for this augmentation, in your command. You proceed thus -"On the 7th I received from a coups of exempts in the city, between 4 and 500 muskets and bayonets o:i a loan for three days. With this timely supply of arras, we were enabled to bring on the lines, on the morning of the 8th, fully iOQO men." Let us contrast this with the statement of my aid-de-camp, Major Thomas L. Butler, a correct and honorable Kentuckian, who, on the 23d of December 1815, was left in command of the city of New-Orleans, and the corps of exempts, amounting to between three hundred and three hundred and fifty men, in whom every confidence was placed, having at stake their families and firesides. He states posi-i:vely that this corps reported to him daily, and that you obtained no arms from them, until after the battle of the 8th of January, with his knowledge. Tims sir, is the falsehood of your statement evident. Was it thus, sir, that} our misrepresentations were made to appease the giowing irritation of the Kentuckians, as you have expressed yourself in your letter to Col, Anderson. It was my knowledge of this fact, that (in my answer to your letter) induced me to pass over this part of your statement with silent contempt. Previously to this sir, I had confidence in you; but the moment I read that letter, it vanished. It was my belief, of the falsehood of that statement that induced me to put the question to your friends, the Editors of the Reporter, "why, if you had obtained those arms froisi New-Orleans, you did not place them in the hands of Col.Davis's command?" 1 now repeat the question, why was this not done? And why was not the fact of yo"ur having borrowed those arms reported to me? If you borrowed them from the exempt corps, to whom the defence of the city of New-Orleans was entrusted, without my knowledge, or thatof the officer commanding, it will be difficult for you to justify yourself for this omission. Not only the city, but the whole country might have been lost by so unprecedented and untnilitary an act. After the battle of the 8th, the city being thereby placed in safety, I determined to make an attempt to cut off the communication of the enemy with their shipping. I then directed Major Butler to procure from the corps of exempts in the city, their arms, &c. and to place them ift the hands of General Co/Fee's brigade and the -Kentuckians: -This he states was done 100 being delivered to Gen. Coffee, the balance a-bout 230, was delivered to your command. You cannot have forgotten, sir, my sending for, and consulting with you and Gen; Coffee on this subject. When I asked what confidence you bad in your troops, to aid in this enterprise, you replied, that your command was undisciplined and insubordinate, the officers, for the most part, inexperienced; that they would fight behind their breastworks, but that no confidence. could be placed in them ii brought into the open plain., and opposed to veteran troops. To return to your letter to Gov. Shelby; you state that "between the morning of the 1st and 12th no additional strength had been placed under my command; three or four companies from Gen.. Thomas's camp had been armed from the guns taken, and placed on the right of our line, near the river, as I understood, to reinforce that part defended by the regular troops. But these companies were not under iny coinmand, nor included in any morning report from me.'' Let me ask you sir, if not under your command, under vrhose were they? by my order you were invested with the command of ail the Kentucky troops, (Gen. Thomas being sick, and unfit for duty.) Ai) orders issued to them, went through you, and your Adjutant General's office.- This, sir, is another wilful misrepresentation. Why on the receipt of my letter on the 2d of April in answer to yours of ihe 20th of March, d?d you not, with that boldness that truth always inspires, say to me (for we were then, both on the spot) that your numbers were greater than I had admitted in my answer; that the troops on the right of the liae were not either reported by you, or under your command; that I had said nothing of the men armed with those secretly borrowed muskets from the corps of exempts; and that you were ready to prove this from the reports and testimony of the officers? Why, I ask, was this course not pursued? I answer, that you knew you were, where ail the proofs were at hand, and where your false statements could, in a moment, be detected and refuted; and the only mode left to obtain your popular views, was to write to your Governor; calculating that the misrepresentations which your letter contained would never be exposed. In this you have been mistaken and the report of your Assistant Adjutant-General of the 13th of January* Masts your character as a man of veracity forever. The report of the 13th of January is in your own hand writing.- Da that day Col. Davis, with his detachment, re-crossed the river, and is included in your report of the 13th Jan. which is hereunto annexed, (S) Wnat say you now sir? Were those men not under your command, and reported by you? I doubt whether your friends, the Editors of the Reporter, will be able to iiad an excuse for you, in (.his barefaced falsehood. This exposure at once shows, why your letter to Gov. Shelby was never published, in full, before ifc appeared in the lleporier of ihQ ?A of last May; (C) and also, why ^Wi Editors of that paper, published my answer to you, in the mutilated manner they did.' It is .well known that 1 fiad every disposition ib be silent, if I could have remained so, without injustice to ot.ner?. I had av?ry thine; prepared, for a full exposure of those v/icksd falsehood:-, that were agitated, ostensibly, by Helms in 1815, when his leiter to me was received, and when, your letter to,Coi. Anderson was shewn* I had reason to hope, that the falsehoods had been contradicted, justice done, avui the unpleasant scenes forgotten in the recollection of the achievements of meritorious officers and soldiers, I was then silent: but Sliding those falsehoods and slanders reiterated, justice towards brave and meritorious men urged ine forward, Bat to proceed sir, you say in. your letter to Gov. Shelby, "I am even weil assured that we had in the, battle, oa the east bank, officers and men, nearly 15200; for a number of men, when the order was issued on the fth to deliver the arms from the. 13th to the 15th Regiment, and frovn Major Crenshaw's battalion to Major Harrison's, did not obey the order; but believing we were to be attacked, concealed their arms, and volunteered on the lines with their friends: these men were not reported." What! your men not o-bey your orders, General, and no punishment inflicted upon them? A fine military example truly; and well accounts for the insubordination of your command. And how did it happen sir, that those men were not reported, when yon knew the fact. I must confess it is to me unaccountable, r: ! ' ? i! i "oa were ordered, on the 5th of Januarv to detail all =-. " \ .-. who had arms fit for service, and all those for whom arms could be procured; to assume, the command march them to my line of defence encamp them in the rear of Gen. Carroll's division, and., in the event of an alarm or attack, to caver and support him. (D) That those men were armed, and lit for service irt the Held, should have been permitted to loiter in the camp of General Thomas, and my order disobeyed; and this within your knowledge, after you had reported it had been complied with, and that your covering detachment was about 500 strong, is, indeed strange. Were you preparing, if defeat and disaster happened, to statej^our command below its real strength, but if victory resulted, to swell it far above? And was this the reason why we could get no written report from youf- Your conduct throughout would induce this opinion. Let us return to your letter to Gov. Shelby. "I have obtained," you say, "from CoC Iatour, the chief Engineer, a draft which wilt shew the extent of our line, and tUe space occupied by each, corps. Oar whole line was between 18 and 1900 yards Jong. The regular troops, and part of the militia from Louisiana, occupied 600 yards on, the right, Gen. Carroll's division, 121-0 strong, occupied 800 yards in the centre, and (Jen. Coll'ee, about 700 strong, the remainder on the left." If Col. La tour furnished such a plan of my line, he knew it to be incorrect. It was your duty to know the length of Gen. Carroll's line; you were ordered to cover and support him. You. are too good a judge of distance taaiistake 350, the actual space occupied by Gen. Carroll's command, for 800. But this falsehood was necessary, to give currency to another which you had in view to impose on the. world a belief of Gen. Carroll's occupying a space of 800 yards, that you might assume the ground vou have talcen, when yon say "the Kentucky detachment were marched to the breastwork in two lines in close order, occupying the rear of the Tennessee troops, an extent of not more than 400 yards, with their centre in front of the enemy's column." This was to enforce the idea of your having in the action 1200 men, as 400 yards, at close order in two lines, gives room for 1200. You ac'.mowledge then, that you did not occupy more than half the distance that Gen. Carroll did. Lt. Gadsden, my aid-de-camp, v/ho lately measured the line by my orders accompanied by Doctor Kerr, Hospital Surgeon in the army, and who was on the line during the siege, makes its whole length 1536 3-3 yards- 572 2-3 yards on the right of the line was occupied by Col. Ross's command; his aggregate about 1327 men; 350 yards in the centre were occupied by Gen Carroll, with 1227 privates, his aggregate 1414. The residue 613 yards by Gen. Coffee's brigade, 592 privates, aggregate 804. This sir, is the correct length of my line, and the distance occupied by the troops. You therefore, from your own admission, only occupied 175 yards, which at close order in two lines would give about 525 men, and this I always believed was fully the amount of your numbers on the line in the battle of the 8th January; though to do ymi ampie justice, they were given in my official report at 550 = I will now present you with Major Dillahunty's statement, not for your information but for the pubhc''s. You well know the facts stated, to be true. "On the morning of the 8th, the Kentucky detachment marched in line to the works, their right covering Gen. Carroll's division, their left extending about one third of the length of his (Gen. Carroll's) line. They remained in that situation until just before trie action commenced, when they inclined to the left so far, that their right was just above the battery, under the direction of Col. Perry, leaving about 25 or 30 men scattered along between the battery and the right of the l''ennesseans, a distance of upwards of 50 yards. He is convinced that their numbers did not exceed 450 or 500 at most." I will now, sir, turn my attention to your remarks on the conduct of the troops on the west bank of the Mississippi. I have always believed^ and so stated to you at Orleans, that the court of Enquiry placed those troops on ground, at least as high as they deserved. In all your communications you'call my attention to the evidence before the court of Enquiry, That evidence was carefully examined* From thegout? 10 private character of Col. Davis, as given tome by my aid-de-cainp? Major Thomas ?.. Butler, I was gratified that the court acquitted him of any conduct deserving censure. There are many men of good private character, who are not qualified to command, especially raw and undisciplined troops, such as yours were. But however I might be pleased with the acquittal of Col. Davis, still I saw falsehoods in the testimony, and which, of my own knowledge, I pronounce such. It was stated in the evidence and reiterated to me in your letter of the 20th of March, that Col. Davis"s detachment after having retreated to and formed on Gen. Morgan's line, received the attack of the enemy, and fired from three to seven rounds. You know, sir, very well, that when the enemy advanced on the right bank of the river, the parapet of my line being crowded with officers and soldiers, 1 ordered that they should take off their hats and give our troops on the right bank three cheers. Whilst in the act of cheering, I saw the right of Gen. Morgan's line precipitately give way. The most expert and well drilled soldier in the art of loading and firing, could-^not have discharged his piece three times before they were many paces retiring with the utmost precipitation. I therefore knew the statement to be false; and every person who witnessed this distressing scene knew it also. I have, and always will endeavour to reward the brave with my approbation; but no influence however extensive, no irritation however strong shall ever cause me to deviate from what I believe to be correct, to do an act of injustice to brave men, by approbating the coward who deserts in the hour of danger. If such conduct towards the deserving can be termed "prejudice," I glory to possess it. To present a correct idea of tins rout and the confusion which accompanied it, I hereto annex, marked X. Y. Z. the account given by Capt. Wilkins, commanding the Natchez volunteer rifle company, also the note of Nicholas C. Hall, and the statement of Washington Jackson; and refer you to Mr. John Metcalf, living at Paris, Kentucky. They are all gentlemen of as high standing for probity and honour as any in society, all members of that corps. Mr. Metcalf perhaps knows many of the deserters and can speak positively on that subject. This was not the only falsehood that appeared in the evidence given before the court of Enquiry. It was stated in the evidence that CoL Da vis's detachment amounted to only 200 men. I saw this also reiterated in your letter of the 20th of March. 1 saw it stated on Morgan's line at 170. No report or evidence to support this ever came before me, and from the report of Gen. Morgan, but one man of 'Col. Davis's command was wounded; none of the Kentuckians were taken prisoners on that day, as I ever understood. Col. Davis's report (verbal) as-communicated to me by Gen. Morgan, made his strength, when he reached him, to be about 260. His own official report on the 11th, stated them at 271, and his official report on the lth at 544. -Taking all these things into consideration, I could not but believe that tshe evidence on this point before the cqurt, was incorrect. You know sir, that the statements of hundreds warranted this belief and you know Capt. Wilkius's company was composed of gentlemen of the ii first respectability; some of them Kentuckians, who could therefore scarcely be supposed to have feelings of hostility towards those troops,, And you likewise know, that I had no inclination to do any thing but justice to all, agreeably to the evidence of truth and its convictions on my mind. You had no reason to suppose I had any feelings which could prompt me to do injustice to any portion of the troops under1 my command. You ought not therefore to have suffered the prejudices of the Kentuckians to warp your judgment. You should not have permitted jfehe tide of their local feelings to carry you beyond the reach of truth and justice. You ought to have suffered the thing to die, particularly as you knew, and have so expressed yourself, that if there was blame imputable to any, it could not possibly attach itself to me. A few more remarks on your letter to the Editors of the Reporter and I have done. You say that I am unwilling to dismiss the Kentuckians without a " side wipe," alluding to the affair under Col. Hinds on the Bayou Bienvenue, and thus proceed: "The General cannot have forgotten the conversation that took place between him and myself, the next day on that subject. If he has, I wilt again assure him that Major Johnson who commanded the Kentuckians on that detachment, was extremely anxious that a strict investigation and scrutiny, should be had into his conduct." I can assure you, sir, that I have not forgotten it. and there are others also who remember it 5 as well as the conversation with Col. Harrison, your inspector General*. who admitted that the report winch Col. Hinds made to me of the flight ofthe Kentucky detachment at the firing of the carronads. was true, adding that the troopers had set the.example. I replied it was incorrect; except as it might relate to two or three of them, who, as I understood, were afterwards expelled from the corps. But lean assure you, that in all our conversations that day, Maj. Johnson's name was not mentioned, as is recollected by myself or staff; nor is he reported by Col. Hinds as commanding that detachment. A copy of Col. Hinds' official report is in the hands of the Editors of the Reporter. They requested it, and my Adjutant General sent it to them by mail. It is really unfortunate, that you have not kept a better record of your details and reports, as your recollection appears to be bad, and your assertions unfortunate. Having been unavoidably drawn before the public, I will now take a final leave of this disagreeable subject by remarking that a good cause does not require that sophistry to obtain, its reward, which has been resorted to by yourself and the Editors of the Reporter. Merit will always meet its due. I. am, sir, yours &c. ANDREW JACKSON. P. S. Having understood that you were in town this morning, I requested Doct. Bronaugh of my staff, to wait on you, and state that the foregoing letter was preparing and that it was my wish you should remain in town until evening, when a copy would be furnished. I learned on the r.etuvn of t.he Doctor, that your engagements were such as to prevent a compliance; I regretted this the more, as fhe whole of the documents upon which the statements are founded arc in my office, and my Adjutant General's. Your not having remained agreeably to my wish determined me to give it immediate publicity. Upon mature reflection, 1 have concluded to send it directly to yourself, that you may have time before the publication, to adopt such measures as you may deem correct. I shall await the necessary time for its ac-Jcnowledgrnent. (A) JFaetract from G-eneral JUdair's letter to Col. Jlnderson. "Greenville Springs, Aug. 28, 1816'. " Your packet by Mr. Norvell has just come to hand. Since I last.wrote you, I have not seen or heard from Mr. S. M'Kee. He has not yet resigned. I lately had a visit from a very intelligent gentleman from the Worth East; and although he managed somewhat in the yankee style, I have nodoubt his object was t& find oul whether General Jackson would be supported in the west, if brought forward as a candidate for the Presidency. I gave i as rny opinion that he would be supported in Louisiana and Ten-siessee, and in Kentucky, by a little exertion he would get all the votes but two; and that I was not certain they would be against him. (I mean the districts represented by Mr.-Clay and Col. Johnson.) He assured me there was a strong disposition in many of the Northeastern states to run Imn, if they could be assured he would be supported in the West. He was xtremely anxious that I should go to the Federal City this winter as a member if possible; but if that cannot be, he wished me to spend the month of January there as a private gentleman. I would write to the General on She subject, but am induced to believe (from questions that have been asked me by different geatlemen from Tennessee) that the General has from somecaiase, some misrepresentation of tny conduct, become offended with me, It eaagotbeoD account of uiy letter to him in New-Orleans., He well knows, or ought to have kaown, that one object with me in writing-thst letter, and not the least, was to put it in his power to do away at oace, a strong and growing irritation amongst the Kentucky troops, occasioned solely by the return of his official letter, as published in the newspapers, al though that letler was founded on the best authority the General had when he wroli it, yet certainly when be was iu possession of more correct information, it was his duty to correct any errors he might have been led into from the official report of others.: as to the number of Kentucky Hoops, who fought on the east side of the river, 1 have not a doubt the General was Hot well informed. This was not his fault. If in the hurry of the times, there was any one to blame, the fault would seem to be between Col. Butler and rsyself*. If the Colonel will examine his orderly book, he will find tbe detail for guard on the 8tfi, 9th, 10th, &c. was from my command 71 rank and fiie, from Gen. Carroll's 92,, or thereabouts. I now write fvom memory, making my command. 9S0 and his about 1200 fit for duty. This at present is of little importance ; I would be sorry, however, that the Gen-era* wyi'd be misled by th,e idle taf.e3 of others, who are, tnost probably^ 3io;- nyf* his '.fiends tbau miee." *See Col.'Butler's regiy, pp. 15j 16* ' Should you have en opportunity, I wish yon could know bis on the subject of becoming- a candidate for President. The sconer perhaps the better. I am afraid Mr. Crawford will cot do you already kngw my sentiments oo this subject." Extract cf a letter from Col. Anderson to Major Reid. Harrodsburoh, 17th Oct. 1815 = "'-Conformably fo profhise, I have transmitted to Gen. Jackson the publi-oatjori made at the instance of Major Helm. It is the same which was spoken of in JJasim'He, and of which he was totally ignorant. How this fellow, Helm (who by the,bye is.a very triflin-g lying: man) will be able to account fr this very extraordinary conduct, do ov.e can te*ll. He furnished the documents as they are published, to the editor of the Palladium, i made strict enquiry cf him to this point." " General Adair tells me he wrote to Gen. Thomas on the subject, and his reply was that he kaew nothing'about such publication as Major Helm h&d made; so Helm cannot shield himself under bis authority." (B). A Detachment report of tle Kentucky Militia, under the command of Brigadier General Adair commanding. P January 13th 1815. *' s is o |" o i 5" ? s ft tit for duty. - - 1 3 18 19 17 80 69 1145 , Sick. - - - - 1 1 4 3 5 12 15 227 On Detachment. - 21 Deserted. - - - On Furlough. - - 5 1 . 22 22 22 92 84 1408 1656] Capf. Peacock's and Capt. Terrill's companies with one hundred and six men, including officers and non-commissioned officers, stationed on the extreme right in rear of the batteries, are included in the above report. JOHN G. MEAUXS Aas't. A. G. A true copy, ROBERT BUTLEK, -Adj't.Gete () . If it was ever published before, in full, it was not seen by me, (D) On the 5th of January, Gen. Adair received 66 stand, which was the only arms furnished him until after the battle of the 8th. New-Orleans, May 13, 1817. DEAR SIR I have the hononr of receiving your letter of the 29th ulfr. which had been transmitted to me at this place. On the morning of the 8tb of January, the company I commanded were rdered to the right bank of the river, to reinforce General Morgan's position, which had been forced by the enemy. After we had effected a iandnig if^ftd during our progress to the scene of action, we encountered our troops Hying in squads; and evidently labotiring under thegreatest panic. Whether the troops were a part of the Kentucky Division I am unable to speak with positiveness; yet I am certain they were so denounced iu camp. After I had reported the arrival of the corps to Gen. Morgan and while exertion was making to reorganize the army,broken and dispirited by re-cent defeat, I heard Col. Davis inform Gen. Morgan that his command were dispersed and that he was not able to muster roofe than twenty or thirty snen at that moment. "' '- During our march to join Gen. Morgan, vre met officers ridiug with great speed,in pursuit of the flying soldiers, and striving without success, to rally and bring them back to the position which had been taken up by General I should regret if any thing I may here have stated should be roiscons'med info an opinion derogatory of the military character of the state of Kentucky. I have always considered that there was no difference in mili'.ia when commanded by officers who possess the difficult talent of inspiring them with zeal and confidence. With high respect, your obedient servant, JAMES C. WILKINS, Captain, Com'd'g Natchez rifle company. Major. General Jackson. (Y) " I was a member of the Natchez Rifle corps, comrrvanded by Captnia J. C. Wilkins, and was a witness of the flight of our troops on the right bank of the river, on the morning of the 8th Jnauary, 1815; and although 1 have no personal knowledge that they were of the Kentucky line, yet it was so reported and believed in camp.J (Signed) NICHOLAS C. HALL. () . tf If General Jackson should want any information respecting the Ken-tacky militia on the west side of the Mississippi, on the morning of theSUs of January 1815, I would refer him to the following gentlemen; At Natchez. James C Wilkins, (Ion captain Natchez volunteer rifle company. Anthony Campbell, then Lieutenant in do. N. C. Hall, merchant in N. Orleans, then in the above do, George Banks; Natchez ttieo in said companv. i& They could certify of meeting the Militia ia aquads, oa the forenoon ef the 8th, running off mostly without arms, and that after getting to Gen. Morgan's lines, where he had,retreated to, Col. Davis of theKentuckj niilitia., could Dot tnu3ter more than from twenty to thirty men, it being tiaea fiecesssry to ascertain the force on the ground. (Signed) W. JACKSON". - Jldjutant General's Office, July 23, 1817. SIR 1 have seen a letter of General Adair's to ColoDel Anderson bearing date Augii3t 28*h, 1815, ia which-1 find tlie following- passage: "If, in lh hurry of the times there was aoy one to blaaie, the fault would seem to be between Col. Butler and myself. If the Colonel will examine his orderly book, he wiil find Che detail for guard on the 8th, 9th, 10th &c. was from my command 71 rank and file, from Gen. Carroll's 92, or thereabouts. now write from memory, making my command 950 aud his about 1200 fit for duty." I cannot for a moment admit that any fault is attached to me for not obtaining the written reports from Gen. Adair, having urged him on that subject after his arrival at the position in the rear of the line of defence, evea in your presence; unless it was in failing to perform my duly in not re-urging the application for his arrest, for neglect of duty; but sir, from ; the aa-ture of the foregoing extract, it becomes necessary to state, that from one third to owe half of the troops actually stationed on the lines, were under your instructions, required to be kept under arms during the night, and tha details were made, governed by this circumstance, until the 9th day of Jao-uary, when they were made from the strength of corps: having examined my order book, I here give you the details contained in the face thereof^ commencing with the first detail from the command of General Adair tip to the 12th of January, You will find that made oo the 9th for the lOtfa, to have taken hut 27 privates from Gen. Adair's command owing to the four hundred men which were detached by your order through me to Gen. Adair after the action oo the 8th, although there ia no evidence from aej reports made ou the west bank, of it3 having reached itsdestiuation. The General has expressed some doubts iu his letter of date 6th May, 1817, to the Editors of the Reporter, whether you had any order books a that time. Should the General wish Li3 doubts dispelled, the books cao b# seen at my office. J have the hoaour to be, respectfully, your obedient servant, (Signed) ROBERT BUTLEil, Adj. Gon, Major General Andrew Jackson. Jldjutant General's office camp mzrJYew-Orleans, 7th January, 1815, Extract from the detail for Lo-marrotr. Caps. Subs. SergU, Corps. Priv* Gen. Carroll's Division i 2 . 2 55 Gen. Adair's Command, 1 3 4 4 89 Col. floss's Command, 1 | I 1 56 Adjutant General's office camp mar JS/'eio-Orleans, 8th Jan. 1815 Extract of the detail for to-morrow. CajAi. Subs, Sergis. Corps. Prize. Gen. Carroll's Division, 112 2 54 Gen. Adair's Command; 3 3 3 86 C,oi. Ross's Command, X 12 2 5S Gen. Thomas p. Division, 1 2 2 Gen. Carroll' a Division, 3 3 3 Col Rrtsss';. f 'onniiiaud 1 5 5 ^Adjutant General's office camp near New-Orleans, $th Jan. 18li, Soviet of the detail for in-a,arrow. Capls Subs Sergts. Co.-ps. JPrh\ Gen. Thomas's D:vision, 2 2 2 27 Gen. Carroll's Division, 13 5 5 107 Cii. Ross's Command, 13 3 3 96 Mdjutant General's office -camp near Neiv-Orleans, 10th Jan. 1815., Capts. Sabs. Sergts. Corps. Priv. 2 4"0 3, 100 5 90 Jldjutant GeneraPs ojlce camp near New-Orleans} llih Jan. 18131 Extract of the detail for to-uu-rrovr. Capts. Subs, Sergts. Corps. Pnv. Gen. Thomas's Division, 12 2 2 9 Gen. Carroll's Division, 13 3 3 90 Col. Ross's Commands 3 5 5 71 Jldjutant General's office camp near New-Orleans, 12i/i Jan. 1815. Extract of the detail for to-morrows Capts. Subs. Sergts. Corps, Priv, Gen. Thomas's Division, 2 2 2 70 Gen. Carroll's Division, 1 3 5 5 81 Col. Ross's Command, 1 3 3 3 79 The foregoing extracts are copied from the original details. ROBERT BUTLER, Adj. Gec: TO THE PUBLIC. I have purposely delayed answering General Jackson's letter, of tlie-23d July last, in hopes of receiving from the city of New-Orleans, a communication on the subject of the arms obtained from the exempts prior to the battle of the 8th of January, 1815. The dreadful malady that has prevailed there for some time past, has prevented this. Believing however, that I have sufficient testimony to jus.ify every statement I have made, I will keep my countrymen no longer in suspense. When I receive the additional evidence still expected from the city, I will lay it also before the public. Gen Jackson thinks my surprise a.t reading his letter of the 11th April, cannot be real, because I left home after the SSfch February, when the publication appeared in the Reporter, winch drew from him that letter. I am not a subscriber to the Reporter, nor had I seen, prioi- io my leaving home, any publication on the subject: if I had seen that publication, my surprise would have been no less. It was not occasioned by the folly of Gen. Jackson, in entering into a newspaper contest, where he had much to lose and nothing to gain, as I well knew his predisposition to this kind of warfare; my surprise was occasioned by his barefaced, unblushing effrontery, in charging me with fur-iiifehing or forging a. paper, which he calls a forgery, (for I see no difference in the crime notwitstauding the correction of a word by the editors,) when he had two years before, the most positive proofs in ins own possession of the real author, as he has shewn himself: and v/hen too he had been offered by Col. Anderson to have this paper contradicted in any way he would direct, as willfully appear by the last sentence of Col. Anderson's letter of the 17th October. This, letter after what the Gen. has meanly published, concludes in the following words: "Should the General deem the affair worthy his 51 further notice, and think proper to forward to me (Harrodsburgh) "Ids contradiction of it, I will cheerfully .attend to his wishes. In *s haste, I am, Sec." The General to shield himself from the charge of mutilating, has .published this as an extract, although he has published the whole letter, except this last sentence, which did not suit his purpose. He has likewise published a garbled extrae-t from a letter of mine to Colonel Anderson, which had no relation to the subject in dispute.. This he has done, contrary to every sentiment of honourable Mien, contrary to the best rule of social intercourse, which always regards confidential communications as sacred. This letter was headed, confidential. He published it without permission from the writer, or the gentleman to whom it was addressed. His real object in publishing it is not concealed, although he has hoped to cover it by an inference which his unbounded vanity alone has induced him to make that I had a very high respect for him apd exalted sense of his worth ; and he even dares to say, that I have expressed this opinion ia the letter. 1 cannot find in it, even as published by himself, a single word or sentence expressive of my own opinion on the subject. It contains merely a statement of what appeared to be public sentiment* from the rumor of the day. This letter was written at the request of others ; it was.not intended or expected to be shewn to General Jackson ; the sole object was to obtain from him, through his confidential friends his real intention, with respejet to his becoming a candidate tor the Presidency. This was much spoken of that time. When the General obtained that letter, or a copy of it, it was with a view of carrying it to the eastward, to show to his friends there, what was his standing in the west; his object in publishing it now is, if possible, to injure me with the present administration,. 'His malice leaves no stone unturned. To follow the General through his long string of charges, false and foolish as they are, would not be useful to the clear understanding of the subject, so far as relates to the services of the militia from this 8tatef engaged in defending New Orleans in January 1815.- The great: crime which I have committed was ray stating to him, in tny le-to-r Or the 2UL March 1815, that I had not less than 1000 men (Keutuckiiins) m the battle on the morning of the 3th January, together witil ity statement to Gov. Shelby on the same subject; for th. f-jivt'Ctnebr of thesf statements I reier my readers to the .ictouipa-Iijitiji, documents. The truth of these documents cannot be questioned; the ivuiier can make the application. My statement on this subject iv tvit to contradict ifrfc General's oifics&i re part of tae 9ti.- January, to the toecret&i-y oi War, \a wnich he represents tiis Kentucky detach-laeut a,6 bni'igijag but little additional otreugrr. to pis libea. I knew the fjtiHUicy ul tiie Geneva):& situation, when a&out to give a "statement differing nuileiiaity {row nis official report, wstuodt which he could not duju-tice to Kentucky. It was to smooth the way and furnish hin; with something like tt pretest, without too plainly exposing hii iguurance of Uie situation and numbers of the corps he commanded., that 1 mentioned having received the arms from the city exempts. From the mention of this face (although strictly true) 1 did not hope to gain to myself any additional merit. When I went to the city in pursuit of these arms, I rode the General's horse and saddle, and went at his request ; I applied first to Governor Claiborne, and by his permission to the officers, of the corps,* in this I was aided by Air John Muiunph)1, merchant. These were the only arms on winch the citizens could rely for safety hi case of an insurrection of the slaves; they were therefore unwilling to part with them; but on being informed, that we were certainty on the eve of a battle that; would decide the fate of the city, consented to Bend them down, but did not wish it . known the arms were gone out of the city.- I immediately returned io Cj-eii Jackson, and informed him of my success, at which he expressed luuch pleasure. On my way down through Gen. Thomas's camp, I ordered down the whole of Col. Slaughter's regiment, and Major Harhson'o baitalioa, (those tiiat were armed being on the lines over-aigiit,) believing they woutd ail be armed m the course of the day; and the iienerai well knows, notwithstanding his stuff about inarching 700 uiea to his unes on. Use evening oi the i'lh, that the whole of ny coiruiidud dki actually march past ins quarters every evening and morning, Irum t'at evening of tae 4th untii the eveaing ol the 6th, and tUa.lL dunjiig the whole oi me 7th, the men were pabMiig and repaying from the lines to (ueueral l*iiomi&/'s-oan|), m suiaii decuciinients as i?jh& tiiougnt prudent, bringing down plank from iheir boats and other sxuitenais to bneiter them irom tne Weather -tiiey being yet withouc teats, jprom the evening of the 4th until the tith inclusive, we re-zuaiuud each iUgiit in tiie rear ol tne iiiles, about tne centre, undei' anus, without Iires or any satlter whatever. Tiis ueneral Iias laboured with much ingenuity, to have this fact disoeneved. fie sajs it was this statement in my letter of the OtSi March which loat me his confidence, ana uis knowledge that it wai not true, occasioned him m his answer to pass it over with silent con-'teaipta Was this acting with that rtianiy candour which he assumes? 1'V uj did iig nut snr to me' this stateineat io not true ? The reason is. obvious; the corps of exempts were in the city with us the transaction wv fres:i -tie truth couid have been ascertained am! placed '.*= join' a 'i;ubt it) (ifie?n uiinu.es. Tht* truth if, thp Genera' k"n&w the fact h'aself, nor htd it yet entered into his head to contradict it, L*iSt I should escape, from this charge, he has brought, inward another, lit* says, if T tlid obtain thw arms, it was without his knowledge, and thereby the city was l*eft exposed. So extremely anxious is he to criminate, thdt he seems blind to the consequences. Is he witling to admit for a moment, that Ttould obntiu from the -"ity of, ISew Orleans, the only arms they had to defend them from tb ;nost horrid of all attacks (an insurrection of thesiaws,) when he, with his influence and military power couid not? Had the citizens, i'i the hour of danger and distress, more confidence in this small hand of Kentuckians. than in General Jackson ? When it is known th^t the Jegisfature of the state did, after the siege, pass the General by d noticed in their resolutions of thanks to the officers of the different corps who had defended them, may it not well be supposed, that an envious jealousy m the mind of the General, from even a suspicion of this preference, has occasioned the torrent of abuse and false charges against the Kentuckians and myself? Is not this a more probable cause of the General's hatred to Kentucky and of his course, than the mere defence of the military character of General Morgan, a man scarcely known to him, and who has no claim from former acts to military talents? The General states, that he had given the command of the city of New Orleans, to Capt.T. L.Butler, who had certified to him, that I received no arms from the city prior to the 8th of January. He has not published this certificate, and he sometimes makes strange inferences. I cannot believe Capt. Butler, if he commanded, would have given such a certificate; as I received a number of arms from the city prior to that date, lor which I have the officer's note of delivery. I will however'observe on this statement of the General, that if 1 ara not misinformed, Capt. T. L. Butler was not then an officer in the line; he held no rank in the army. The Governor of the State resi ded in the city, in the full discharge of his official duty This command then might be consistent with Gen. Jackson?s ideas of military power, but i am unwilling to believe any Governor in, the union wou-ici have submitted to it. lie has artfully introduced a conference that took place between himself, General* Coffee and myself, on the subject of attacking the enemy in his lines; this he has done, that by misstating my remarks,, ha might if possible injure me m Kentucky. If ray command was really as small as he has represented it to be, why should he feel any-great solicitude in what way it might act in a general engagement? I was asked by him what I thought of an attack on the enemy's iines| I objected to its being made at that time, as we were daily and hourly expecting a large supply of arms from government, and stated as my principal reason that it would be risking too much on the event -that if we were beaten back it would be with considerable loss of both officer! and men, and might encourage the enemy (who were still double our number) to renew the attack onus ; that our men, (meaning the army generally, for I did not discriminate) were militia without discipline, and if once beaten they could not be relied on again ; therefore I deemed the risk on our part too great, because if beaten, the country would probably be lost. 1 made other observations, all of which, so far as I understood, met the approbation of all present, and coacluded by telling the General, if he had determined on the attacks not to think from my observations that I would not engage in it cheerfully; that if he would give the order and point out the ground over which 1 was to march, I would engage to lead the Kentuckians as far as I could go myself, and I believed the other corps would follow their officers as far as they could survive to lead them. In my letter to Governor Shelby I state, "between the morning of the 8th and 12th no additional strength had been placed under my com-mard,'? &c. - ' The General in his remarks on this part of ray letter to the Governor, seems truly to have outstripped himself. In point of impudence and ignorance his remarks have no parallel; he was however aided in this by that luminary in military science, his Adjutant General, la order to prove this statement of mine false, he brings into view my morning report of the 12th January, making my command 955 privates, and my report of the 13th making it 1408. This report of the 13th has a note at the bottom, shewing that Captains Terrill's and Peacock's companies were included these were the men that I observed in my letter were placed on the right and not under my com-ftiand, prior to the 12th: now if there is a sergeant or corporal in the United States'army who does notknow that a report of the 13th is not a report of the 12th, and that the note of Maj. Meaux was placed thereto shew that Captain's Terrill's and Peacock's companies, men who did not belong to the detachment, were included in that report, for his ignorance lie ought to be reduced to the ranks. Yet a Major General, aided by his Adjutant General, seems not to have made even this discovery. I again assert (without wishing any apology from my friends) that no additional strength had been added to my command frojft the 8th until the' 12th January, nor any change unless it was the change of sick men, for those able to do duty, As the men became sick on the lines, they were sent to General Thomas's camp, and their arms placed in the hands of well men, who took their places on the lines. General Jackson states, "by my order you were invested with the command of all the Kentucky troops, General Thomas being sick and unlit for duty." No such order was ever issued or received by me; General Thomas (although sick) continued to command in his camp and received orders from General Jackson, which did not pass through me or my office. The General asserts that he knew my numbers on the morning of the 8th did not exceed 550 men. He admits that he sent 400 of these men ojader Maj. R. Harrison, to reinforce Gen. Morgan on the west bank, leaving me with 150 men at most. On tho same day he pub- Wishes tha detail ffir guard, calling on me for 3 subalterns, 3 sergt's. 8 ra, antl 88 privates. This is strange; but it is not all. On the same evening he orders from my command two full companies (130 or 150 jneri) on duty at the batteries, who stood under arms the whole of the night, and thus duty was performed for several nights, which account* for the smalluess of my detail for guard on the 9th and 10th of January. These facts fully proved, and they cannot even be doubted, will any one believe, that he did no,t know ihe number of Kentuckians on the linasdid far exceed 550 men? The most injurious, plausible, and withal the most unfounded part of the GeuoraPs publication,"is where he points out to me what I ought to have done on the receipt of his letter, in answer to mine on the 20th Starch in New Orleans; and here he repeats almost verbatim what 1 really did do. When I read his answer, we were in his room without any otl\er company. I immediately observed to him, "General Jackson, tins will not do; it wjji. fiot satisfy Kentucky: you have not yet done us justice; you still represent our number in the battle at 550 men; I am ready to produce you any proofs you may require to shew that we had nearly double that number" he arose from his seat, and in an angry and insulting tone, called on Adjutant General Butler, in an adjoining room, for that repojt, and holding the report in his Jiand, here says he, is your own report of (he 12th, stating your numbers at 955, after all the arms taken from the enemy by General Carroll's men, had been delivered over to the Kentuckians, and added to your command. I answered him, that the arms he spoke of were but few, and the men who received them were placed on the right of his quarters, and were not under my command until after the 12th. He then produced my report of tl\e 13th, and having read the note of Major Meaux at the bottom, he insultingly asked, "will you now say those me a were not under your command ?*' It was not possible for me to answer him, consistently with my feelings, without retorting the insult this was not my duty; I remained silent and left him with a contempt for his ignorance and meanness which has not since worn oil. I then, determined in obedience to my duty, to submit the whole to the discretion of the Governor of Kentucky. He very properly ordered tha publication. It was from this conversation, that I state to Governor Shelby, the General seems to found his belief of our numbers ia the battle on my report of the 13th. In the last sentence of my letter of the 6th April last, I say, I can scarcely hope General Jackson will do me justice in fnture, and I assign my reasons. The General has changed this hope into fear, although, there is certainly some difference between hope ami fear "his vanity, which seldom foVsakes him, has dictated the whole of his remarks on this sentence. After proceeding in the style of a dicta or he concludes, "where you deserve praise it will be bestowed, an j' where you have wilfully and knowingly misrepresented, it will beV-freely commented on and yourself exposed." A dreadful threatgnt ing to be sure ! He has forgotten however that his martial lav/ igTlOj-|a force in Kentucky, He has found no cause for praise, and if he really knew that fife praise or his blame, his enmity or his friendship, can excite, no feel-"usg in vny mind, but contempt for his mean malignity as a man, and dishonourable partiality as an officer^ he would not again be so profuse of either. If General Jackson's object in censuring the Kentackians on the west bank, was merely to do justice to brave men by branding; the coward' why did he not take notice of the corps, commanded by Maj. Arao, who when ordered to form on the right of Coi. Davis, did actually Sy without firing a gun, went to their homes, and never returned during the siege. These men were Louisiana militia. Nesv Orleans was the place where the General did hope to receive a crown, Kentucky was far oil", and her plain sons are not very frieadly t crowned heads. Genera! Jackson states, that he did not know the name of the Kentucky officer who was concerned in the affair with the enemy under Major Hinds This officer, Maj. Johnson, commanded a guard stationed in the rear of the retreating enemy, and had been there three days by the order of General Jackson, How he came to be ordered from his post to join Maj. IL.nds's detachment is for the General 1u shew, and if neither he nor the Maj. knew his name, it shews the irregular system that prevailed in the army, The General states the Kentuckians fled and left Major Hinds to charge tha British Battery. Is it possible that Jackson does not yet know, there was a navigable bayou eighty or an hundred yards wide between this detachment and the enemy's battery? In my letter to Governor Shelby, I state, that some of the Kentuck'i-ana, when ordered by me to deliver over their guns to others, concealed them,, but volunteered their services on the lines and fought in the battle and the General thinks it a great crime in me that 1 did not have these men punished for disobedience of orders. These arms were private property, rifles the men had carried from their homes-, they were therefore unwilling to part with them. They concealed them, but volunteered their services on the lines.and fought with them. This was not known by me fur several days after the-battle I confess if it will gratify the General, I did not then think these men deserved punishment, nor do I yet believe he could have formed a court martial that would have iafiicted punishment on them, although they were Kentuckians. Was there no order of General Jackson disobeyed without exemplary punishment ? The General positively states, that General Morgan never did report but two men to him as having been killed ot wounded or taken on the west side in the battle of the 8th., Some' days after the ijattle, lie issued a positive order, that ail the officers commanding separate detachmsnts, should immediately report to his Adjutant General all the men killed, wounded or missing in the battle. General Morgan stales, on oath, before the court of enquiry, that he had 13 men killed, wounded and taken in the battle did ihenthi^ brave and meritorious ollicer disobey this positive ord-ir of. the ;oni--maiidn;^ General? Ayd v/ari ho puni^hc-i '? On the 11th January, General Jackson issued an orcU- that iieu, Carrol's division should deliver over all the guns taken iYoin the enemy on the 8th to the Kentucky detachment. In obedience to this order 110 guns, forty-odd of tlrcm British muskets, were delivered to Colonel Dudley; the remainder, American guns, most of which needed repairing. With 1hese guns Colonel Dudley armed 110 men of Captains Terrilt's and Peacock's companies; and took command of them on tiie lines, by General Jackson's order aud reported to the. General the number "of arms received. Was the general order for the delivery of the arms obeyed ? I do not mean by these observations to reflect on the conduct of General Carrol. I well knew at the time, the order was obeyed just as far as General Jackson wished it should be; and it now cuts the figure in his letter, he then intended it should at some time do. ' Genera! Carrol's division consisted of between liSQO and 8000 men; he had lx.27 on the lines, the remainder were, encamped one or two miles above the city out of danger and doing no duty. Why were they thus removed fVtm the lines? I understood then and still believed ii, was because these men were without arms. If they were armed, why were they not brought on the lines? Or v.'hv were 14 or 1500 guns left idle and-useiess above the city during the siege? if the men were not armed, why were the guns takea by their companions, put into their hands ? Were they not as much to be relied on as the Kentuckians ? This little manoeuvre or trick of the General speaks for itself. It was well understood by me. I therefore inquired of Colonel Dudley particularly what number oi guns he had received and of what description. la remarking further on this subject, tue General says: That vou were ordered on the 5th January, to detail ail the Kentuckians who had arms fit for service, and ail those for whom arms could be procured, to assume the coniina.ud, march them to my line of defence, enciunp them in the. rear of General Carrol's division, and in th- event of an aiarm or attack, to cover and support him. i would like to hear from the General, a good reason for this order. General Carrol by General Jackson's own shewing, with 1 he strongest command on the lines, occupied aud defended out 550 yards, whilst General Coffee with about hidf his number, occupied aad defended twice the ex-teat of line; why then was i ;rdured to cever and support General Carrol ? the General's memory is bad, and he has no written document u this subject. The truth is, i did not receive any such order itouk him. Alter i had examined his hues, by iiis order, and was informed by him of his real strength; he asked Jie what I thought of our situa-iion, did 1 bdiieve we could defend those works or not? I to hi h'm; there was one and Dutone way by which we could hope for success; that he must have a strong corps of reserve, to meet the enemy's maiu column, wherever *tapproached after some farther conversation on the subject, lie agreed mat 1 should act with the Kentuckiaus as a reserve corps and directed me to select my ground for encampment, to govern my uien as i. thought most proper, that I would receive no or-* tiers but iroiu aiinseif- lois axraugeinent was1 verbal, I received &# written order on the subject In consequence of this I encamped In ihe rear of the centre of the whole iine, without any reference to Gem Carrol's command. 1 immediately informed Colonel Slaughter and the field officers of my command of our destination, that in case" of accident to myself, they might be prepared to carry' it into effect* In obedience to this arrangement on the morning of the 8th, as soon as we discovered the enemy were in motion, the Kontuckians were formed in two lines, inclose order and marched in about 50 yards of the breastwork and. halted, I went to the breast-work myself to see where the main column of the enemy would approach the fog was thick and it was yet not day, I could onhr judge from their noise as they advanced. The enemy soon commenced the attack, with their cannon and rockets; I then discovered their main column and returning to the Kentucky line ordered Col Slaughter to march with his right, near to the nearest ofourbatteries his right would govern the whole the men. were not at the breast-work more than two,or three minutes when the enemy approached and our musketry commenced firing. I then discovered the enemy's column was somewhat further to the left than I expected three companies were instantly ordered from Col. Slaughter's right and marched to the left. I have ever been of opinion and Still am that it was owing to this disposition of the troops, that the enemy were repulsed; had we been placed on any part of the line with our due proportion of it to defend, no part of it would have be,en strong enough to repel this column their discipline was such that they could only be checked by shooting them down. The General remarking on that part of my letter to Governor Shelby, in which I say, "I have obtained from Col. Latour, the chief engineer, a draft which will shew the extent of our line and the space occupied by each corps," &c. makes along string of observations and calculations which are not worthy an answer : they shew little more than his knowledge of the rule of three. The draft of the line is certified hj Col. Latour; he informed me it was made from actual measurement; 1 have not a doubt if is correct he has published it with his history of the war. If Lieutenant Gadsden has measured the line lately, his measurement may not differ materially from Col. Latour's, as it is probable he measured only the straight line, but there was an angle^ sthnost square oil"to the left, of 300 yards, which waa /defended by General Coffee, and made a part of his proportion. How Lieutenant Gadsden, or any other could at this time discover the exact distance occupied by different corps, is difficult to-imagine; the ground I am informed has been in cultivation long since. The General has not published the certificate of Lieutenant Gadsden, and his own word will not be taken for trjjth He has, as a proper accompaniment to his re-mar-ks on this subject, published the certificate of Major Diilahunty, which will only prove that the Major knew very tittle about the battle, or was not quite in his senses when he gave the certificate. The General in his remarks on the affair of General Morgan on the west bank, goes his usual lengths; he even dares to assert that a number of respectable officers have perjured themselves, men too whose re?peu- ability for truth and a good moral character would be degraded frf a, eomparison with his owns and -jthis he asserts from his own knowledge. He saw from his parapet the right of General Morgan's line break at tffe first approach of the enemy, and a manly resistance no where made but from Commodore Patterson's battery Now the truth is* Commodore Patterson's battery did not fire a gun at the enemy on the west side of the river; this the Commodore states himself; his battery was some distance in the rear of General Morgan's line; his guns were pointed or placed to fire across the river, and he states that6 being informed (for it seems it was too foggy to see) that the enemy were approaching General Morgan's breast-work, he turned hisgUns9 with a view to prevent them from turning the right of the line; but before he was ready to fire in that direction, the Kentuckians wens forced from their position, and in their retreat occupied the ground between him and the enemy, so that he could not fire lest he should kill our own men, and seeing the whole line retreating he spiked his guns and accompanied them. But the General saw all this from hig parapet, and he ordered his men to give those on the other bank three cheers ! ! I was standing by him when he gave this order, and with a smile (not of approbation) oWrved, I was afraid they could not hear us the distance from us to them on a straight line was upwards of one. mile and a half; there was a thick fog, and I confess I could not see the troops of either army; all I could discover was the blaze from the guns; and seeing that continue to progress up the river was the only knowledge we had that our men were retreating. This battle* ifa battle it may be called, fought only by the Kentuckians on the west bank, has not been well understood by any one who has attempted to describe it. Colonel Thornton who commanded the enemy, marched up the levy with 1200 men. when he met Colonel Davis at Mayou race and drove him back, his advance only pursued him near to Morgan's breast-work, his main body halted at the distance of 400 yards out of danger, here he divided his command into three division!, the right remained where they were on the levy, the centre division were ordered to advance in front of the Kentuckians and attack them at the distance of 200 yards, but not to approach nearer, until the left hand column had passed the right of the Kentuckians and got into thtir rear. These orders were strictly executed.' Thus the Kentuckianf were placed finally between two detachments, each double their number; they retreated in some disorder, so did the 580 men from behind the breast works who had not yet been engaged; that the Kentuckiang did not retreat very rapidly or at the first approach of the enemy9 as General Jackson states, is"fully proved by evidence before the court This statement of the battle I received after the peace* from & source which left no doubt as to its truth. The General tells you he has entered into this contest merely to do justice t&tw* brave 'and -meritorious officers, Patterson sd Mer- gan, As to the Commodore, his best friends will agree, he steppes! out of his line of duty when he undertook to designate "corps in a battle on land to the Secretary of the Navy; and if General Jackson cau point out a single order or arrangement of General Morgan that was not childishly weak and urimilitary, lam mistaken. He led no corps Into action, and was only conspicuous whilst retreating in front of his men, calling to them to form! form! which is often the case with those who run fastest. Morgan"'writes'merely to justify the General. These great chiefs have a great respect for each other. The General thinks X became the champion of the Kentuckians, with the view of thereby obtaining a seat in the Senate of Congress, or in the Gubernatorial chair of Kentucky. For this idea he is indebted to his Friend George Poindexter, of fugitive memory. There is a strange coincidence between the minds and dispositions of these two great men. Loud, noisy and abusive; nature seems to have formed them in mind and disposition, for tavern and town bullies, but fortunately for society denied them the physical power necessary It is owing to this defect, that they have so frequently been engaged in paper contests. As to the General's very laconic answer to my former remarks on his "Spanish dish," I will only observe, that this aftair relates only to him and myself alone; and it only shews his willingness to rake from its ashes an old calumny, of my connexion with Colonel Burr, Whatever were the intentions of Colonel Burr, I neither organized troops at that time, nor did I superintend the building of boats for him, nor did I write confidential letters recommending him to my friends, nor did I think it necessary after his failure was universally kaown to save myself by turning informer or state-witness. The General charges me with disturbing the public mind for two years past by my writings. I have never directed the publication of a single sentence, nor have I furnished any editor or historian with a single word or statement on the subject of the war, my letter, of the 6th April last,from Natchez excepted. My official letter to the Governor of Kentucky, giving him an account of the battle, as well as my letter enclosing the correspondence between General Jackson and myself, were written to him in obedience to my duty. I did not direct the publication of either* It may not be amiss, before I close this defence to take a view of the campaign from its commencement. General Jackson, when he called for the militia from this state, informed the Governor, that the United States' quartermaster would furnish transportation, &c. necessary for the expedition no such officer appeared in Kentucky. The men were ordered to rendezvous on the Ohio, and here the expedition must have ended, had not Col. Richard Taylor, of Frankfort, (the quartermaster of the militia of the state,) from motives of patriotism alone, stepped forward, and by pledging his own private property, procured a sum of money from the bank, which enabled him to purchase boats of every description, many of them unfit to be trusted on the passage. Camp eqirfflage could not be procured in Ken"tufcy ; Col. Taylor did procure. 28 or SO pots or kettles at Louisville, making one to a company of from 70 to 90 men, wkich were the only cooking utensils we had. At the mouth" of Cumberland, after remaining there eight days, during which period, of almost continual rainsi the men of the 14th regiment were continually employed, with their axes and froes, procuring and bringing from the swamp, boards to patch up some old cast off boats for their transportation, General Thomas on a conference with the contractor, found that he was in.possession of 18 days rations of meat, mostly beef slaughtered on the bank, and salted down in bulk in an open boat, and 12 days rations of bread stuff, chiefly corn meal; with this scanty allowance, he determined to embark on a passage that could not be reasonably calculated at less than 25 days, as from the badness of our boats we could not sail in the night. His determination was, as soon as he entered the Mississippi, o put his men on half allowance : we however, fortunately, soon after ^re entered the Mississippi, fellin.wi.th a Mr Brison, of Port Gibson in the Mississippi Territory, on his way down with flaur from him weqro-cured two hundred barrels, which prevented our suffering on the passage. It was known to the men that a law of the United States allowed them two months pay, prior to their marching, when ordered out of the state; not a cent was furnished them. In addition to this, it was known, to them, that the United States' quartermaster had furnished the troops frsm Tennessee with new boats ad camp equipage; all the coarse linen throughout Kentucky* had been purchased to make them tents-no provision, was made for the Kentuckians -what motive then, but patriotism alone, could have actuated those men ? Never before, I will venture to say, has there been an instance of the same number of men, or indeed of any number, leaving their homes unprovided as thej were, and risking a difficult and dangerous passage of 12 or 1500 miles to meet an enemy. And what has been their reward from General Jackson? Reproach and.abuse; kept out of sight where honor was achieved, and made the scape goat, to carry the sins of others where honor was not attained. It is due to the citizens of New-Orleans to state, that the arrival of the Kentuckians was hailed with joy, and ev-err accommodation that the unbounded generosity of the citizens could procure, was furnished as soon as it could be gotten. I am sensible it will hurt the, feelings and pride of many, honorable Americans, to be told they had not a Wellington or a Buonaparte at the head of their army. But ought it not to be equally a source of consolation to find, that the militia of the United States, undisciplined s unorganized, unprepared with .good arms, and almost uncommandedj, could, from patriotism and native bravery alone, meet and defeat the best troops of Great Britain, led too by experienced and able com manders? ., _ JOHN ADAXR* 'Mercer County,' O'cf."" 21. addressed Is General Adair by officers of ik& Kentucky detachment, Fkankfost, Oct2,'181? = SIR: Is answer te yeors f the 25th September, I can with certainty Eaake the following statement ; Late on the evening of the 4th January, 1815, after the detachment from Kentucky, under the command of major general John Thomas, had landed below New Orleans, and about one mile bo?e general Jackson's lines,! was informed by you, that I would be called on to march that night to the lines, with all the armed men we could muster; and that some arms would be furnished us at general Jackson's quarters. It wag dark when we marched, and the men were called for, as volunteers ; about 700 or upwards marched down ; we received some kegs of cartridges on the levy from a boat, which the men carried down with them | opposite gsneral Jackson's quarters on the levy, w rsceived a number of guns, which were there stacked, and which were thera distributed araoagst ths men ; but there still being a number of men (upwards of 1G0) without arms, they were permitted to return to their camp. The armed aasn, after placing a guard over the ammunition which had not been served tout, were marched to the left and halted some distance in the rear of the lines, about the centre, that we might in case of an attack act as a corps of reserve, prepared to strengthen any part of the lines where our services Slight be most required ; this, you informed me, was your orders from general Jackson, and that in case of accident to yourself in the commencement of an engagement, it would be sny duty to meet the enemy's strongest fore wherever it might approach ; we remained under arms without fires. It being very cold during the remainder of the night, and until the fog had cleared off next morning, and it was discovered the enemy were not in snetioo ; we then returned to general Thomas's camp. This duty was repeated on the night of the 5th and 6th, still with an increase of men as they were supplied with arms. On the 7th we remained stationary, and formed samps by bringing down plank and materials from our boats, with some few ftsofa. On the 5th we sent about two hundred guns to the city to be repair-ads, and seat likewise about fifteen workmen from the detachment to work so tbe armory by this means we were receiving guns daily, and sometimes twice a day, until they w?ra repaired: these were guns taken from Kentucky. On the evening of the 7th we received a supply of arms (as I under-stood) from the city, which completed the arming of all the men on the lines ; these were muskets and bayonets and in good order. I am well con-winced on the evening of the 7th and in the battle on the morning of the 8th,' we had not less than one thousand men, Our men were formed in front of 'their camps in two lines in close order, and marched forward withia about 50 yards of the breast works, where they wers halted ; you weaS forward lo the breast-work, and after a short time returned, and directed gne to march with ray right near the battery in front of me. About this time we saw what was called the enemy's signal rocket; we marched te the breast work and in a few minutes the attack commenced first with aanon and rockets, and soon after with small arms. The enemy came something farther to the left than the centre of the Kentuckians, and I immediately received an order from you to march 3 or 4 companies frommy sight to fas the enemy ; this order was obeyed. On the evening ef she ?th I had by your order bronglit^several kegs of cartridge from the aition boat, which was more than half a mile up the river,and placed in my tent. The men had no cartouch boxes, sad their covering and the weather were so bad they could not preserve their cartridges ; this ammunition was served out daring the battle by officers appointed to that seryic8. On the morning of the 8th, after the enemy wasrepulsed the last time, a part of my ygiment were ordered to cross the river, ur.r'r.r major Tl, Harrison, to reinforce general Morgan, and did not n-l'i: n : III lat-..1 :isi th(- 9th ; this left me an the lines for that time with,,abouf 550 men. Late in the evening of.the 8th two companies ^ere ordered to the breast-work, and kept Under arms during the night ; this duly was repeated for several nights; and as it was an extra duty, it occasioned some murmuring, but the times seemed to warrant and require every exertion. You ask me what I know of fatigue duty beiag performed on the lines? I know of none but what was performed by the Ive:)liicUians after we landed, until we were discharged 200 of them were ordered to drag down the mortars from the city; they were two days performing this service : 200 men were ordered, after the retreat of the enemy, to collect the cannon balls, and place them on the levy; about 3000 balls were collected by them-After we were remoyed and eacamped on the second line of defence below the city, our men were kept constantly on fatigue by daily and strong detachments, finishings line of defencs to the cypress swamps; this labor continued for two or three weeks; no other troops were ordered on fatigue in the vicinity of Orleans that I knew of. You require of me to state, what was the feeling excited in our lines, on the publication of generai Jackson's official report, of the 9th January, to the secretary of war. This report came to us from the city of Washington, as published in the Intelligencer, and excited considerable murmuring. I myself applied to you oa the subject, and offered to accompany you to the General, to have an explanation and justice done ua. You assured me that you would make a full statement to the General in a letter, before you left the ground, and obtaim his answer, which would be the better way. On this promise, I with others, remained silent. These are all the facts to which you require me ta answer. I am, sir, with due esteem, jours, &c. . GABRIEL SLAUGHTER. " Greenville, August 1$, 1017. . Dear General: Your favor of the 8tb last. h3S bees received ; I congratulate you on your return to Kentucky, and your honorable election to the Legislature. I am truly sorry that general Jackson has, since his return from Orleans, afforded euch strong evidence to confirm the belief which I frequently heard expressed while under his command at Orleans that he was inimical to the reputation of the Kentucky detachment, and had done, and would do injustica to them in his official reports It is disagreeable to me to say any thing against genera! Jackson, or any officer or soldier on that campaign; as the fatigues, privations and hardships which we endured, and the servioa we rendered our country, ought to inite ns like a band of brothers. Bat when th General, whose duty it is, sod who ought to take a pleasure in defending the reputatioa of all the troops who contributed to raise him to the highest pinnacle of honor, avails himself of that elevation to degrade and dishonor a part of his command, justice requires that a true statement of facts should be given to the public, that they may judge impartially between the General and his sol- . diers. General Jackson, in his official report, represents the Kentnckians who were in the battle on the west baok of the river, on the morning of the 8th of January, as "a strong detachment," and those oa the east bank "a part of the Kentucky detachment, supporting generals Carroll's and Coffee's division,5' evidently intending to show our numbers small where hono? was achieved, and large where blame was attached. And he has published the certificates of general Carroll and major Dillahunty, to establish the fact that there were not more than 500 Kentnckians on the east side of the river,in contradiction of your official statement, who had the command, and whose duty it was to know our number. I did not suppose that general Jacksoo would have resorted to such evidence, knowing the slight opportunity those officers bad to know the number, (as we only marched to the breast-work the evening before the battle) neither did I suppose those two f entlemen would have ventured to have given such certificates to contradict your official report. As to the number of men in major Harrison's battalion, who were armed and in the battle on the east side of the river, I caa speak with certainty. When that regiment was mustered out of service, I requested the captain of that battalion, to certify on honor, the number of men they had armed, and in the battle on the east side of the river, which they did, and the amount was 303 or 305, which I am not positive this certificate I have mislaid, or I would enclose it to you. As to the miinhei- of colonel Slaughter's regiment, I cannot speak with any degree of certainty although I encamped near them before and after the battle; but I would suppose that there must have been between six and eight hundred in the Battle. The General appears to guess at our numbers from the arms we had furnished. Both in his and your publications, you have omitted a quantity of arms which we received on the night of the 4th. About dark major Stni-Sey came along our line where we first encamped, and said he wanted 6 or 800 volunteers to go to the breast-work that night, that perhaps we might have a brush before morning. I went with my company, and when we got opposite to general Jackson's quarters, we were halted and a quantity of arms (I suppose several hundred stand) were^distributed amongst ua ; which arms we kept until we were discharged. On the 6th or 7th a quantity of arms were distributed among us, but where they came from I do not know. We then received an order for Da-ris's regiment and Krecshaw's battalion, to deliver their arms to Slaughter's regiment and Harrison's battalion ; and after being, as I believe, fully armed,, we were ordered to move our encampment near the breast-work, which we did on the evening of the 7th. Surely it will not be contended by the General, that the Kentuckians were not in the heat of the battle, oq the morning of the 8th, as I am sure we could not have been posted more judiciously to oppose the enemy. Patterson's company, which was the right of Harrison's battalioos was pn the right of the battery, commanded by lieutenant Spotls mine to the left the balance of the battalion still to any left aad Slaughter's regiment to the right of Patterson. The advancing column of the enemy came directly in front of the righfof Harrison's battalion and the left of Slaughter's regiment, and to the right of sny com- As to the number of men that crossed ths river after the battle, under tie omrnand of major Harrison, I cannot speak with certainty ; for when we received orders to march to their assistance, the firing had not, I believe,, ceased on the other side, and we marched as faBt as possible lo the city, which was about five miles. When we met Morgan's troops, they appeared to be in the utmost confusion ; we halted at a breast-work which had been commenced about a mile or three quarters above the works that Morgan had bean driven from, and which the enemy then occupied ; to my surprise and astonishment, although we were so near'the enemy, no sentinels were posted in front of us until dark, when major Harrison and myself became alarmed at our exposed situation ; and he went to general Morgan as he afterwards informed me, and urged the necessity of having sentinels posted in our front. On the morning of the 9th, we formed and marched to attack the enemy at Morgan's breast-work, but when we arrived we found that the enemy had departed and re-crossed the river. The troops under major Harrison then re-crossed the river, and joined your command in the evening. Those under colonel Davis, did not cross the river for several days. S have the honor to be, very respectfully, sir, your friend, &c. - . - , ALNEY McLEAN. Hopkimville, Ky. &vgust 26, 1817. . Hear Generat, : I have this day received a letter, from the Hon. A. McLeaa, desiring me at your request, to forward to you a statement of the number of the troops, arms, &c. under my command, on tbe 8th of January, 1815 ; I will-, therefore, with pleasure, give you a relation of the events of that day, as far as my recollection now serves me. The troops under my command, engaged in the battle of the 8th of January, 1815, amounted to three hundred and five men. I do not recollect with certainty the number of men in Col. Slaughter's regiment engaged in the battle of the 8th, but suppose them to have amounted to about seven hundred. I believe the whole number of troops that crossed the river under my command to be between five and six hundred in all, consisting of a part of my battalion and a battalion from colonel Slaughter's regiment. The troops under my command, who fought in the battle of the 8th, I can state from actual examinatiou, were completely armed and equipped ; by order of general Adair,that part of my battalioD,, who' were not previously armed, were supplied on the 6th and 7th. Colonel Slaughter's regiment and my battalion were then marched to tbe lines ua der the command of general Adair, where tny battalion waB stationed immediately on the left of colonel Slaughter's regiment. The enemy, at the commencement of the action, made an attack on our batterieB, at the right of my battalion, and on the left wing of colonel Slaughter's regiment. These are all the facts that now occur to my recollection, relative to the battle of tbe 8th January. I wish you success, in your laudable attempts to support the honor and dignity of our troops and state. REUBEN HARRISON, Late major com. 1st bat. 14th regH, Kentucky militia. October 8, 1817, Sir; . Your letter of the 5th iast. has just come to hand, in compliance, with which I can state the following facts: Late on the evening of the 4th of January^ 1815, after landing and forming our camp below Orleans, yoa marched from general Thomas's command, a large number of tb troops down to the breast-work; as to the precisensmber I cannot be certain, bul believe 6 or 7 hundred. I was then appointed officer of the day, and did not go with the troops that evening; they returned next morning; on that day, viz. the 5th5 we received in camp a quantity of arms, to the amount of 65 or 60 stand, which I am certain of, as I was present when they were distributed tp the troops; late on that evening the armed men were marched down to Jackson's lines, where we remained underarms until the next morning, when we returned up to camp on the 6th and 7th ; we received arms frequently from the armory in Orleans, which had been sent there for the purpdlS of being,repaired. In the afternoon of the 7th, colonel Slaughter's regime (ft andsrmijip.p Harrison's battalion, all that were fit for dutjt were:gncamped^^i& rear of general Carroll's line, where we remained tin^0.-the.enem^^^:retreated from their breast-work. On the,evening of the 7fc$?! we rece,i^$$-a number ofcarms, which I bad underatood was on & loan from the cityjfe^empt3, which completed the arming of the troops, as I knew nor heard o| no deficiency. A3 to the manner of marching to the breast-work^ we/BjaFched up in close order io double file, the left of the bat-taiion which-I eommttded, to wit, captain Berry's and captain Farmer's companies, extended some distance further ;han the front of the enemy's column. During- the action, it was always my impression, and I bad every reason to believe that we had, on_the morning of the 8th, in the battle,fully 3000 privates. You state in younletter to me, that you wrote to me some time since i'l have never received it^ or I-would have answered it without dsiay. Your sincere frieaclj and humble servant, ^ ..' WILLIAM WAKEFIELD. I. Craven?. Luckett, Jate assistant adjutaDt general to tha Kentucky detached militia, certify, that on the 7th January, 1815, I handed in at the Adjutant General's office at Head Quarters, at 11 o'clock, (which was the usual hour of attendance,) a written report of the strength of general A-dair's command on the lines;, which report was informal, and major Cbou-tard, assistant adjutant general to colonel Butler, loaned me a report from colonel Ross's command as a form, in order to make out the report for each day. Ofrio'g'to the unprepared stats of on.1 ( .. :'; f.";'-;':'ir: materials, and the badness of the weather, my adjutant, r ! Ms1. :. .. : ; d myself made out and handed in a memorandum of the strength of our detachment fit for duty, for three, four or five successive days, and we did not hand in a forma! one until the 12th or 13th January. During those four or five days, major Choutard and colonel Butler told sue I raust raake,out a written and formal report, which was accordingly done by one or the other of general Adair's assistant adjutants genera! every day after the above mentioned dates. 45i?e!3 nodsrmT'band (bis 8th September-, 1817. CRAVEN F. LUCKETT, Lute *s'f. adj. gen* to the Kn. ds! niUtut MR; In answer to your note of the 2d inst. I can with certainty state th following1 facts : Late oq tbe evening of the 4th January, 1815, after landing below New Orleans, you marched from major general Thomas's divis* ion between six aod seveo hundred men to general Jackson's lines. The unarmed men were to receive arms near the General's quarters,, We received about ten o'clock at night a number of guns, which was not sufficient to arm the whole detachment. Some of the men unarmed returned togen= eral Thomas's camp -those that were armed, about 500, remained with you on the lines, in the rear of general Carroll's command, under arms during* the night and returned to general Thomas's in the morning; on the 5th we received 56 stand of arms, and all the armed men returned to the lines ira the evening, where they remained during the night as before. On tbe 6ife and 7th we were frequently receiving guns from the armory in JNew Or= leans, which we had sent there to be repaired. On tbe evening of the 6tb all the men that could be armed were again inarched to the lines, and oo the 7th the whole of coiooel Slaughter's regiment, amounting to about 650 privates fit for duty, and major Reuben Harrison's battalion from the 14th regiment, upwards of 300 privates, ware encamped in the rear of general Carroll, where they remained until the seige was over, and the enemy had embarked. The whole of these men were not armed when first taken to the lines but we received a number of arms late on the evening of the ?lhp (as I understood, from (he city exempts,) which completed the arming of th detachmaal. I am confident, from inorrsiag reports now in my possession,, that you had in the battle on tbe morning of the 8th of January, from 950 So 1000 privates, We were marched to the breast-works in close order in two lines the right of colonel Slaughter's regiment was placed near the battery, commanded by captain Perry (as I now believe;) our left extended along general Carroll's command some distance further than where the enemy's main column approached. During the action there were three companies ordered from colonel Slaughter's regiment to pass to the left ia front of the enemy ; this order was executed by captains M'Afee, Wooda^ and I think, Owsley. Immediately after the close of the action, there were 400 privates with their officers sent from the lines under major Harris son, to cross the river and reinforce general Morgan. Your command cont-aisted thea of coloael Slaughter's regiment, only a part of which was gone with tnajor Harrison, aod amounted to about 550 men. On tbe evening of the 8th, between sunset and dark, you had two companies marched to th breast-work to defend the batteries, where they were kept under arms du= ?ing the night; this duty waa exclusive of tbe daily detail for guard, and was performed every night until the 12tb. As to fatigue duly, 1 know of Bone but what was performed by the Kentucky detachment while we were ;oa the lines, except carrying tbe dead of the enemy, aod delivering thenj at the Sine of demarcation,, with respeet, &c. SAMUEL MACCOUN, JLdfL IMh reg't. Ky. militia,! Winchester, Jiuguet 2@,!8ST, I seFiify,tna I hold the original receipts, given by the quartermasters t t,ba three reginaeMs of xmluia detached from JCeotuckp in the fall of 1814+, 4i 0 i lo reinforce major general Jackson at New Orleans for nine hundred stand of arms, issued them anterior to the 7th January, 1815, viz : 1814 Dec. 3d To Roger Thomson, 35 Zachariah Tannebiil 4th 1815 Jan. 5fh 6 th Qr. M. Roger Thomson, Christ. G. Horets, Roger Thomson, Zachariah Tannehill, regiments. 15 th 23th 15th 14th 15th 13th muskets. 225 225 900 I further certify, that on the 11th January, I received one hundred and aleven muskets (a part of which were taken from (he enemy in (he battle of the 8th January,) which were issued on quartermaster Tannehill'a receipt to captains Ten-ill's and Peacock's companies of the 13th regiment, ^ho were marched down to the lines on the evening of the same day, and encamped in the rear of general Jackson's quarters by his orders" The command of those men was assigned me, where I remained until the evening of the 12th, when they were ordered to join their respective regi-CJi under mj hand., THOMAS P. DUDLEY, Late quartermaster general to Ky. militia. From the Kentucky Reporter of Feb. 26, 1817. TO EDITORS AT THE EASTWARD, We have lately seen in the Boston Centinel, a repetition of the old calumny, which was thrown on the Kentucky troops at New Orleans* and which has been so often and so fully refuted. If the Centinel and other papers in that quarter, have never seen or never published the following documents, they will do an act of justice by republishing the:n at the present time. The following is the paragraph which ap" peared in the Centinel: "The democrats of Kentucky, who dearly lore a frolick, have givec corn. Barney, who has gone to settle in the western country, a dinner and a desert. After being1 toasled as a "patriot and a soldier," the Commodore made a speech a-la mode d'Anglais, recounting the twenty-six battles he had fought, in all which, but ooe, he had been successful, and that in that one (at Biadensburg) his ill-success was not owing to any blame in him. "If I had had with, me (continued the Commodore) 2000 Kentuckians instead of 7000 J\Lirylanders, Washington City would not have been sa eked nor our country disgraced.'1'' So far so good ; but general Jackson does not appear to have quite so exalted an opinion after having proved them of these Kentnclriaas as the Commodore has. In one of his official despatches,, after the battle of New-Orleans, he says: "I had the extreme mortification and chagrin to observe general MoR' o-an's right wing, composed, as herein mentioned, of the Kentucky Militia commanded by major Davis, abandon their breast-work, and flying la a most shameful and dastardly manner, almost without a shot"H The editor of the Centinel, it appears, was not satisfied witSi merely repeating the slander; but, as is customary with the editors of that party, has committed a kind of forgery in his quotation, to give the calumny more weight. It is false, that general Jackson ever wrote, in one of his official despatches, or in any thing else, such a sentence as that attributed to him by the Centinel, or any thing like it. The sentence was penned by that commodore, who, with general Morgan., was the cause of the retreat, as well as the source of the calumny. We will first give an extract from the '''History of the Late War in the Western Country," which has been published at our office j and then add some of the principal official documents on this subject. "Go the other side of the river our arms experienced a reverse. The battery erected by commodore Patterson, was constructed for annoying the en- amy across the rirer, aod raking the front of our works on the leftside; $n& dating foe attack this morning it was employed in that ?t?ay with cos Biderabl'e effect. But before the action ceased on the le t, an attack was also made on the right bank. The 8th regiment with some seamen and marines, having crossed the river opposite the British camp, and led by colonel Thornton, advanced under cover of some field pieces, and put to flight a corps commanded by major Arno, who had been sent down to oppose their landing. Continuing their march up the river, they next attacked the 200 K.entuekians under colunel Davis, who had been sent half a mi!e in frout of our works to oppose them. After a sharp skirmish colonel Davis retreated by order of general Morgan, with the loss of about 30 men in killed, wounded aad missing S and having reached the entrenchment, he was ordered to post his men on the right of the Louisiana militia. The guns its the baitery could not be employed against colonel Thornton, until they yveve turned in their embrasures, which was not undertaken till it was too late to accomplish it before the charge was made. General Morgan had 500 Louisiana militia, safely posted behind a finished breast-work, which extended 200 yards from" the battery, at right angles to the river, and was defended by 3 pieces nf artillery. The 170 remaining Kentuckians on his yight, were scattered along a ditch 300 yards in exteot ; and still further on the right there was several hundred yards of open ground entirely undefended. In this situation of things, the enemy with steady pace continued advancing t.o the charge in two columns, under the cover of a shower of rockets. Their righf column advancing next the river, was thrown into disorder and driven back by Morgan's artillery : tlie other advancing against the Ken-luckians, was resisted by their small arms, till a party of the assailants bad turned their right flank and commenced a fire on their rear. Overpowered ly numbers in front, assailed in their rear, and unsupported by their companions in arms, they were at last compelled to retreat from their untenable position. The Louisiana militia then retreated also from their breast-work and artillery, before they had felt the pressure of the enemy. Commodore Patterson perceiving how the contest would issue, spiked his cannon acd was ready to join in the retreat with his marines. The enemy pursued them some distance up the liver, and then returned to destroy the battery and ether works. Patterson and Morgan, conscious that they had acted badly, the former in not turning his guns in time, and the latter in leaving his right flank weak, uncovered and unsupported, whilst his main force was uselessly concentrated behind the breast work, determined to throw the whole blame of the defeat on the handful of Kentuckians, who had the misfortune to be present, and to do all the fighting that was done, except a few discharges frmn tha artillery. They induced general Jackson to lei! the war department, that "the Kentucky reinforcements ingloriovsly Jled, drawing after them by their example, the remainder of the forces" and the commodore in his report to the navy department, stigmatized them in terms still more offensive. A court of inquiry was demanded bj colonel Davis, before whicS? the facls were proven as above detailed. The court, however, merely pro-B'Hinoed the Kentuckians excusable; which being deemed unsatisfactory,, ge'ieral Adair again pressed the subject on the commander in chief, and at last obtained a dry, reluctant sentence of justification. The detachment did all a least, that could bp expected from brave men, if it was not entitled to the praise of uncommon gallantry. Hist. L. W. p. 519, SEHTENCE OF THE COURT OF Head Quarters, 7tk Military t Adjutant General's Office, New-Orleans, February Idth, 1815,, GENERAL ORDERS. At a court of inquiry, convened at this place on the 9th inst. of which major general Carroll is president, the military conduct of colonel Davis 01 "Kentucky militia, and colonels Dijon and Cavailier of Louisiana militia, in the engagement on the 8th of January last, on the west bank cf the river Mississippi, were investigated. The court, after mature deliberation, is of opinion, that the conduct of those gentlemen in the action aforesaid and retreat on the 8th of January, on the western bank of the river Mississippi, is not reprehensible. The causes of the retreat, the court attributes to the shameful flight of the command of major Arno, sent to oppose the landing of the enemy. The retreat of the Kentucky militia, which, considering their position, the deficiency of their arms, and other causes, may be excusable, and the panic and confusion introduced into every part of the line, thereby occasioning the retreat and confusion of the Orleans and Louisiana militia. Whilst the court found much to applaud in the zeal and gallantry nf the officer immediately commanding, they believe that a further reason for the retreat may be found in the manner in which the force was placed oq the line, which they consider exceptionable. The commands of colonels Dijon, Cavsllier, and Desflnett, composing five hundred men, supported by three pieces of artillery, Slaving in front a strong breat-work, occupying a space of only 200 yards whilst the Kentucky militia, composing colone-i Davis's command, only 170 strong, without artillery, occupied more than 300 yards, covered by a small ditch only. The major general approves the proceedings of the court of inquiry,, which is hereby dissolved* By command, H. CHOTARD, Asi.Adj, Gen. Extract from the letter of general Adarr to governor Shelly t dated "New-Orleans, April 10, 1815. "I send you the copy of a letter I wrote to general Jackson, and his answer these papers speak for themselves. I will only observe, that it is not ray wish to censure, or detract from any description of troops; but it is due to the Kentuckians, to remove from them improper and unjust ceDsures, and to give them credit for the services they have really performed. 1 will take with me to Kentucky, a certified-copy of the testimony taken before the court of inquiry and the opinion cf that court, arsd deposite it in the office of state." THE LETTER FROM ADAIR TO JACKSON. New-Orleans, March 20, 1815. SIR : A sense' of duty to my country, and to the corps with which I immediately served, during the late perilous campaign, under your command, has induced me to lay before you the following statement of facts whih S fre controverted. Late on the evening of ihe 7ih of January, I received an order from the adjutant general's ollice, to aeod 400 men from general Thomas's division, tinder a proper officer, who was directed to march them up the river to the city, where he would receive arms for the men, cross the river and place himself under the command of general Morgan, This order was given to colonel Davis at 7 o'clock, who immediately marched the number of men ordared to the city, where about 200 of them were furnished with indifferent arms the remainder who could oot be armed io nny way, returned to their camp. Colonel Davis crossed the river in the night, and reached general Morgan's camp at 4 o.'clock on the morning of the Sib. He was immediately ordered to march down the river until he met the enemy to attack hiro, and if compelled by numbers, to retreat. He was to dispute every inch of groaad back to the general's breast work. This order was executed by colonel Davis in its fullest extent. He met (ho enemy at the distance of half or three quarters of a mile from the breast-work; and although deserted by major Arno's command, (with whom lie wr.s to act,) be formed his men in the open field, attacked .the enemy and fired from three to "Sve rounds, and retreated under a heavy iire, after receiving an order from the general's aid to do so his men still returning iIsc fire of the enemy, who pressed him until he passed the breast-work. The above statement is fully proven by the testimony of major Brown, (aid to general Morgan;) by major Tessier, of the Louisiana militia; by major Johnston and doctor Hamilton. Wo blame, no censure could possibly be attached to the Ken-ituckiaos in this affair. Colonel Davis, on passing io the rear of the breastwork, v/as again ordered by general Morgan to form his corps (now 170 strong) oo the right of the Louisiana militia, who, 500 strong, and supported by the artillery, were posiad behind a breast-work, finished and extending 200 yards out at right angles from the river. Colonel Pavis's command *;! 170 mea, were agreeably to the general's order, formed, or rather stretched aiosjg a ditch from the right of the breast-work, occupying a space of 300 yards. In this weals, defenceless situation, they received the attack of the enemy in from. The Keiituckians here again fired from 3 to 7 rounds fail those whose g-.j.ns could fire.) nor did they retreat until a part of the enemy's force had turned or passed their right, and were firing on the rear. Longer resistance must have subjected them to inevitable capture and destruction. For the truth of the facf? here staled, I refer you to the testimony of captain Holt, captain Ford and adjutant Stephens, taken before the court of inquiry ; as likewise colonel Caldwell of the Louisiana militia, who bad the ground measured. On the right of the Kentucky line, thus scattered aioisga ditch, there was still a space of open ground, several hundred yards, undefended by any, where the enemy might and did pass to their rear. No attempt was made, do order given to support the KeotuckJans by a detachment from the breast-work wkera they might have been wdi spared, for it is in proof, thai the enemy's line approaching the breast-work on the levee, was repulsed by our a.-lilleiy, end fell back ; nor did they advance again, until ihe riglitof our Sine was turned, and ihe breast-work abandoned. Thus then we jjad 500 men of the Louisiana militia, completely defended by a breast work in front, nod supported by several pieces,of artii-leYy, defended oo the right by the Kentucky detachment, who although few in number, and badly armed, were left to beat the whole force of the enemy s or retreat'from inevitable destruction. To the retreat of that small corps has been attributed the disgrace of that day. Rlore sir; it has been ropre-senl&d by letters fVoni this place, published in Tesccssee. sad throujrhenf: the Union, ss the shameful, cowardly flight of a strong' detacLrneniof Ken-tuckians, without firing a gun. This calumny, false and uufounded as it is, has gained credit abroad, from your excellency's ollicial communication of the 9th January to the secretary at war. In that you designate the -Kentucky troops with general Morgan as a strong detachment; and agaiu say they ingloriously fled, drawing after them the rest of the troops. You wiif not for a moment believe, that 1 can mean any, the slightest 1'eilectioa on your conduct, by thus bringing into view your official letter. I well kuow that communication, aa well as every other from you, was predicated on the reports made from different parts of the army under your command. But you will agree with me, that those reports were not always well founded ; and that from various causes, it was often difficult for you to obtain any report, during the day, of the transactions that took place on the night previous. In your letter of the 9th January, you say you received but little additional strength from the arrival of the Kentuckians, but few of that de tachment being armed : and again, speaking of the morning of the 8lh, you say, the enemy was repulsed by the troops under generals Carroll and Coffee, and a division of the Kentucky militia. This taken with other parts of that communication, in which the Kentucky troops are mentioned, has given rise to an opinion in many parts of the Union, that but few of the Kentucky men fought on the lines on the morning of the 8th. Your report, strictly true so far as related to the arrival of the Kentucky troops, and to their situation on your lines on the 5th and 6th of January, not more than 550 of them being armed until the evening of the 7th, yet has a tendency to mislead as to their numbers on the 8th. On the 7th I received from a corps of exempts in the city between 4 and 500 muskets and bayoneis, on a loan for three days; with this timely supply of arms we were enabled to bring on the lines oa theinorning of the 8th fully 1000 meo. This corps was stationed, agreeably to your order, some distance in the rear of the breast-work, with the sole view that they might be led to the defence of any part of the works where their services might be most useful and necessary. To this wise order and arrangement, was it owing, that 1000 men in addition to the usual defence on the lines, was brought to meet the enemy's strong column, and to oppose with the ranks of from six to eight deep his most daring1 and desperate attack to this disposition of the troops, we may in a great degree attribute the unparalleled destruction that.took place in the column of the enemy on that day. I thus bring to your recollection facts and circumstances, which although they took place under your own orders, may in the hurry and confusion of the moment have escaped your notice ; and the more so, as no report was called for on the 8th from the officers commanding separate corps. The court of inquiry ordered to investigate the affair oa the west side of the river, have bv their report acquitted colonel Davis of all blame or censure, aud have said the retreat of the Kentuckiana may be excusable, from their position, want, of arms, #c. The language io which this opinion is couched, to which I refer you, is not such as can satisfy the pride of a soldier, who having done his dutv faithfully, has been slandered hy those who have been more to blame than himself. At the request of my feliow-soldiers from Kentucky, who have had the honor of serving, and we trust having done their duty under your command in this last perilous but most glorions campaign of the war, I have been induced to make this appeal to your justice for a more explicit approval of their conduct, and if they are entitled to it, for such a one as will eca'ole th&jn to meet their fellow-soldiers iu Kentucky without a blush. Finding after the retreat o the aemy,that you bad much still io occupy and perplex you, ? purposely de^-jayed U113 application until you ought have leisure to attend to it. I am, sir, with the highest sentiments of respect and esteem, you*, obedientservant, JOHN ADAIE. Maj, Gen. Andrew Jackson-, EXTRACTS FROM JACKSON'S ANSWER. Head Quarters, 7th Military District, Njew-Orleans, April 2d, 1815=- "Sib. I have received your letter of the 20th ult. but a multiplicity of en-g^geraents have prevented me from answertDg it earlier. As nothing would give me more pain than the belief that 1 had done injustice to any portion of the troops nnder my command, so nothing in such an event would afford me greater satisfaction than to make reparation. It is true that in writing to the secretary of war, the day after the action of the 8th of January, giving him an account of that affair, and of the arrangements I had made for it, I did stale that I had ordered a strong detachment of the Kentucky militia to the right bank of the river, and that they znglorsously fled before the enemy. This detachment, by my order was to consist of 400; and if any causes intervened to occasion a diminution of it, you cannot tmt be senisble, that I was not made acquainted with that fact, until after the letter you allude to had been forwarded. As to my statement respecting the conduct of these troops, it was founded on that made to me by commodore Patterson and generrl Morgan, who were present and commanding. Their statement, I not only did believe, but was bound to believe." "The court of inquiry, greatly to rny satisfaction,Lave acquitted colonel Davis of any conduct deserving censure, on the right bank of the river ; on the left, it gives me great happiness to state, that the Kentuckians who acted immediately under your command, sustained the honor of their state and &[ our common country, J have the honor to be, with great respect, sir, Your obedient servant, ANDREW JACKSON, . Maj. Gen. Commanding 1th.Mil. District**1 "Gen. John Adahi." A few days after the above was written, the general subjoined the following remarks to the opinion of the court of inquiry: "The general is impressed with a belief that the conduct of the detach'-meat of Kentucky militia composing colonel DatnVs command on ihe 8th of January, has been misrepresented, and that their retreat wasnot only excusable, but absolutely justifiable, ewiag to the uafartunate position ia lybicis they were placed," uJb'sit-Orteans, April 4th, 1U25,'5 From the Kentucky Reporter of March 19, TO EDITOHS AT THE EASTWARD. A few weeks ago, we published some documents relative to the slan* der of the Kentucky troops, who acted on the right bank of the Mississippi in the great battle of New-Orleans, with a request that you would republish them in your papers. Among those documents there Was a paragraph in the following words, which we published as remarks subjoined by general Jackson to the opinion of the court of inquiry, which investigated the conduct of the Kentucky troops on that ecca-sion: "The General is impressed with a belief, that the conduct of the detach-"ment of Kentucky .militia composing colonel Davis's command on the 8th "of January, has been misrepresented, and that their retreat was not only "excusable, but absolutely justifiable, owing to the unfortunate position ia "which they were placed" (dated) "New-Orleans, April 4th, 1815." We have since received a letter from general Jackson, in which he informs us, that those remarks were not subjoined by him. Itappears9 they proceeded from major general Thomas, the commanding officer of the Kentucky troops on that campaign, and have been through mistake attributed to the former. This mistake should be corrected, and the manner in which it originated, explained. On referring to the files of newspapers of that period, we find that the paragraph in question was first published at Frankfort in June, 1815, as a communication from major H. P. Helm, addressed to the editors of the Kentucky PaU ladium, in form as follows : "Hardinsburgh, May 20, 1815. Gentlemen: At the request of general Thomas and the greater part of the (.stachment of Kentucky militia, I have enclosed you a copy of the decision of the court of inquiry, convened for the purpose of ascertaining the causes of tha defeat on the 8th January, on the west bank of the Mississippi. I discover, that a number of the editors in Kentucky have published the decision of the court without the subjoined remarks of the general, (perhaps before they were added,) and probably you may have also published it; but as the subjoined remarks are much more satisfactory than the decision of the court, it is hoped you will be so good at to give it another insertion, tegeth- ex with the subjoined remarks of the general. I have just returned from New-Orleans, but have no oews worth your at-feBtion. I left New Orleaus on the 16th of April. Gen. Adair has gone through the Attackapas, bnt I presume he will soon be at home. One hun*. dred and five of the Kentucky sick came on with me, and the remainder will soon be on. I travelled with general Jackson to the Choctaw agent's8 where I left him, but presume he is in Nashville before this. I am, sir, ver-3 respectfully, your obedient servant, H. P. HELM, Major and Sec^y. to Maj. Gen. Thomas. The proceedings of the court were accordingly republished, with the "subjoined remarks," to which wag affixed major Helm's attests* iron that the copy was correct, This publication was accompanied by a comment from the editors of the Palladium, in which they attributed the "subjoined remarks" to general Jackson several gentlemen, to whom they had shown the communication from major Helm, and among them governor Shelby and general Hardin, having, we understand, concurred in that opinion. The attestation by major Helm would indicate, that the remarks were added by general Thomas ; but as the rest of the communication seemed to refer them to general Jackson, it was supposed that the attestation ^was a careless informalityj which applied only to the copy communicated by major Helm. This construction was never contradicted by any one: we therefore published the paragraph as coining from general Jackson, though we still had doubts whether it ought to be attributed to him or general Thomas, We thought, if it came from Jackson, it was honorable to him as an act of impartial justice ; but in any case a matter of no consequence, as respected the Kentucky troops for their high character for bravery and patriotism had been supported by their gallantry and good conduct in every campaign in which they had any participation. We knew that the misrepresentation of their conduct, in this instance, originated with Patterson and Morgan, whose statements the commander in chief was "bound to believe" -we knew also, that general Jackson had approved the excusing decision of the court of inquiry, and expressed, in his correspondence with general Adair, his satisfaction at the acquittal of colonel Davis of any conduct deserving censure, on the light bank of the river. In the opinion of general Adair, the facts proven before the court, should have induced them to say something more honorable to the Kentuck-ianswe think so too. From the Kentucky Reporter of J3pril 23,1817 GENERAL JACKSON AND THE KENTUCKY TROOPS. Our readers will find in our columns to-day, a great mass of matter on this subject, which many of them will peruse with some interest-It will be seen from the documents, that we have endeavored to avoid this controversy; our object was justice and conciliation, and we are yet unable to see the least necessity for the acrimonious publications which we are now called on to make. The reader is requested to revert to our publication in February on this subject, and to bear in mind the circumstance which led to that publication. Throughout this state all the circumstances relative to the unfortunate affair, on the right bank of the Mississippi, are well known. Every impression unfavorable to the character of that detachment of Kentucky troops had been completely removed by the facts developed before the court of inquiry, and the honor of our fellow-citizens had been ably and fully vindicated-by general Adair. In bringing forward on a late occasion, the facts relating to this subject, it was not our object to revive the feelings of indignation which were so generally felt, at the time when t*e 48 injustice done those troops had been exposed, but merely to silence the reproaches and sneers in a distant quarter of the union, where we thought it probable the facts'relating to the transaction were unknowru With this view, we nie'rely furnished such documents as had long been before the world, with a concise exposition of the circumstances* To vindicate the character of our fellow-citizens and the honor of the state of Kentucky, will always be a pleasing task, however painful the consequences in which it may involve us. In the present instance, we were prompted not more by duty than inclination we have always entertained the opinion, that the misfortunes on the right bank of the Mississippi were unjustly ascribed to the small detachment of 170 or 200 militia under colonel Davis. Their character having been improperly assailed by officers of the highest reputation, but every imputation completely refuted, it would haye been a dereliction of duty on our part to have remained silent under such conviction, when called to their defence, as well as to the support, of truth and justice, by the audacious teir.enty and ungenerous sarcasms of a Boston editor. After a publication of the documents relating to this affair, general Jackson addressed the letter below to us, denying the "subjoined remarks"', to the opinion of the court of inquiry. We declined publishing this letter at the time, for the reasons given in our answer- but the error to v/hich it alludes was promptly corrected in a subsequent paper. The matter then, we supposed, stood in a proper light before the public. General Jackson, however, thinks differently, and requires the publication which we now make. We have remarked briefly upon several points in his letter, as we have a right to do ; and we have done it with the same freedom and candor, as if the communication had proceeded from any other source. In the discharge of a public duty, as printers of a public newspaper, we make no distinction of persons. It is truly unpleasant to us to differ with the general on this question but it is unpleasant only on account of the high respect we have for him not that his opinion is of so much more weight than that of a host of others as to decid'e the merits of the point at issue. The facts relating to the case are stubborn things, and cannot be changed or contra-verted by the mere opinion of any man. On these we rely, and while we demur to the grounds taken by the general, he will do us injustice to attribute it to an irreverent feeling towards him personally. The apparent object of general Jackson is,' to tell the people of Kentucky and the world, his real sentiments respecting the Kentucky troops at Orleans his professed object is, to vindicate general Morgan,, and commodore Patterson, from all censure whatever, but chiefly that which was implied in a remark attributed to himself but we believe the effect of his publications will be, to injure the character of Fatter-son, Morgan and the Louisiana militia. We will shew the grounds for such a belief. Heretofore the flight of the handful of Kentuckians tinder Morgan, on the right bank of the river, had been justified, and the blame thrown on Morgan and Patterson, by the following facts : that Morgan iiad 500 men well armed, who were all posted safely behind a finished breast-work, only 200 yards in extent, on which three pieces of artillery were mounted; besides a formidable battery at the left end, on the bank, under the command of commodore Patterson f that the Kentuckians, only 170 strong, and badly armed, were "stretched along a ditch from the right of the breast-work, occupying a space of 300 yards;" that "in this weak and defenceless situation, they received the attack of the enemy in front," but did not "retreat until a part of the enemy's force had turned or passed their right, and were iiri ng on their rear;" for on the right "there was still a space of open ground (several hundred yards) undefended by any;" and that "logger resistance must have subjected them to inevitable capture or destruction." The court of inquiry blamed Morgan for this disposition of his forces ; and the historian has blamed Patterson for not turning his guns sooner, by which he might have flanked the enemy, and have torn them to pieces, as they marched up to attack the Kentuckians.' Heretofore there was some excuse found for Morgan, in the belief that he had but 700 men, and that the force of the enemy was 1000 strong* and was consequently so much superior to his, that he was not able to meet and oppose them in the open plain, on the right of the breastwork, where they routed the Kentuckians: but general Jackson has now let out the secret, that this estimation of the forces was not correct. In this defence of Morgan and Patterson, he tells us, from Morgan's own shewing, in his official report now published, that Morgan had sixteen hundred men! that of course he had, exclusive of the Kentuckians, fourteen hundred men behind the breast-work!! and that the force of the enemy which made the attack, was only 650!!! about one-third of Morgan's force, making allowance for his superiority in artillery!!!! Nothing more need be said on this point to exonerate the handful of Kentucky troops from the charge of being the cause of the disaster, or to convince the world of the great injustice of ascribing it wholly to them, when their numbers were so inconsiderable compared with the whole detachment We have subjoined some notes to the principal production of the general, by way of answer. It did nojfc appear to us necessary, to make a more formal and extended reply. TO THE EDITORS OF THE REPORTER. Nashville, March 11, 1817. Gentlemen : Id your paper of the 28th of February, I perceive that the Kentucky dtuacumeut under the command of colonel Davis, on the right bauk of tne Mississippi, on the 8th of January, 1815, is again brought before cue public ; and 1 have seen in that publication, with extreme regrets a forgery of the blackest kind, under the declaration of my name, for the express purpose of making it appear to the world, that I had joined in the censureof commodore Patterson and general Morgan, for having done injustice to ttoose iroops, in tbeir official report of that affair. Had nothing but genuine extracts, from official documents, been attempted to be given to Uie world, you might tiave mutilated them at pleasure, and commented them at Trill, god I should have remained silent ;- but to permit a for- f of that kind to pass uacontradicted to posterity fora truth; and for such ba3e and infamous purposes, would be, in me, highly criminal. I allude to the following, which is inserted immediately before the extract of my answer to general Adair's letter: "A few days after the above was written, "the general subjoined tha following remarks to the opinion of the court of "inquiry."--."The general is impressed with a belief, that the conduct of *'the detachment of Kentucky militia, composing colonel Davia's com-"mand, on the 8th of January, has been misrepresented, and that their re-"treat was not only excusable, but absolutely justifiable, owing to the un-"fortunate position in which they were piaced. New-Orleans, April 4th, n1815.". The foregoing I pronounce a wicked, wilful and corrupt forgery ; and statepositively, that no additional remarks were ever made by me, to those which appear in the general order, promulgating the proceedings of the court of inquiry, and signed by H. Chotard, assistant adjutant general, I have therefore to request, that you will furnish me a copy of the paper bearing my signature, and the name of the individual from whom you received it -that the author of this forgery may be made known, and receive merited punishment. I have further to request, that you will give publicity to this in your paper, and as you have published general Adair's letter to me, entire, that you again publish it, with my answer in full; "thesepupers speak for themselves.'" A copy of my letter is here enclosed, although when written I did not expect it to be published ; but as it contains the facts Which existed, and ray feelings on that occasion, I now wish it given to the world, not in mutilated scraps, ushered forth to suit party purposes, but iu full, that the public may judge of it. But I must here remark, that it is most strange and unaccountable, that the 400 Kentuckians which were detached from general Thomas's division, and ordered to cross the rivert should not have been armed, when it is acknowledged by general Adair, that he received on that day, from a corps of exempts in the city, between 4 &nd 500 muskets and bayonets on a loan for three days. Why these arms were not placed in the hands of colonel Davis's detachment, and how it happened that as but 200 of them were furnished with arms, and those indifferent, the fact was not immediately reported through the adjutant general's office to the commander in chief, remains for general Adair, who is well acquainted with military etiquette, to explain. Should the real facts relative to this affair, and all others, in which tbose troops acted, be wanted for pub-licatioD. all the reports and official documents which are in my office, or io that of the adjutant general's of division, will be furnished uporj proper application being made. These fully before the public, the merits and demerits of all the troops acting on that station, from the commencement of the aiege of New-Orleans, until the declaration of peace, can be fairly judged of by an impartial public. My only wish on the subject is, that the truth may appear, and that the villain who would basely, either forge or fabricate a falsehood, may be,dragged before the public and receive his just punishments I am vourSj $-c, ANDREW JACKSON- ANSWER OF THE EDITORS OF THE REPORTER. Lexington, March 22, 1817, Major General Jackson, Sir W"e have received your letter of the 11th insfc, with the enclosures it contained. In reply, we give you a statement, the substance of which we published in the last Reporter. We trust you will find it satisfactory, as to the origin of the "subjoined remarks," which you have deemed so offensive. As your letter is founded on an error, (the assumed forgery of the remarks,) which our statement corrects, we have concluded not to publish it. For the same reasons it being founded on an error we shall forbear to notice any harshness oi remark, which you may hare intended for us, presuming that you would oot wantonly persist in censure, when apprised that it is groundless. We regret that this error was not corrected when first published. Had we been.better informed respecting the "subjoined remarks," at ao earlier period, we should have avoided the suspicion of intentional misrepresentation, which UDcandid and ungenerous persons may be disposed to indulge, when wa are conscious, that neither in this case, nor any other, can such charge be justly made against our public conduct. As individuals, and as editors of a public journal, we spurn the imputation. You will observe, in this instance, that the public as well as ourselves, have been mistaken in attributing the "remarks" to yon, as-they were published as yours in 1815 highly respectable and impartial men having drawn this inference from major Helm's letter. We can assure you, that we have had no "party purposes'51 in view in Baking the publication, but the vindication of our fellovv-citizpns from what we regarded as a base calumny, which still continues to be repeated, though completely refuted by an official investigation sanctioned by your name. As you did not, however, go to the extent of the "subjoined remarks," which have been erroneously attributed to yon in this state, it is perfectly correct aad just, that the fact should appear to the world: but we cannot see the propriety of so much warmth and indignation, at its being* represented, that you bad joined in the censure of commodore Patterson snd general Morgan, for having done injustice to those troops in their official report of that affair. As the injustice done by them was notorious, and not only calculated to injure many respectable and brave men, but also to cast a stain oe the proud military character of a large and patriotic state, we a&n see bo good reason why the commander in chief should uot have joined in censuring it. Had the paragraph, which caused your letter to us, been a forgery and an imposition upon us, we should have been indignant at the author of it, and have cordially joined in exposing him : it was therefore reasonable for us to believe, that yon were indignant at the imposition upon you by Patterson and Morgan. The conduct of those individuals, from the facts published, has always been viewed ia that light in this state ; the p-aople of Kentucky are satisfied froin those facts that they alone are censurable. You request a repubiicatioa of the the letter from general Adair to yourself, with your answer in full. As all the letters from which we made extracts, had been heretofore repeatedly published entire, and with copious comments too, in some instances, we can see no necessity for repuhlishing them again. It is probable you were unacquainted with this fact, or you cer-lainly could oot have accused us of publishing ''mutilated scraps, to suit party purposes." We had two reasons for making extracts from some of loose letters, instead of republishing them again entire. We did not want io swell our publication with unnecessary aad irrelevant matter; and we csuM not see how it would add, either to jour hoaoi-3 or those of the Kentucky troops, to republish the whole of the controversy between yourself and geaerai Adair ; we accordingly left out that part of your answer to general Adair, in which you controvert his statement as to the force-of the Kentuclnans on the lines in the battle of theSfh, together with bis explanation in his letter to governor Shelby, which has been repeatedly published entire in this state also. Sutasyou refer to general Adair on this point, if. he chooses to give any further explanation, he' shall have an opponunity of doiDg so. His Setters which have been published entire in company with yours in full to him, are entirely satisfactory as to tbe good conduct of the troops on the right bank of 'he river, and likewise as to (he number engaged on the left bank. If there are any other facts we will readily publish them. We return you otn1 thanks for your civility in informing us, that if any of the ofiicial documents io your office should be wanting for publication, they will be furnished on proper application being made : And we join with yoia io declaring, that our oaiy wish on the subject is, that the troth may appear, impartial justice is ail the people of Kentucky wish and if they have been wrong in censuring Patterson and Morgan for misrepresenting the conduct of their elJow-citizens on the right bank of the river, they will retract when convinced of their error: at least, we shall deem it our duty to publish any facts that may be offered to exculpate Patterson and Morgan from the censure, aad to fix it wbere it ought to be. We are jours, &c. WORSLEY & SMITH, P. S. We do not wish you to believe, that we would obstinately refuse Co publish in our paper any thing that you might desire us to publish We have given yoa ourreasoas for declining to publish and republish what you have qow requested ; but if these reasons are not satisfactory to you, we will publish any thing for you which is oot abusive, or disrespectful to ourselves. The object of our late publication was to send to the editors of eastern papers such documents as would set the conduct and services of the Kentuckians in a proper light io that part of the union, where their character had sustained the greatest injury, by the mistatements of Patter^ soo and Morgan, aod where these mistatements seemed still to be believed,, In that publication it was not intended to bring your name improperly before the public, for we are fully sensible of the value of the important services you have rendered your country; and impressed with a. proper degree of respect for your character. Yours, &c, W. & S. Nashville, 11th April, 1817. Messrs. Worsley & Smith, Gentlemen Your letter of the 22d ult. assigning your reasons for not having published, agreeably to ray request, my letter to you bearing date the 11th March, has been received. At the time that letter was written, I can assure you I had not the most distant idea that any harsbaess of remark agaiost the authors of the base fabrication, commented na, could apply to you ; that forgery was published to the world by you, under the declaration of my nme, not as an extract from the Palladium, or any other paper, and I therefore had every reason to belieye, that you would uat have given it in the manner za which yoa did, anies*you held in your possession the original documents : (A) had it been published as an extract from the Palladium, or any other paper, 1 should have enclosed you the following letter from major Helm to me, dated "Hardiosburg, 29th May, 1815," nine days after the date of his letter to the editors of the Palladium : "SfR You will probably have observed in the Reporter, a remark made *!by general Thomas, or rather by myself, as secretary to general Thomas, "respecting the conductof the detachment of Kentucky militia composing ''colonel Davis's command, on the 8th of January : I would here observe, "that those remarks are somewhat ambiguous, but that they have no allu-stsion to you whatever ; but it is believed that the conduct of the Kentuc-4ckians has been misrepresented to you by general Morgan, to whom those ^'remarks allude, when saying their conduct has been misrepresented." (Signed) H. P. HELM." This letter will shew you that I had every right to believe major Helm aad corrected the error: It now appears evident, that if he has withheld this information from the editors in Kentucky, who had published at his request this ba3e fabrication, the above letter was written for the purpose of inducing me to believe that the falsehood had been corrected, thereby to secure my silence, that the thing might pass upon the public as the offspring of tny pen ; (2?) and it will prove that there existed somewhere, a combination to impress, by false suggestions, the public mind with the belief, that I had added the weight of my disapprobation, to the official reports of the affair of the 8th Januury, made by commodore Patterson and by general Morgan, (C) and thereby brand those two officers (whose conduct alone with the artillery on that day was praiseworthy on the right bank of the; river) with the infamy of having reported falsehoods. How far your own shewing in your letter of the 22d, compared with the publication in your papsr of the 21st ult. and addressed to the editors at the Eastward, win shield you from censure, I cannot say, when they find tLat at the very time you published it to the world as mine, you had doubts whether it ought to bs attributed to me or genera! Thomas- (D) Having thus far premised, I have to state that your explanation Is by ho means satisfactory; the effect of the medicine must reach the seat of the disease before a cure can be effected. Now, sir, this has gone forth to the world, attributed to me, and has had, as it was intended to have, the most injurious effects upon the characters of Patterson and Morgan. It ought aad must, therefore, meet with as public a contradiction ; that done, and 1 am satisfied. [E) You are pleased to observe, that as tny letter is founded on error (tb assumed forgery of the remarks) which your statement corrects, you have concluded not to pnblish it; but when this thing applies to general Thomas it cannot admit of an error. General Thomas left New-Orleans on or about the 18th of March, was ia Natehes on the 29th, and continued there on the 3d of April ; to prove which I refer you to an ex tract from my order for the discharge of the Kentuckians, Tennesseeans, and Louisianians, which was issued on the 4th of March and here enclosed, with a certificate of Mr Bedford, both marked No 1 and (he copy of the drafts drawn in the name, of general Thomas on me. signed in the hand writing of his aid and secretary, major Hehn, marked No. 2. General Thomas and major Heim reached Nashville on the 17th of April, as proved by the statement of Mr Thomas Chi!dres3, enclosed herewith, marked No. 3- and partook of a dinner given them by the citizens, which you will fiad do- red oo your files; I am thus particular to shew you that general Thomas was Orleans on the 4th of April, the day oa vrbich th's ;of nor could cot be'in ^aper bears date ; of course he could not have given it on that day, and $$ therefore a forgery when applied to him ; (F) and I am truly astoni&tied3 Jhat the moment it was ascribed to him, it did not occur to you, that it was a forgery and Helm's letter a wicked fabrication for some base purpose.. Major Heidi said in his letter "I left New Orleans on the 16th of April? "general Adair has gone through the Attackapas, but I presume he will e'soon be at home. One hundred and five of the Kentucky sick came on "with me, and the remainder will soon be on ; I travelled with general 8tJaokson to the Choctaw Agent's, where I left him, but presume he is ia 6'Nashville before this." I left New Orleans on the 6th of April 5 he states that he left it on the 16th; the fact 18, he left it about the 18th March, there-fore could not,nor did not travel with me. I reached the Choctaw Agent's about the last of April, and be reached Nashville on the 17th of the same month; his statement, therefore, that he travelled with me, is false and un found'-d. (G) It has been clearly shewn that genera! Thomas was not in New Orleans on the 4lh of April, the day this paper bears date,and it could not therefore be a production of his pen, unless the date is a forgery ; but to answer the base purposes intended, it was necessary it should bear that date. The object in view is well explained by the extracts you have given from the History of the Late War in the Western Country, that it might appear that general Adair had become the hero of truth, and the defender of the Kentucky reputation ; and had dragged from me this "dry, reluctant sentence of justification.35 Now, sir, I have only to add, that neither general Adair nor any other man, has or ever will drag from roe a falsehood, and I wz5 unwilling- to believe, when 1 saw the extract published in your paper of the 28th February, that general Adair had any agency in the production of this falsehood. But he is charged with it by the historian in the following extract from page 520: "they'* (meaning Patterson and Morgan) ''induced general Jackson to tell the war department that the Kentucky ''reinforcements inglorionsly fled,drawing after them by their example, the ''remainder of the forces, and the commodore in his report to the na-"vy department, stigmatized them in terms still more offensiTe. A court of ''inquiry was demanded by colonel Davis, before which the facts were pro= "veoas above detailed: The court, however, merely pronounced the Ken= "tuckians excusable; which being deemed unsatisfactory, general Adair a-"gain pressed the subject on the commander in chief, and at last obtained m. 4sdry, reluctant sentence of justification." Here we have the positirte de^ claration of the author, that this forged paper was forged by general Adair, and it remains for the general to let the world know from whence he obtain-ad it. (H) For a'furtber elucidation of this subject, it may be necessary t bring into view the date of general Adair's letter to me, which was on the 20th of March, and my answer on the 2d of April; this answer did state;, that "I did believe the report of Patterson and *lorgan, and I was bound to ''believe it; but that if any confirmation was wanting you" (general Adair) "'csjtnof have forgotten by kov many persons it was offered.'* 1 will now add, that the full view which I had from tbe parapet of my Una of defence, gave me full evidence of the inglorious flight of the troops, oa the right bank, before the enemy. And although I could not distinguish batween corps, afill it was clearly seen that the right first gave way ; and no where did I be= hold that manly defence which I expected, except from Patterson's batte ries, which were well served. (/) This statement I had made more thae once to general Adair; he knew toy feelings on this occasion, and thai E could not be brought to bend from them ; my answer, as I now suppose, was found not to meet the purpose that was expected ; therefore this forged dish Ihe tree Spanish stjie3 was prodaced I sary to ih world tin? idea, expressed in your quotation from the History of the Late War in the Western Couotry, that general Adair's application to me lisd produced this "dry, reluctant sentence of justification." Now, sir, you have declared, that had you found that an imposition was intended, you would have felt the same indignation, which I had expressed ; you must now be convinced of it, and will 1 trust expose to public view the authors of this forgery, that they may receive at the bar of public justice merited punishment. I hope it will not be found, as alleged by the author of the Late War, that general Ad air has had any agency in bringing into existence this piece of fabrication; but he certainly appears implicated, and if innocent, it is doe to justice that he should be declared so, and the real source from whence it came, ascertained. (K) You have stated that, in making the publication, you have only had. m view the vindication of your fellow-citizens from what you regard a base caiuinny. This was a laudable motive, so long as you confined yourself within the pale of truth ; but when advanced beyond that in their defence, to the injury of merit, unjust. You farther state, that "it was completely refuted by an official investigation sanctioned by my name ;" why not then let their defence rest upon that? it placed them upon as high ground as they deserved, and an impartial public would have judged justly of their conduct and merit upon that occasion ; (L) but the attempts thai have been inade atimpositioo, by first ascribing to me "dry, reluctant expressions of justification," which I never uttered ; then applying them to general Thomas, who every one knows had no right to add any thing to the approval of the courtof inquiry, and who being constantly sick and on the sick report, could know nothing of his own knowledge of the affair, and from its being-dated at New-Orleans, at a time when it was known to every officer that he was not there, shews such a systematised plan of imposition on the public, that every one must believe that'a cause which required for its support such baseness must be bad in'the extreme. (M) I will barely observe, that it is impossible to write men into heroes, who fly before, a weak enemy without the least manly resistance; and as you are in search of truth oh this subject, I enclose, marked No. 4, an extract from the journal of major Hows! 1/a-tum, my topographical engineer, whose impartiality is proverbial. (JV) I also give you the strength of colonel Thornton's command on the right bank, taken from a report found on the enemy, which is believed to be correct. Colonel Thornton's regiment of infantry 450. marines 200, sailors 200, aggregate 850. The sailors were left to protect the boats and cover the retreat ; the balance marched up in three columns. The command of general Morgan amounted to about 1600 men, as appears from the enclosed letter marked No. 5, from him, dated on the 8th January, after the battle. You are pleased to remark that you '-cannot see the propriety of so much warmth and indignation " I trust that I shall ever feel an honest warmth and indignation when I see truth sacrificed at the shrine of local feelings and interest, and an attempt made under the authority of my name, to blast the well earned fame of meritorious and deserving men. From your own professions, I have grovmds fgr.,believing, that from the evidence now before you, you will feel equally indignant at the imposition, and belive (hat the troops in question have not been so much defamed, or the injustice done them so notorious as you -bad supposed. (O) J You stale that the reputed conduct of those troops was calculated to stain the proud military character of a large and patriotic state. As well might it'besaid that the disgraceful flight of my rear guard, on the 24th January, 1814, at Enotochopeo, had stained the proud military character of the state of Tennessee. The cases are similar: I witnessed both. And eould any one eve? thick that the disgraceful flight of a few, whilst others of the same corps fougnt bravely, and sustained the honor of their country, could attach disgrace to a state 1 Surely not. The fact is, that the Kentuckians, like all other good materials have, and ever will coyer them-seives with glory, when well officered aod gallantly led ; but like all other troops, when badly officered and timidly led, will be covered with dis grace. Yon repeat your astonishment at my warmth: I will add anothsr reason, why I feel warm and indignant. From the foregoing extract from the History of the Late War in the West, it will be seen that those fabrications are attempted, through that medium, to be handed down to posterity as truths ; and that too, without contradiction under the eye of those who knew their falsehood. The most unworthy and dishonorable feelings are there ascribed to met I am described as reluctantly yielding justice to the demand of general Adair. Such degeneracy of feeling towards any of the troops, which I have had the honor to command, is false; and to ascribe them to me could only spring from the most malevolent breast. . Had [possessed any such feelings towards the Kentuckians, the conduct of a detach-mentof them, on the night of the 25lh of January, under the command of colonel, now general Hinds, on the Bayou Benvenue, afforded ample room for comment: For the best reasons in the world I withheld it from the public. It was never named in General Orders, and Is only now mentioned to rebut this ungenerous insinuation. I trust that the foregoing remarks, with the accompanying documents, will have the effect of placing the conduct of commodore Patterson and general Morgan in a proper light; (P) and I feel the more confident in this belief, when a view is taken of the decision of the court of inquiry the time when it took place when the danger had passed, and the joy attendant on success, had induced a feeling in every breast, (from the influence of which the court could not have been exempt,) to bury and excuse every thing that might tend to lessen the general joy, or tarnish the American character: (Q) added to which, when we take into view that the inquiry was conducted without a prosecutor, and that only such evidence was adduced, as the individual who sought it thought proper to faring before the court: I say, that when it is perceived, that under all these circumstances the court barely found them "excusable," it must be acknowledged that the reports of commodore Patterson and general Morgan were strictly true: I trust, at least, it will be believed, that I have ever considered them so, and thai under a contrary belief, it wuld long since have met with my decided disapprobation. (jR) Justice and truth are my polar stars, from which I never have, nor ever will knowingly depart; and permit me to add, that neither wealth, power, or any other consideration, can ever draw from me a falsehood, or prevent my doing justice. Whenever I could be operated upon by such ignoble feelings, as either flattery or fear,,to do an ungenerous act, I should loathe myself and wish to close my mortal career. As the instigation to this came through your press, I am desirous that 'its refutation should be made through the same channel; and therefore, trusting to your promise, request that you publish my letter and the documents previously sent, together with this communication. It will be voluminous, but with no omission can I be satisfied, And I flatter myself, that after an attentive perusal, you will coincide with me in the cpinion, that it is necessary to ensure the end contemplated. I am e-euUemea, very respectfully, your obedient servant, ANDREW JACKSON, &OTBS BY THE EDITORS OF f HE REPORTEtt f) This is the first time we have been informed, that it was improper for the editor of a newspaper, to republish any document, as he found it in print, without mentioning the paper or book from which ft was taken. The practice of doing so, is universal; it affords no ground for believing that the editor has the original* The paragraph in question was not "an extract from the Palladium"- but a document published in that paper -and as it had been before the public nearly tw years uncontradicted, we had a right to regard it as authentic in relation to general Jackson, and to republish it without referring to any authority. (B) It is evident from the concluding part of the above extract of ihe letter from Helm to Jackson, as well as from its date, that Helm could not have been informed at the time of writing it, that an erroneous construction was put on his letter at Frankfort, and of course that he could not have had the motive in writing either of them, which is attributed to him by general Jackson. His letter to the editors of the Palladium was published in that paper on the 5th of June, seven days after the date of his letter to Jackson. Why he should not afterwards hare corrected the false construction given to his letter at Frankfort, remains for him to explain. We shall not, however, presume that he lias been guilty of such neglect, until we have some shadow of proof for it. It is very possible that he may, even if he were a subscriber to the Palladium, never have seen the construction which was put upon his letter in that paper; and of course he may be entirely innocent. (C) It proves no combination at alL The whole amount of this cam-* hination, of this tremendous conspiracy to betray general Jackson into a discharge of his duty towards the Kentucky troops, amounts simply to this: Maj. Helm wrote a letter to the editors of the Palladium), which, as to form, did not agree very well with the rules of military etiquette, and was therefore misunderstood at Frankfort; and a justificatory remark which it enclosed, Was erroneously attributed to general Jackson, when it ought to have been attributed to general Thomas j and neither Helm, nor Thomas, nor Jackson, nor any other person,, who was able to correct this mistake, was ever apprised of it, or if he was, he thought proper to let it pass. It would seem, however, that Jackson must have been apprised of it at first; for he tells us, if we . had only mentioned the Palladium, or any other paper, he would have sent us Helm's letter to him as much as to say, he was apprised of the mistake which had been committed by the Palladium, respecting-Helm's letter. We can assure general Jackson, that "the weight of Ms disapprobation" is not so oppressive to the Kentuckianss nor his o pinion on any subject so very influential, that there is any danger of a combinations or conspiracy;, to cheat him, or the publics in that respect. (D) We cannot perceive how any censure can attach to us, for merely republishing a thing as we found it in print. Our doubts were aused by a variety of circumstances; but as the publication had pass-* jgd yearly two years uncoil tradicted, and as we knew in the langua|& of general Jackson, that "general Thomas had no right to add 'any' thing to the approval of the court of inquiry," we thought our doubt's were not well enough supported by facts to be submitted to the public. (E) It was contradicted in a former Reporter, as publicly as it was made; yet the general was not satisfied; his object was a public controversy on this subject, for what purpose may be inferred from this publication. He seems, we think, to overrate the importance of his opinion; it was not the sanction of his name, that produced the "injurious effects upon the character of Patterson and Morgan," but the stubborn, unanswerable matters of fact, which have been published. (F) To what purpose is all this mass of documents and reasoning upois them? Of what importance is the date of the paper in question! Mr Helns has already informed Jackson, that he v rote it himself "aa secretary tc general Thomas." Well, if Thomas had not authorised him, or should disavow the remark, it is a matter to be settled between Helm and Thomas. The public being informed, that it was an error to attribute it to Jackson^, bovy can it any longer be a matter of interest to that gentleman "J And as a question between He Ira and Thomas, it can be of no consequence to the public. Our impression is, that Elelm if not authorised expressly by The mas, at least knew it to be his sentiment, and that Thomas will not disavow it. We have never had any communication with either of them on the subject. But in truth and sincerity, it is a matter of no importance to the public, whether major Helm, or general Thomas, or general Jacksoo, or general any body else, "was impressed with a belief" that the Kentnckians were slandered. The facts are before the public, and from the facts the people will take their belief. (G) We leave this to be answered by major Helm himself i whether true or false, we know not ; nor shall we take the trouble to hunt for dates and documents about it. (//) We are astonished, that gneral Jackson could make such a mistake as is contained in the above sentence. Reader, examine the extract from the History again, and see whether it i3 possible to understand it a3 "a post-'1 tive declaration of the author, that this forged paper was furnished by gen eral Adair." Recollect also, that the paper in question had been published, by Helm in the Palladium, nearly two years before the publication of the History. We are authorised to say, that the statement in the History waa made, on the authority of this publication, and on no other whatever.-Throughout the whole of theae pieces, general Jackson seems to have a spite against general Adair, and to be extremely anxious to fix some imputation upon him. (/) If this be the fact, it is a little surprising that Patterson should not have mentioned it in his report to the war department, in which he mentions that Morgan's 12 pounder and field pieces were fired at the enemy when they charged ; but says not a word about his own fire. On the contrary, ife is clear from his statement as it can be without a positive declaration, that the retreat took place before he was ready to fire a single gun, and that he never did fire at the enemy on that side of the river. (K) We must again declare our astonishment at general Jackson, for stilt calling on us "to expose to public view the authors of this forgery," when the whole matter has been so fully explained, even by himself; and the most conclusive proofs published, that there has been no forgery at all in relation to him, nor in relation to any other person, as far as we are yet informed, kjit merely some mistakes committed. Jackson himself has sent us above,, -an extrsel from a letter from Helm, in which Helm informs him, that lie Wd as secretary to Thomas, written the paragraph in question ; and yet Jack-soa stiii calls on us to expose the authors of the forgery!! But the secret is, lie suspects, or rather wishes to create a suspicion, that Adair is at the bottom of this business, and has not only committed a forgery but has also jnade use of Helm, and Thomas, and Shelby, and Hardin, and the author of the History, and the editors of the Palladium, the Reporter, &c. &c. as his machinery, to effect what! To persuade the world that Jackson had done Ms duty and justified the Kentucky troops ! ! Is it possible, that Jackson caa so far mistake the estimation in which the mere opinion of an individual is held by the public, as to suppose that & forgery of it would be committed, and such a combination as the above formed to palm it on the world "\ Gen. Adair can answer for himself. We regret that he is at present absent from this state. We believe he had nothing to do with the "subjoined remark," nor ever knew any thing about it, except what he may haye seen in the public prints. We have had no communication with him on the subject, Whenever general Jackson shall furnish us with proof, especially as conclusive as that furnished him on a certain occasion, that Helm or any other person has practised an imposition upon us, we repeat that we shall feel all the indignation it deserves, and will expose the impostor. As the general lias such a laudable abhorrence of forgery, and of attributing to him remarks which he never made, we may expect very soon to see the editor of the Boston Centinel dragged to "the bar of public justice" to receive hi& "merited punishment," for publishing in Jackson's name, the slander of the Kentucky troops, which was penned by Patterson. ( ) We were willing that it should rest upon the facts developed in that investigation ; and it was not with a view to place it on higher ground that we republished the justificatory remark, which we supposed had proceeded from you ; but because it made a part of the documents, and seemed peculiarly applicable to the object we had in view the refutation of Patterson's slander, repeated at the eastward in your name. (Jl) There is unquestionably much better ground for attributing "such a systematised plan of imposition on the public" to Patterson, Morgan & Co. (JV) By adverting to this document, it will be seen that major Tatum pretends not to have the least personal knowledge on the subject, and merely gives an opinion from what was told him by Patterson, the very man who slandered the Kenluckians most. (0) On the contrary, we are now convinced by this publication, that the defamation and injustice were more enormous and flagrant, than we ever could have imagined. (P) In this expectation we entirely concur with the general. {Q) And among other tbiags, to excuse Patterson and Morgan from the imputation of having caused the defeat aad then charged it to the Ken-tuckians. (R) We beg the general's pardon for putting the above passage in italics; Its importance, we think, entitles it to that distinction. i'rom the Kentucky Reporter of July iii, 181T-TO GENERAL JACKSON AND THE PEOPLE OF KENTUCKY, The author of "The History of the Late War In the Western Coun try," has seen with much regret, a controversy of considerable 'warmth take place between generals Jacksoo and Adair, growing out of a short sentence in the History, relative to the justification of the Kentucky troops in the battle of New-Orleans; and he laments that he has in part been the cause of reviving-painful sensations connected with aa opinion prevalentia Kentucky, that general Jackson was prejudiced against the troops from this state. The course which has recently been pursued, seems to prove that opinion correct ; else why accuse general Adair of furnishing documents for the History in a dishonorable way] or why impute malignity of heart or iatention to the Historian? or why so great anxiety to fasten an additional stig-nia on the Kentuckians? When the general, on the first head, had all the information that was necessary, to shew that the obnoxious justification affixed to the opinion of the court of inquiry in the case of colonel Davis, was written by major Helm, and erroneously attributed to himself in a public print, and remained uncontradicted in Kentucky for 18 months: and upon the second charge, the whole history of the previous transactions in the South, ought to have convinced {he general, that the historian thought very highly of his military talents; and that should have had as great an ef- feet at least in proving- the impartiality of the Historian to him, as the general order discharging1 the troops, vto which general Adair was referred, should have had to show that general Jackson was not prejudiced against the Xentuckians. The author at this time feels very confident, that if general Jackson had takea the ordinary method of investigating this subject, or had been more temperate in his lato publications, much unpleasant feeling would have beea saved to himself as well as to the people of Kentucky. For the most satisfactory reasons would have been given, and in fact were given, for the expressions in the History, without implicating any of the parties in dishonorable conduct, or unworthy motives; and also without giving the people of Kentucky string additional reasons for believing, that general Jackson has unfortunate prejudices against them and general Adair, who seems to be considered as a rival in the fame attached to the victory of Orleans. Gen. Jackson is'assured, that the author of the History never entertained aa idea, nor wish, to deprive him of a single sprig of the laurels acquired in that battle, nor of giving to general Adair more credit than he deserved. The Qiithor, as well as the people of Kentucky, was always unreserved in extolling the hero of the south, and in ascribing to his measures the salvation, of the city of New-Orleans. But at the same time, they did not consider it any disparagement to the commander in chief to assert, that gsneral Adair deserved the highest praise for his coolness and intrepidity in the hour of battle, when with the common soldier he stood at the breast-work in the midst of equal dangers, encouraging his men "never to Jiinch fight on stand to your posts, and take sure aim." . The author of the History will now undertake to explain to general Jackson, the state of public sentiment prevailing in Kentucky at the time the History was written, and the reasons why the expressions which are considered objectionable were used ; which he hopes the candor of genera! Jackson will acknowledge to be satisfactory, and that his nisguaniraHty will induce him to do justice to general Adair, who I assure him never furnished any matter} oor aided in composing a single line or sentence in the work by way of prdln&e the author at once acknowSecfges Siia mistake jn a *" tributiog the justification of the detachment of Kentuckians to general Jackson. But he does not acknowledge, after hearing the whole case, that they did not deserve it unhesitatingly. To give a full view of the snbject* we urust refer to the period when general Jackson's report of the 9th of January, 1815, arrived at Washington City and in Kentucky. In the former place, when it wa3 known general J-acksoh bad stated that "a stuojng ''detachment of the Kentucky troops, on whom so much reliance had been "placed, inglorious^* pled, drawing after them by their example the "remainder of the forces " the joy of otir members of Congress at the victory wa9 damped by this charge against their constituents; and commodore Patterson'g report to the navy department having corroborated the intelligence, they knew not what apology to make for their countrymen, the splendor of whose former glory seemed to be setting in disgrace. General .Adair's letter to governor Shelby, soon after the batUo, was the first thing which dispelled the gloom, and induced the people of Kentucky and their representatives to hope, that the honor of the state would be redeemed by the opinion of the court of inquiry, which general Adair informed them io his letter had been demanded. The honorable Samuel M'KeS, almost a-looe, had the courage to stem the tide at Washington, and defend his countrymen from the charge, which he asserted upon the faith of that letter, and from his knowledge of their character, to be unjust. Much aosiely was expressed to know how manj, and from what part of the state, the fugitives had gone, who had thus disgraced themselves and tiieir country. In this state of public suspense, (he author of the History^ wSio was at that time engaged in collecting documents, received from an ofii-Seer in the army, wno had been requested to keep a journal of passingev8nts3-a copy of the opinion of the court of inquiry on this affair, which he caused to he published to the Lighthouse, then published in Harrodsbnr;r,K. which relieved the anxiety of the people, and gave a new tone to public sentiments But how shall 1 describe their astooishrnent and indignation, to find that thitf strong detachment of Kentuckians^ consisted of about one hundred and seven* y, or at most two hundred men!! that they fired several rounds at the enemy, were not supported by any other troops, and had only a small ditch to protect them from eight hundred and fifty British regulars! while the forces of Morgan and Patterson, upwards of 500 men, or as now stated, nea? IGOOj and strongly posted behind a breast-work, fled from their .entrenchment nearly as soon as this handful of Kentuckians; who had marched alj night to get to tha place, aod who in face did nearly all the fighting that was done!! What inference, I ask, could the people of Kentucky draw from this statement of facts, but that genera! Jackson had either been grossly deceiv-od by the reports of Morgan and Patterson, or that he had tacitly assented to fixing" the whole disgrace of the retreat on the Kentuckians 1 Public sentiment was again suspended between these two opinions, until the cor^ yespoadence between generals Adair and Jackson was laid before them-= and how greatly again were they disappointed, in finding general Jackson pertinaciously adhering to bis first statements, after the whole affair had been fully investigated and explained. By way of justifying his statement, that it was a strong detachment, he says, that he had ordered four hundred men to reinforce Morgan ; and therefore seems to draw the inference, tha as such was his orders, and he was not informed of their inexecntion previ^ ijus to his report of the 9th January, he ought not to notice and acknowledge the actual mattero fact, that there were only about two hundredmen, who could get any kind of arms and repair to the scene of action ; and that '^a was still boued to believe Morgan and Patterson, who Lad the right b 51 fcomniariders to report officially the conduct of this strong detachment, who though they did not fight to desperation, did more of it than the other troops, who were supposed by Morgan himself not to be "good pluck." But let me again ask general Jackson, why he was bound to believe Morgan, on one side of the river, and on the other was not bound to credit general Adair, the adjutant general of the Kentucky troops, as to the number of his men in the battle, whose duty and province it was to ascertain and report their numbers 1 These facts, long before general Adair returned home, convinced the people of Kentucky, that general Jackson mast have labored under strong and unaccountaole prejudices agaios' their troops, or that he would not acknowledge an errorupon the plaiaest evidence ; and these coa-victidns seem to be extending1 wider and gaining1 greater strength, in proportion as the general makes known his sentiments. It is true, *hat gener* al Jackson in bis order discharging1 his troops, treats them all aiike ; yet, it has been often remarked in Kentucky, that io thegeneral orders, addressed to the troops after ttie battle, general Adair was the only individual tiofioed from Kentucky; and even the compliment to him {that troops wnild always he brave when their leaders were, so) was indirectly a sarcasm on the Keouack-ians for the inglorious flight of the strong detachment. No notice was tskea _ of the only Kentucky colonel in the battle oxi the east bank, though it is acknowledged by all, that colonel Slaughter distinguished himself as much as any officer on the lines by his coolness and bravery -yet when the other troops were named, colonels, majors, ami captaius were brought forward, whose conduct did not deserve it oiore than the officers of the Kentucky detachment. This neglect, however, as it is well known that a general cannot name every person, has been passed over; but I can assure general Jackson, that the transactions at that time made a deep impression on the minds of the people of Kentucky: and although they never ceased to extol his military talents, they could not get clear of the idea that their troops and officers were treated with marked neglect, in this state of public feeling, the opinion of the court of inquiry was again published, with a justification at the end of it, which was ascribed to general Jackson. This again reconciled the friends of the accused troops to the general; and it was thought he had at last got clear of his prejudices, and that the facts which had been laid before him by general Adair, had led to this result. Hence the historian conceived himself justified in saying, that general Jackson bad given a dry, reluctant sentence of justification. Although this expression did imply some impropriety in the conduct of Jackson, yet it was impossible that a just and impartial historian, with a knowledge of all the previous circumstances, could mention the result in milder terms. However satisfactory such a justificatory remark would have been in relation to the troops, it was not without alloy in relation to the general who was supposed to ba?e made it: the previous correspondence with Adair proved, that if it came from Jackson, he gave it with dry reluctance at least. Other commanders in the late war have thought it their duty to correct errors much more inconsiderable, which were committed in (heir first hasty report3 after a battle, without waiting the result of a court of inquiry, and the subsequent solicitations of those who were interested. The ingenuous magnanimity of a brave soldier has often seized with delight the earliestopportunity to correct any injustice which he had unintentionally committed. If such was not the course of general Jackson ; if the unjust representations o? his first report were corrected with reluctance, or not at ail, the impartial historian was bound to write it so. In giving this statement of facts., respecting the remark in the History, which was so offensive to general Jackson, the author will not conceal that ki had some doubts as to the justification being the genuine production of the general: but he had oo other grounds for them than tbeopiuioo he had formed as, to tfaw general's temper and disposition. The original manuscript of the History was writ ten from (he opinion of the court oi inquiry and the corresoondeuce between generals Jackson and Adair ; and in that stale it was placed in the hands of Joseph Buohanaa, Esq. (or publican" u, who was authorised to make corrections frotn any official documents and authentic information which had come to his knowledge. Being convinced that the justificatory remark was genuine, a.s it had passed 18 months un-eantradicted as the produciion of general Jackson, the History was made to correspond with that supposed fact and its circumstances. General A-dair's name was used only in relation to his having pressed the subject upoa general Jackson ; and it was believed that the remark had been added by the latter as an evidence of his conviction on the subject. Believing the paragraph in question contained the truth of the case, and that the historian was justified in using the expression, it was thought to be unnecessary after the history went to press, to notice the suoject farther. The author has now candidly given a full exposition of the whole case,, and he trusts that Gen- Jackson will at least be convinced that he has written with honesty of intention; and that malignity of heart, or any combination to misrepresent, wi!i not agaia be imputed to any person concerned in Vindicating the character of the Kentucky troops. Gen- Jackson is informed, that the people of this state never claimed for. Gen. Adair and their troops, superior or exclusive prowess they have always been proud to confer due honors on the commanding General at Orleans, and to extol the valor of the patriots of Teouessee. But they never have, nor ever will yield, that their officers and troops did not deserve equal honors, according to their respective ranks and opportunities in thai splen did, campaign. General Jackson will always have justice done to his merits, by the historian and the people of Kentucky, however unjust he may have been to them; but he must know that truth cannot be turned into falsehood, and the Kentuckians disgraced by kisjiat, because 170 or 200 men were not able, unsupported, to fight 850 Wellington lovincibles nor shall our troops be calumniated with iuipuaity by man, "who ought to have fought with them, but did not." June 27th, 1017. ROBERT B. RI'AFEE. K. B. The author lias been apprised, by a note inserted at the end of the volume by the publishers, that exceptions have been made to the History by General Winchester. He recogaizes in that short paragraph, a character who cnminands our attachment and respect, as a gentleman and a patriot-, while a sense of justice impels us to deny his pretensions to generalship. Gftneral Winchester is assured that he was entirely correct in presuming-, that the History was written according to the best information which the historian co!'ll obtain; and that no disposition existed to do him injustice. Any autbent10 information which tnay hereafter be obtained in relation to hiro. shall bed^ly noticed if the History should go into a second edition. R. B. M. OFFICIAL LETTER. Copy of a letter from llajnr Gen. Jackson, to the Secretary of War, dated Camp, 4 miles below Orleans, 9th Jan. 1815. Sir During the days of- the 6th and 7fh, the enemy had been actively employed in making' preparations for aa attack oe my lines. With, infinite labor they bad succeeded cm the night of the 7tfa9 irs getting their boats across from the lake to the river, by widening aod deepefling the caraai ob which they had effected their disembarkation. It had not been in my power to impede these operations by a general attack : added to other reasons, the nature of tbe troops under my command., mostly militia, rendered it too hazardous to attempt extensive offensive movements id an open country, against a numerous aad well disciplined army,. Although my forces as to auinber, had been increased by the arrival of the Kentucky division, my strength had received very little' additioo; a small portioo only of that detachment being provided with armsf Compelled thus to wail tbe attack of 'the enemy, I took every measure to repel it when it should be made, and to defeat the object he had in view. GeneraS'Morgan, with the New Orleans contingent, the Louisiana militia, AND A STRONG DETACHMENT OF THE KENTUCKY TROOPS, occupied an entrencbe'd camp on the opposite side of the river., protected by strong batteries o the bank, erected and superintended by commodore PatiersoQ* In my encampment every thing was ready for action, when, early oe the -morning of the 8th. the eaemy after throwing a heavy shower of bombs and congreve rockets, advanced their columns on my right and left, to storm my entrenchments. I cannot speak sufficiently in praise of the firnaiaess aad deliberation with which my whole line received their approaca more could not have been expected from veterans inured to war. For an hoof the fire of the small arms was as incessant and severe as can be imagiaecL The artillery too, directed by officers who displayed equal skill and courage;, did great execution. Yet the columns of the eaemy continued to advaoce with a firmness which reflects upon them the., greatest credit., Twice the column which approached me on my lfts was repulsed by the troops of General Carroll, those of General Coffee, and a division of the Kentucky militia, and twice they formed again and renewed the assault. At lengths however, cut to pieces, they fled io confusion from tbe field, leaving it covered with their dead and wounded. The loss which the enemy sustained on this occasion, cannot be estimated at less than 1500 ia killed, wounded aad prisoners. Upwards of 300 have already been delivered over for burial- and my men are still engaged in picking them up within my lines and carrying them to the point where the enemy, are to receive them. This is int addition to the dead and wounded whom the enerisy have beers enabled to carry from the field, during aod sioce the action, arid to those who.havfe since died of the wounds they'received. We have taken about 500 prisoners, op wards of 300 of whom are wounded, and a great part of them mortally. My loss has not exceeded, and I believe has not amounted to ten killed and as many wounded. The eatire destruction of the enemy's army was now inevitable, had it not been for aa uafortunate occurrence, which at this moment took place on the other side of the river. Simultaneously with his advance, upon my lines, he had thrown over in his boats a considerable force to the other side of the river. These having landed, were hardy enough to advance against the works of Gen. Morgan; and what is strange and difficult to account for, at the very moment when their entire discomfiture was looked for with a confidence approaching to certainty ^ THE KEN TUCKY REINFORCEMENTS INGLORIOUSLY FLED, drawing after them, by their example, the remainder of their forces; and thus yielding to the enemy that most fortunate position. The batteries which had rendered me, for many days, the most important service, though bravely defended, were of course eow abandoned, not however, until the gaBS had been spiked. 60 This unfortunate route, bad tofa!!y changed the aspect of affairs. The enemy now occupied a position, from which they might annoy us without hazard, and ay means of which they might have been enabled to defeat, its a great measure, the effects of our success on this side the river. It be-Ct*irie therefore an object of the first consequence to dislodge him as soon as possible. For (his object, all'the means in my power which I could with any safety use, were immediately put ia preparation. Perhaps, however, it was somewhat owing to another cause that i succeeded beyond my expectations. In negotiating.the terms of a temporary suspension of hostilities to 8a!i!e the enemy to bur_ their dead and provide for their wounded, 3 had requwed certain propositions fSvbe acceded to as a basis; among wruch ttiis was one : that although hostilities should cease on this side the river unm! 12 o'clock of this day, yet it was not to be understood that they should oeise on fhe other- side but that no reinforcements'should be sent across by either array until the expiration of chat day. His excellency Major General Lambert, begged time to consider of those propositions until 10 o'clock of to day, and in the mean time re-crossed his troops. I need not tell you wish how ma'1:: v...i?(r'iif.-- T immediately regained possession of the position ne had thus :-.. !i!-. iyii-ie.1. The enemy having- concentrated his forces, may again attempt to drive mefrrnn.my position by storm. Whenever he does, I have no doubt my mn will act with their usual firmness, and sustain a character now become dear to them. I have ths honor to be, with great respect, your obedient servant, ANDREW JACKSON, Maj. Gen. Com'ff. LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS. The following proceedings of the Legislature of Kentucky,will shew, that that body considered the " imputation of cowardice,'" cast upon the Kentnckians by General Jackson at New Orleans, as still resting upon them and never removed although Geaeral Adair made great exertions to effect a withdrawal of it. Extract from the Journal of the House of Representatives, of thesessioa of 1815-26, page 258 and pages 303-4. "H. R. Satvrvat, Feb. 3, 1816. "Mr ROWAN read and' laid on the table the following resolution : iC Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Kentucky, That when a man pre-eminently gifted by nature, and improved by education, shall be found devoting-his time and his talents to the assertion and maintainacce of his country's dearest rights, and the promotion of her best interests, he is entitled ai least, to the expression of her approbation and gratitude. Such a mao in relation to our country and state, is General John Adair. His early display of heroism in the Revolutionary War, the skill and valor displayed bv himsince in our war with the Northern Indians; the still later displays of vaiorand patriotism, made in his advanced age in character of first aid to the Hero of King's Mountain, the venerable Shelby, in the northern carnpain and victory on the Thames, are passed over by this legislature, nor as unworthy of regard or as matter of small consideration: but that they may hasten to notice and acknowledge the.importance and splendor of his services at Orleans, on the ever memorable 8th of January, 1815. His conduct on that occasion has his country's entire approbation it has more, it has her admiration. His subsequent conduct in vindicating a respectable portion of our countrymen from the inappropriate imputation of cowardice, accidentally it-is hoped3 bu certainly most unjustly tbrowu upon ibem, has both ia matter and manner, the profound approbation, gratitqde, and thanks of his country and of this legislature. -c Resolved, That our venerable Chief, Isaac Shelby, with whose charae-ler the attributes of patriotism and valor are identified, is hereby respectfully requested to transmit to General John Adair, a copy of this resolu- ion, and that the original be placed on the files of State as a perpetual ine-xaerito of his country's respect and gratitude. Saturday, Feb. 10. " The House took up a resolution relative to Gen. Adair, which being twice read and amended, by striking out the whole of the said resolution, after the word ' that,' when it first occurs, and inserting in lieu thereof, the following, viz : "liesufved by the Legislature of the State of Kentucky, That Gen. John Adair.. for^.is condocl in tue late campaign at New Orleans, to whom, by the indisposition of the coo-imandant of the Kentucky detached militia, the command .vas assigned, and for his singular gallantry on the memorable yth of January, 1835, aad''more particularly for the deep interest which he took in vindicating' a respectable portion of the troops of Kentucky, from the unappropriafe imputation OF COWARDICE (accidentally it is hoped, but certainly most UNJUSTLY THROWN UPON THEM,) is entitled to the highest approbation and thenks of his country, and this Legislature." ' It was unanimously concurred in," Extract from the Journals of the House of Representatives of the sessioa of 1817-18 page 139 t "Thursday, January 8, 1818. "Mr Underwood moved the following resolution : " Resolved by the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, That his Excellency the Acting Governor be and he is hereby requested to procure the Artillery Company of Frankfort, to fire a Federal Salute on'this day9 in commemoration of the .Victory at New Orleans, on the 8th of January 1815. " Jo expressing our wishes in the above resolution, to commemorate the th of January, 1815. this House feel at this time an additional degree of regard for those Sons of Kentucky, who nobly exerted themselves for their country on that occasion, and WHOSE CONDUCT HAS BEEN DE-FENDSD FROM CALUMNY, by the patriotic zeal of General John Adair, an officer whose many and conspicuous military services, are ac^ knowledged with gratitude by this body. " Which being twice read, was amended by expunging the word ' calumny,' and inserting in lieu thereof, the words " the unmerited imputation of cowardice." "Mr Bibb then moved to amend the said resolution, by expunging the words printed in italics, viz . " whose conduct has been defended from the unmerited imputation of Cowardice." " And the question being taken thereon, it was decided in the negative^ The yeas and nays being required thereon by Messrs Underwood and Logan, were as follows . YEAS Messrs Barbour, Bates, Baylor. Bibb, Butler, Cotton, Dawsons Donaldson, Fleming, Fletcher, Hickman, J. Hunter, C.Johnson, J. T. Johnson, Lackey, Lane, Metcaif, Mitchell, Parker, Reid, Roberts,South, Shortridge, Todd, Turner, G. Wail, Ward and White, 28. NAYS Mr Speaker, Messrs Anderson, Barrett, Barr, Bjayne, BealJ, Cassidy, Chew, Clark, Cocke, Coffee, Cunningham, Dupuj, Duncan, De-laney, J.Enimersonj W. Emmerson, Ghoisou, Givens, Glenn, Haynes, jlfopson, W. S. Hunter, Jameson, Knight, Letcher, Logan, Marshal!, Mercer, O'Bannon, Par&ons, Pattoa, Payne, Joho Porter, Jos, Porter, Robinson, ROWAN, Sanford, Shacklett, Shackieford, Sharpe, Spiilman, Smitbs Thompson, Tribble, Underwood, C. Walker, W. K. Wall, Weir and, Woods, 52. " Mr Reid, then moved to strike out the whole of the resolution, after the word " occasion," being these words : " And whose conduct ha3 beeo defended from the unmerited imputation of Cowardice, by the patriotic zeal of Gen. John Adair, an officer whose inany and conspicuous military services, are acknowledged with gratitude by this body" -which was negatived, " The question was then takea on the first branch of the resolution, which carried with but three disseotlog voices -Messrs Barr} Fleming and Hick-;man. "The second branch was adopted by the following vote. It begins as follows :- "la expressing our wishes ia the above resolution, to commemorats the 8th of January, 1815, this house feel an additional degree of regard for those Sons of Kentucky, &c. &c.'" YEAS Mr Speaker, Messrs Anderson, Barrett, Bates, Bayne, Beall, Cassidy, Chew, Ciark, Co eke, Coffey, Cotton. Cunningham, Dawsoo, Du-ptiy, Delaney, Duncan, J. Emmersoa, W.Emmerson, Fletcher, Gholson, ivens. Glenn, Ilaynes, Hopson, J. Hunter, Jewell, C. Johnson, Knight, JLetcher, Logan, Marshall, fiercer, O'Bannon, Parsons, Patton, Paynes John Porter, Jos. Porter, Raeves, Robinson, ROWAN, Sanford, Shacklett, Shackieford, Sharpe, Spillman, South, Smith, Thompson, Tribble, Turaer, Underwood, M. Wickliife, C. Walker, Weir and Woods, 57. NAYS Messrs Barbonr, Barr, Baylor, Bibb, Butler, Donaldson, Fleming, Hickrnan, W. S. Hunter, J. T. Johnson, Lane, Metcalf, Mitchell. Parker, Reid, Todd, W. Walker, W. Wall, S. Wall, Ward & While, 21." Extract from the proceedings of the legislature of Kentucky at the ses-?ioa of 1BS3-4. H. R. Wednesday, Jan. 7, 1824. tc Mr ROWAN offered tie foiiovring resolutions, which .were adopted by a large majority: Resolved, That this house, composed of the immediate representatives of the people, caanot close its session without bidding an affectionate farewell to the venerable and patriotic Chief Magistrate of this commonwealth Gen. JOHN ADAIR. The restraint imposed by the constitution upon the affection and confidence of hisjellow citizens, combined with his advanced ag-e, renders it impossible, that they will ever again be re-associa-ted with him ia their relative representative capacities, in labors for the common good. The constitution constrains him to retire from the executive chair, when the term for which he was elected shall have expired. But hs will retire with the proud consciousness of having devoted his distin-= sfuished talents aad strenuous exertions to the good of mankind and of his ctNitilrr, throughout a long life. That country will long remember, with sensations of affectionate gratitude, his devotion to the cause of liberty ia she field" and ia the cabinet. His military services and sufferings, in his youthful life during the war of the revelation; his voluntary services at the Kccad of the Kentucky militia, atmatorer age, during the Indian war; and Ms distinguished services at a more advanced age, during the Jate war, wiil t:art continue ^rfen on the memory of his grateful country. He cannot sail to remain identified ia the memory of his country, with the victory on the Thames, aud the still more splendid victory on the plains of New Or-kilns, where ha Gototnanded tbe Kentucky militia, on the ever memorable 6S Eighth of January -itor can his vindication of that srnall portion of iheMiii" &ia, which w is engaged on the opposite side of the Mississippi, on that day? from the unappropriate imputation of HAVING I \ GLORIOUSLY FLiSlD, ever bt- forgotten by the people of &intuclcy, while they cherish those sentiments of chivalric pride, which have hitherto characterized them, The aid which his compatriots derived from the exertions of his luminous and. enriched miod, in uie formation of the constitution and code of their common couutry, cannot be readily forgotten. His dignified and equable administration of the government, as its Chief Magistrate, commands the ap-prooation of bis countrymen The vigilance with which he has discharged the duties of tuat highly important station, whether regard be had to his com-.nunications ro the legislature, in relation to the great and essential rights of the slate, or to his mioor official agencies, entitle him to the approving respec of his countrymen. With the pxpre.ssion of the wish, that-the haad of -. kiud providence may smooth the slope of the remnant of his days,- aud ha*. be may enjoy the consolations which the retrospect of his distinguished public services, associated with the plaudits of his countrymen, cannot fail to afford him, they bid him an affectionate adieu." LOUISIANA LEGISLATURE UN 1815. The legislature of uis state were so much displeased with Gen. Jackson's conduct, in trampling; under foot the writ of Habeas Corpus, the im prisontnent of Judge Hall and of fVfr Louailier, a member of the Legislature; the latter for exorcising a right g.iarraoteed to the freedom of the press; the iaiignity and disrespect with which be treated Gov. Claibornes the patriotic Chief Magistrate of the state ; that they refused to vote him the ibanks of the State. The following is the resolution which was passed,, _.._ .,-.: .,, .;. , j.j)e otj,er Generals: ."' . \ . by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Slate of Louisiana, in genoraWissembly convened, That the thanks of the general assembly shall be presented in the name of the State, to our brave brother soldiers from Tennessee, Kentucky, and the Mississippi Territory, ami their gallant leaders, Generals Thomas. Carrol!, Coffee and Adair, ao colonel Hiods, foe- toe brilliant share thr-y have had io the defence of tbw country, and the happy harmony they have maintained with the inhabitants and militia of the State. MAGLOIRE GUICHARD, Speaker of the House of Representatives, FULWAR SH1PW1TH, Approved, Februarys, 1815. Presided of the Secate- (Signed) W. C. C. CLAIBORNE. Governor of the Stale of Louisiana.'1 KENTUCKY SENTIMENT. Atthe close of the late w ar, when Gen. A D 1 \ R returned to Kentucky,-, from the expedition to New Orleans, a public dinner was given to him at Frankfort, in the month of June. 1815 The venerable Shelby, then Governor of Kentucky, was an invitee' Guest, aca attended the dinner. The following comprized one of the regular toasts drank on that occasion: " Gen. John Adair The Camilius of Ken'ucky Our disiu-guis-'ed Gup&t: in tl)e hour of peril his Country's S^ic-ld its the day of &LAN- DER, AN ADVOCATE FOR THE SOLDIER'S HOKOR'.i" THE WHOLE OF THE FOREGOING LETTERS AK1) DOCt.'MEKTS TRULV COPJET FROM THE FILES OF THE REPORTER. TO THE LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS, ' CONTAINED IK THJS PAMPHLET. PAGE. Gen. Adair's Letter to the Editors of the Reporter, dated Natchez, May 6. 1817, 1 Gen. Jackson's Reply, dated Nashville, 23rd July: 1817, - 3 Gen. Adair's Letter to Col. Anderson, - - -12 Coi. Anderson to Maij. Reid, - - - - 13 General Adair's Reply to General Jackson, dated Oct. 21, 1817, IS Colonel Slaughter ro General Adair, - 28 Colonel Ainey M'Lean to Same, ... 29 Major R Harrison to Same, .--.- 31 Major W. Wakefield to Same, - 32 Major C. P. Luckett to Sam.e, - - - - ib Adjutant Samuel Mncconn to Same, -'" - - 33 CW. Thorns P. Dudley to Same, - . - ib Address of the Kentucky Reporter to the Lditors at the Eastwards relating to ilie Slander of the Kentuckiaos, - - 35 Sentence of the Court of inquiry on the conduct of the Jientuckians at New Orleans, - -. - - - 37 Extract of a letter from Gen. Adair to (governor Shelby, . ib Letter frem Gen. Adair to Gen. Jackson, vindicating the Kentuck- ians, dated New-Orieaas, March 20, 1815,, - , - Ib ."Extracts from Gen. Jackson's Answer, - - - 40 A:idnss of the Kentucky Reporter io Editors at chd Eastward, ia vindication cf ;he Kentuckion.?, - - - 41 General Jackson and the Kentucky Troops, from the Kentucky Reporter of April 23, 1817, - - - .42 General Jackson's Setter to the Editors of the Reporter, dated Nashville. March II, 1817, - " .-- - ' - ' 44 j* ;i'.vsjr of tl;e Editors of the Reporter, . - .45 lien. Jackson 'in rfply- severely censnrinp the Kentuckians and re-iteraticg; his charge of Cowardice, dated Nashville, April 11, 1817, - - - - - 47 Noi.es by the Editors of the Reporter, - - - 52 Gen. R. B. iVI'Afee's Address to Gen. Jacksoo and the people of Ken'ncky. in vindication of the Kentuckians, dated June, 1817 55 C-enerai Jackson's Official Letter of the 9th January, 1815, charging the Iltnln^kians with cowardice, - - - 58 KeEolotionf of she Kentucky Legislature in 1815-16, vindicatory of the EcntuckirniB, - - 60 Rpsolutiunson th'3 same Pfinject in 1817-18, - . - 61 Rescltrior-sof 5;-.vio in 18'^i, -' - - 62 Resolutions of Lrji.visna Logislatnre in 1815. - 63 TuAst, in hoiuir of (ion. Adair and tlielventuekians. - ib ?Mrrff. edjtor of the RESTUCKy repobtek.

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