Norman's New Orleans and Environs Part 13

THE MEXICAN GULF RAIL-ROAD, runs from Elysian Fields street, on Good Children street, towards Lake Borgne. There are twenty eight miles of this road now in operation. When finished, it will afford considerable facilities to commerce, besides great benefit to the citizens, conveying them, in about one and a half hours, to the refreshing breeze of the ocean--where fish, oysters and game may be found in abundance. No doubt it will compete with the most favored watering places of Bay St. Louis, Pa.s.s Christian, Biloxi, &c. It will also be a great accommodation to the planters in the neighborhood--who already, so far as it goes, have given it good encouragement. This road has recently been purchased of the State, by A. Gordon and Co., who, availing themselves of about 22 miles of the Nashville rail-road iron, are bringing this work to a rapid completion.

THE ROAD OF BAYOU ST. JOHN, which follows the sinuosities of that stream, and reaches lake Pontchartrain at the site of the old fort St.

John, after travelling the distance of about six miles, presents a very pleasant drive. Returning by the new Sh.e.l.l road before mentioned, it varies the route without adding much to the distance.

MACDONOUGH stands on the banks of the river opposite to New Orleans; and the crossing, in the hottest weather, is generally accompanied by a slight breeze, rendered cool and pleasant by the mighty current of the river, which comes from the icy springs of the Alleghanies and the Rocky mountains. The village, of itself, possesses no great beauty--but the country, the beautiful country is all around--and the noise and confusion of the city no longer annoy you. The great attraction at this spot is in visiting the United States marine hospital, one of the handsomest structures in Louisiana, which stands a little above.

ALGIERS adjoins, and seems a part of Macdonough. This is the great work-shop of New Orleans, for the building and repairing of vessels.

It has its dry docks, and other facilities for the most extensive operations. In business times, it presents a scene of activity that is seldom observed in any other part of these regions, and reminds one of the bustling and enterprise of the North. The period has been when Algiers prescribed the law, _vi et armis_, to the city itself--but the day and the disposition, have happily long since pa.s.sed away.

GRETNA, on the same sh.o.r.e, is nearly two miles further up the river, and stands opposite Lafayette. The whole distance is spotted with comfortable residences, princ.i.p.ally inhabited by the owners of the adjoining grounds, and the walk from Algiers to this village is very gratifying to one partial to such exercise. There is a steamboat constantly plying from here to the city, which affords a desirable excursion of nearly three miles, touching at Lafayette in its pa.s.sage each way. The village has a rural appearance, is regularly laid out, and exhibits some neat tenements. The forest approaches quite near; and, the idea that one may so easily lose himself in the neighboring woods, gives to the place a touch of romance which only the denizens of a crowded city know how to appreciate. From the great number of cattle observed along the sh.o.r.e, it would seem as if there was no necessity of diluting the milk for the New Orleans market, unless the milkmen be tea-total temperance men, and take this method to introduce the inhabitants gradually to a taste for water.

THE RACE COURSES. There are three of these in the vicinity of this city. The _Louisiana_, near lake Pontchartrain; the _Metairie_, near the Sh.e.l.l road; and the one at Carrolton. These are as well patronised as any in the country, and, in the racing season, the inhabitants of the neighboring states, from a great distance, flock hither to partic.i.p.ate in the sports of the turf. Much praise has been bestowed upon the arrangements on these occasions. Even here, as in many other countries, the ladies, by their presence, have given them countenance and encouragement--and the course usually is "gemmed by the rich beauty of the sunny south."

THE BATTLE GROUND, (formerly known as "the Plains of Chalmette,") the very naming of which causes the bosom of an American to swell with patriotic pride, lies five miles below the city. It may be approached either by the Grand Gulf rail-road, or by a good highway along the levee, the new Convent and United States barracks being within full view. But first it may be necessary to look briefly at the historical facts which give celebrity to the spot.

Early in December, 1814, the British approached New Orleans, about 8000 strong, by the way of the lakes Borgne and Pontchartrain. Their pa.s.sage into the lake was opposed by a squadron of gun-boats under Lieut. Jones. After a spirited conflict, in which the killed (500) and the wounded of the enemy exceeded the whole American force, he was compelled to surrender to superior numbers.

On the 21st of Dec. four thousand militia arrived from Kentucky and Tennessee, under General Jackson. On the 22nd, the enemy having previously landed, took a position near the Mississippi, eight miles below the city. On the evening of the 23d, the Americans made a furious attack upon their camp, and threw them into disorder, with five hundred of their men killed. The enemy rallied; and Gen. Jackson withdrew his troops, and fortified a strong position six miles below the city, supported by batteries on the west side of the river. Here he was unsuccessfully a.s.sailed on the 28th of Dec. and 1st of Jan., the enemy losing two hundred to three hundred men. In the mean time both armies received reinforcements.

The decisive battle was fought on the 8th day of Jan. 1815. The American right was on the river, running in a right angle to the wood.

A redoubt was raised (which is still visible) strengthened by bales of cotton along the whole line. The enemy were about a half mile lower down, on a parallel line, their head quarters resting on the river, near three large oaks which still mark the spot. The scene is distinct, and this is _the battle ground_.

The British commenced the a.s.sault at day light. As they approached the works, sixty deep, many were killed by grape shot; but, when they came within musket range, a destructive stream of fire burst forth from the American lines. Our troops were placed in two ranks, the rear loading while the front fired, thus pouring an incessant peal--which, from Kentucky and Tennessee riflemen, was most deadly. While leading on the troops of the enemy, Gen. Pakenham, the chief in command, was killed; Gen. Gibbs, the second in command, was wounded mortally; and Gen. Keene severely. Without officers to direct them, the troops halted, fell back, and soon fled in confusion to their camp. In a little over an hour, two thousand out of eight thousand veterans lay dead upon the field, while the Americans had but seven killed and six wounded--a disproportion unparalleled in the history of warfare. Gen.

Lambert, upon whom the command then devolved, after one more unsuccessful attempt to a.s.sault, availed himself of a truce of twenty-four hours to bury the dead, made good his retreat--which Gen.

Jackson felt no disposition to molest, as he was resolved to hazard none of his advantages. Thus was New Orleans saved from the hands of an invading enemy whose War cry was--"Beauty and Booty."

The British lost during the month they were in Louisiana, more than three thousand three hundred and fifty in killed, while the loss of the Americans was not two hundred. The wounded of the enemy must have been much less, on account of the sure aim of the backwoodsmen. The greater portion of our army were plain honest farmers--who knew nothing of battle--they heard that their country was in danger--the country which gave a home to them, and their children, and they flew to its defence,--drove the invaders from their sh.o.r.es, and then returned to their homes to till the ground.

It is not a matter of surprise--though the battle is without a parallel in the history of the world--that even "invincibles," were so dreadfully routed by undisciplined backwoodsmen defending their native soil, with their wives and children behind them.

A jaunt to these grounds is a sort of pilgrimage, that no stranger will, that no citizen can neglect. Not to have seen the field of this great victory, would be a reflection upon the taste, not to say the patriotism of any who should visit our city. The ground it is true, presents few memorials to remind the patriotic visitor of the deadly strife. There is no proud monument, towering to the sky, to mark the place where the great victory was won. But he beholds the consequences wherever he turns his eye, and he feels them--deeply feels them in every throb of his heart. Those born upon the soil, and those who partic.i.p.ated in the struggle, have reason to be proud of the spot, and to cherish the memory of that eventful day. If there is no lofty structure of granite or marble, to perpetuate the glorious achievement, it has a holier, a more enduring memorial in the heart of every true American, which thrills with lofty pride at every allusion to it, as did the ancient Greek at the name of Marathon, or the Spartan at that of Thermopylae.

TRAVELLING ROUTES

The facilities which this metropolis affords for reaching any accessible portion of the world, particularly all sections of the union, are not excelled. Steam and sailing ships of the first cla.s.s, hold commercial intercourse with almost every nation. Steamboats, with accommodations equal to the best regulated hotels, are plying through every river and bayou. Four to five thousand miles can be achieved, in those floating palaces, with perfect ease, and comparative safety.

The princ.i.p.al routes between the north and the south are here given, as also the intermediate places, together with those inland most frequented by the traveller and the man of business, and the distances carefully noted as they diverge, in their various directions. Beside the four annexed routes to New York, there are several that lead to favorite watering places, and other points attractive to travellers of leisure, which it would be quite impracticable to lay down in a work of this kind. They can always obtain information of these resorts, from intelligent companions on the road, that will prevent their deviating much from the point they wish to attain. The distances on the river have been corrected agreeably to the latest survey. The other routes conform to the most approved authorities; and, frequently, have been corrected by personal observation, with the utmost care and attention.