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64
HISTORICAL MEMOIR.
fore general Jackson arrived in New Orleans, he might have entered the city with little or no opposition, there being no means of resisting him; and however well inclined the citizens were to defend themselves, it would have been impossible to prevent the taking of the city. The capture of our gun-boats having left our coast defenceless, and permitted the enemy to choose whatever point he thought most convenient to land on, it became necessary to redouble our efforts in making preparations for defence.
General Jackson was returning from a tour of observation to the river of Chef-Menteur, when the intelligence of the loss of the gun-boats reached him. He immediately ordered the militia-battalion of men of colour, commanded by major Lacoste, and the dragoons of Feliciana, to proceed with two pieces of Cannon and take post at the confluence of bayou Sau-vage and the river of Chef-Menteur, in order to cover the road to the city on that side, and watch the enemy?s movements. Major Lacoste was also ordered to erect a close redoubt surrounded with a fosse, according to a plan which I drew agreeably to general Jackson?s orders.
On his arrival in town, the general bent his attention to the fortifying of all assailable points, it being impossible to ascertain which the enemy would make choice of, the want of vessels on the lake depriving us of all means of obtaining any certain intelligence of his movements, before he could effect his landing.
Captain Newman of the artillery, who commanded the fort of Petites Coquilles, which stands at the