Scottish soldier's diary tells of horror at New Orleans

BBC ^ | 22 Jan 2015 | BBC

[MadMitch]

The Battle of New Orleans on 8 January 1815 was a result of Britain and America's War of 1812. US forces defeated a British army in the clash, which is still commemorated in the States today.

The Battle of New Orleans on 8 January 1815 was a result of Britain and America's War of 1812. US forces defeated a British army in the clash, which is still commemorated in the States today.

[MadMitch]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-30829350

[rarestia]

The Battle of New Orleans on 8 January 1815 was a result of Britain and America’s War of 1812. US forces defeated a British army in the clash, which is still commemorated in the States today.

[CTyank]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL7XS_8qgXM

[Star Traveler]

Battle of New Orleans - by Johnny Horton
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VL7XS_8qgXM

[ArtDodger]

“which is still commemorated in the States today.’
Why is the battle of January 8th being commemorated today, which is January 22nd? :/

[Star Traveler]

There’s no holiday commemorating it ...

[rarestia]

My subtle attempt at trolling appears to have been missed. I was just copy/pasting what was in the excerpt twice. I cannot account for the verity of the author’s claims.

[R. Scott]

One of my favorites but I got hung up checking others on that page. Good ones.

[teeman8r]

http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=ipad&p=homer+and+jethro+camp+kookamonga&pcarrier=&pmcc=&pmnc=

Funny take by the masters of son parody...

[x_plus_one]

Farther down towards the end:

More than 100 years after the end of the War of 1812, America had a secret plan for a new war against Britain. Produced in 1930 and called Joint Plan Red, the document set out strategies for invading Canada. Some US states relied on freshwater sources in neighbouring Quebec and an invasion would have given America a chance to secure those supplies - and also deny Canadian ports to the British. A key war aim was to eliminate Britain as a trading competitor. Joint Plan Red, now held in a public archive, was shelved in 1939.

Sounds like an assignment to drive public opinion against usa.

[MountainYankee]

“We fired our cannon ‘till the barrel melted down, Than we grabbed an alligator and we fought another round.”

Johnny Horton is one of my all time favorite American artists.

[Codeflier]

You can say that again!

[Leaning Right]

There’s no holiday commemorating it ...

Maybe not, but to be on the safe side Obama's taking the day off anyway.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

They’d been given fair warning.

[piasa]

“Be kind, be courteous, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet.”

[piasa]

And what better way to honor the en, many of Scottish extraction who fought in it, than to play a few rounds of golf?

[R. Scott]

Sounds like it.

[Kartographer]

My family from my Mother's side:

To. Mr. John Castleman, State of Tennessee, Davidson County near Clover Botom "Father and mother sister and brothers I have thought it my duty to right to you that I am well John & Joseph are like wise well and all the neighbors boys is well. And I think it time to name my rout I have had since I left home first to Pencicola theare we had no fight of consequence only four killed and a few wounded and from thence to New Orleans theare we met with the approach of a leven thousand British about six miles below the town on the night of the 23rd Debr. We had a very hard fight as I should call it…. of the British and lost but few men and retreated back about two miles and did encamp raised up breast works for defence and we still had our pickets and thears a firing at each other and on the 25th cannonading took place and Every day till new years day then they advanced up in about a half mile and then began a cannonading theare was about forty men out of Coffee brigade and out of the first Regement and I was one to support 3 pieces of cannon which was mounted on the levy it was in verry dangerous place theare I saw 3 men with theare side and thighs shot off heavy cannonading from that time till aid Christmas then they maid a change on our breastworks…"

[Tupelo]

I am absolutely amazed at the quality of the photographs, considering their age. 211 years?

[Adder]

From a second story on the site:”Glasgow-born musician Lonnie Donegan (pictured), best known for novelty songs like My Old Man’s A Dustman, had a UK chart hit with the song Battle of New Orleans in the 1950s.”

Uh...who? Wonder if he took Horton’s song and performed it....

[My Old Man.....sounds like a toe-tapper...]