] on the eastern shore of the entrance to Mobile Bay. The
British attacked the fort, but were repulsed. Jackson, who was at
Mobile, hastened to Pensacola and demanded of the Spanish governor a
surrender of the forts. The officer sent with the flag to demand the
surrender was fired upon, and next day Jackson with his troops charged
into the town; when the frightened governor offered to surrender the
forts. This was done, and the British blew up one, and abandoned
the others.
On his return to Mobile, Jackson found a message from New Orleans,
urging him to hasten to the defence of that city, as the British
commander in the gulf had declared his intention to invade Louisiana,
and sent an inflammatory proclamation among the inhabitants.
Jackson arrived at New Orleans, December 2, 1814, and found the city
utterly defenceless, and the people filled with alarm and distracted by
petty factions. Danger was imminent. The British troops that left
Chesapeake Bay after their repulse at Baltimore had gone to the West
Indies, where they were joined by about four thousand veterans under the
brave Irish General Keane. The combined forces sailed in the direction
of New Orleans, late in November. The wives of many of the officers
accompanied them, for not a man doubted that the speedy conquest of
Louisiana would be the result of the expedition. The dullness of the
voyage was enlightened by music and dancing, and all anticipated
exquisite pleasures to be found in the paradise before them.
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