New Orleans, Day 4- Sunday, January 11, 2015

Today was the climax of the re-enactment.  We portrayed the battle of January 8th, 1815-- the fight that would save New Orleans and make Andrew Jackson a legend in his own time.

I rose in time to take the charter bus with the Brits and made my way to the American camp.  My feet were feeling much better in the sneakers I was hiding underneath my gaiters.  They had been saying that we were could get some light rain showers, but the weather was fine.  It's the warmest day we've had, in the 50s I'd say, overcast but dry-- a perfect day for a re-enacment.  When I arrived at the camp, the morning formation was already underway.   I went to the spectator side of the parade ground (which would also be the battlefield) to take some pictures and video.  As time went by, I eventually realized that they Americans were not going to be going to march away.  The battle was going to begin in about 20 minutes, at 10:00, so I found my place in line, where many of us were taking pictures.

When the battle began, the British marched across the field.  Artillery pieces began to fire down our line.  As the Redcoats got closer, we were able to begin pouring fire into them using the "Line Jackson" technique.  We were firing five rows deep, with the first row firing, then moving to the back to reload.  It was an interesting experience.  To my thrill, my gun was firing very consistently, at least to begin with.  Everyone's started to misfire eventually, but I was very pleased that my gun was now working as we poured fire down on the Brits.  (I did notice that the charges I had been given weren't making a big "poof" because the riflemen in the company used smaller charges for their smaller barrels.  I almost wonder if I HAD in fact fired a round yesterday, and didn't realize it, and then never reloaded because I thought a round was in there.)  Anyway, I got to stand and fight for the entire battle, which meant a great view (but no pictures this time).   We were near the American center and the Brits stalled in front of us, while we kept up the fire for as long and hard as we could.

And that was it.  Very fun and as good as it could be, but the event was now over.  George and I both commented that we'd never seen a re-enactment that had participants leave so early on Sunday, but we were dismissed and allowed to pack up and leave, and it wasn't even 11:00.  We said our goodbyes to the people in our company and thanked them for letting us fall in with them.  I got my picture taken with General Andrew Jackson, who thanked me and wanted to shake the hand of the one of the men who had come to drive the British from our soil.

I came back to the hotel with George and Elizabeth.  I took a shower and put on real people clothes and then walked back to Jackson Square to go to the Louisiana State Museum at the Cabildo.  Their exhibit on the Battle of New Orleans opened today.   The exhibit had many paintings and portraits of people that were involved in the battle.  Many artifacts that had a direct connection to the battle were on display.  There were several paintings of the battle that I found interesting, but the center piece of the exhibit was Andrew Jackson's own uniform coat, which we wore at the battle itself and while sitting for his famous portrait.  Both the coat and the portrait were there, on loan from the Smithsonian.  (Photography was not allowed, which seemed odd because I had just photographed the coat when I was going through Washington after the Star Spangled Banner's 200th Anniversary a few months ago.)  It is believed that Jackson's coat is the only American uniform from the Battle of New Orleans that is still in existence, and it is the first time that it has been back in New Orleans since 1815.  The museum also featured an exhibit about how the legend of the battle has grown in American history- making a cult figure of Jackson and propelling him to the presidency.  The exhibit also feafured the song "The Battle Of New Orleans," and the movie, "The Buccaneer" about Jean Laffite.

After the Cabildo, I a very late lunch at the Jax Brewery.  It's not a brewery anymore though, but a collection of shops and a food court in the brewery's old building.  We shopped there with the girls when we were here as a family.  I strolled down Burboun Street and was able to find a few more presents for the family.  I also stopped at McDonalds because I was still hungry, and then came back to the hotel.