Battle of New Orleans: Its Real MeaningFolk, Reau E. (Reau Estes)
History
Battle of New Orleans: Its Real Meaning
Folk, Reau E. (Reau Estes)
New Orleans, Battle of, New Orleans, La., 1815
“Another natural question,” I answered. “It is a question that must come
to every mind in approaching this matter of clarification. I am not able
to answer this question definitely, just as I was not able to answer
your other question with any degree of certainty. The answer is not
vital, except from the standpoint of the problem involved, of overcoming
the inertia of a long-enthroned lie. My conjecture is that the false
appraisal began when civil upheaval was imminent, and when most people
were thinking only of the present—a state of mind which was continued
for a long time. So the viewpoint of prejudice, unopposed, gradually
crept into accepted history. There have been, and are, students of
history adhering to the great fact that the Battle of New Orleans saved
the Louisiana purchase, or another war with England. But school
histories continue to purvey the false viewpoint to the youth of the
land. But ‘truth is mighty and will prevail,’ and the time has now
come.”
At this point a bell boy brought me a card, and I arose to bid goodbye
to my young friend, saying;
“They have come for me, to go to the Hermitage for the exercises being
held there today.”
The young man said:
“I wish it were so you could take me.”
I arranged to do so, very much pleased at this change in his attitude.
CHAPTER II.
Containing a High Commission and an Indictment.
There is no nobler calling than that of the school teachers of America,
who are ministering to the instruction and development of the future
citizens and leaders of the Republic. These teachers are bound to be
deeply concerned when they find that through school histories furnished
them, they have been imparting a falsehood about an important event in
United States history—the Battle of New Orleans, fought January 8, 1815.
These school histories minimize the value of the battle, describing it
as needless, because fought after peace, when as a fact, the battle was
not fought after peace, and the victory, in fact, prevented a carefully
planned conquest of the then lately acquired Louisiana Domain, with all
the attendant, untoward complications, another war being one of them.
It is the purpose of this volume to show by reliable authorities, the
truth as to the value of this battle.
History, as is well known, is honey-combed with lies, originally
projected either in ignorance, prejudice or adulation. We are always
fortunate if able to arrest and correct one before too late.
The Legislature of Tennessee, at its session of 1927, adopted the
following resolution:
“WHEREAS, the Battle of New Orleans, fought on January 8, 1815, is one
of the outstanding military events of American History; and,
“WHEREAS, the memory of the great American victory achieved there, is
especially cherished by Tennesseans because of Andrew Jackson, and the
other Tennesseans who therein immortalized themselves; and,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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