Battle of New Orleans Page #13

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The rest of Jackson’s troops look on with destain. Even the

WORKER BATTALION and FREE MEN OF COLOR, with their limited

training, think they’re better than this disorganized lot.

DANIEL ADLER:

For Christ’s sake on a cross...

Jackson and Coffee observe from across the way. A few of the

ENLISTED MEN trade words with the BARATARIANS. A FIGHT soon

breaks out. The officers struggle to maintain order.

63.

ANDREW JACKSON:

We were hardly making progress tobegin with.

JOHN COFFEE:

You did what was necessary. Rest

assured, they will be watched.

As if on cue, Dominique You oversees the unloading of severalWOODEN CRATES. The crates are covered in dirt. Dominiqueopens one of the crates and reveals a stash of RIFLES.

But the MUNITIONS aren’t what amazes Jackson the most -

ANDREW JACKSON:

I had to invoke martial law to

raise an army -- Lafitte had simplyto whisper to the wind.

Lafitte greets a few more of his men near the gate. Suddenlyhis brother PIERRE is there. The brothers share an embrace.

JEAN LAFITTE:

I know you had your doubts, Pierre.

But we are here on equal ground. I

need you by my side.

PIERRE LAFITTE:

Then that is where I will be.

But the moment Lafitte turns away, Pierre’s face FALLS. He’s

still clearly skeptical about siding with the Americans.

Lafitte approaches Jackson and Jackson’s high command -

JEAN LAFITTE:

How’s this for “delivery”, General?

ANDREW JACKSON:

Your men need to be disciplined.

JEAN LAFITTE:

And they will be. The fight willbring it out of them.

ANDREW JACKSON:

Our scouts have the British across

Lake Borgne in barges. Their

entire army has made camp.

JEAN LAFITTE:

Are they into the canals?

64.

ANDREW JACKSON:

(re:
their troops)

For our sake let us hope not.

EXT. MARSH - MORNING

Unfortunately, that’s exactly where they are. The SPANISH

FISHERMAN leads a legion of REDCOATS through the bog.

They pass an unblocked CANAL and find themselves standing -

EXT. VILLERE PLANTATION - MORNING

On the edge of a magnificent plantation ORANGE GROVE.

TITLE:
VILLERE PLANTATION - 8 MILES SOUTH OF NEW ORLEANS

The redcoats move quickly toward the MAIN HOUSE.

EXT. VILLERE HOUSE - VERANDA - MORNING

Two of General Villere’s sons, GABRIEL and CELESTINE (both

late teens), are on the porch cleaning fowling pieces.

Celestine munches on an APPLE...

Suddenly Gabriel sees a flash of RED in the orange groves.

GABRIEL VILLERE:

(in French; subtitled)

Did you see that?

Another flash. The REDCOATS move through the trees. Gabriel

turns to his younger brother --

GABRIEL VILLERE (CONT’D)

Run. Tell Father.

CELESTINE VILLERE

(scared)

What will you do?

GABRIEL VILLERE:

All that I can to stop them.

EXT. VILLERE HOUSE - MORNING

The redcoats approach the front of the house with arms at theready. Suddenly the door opens and Gabriel and the HOUSESTAFF step out with their hands raised...

65.

COLONEL WILL THORNTON (32) motions his men to take the house.

As they do they don’t notice CELESTINE sneaking out the back.

But just as Celestine reaches the swamp TREE LINE --

COLONEL THORNTON

What was that? Back there.

Four REDCOATS move toward the trees. Gabriel tenses.

EXT. SWAMP - MORNING

Celestine has a little bit of a head start. He approaches amassive LIVE OAK tree. He looks up into the branches andfinds the perfect spot. But just as he starts to climb -

He hears a WHIMPER. The family SETTER has followed him intothe swamp. The setter wags its tail with a low BARK.

The redcoats turn. Celestine doesn’t know what to do.

EXT. SWAMP - MORNING

The REDCOATS approach the LIVE OAK. They pass under thetree’s criss-crossing branches, searching...

Only they never look up. For if they did, they would seeCelestine sitting on a branch feeding the dog his APPLE.

Celestine holds his breath. The redcoats finally move away.

EXT. VILLERE PLANTATION - DAY

It’s a few hours later and the British have made CAMP. Over

1,600 TROOPS with many more presently trudging through thecanal onto the grounds...

After the hard journey through the swamps, the plantation isa refuge. Many have never seen such a place, the MISSISSIPPIRIVER running wide along the western border of the property.

The UNION JACK flies high from a tree branch. MAJOR GENERAL

KEANE finally arrives. He’s approached by COLONEL THORNTON -

COLONEL THORNTON

Sir, there’s news.

66.

INT. VILLERE HOUSE - STUDY - DAY

The house study has been turned into a WAR ROOM. Keane and

Thornton are there with the two BRITISH SPIES -

BRITISH SPY:

The Americans are surely blind,

General. The grounds lead straightto the Quarter with little defense.

The canals were a godsend.

COLONEL THORNTON

It will take days to move the restof the army to meet us here, but wecould be in the city by nightfall.

This is an unexpected development, but Keane waivers...

COLONEL THORNTON (CONT’D)

Sir, pardon my forwardness -- Iknow Admiral Cochrane was clear in

his orders to wait but -

MAJOR GENERAL KEANE

The numbers are our strength,

Colonel. We haven’t waded through

this bog to move carelessly now.

COLONEL THORNTON

I don’t believe this careless.

Keane still isn’t convinced. But then he notices a PAINTING

on the wall of MAJOR GENERAL VILLERE in full uniform.

MAJOR GENERAL KEANE

I want to speak with the prisoner.

INT. VILLERE HOUSE - BEDROOM - DAY

GABRIEL VILLERE is tied to a chair. Keane paces in front ofhim. Keane’s imposing -- or at least trying to be...

MAJOR GENERAL KEANE

To believe we sailed the Atlantic,

we sludged through your treacherousswamps, all to wind up here -- inthe house of the head of the

Louisiana State Militia!

GABRIEL VILLERE:

Please, Major General -- I willassist in any way possible -- donot harm the staff of the house -

67.

Gabriel is groveling a bit. Keane is emboldened.

MAJOR GENERAL KEANE

You are a disgrace to the familyname, Gabriel! But I am not

surprised. There is a saying,

heard first in your own capital -militia

don’t attack. They run.

Gabriel fights back tears. It’s rather dramatic.

MAJOR GENERAL KEANE (CONT’D)

You want to protect those in thehouse, tell me now -- how many menhas Jackson assembled in the city?

Gabriel looks pained. He doesn’t want to say. Finally -

GABRIEL VILLERE:

17,000.

That’s when we realize -- Gabriel’s been putting on a show.

MAJOR GENERAL KEANE

Our spies say no more than five.

GABRIEL VILLERE:

Jackson sent for reinforcements.

Enlisted men from Kentucky andTennessee. They have come.

EXT. VILLERE HOUSE - HALLWAY - DAY

Keane exits, his mind racing. Thornton is there. Finally --

MAJOR GENERAL KEANE

I will not risk our position. We

wait for Admiral Cochrane.

And as Keane heads down the hall, Gabriel’s plan a success -

EXT. DOCKYARD - DAY

Jackson and Patterson oversee the loading of the ninety-ninefoot schooner LOUISIANA with Baratarian HEAVY ARTILLERY.

ANDREW JACKSON:

How many of Lafitte’s men do you

need to set sail?

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