Battle of New Orleans Page #14

---

COMMODORE PATTERSON

As many as you can spare.

68.

Just then MAJOR GENERAL VILLERE and his son CELESTINE arrive

on horseback. Both are nearly out of breath -

MAJOR GENERAL VILLERE

General! The British are eightmiles hence without a fort, a gunor a man between here and the city!

INT. JACKSON’S OFFICE - DAY

Things are rather disorganized from the news. Jackson is

with his high-command, but there’s a lot of cross talk -

ANDREW JACKSON:

If it’s true -- why haven’t they

marched all the way to our walls?

Major General Villere gives Celestine a look --speak up.

CELESTINE VILLERE

My brother -- he had idea tomisinform them of our numbers -

EDWARD LIVINGSTON

He may have saved us all.

ANDREW JACKSON:

He very well may have, but theBritish shall not sleep on oursoil. We fight them tonight!

JOHN COFFEE:

Sir, we’re not prepared to -

Jackson SLAMS his fist on the table. Everyone quiets.

ANDREW JACKSON:

We’ve prepared for weeks. If

Celestine is indeed correct -- if

these men are only the advanceguard --now is the time to strike.

MAJOR GENERAL VILLERE

It will be dark within the hour.

ANDREW JACKSON:

They wish to fight to the beat ofthe drum, we must dictate our own

terms. Commodore Patterson, enlist

the men you need and send theLouisiana down to their position.

(MORE)

69.

ANDREW JACKSON (CONT'D)

When they have been sufficientlybombarded, light the sky and weshall answer your call.

Patterson is hesitant. So are the rest. Jackson sees this -

ANDREW JACKSON (CONT’D)

Do I have none of your support?

A long beat of silence. But then LAFITTE steps forward -- hecrosses to a nearby desk, making himself a DRINK --

JEAN LAFITTE:

You have mine. If only because allelse here would so decline. The

British will never expect it.

That support, from Lafitte no less, is all Jackson needs --

ANDREW JACKSON:

We disembark as soon as we can.

The British may indeed dine forChristmas in the city, but I shallbe seated at the head of the table.

EXT. FRENCH QUARTER - DUSK

Jackson’s ARMY has been assembled. There’s a nervous energy

as the men march through the city. From the ENLISTED MEN and

MILITIA, confident and trained, to the WORKER BATTALION and

FREE MEN OF COLOR, excited but scared for their first combat.

And then there are the BARATARIANS, not so much marching inline as walking with swagger to the battlefield, the ENLISTEDMEN casting them the occasional sideways glance. WOMEN and

CHILDREN line the streets waving HANDKERCHIEFS, the BELLS ofthe nearby CATHEDRAL echoing in time...

Jackson rides at the front, high on his horse in FULL DRESSUNIFORM. Lafitte is next to him. Lafitte leans over -

JEAN LAFITTE:

It’s clever. Our first battle and

no need for the men to hold a line.

They may fight as savages.

ANDREW JACKSON:

We are who we are.

And as the army leaves the gates of the city, the ELDERLYPOLICE FORCE left to SALUTE and guard the CITY WALLS --

70.

EXT. VILLERE PLANTATION - NIGHT

The BRITISH relax on the plantation. CAMPFIRES dot the

landscape. The men feast on wares taken from nearby farms.

TITLE:
DECEMBER 23, 1814 - THE NIGHT BATTLE

A group of REDCOATS sits around the fire drinking near theriver. One of them wraps the SORES on his hands --

SORE HANDS:

Never shall I row again.

PIPE SMOKER:

Aye, until we’ve gotta go back!

Laughter around the circle. But then -SORE

HANDS:

What the hell is that?

A SHIP floats down the river in the darkness. The men move

to get a better look, but it’s hard to see through the FOG.

PIPE SMOKER:

Cochrane sent a schooner to guardour flank?

SORE HANDS:

That or a merchantman surely. She

looks like a ghost.

Indeed she does. There’s the sound of her ANCHOR splashing

in the water. The ship is only a few hundred yards away.

PIPE SMOKER:

We need to raise her.

A few of the soldiers FIRE their rifles, trying to get theship’s attention, but the ship sits silently unlighted...

And then, several small FLICKERS OF FLAME on her deck.

SORE HANDS:

Are those firing matches?

But the words are barely out of his mouth before the GUNPORTSare snapped open and a voice bellows from the darkness -AMERICAN

SAILOR:

For the honor of America!

And then the LOUISIANA OPENS FIRE WITH A HAIL OF GRAPE SHOT.

71.

The redcoats dive for cover anywhere they can find it. The

shot tears through the campfire circles, the plantation nowunder relentless barrage from the Louisiana’s port-side guns.

As the ARTILLERY fires, the flames light up the faces of themen manning the cannons -- many of Lafitte’s top LIEUTENANTS.

INT. VILLERE HOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT

Major General Keane and his high-command are eating dinner asthe shots rain down. Keane rushes to the window -

MAJOR GENERAL KEANE

What kind of fighting is this!?

COLONEL THORNTON

The American kind.

EXT. VILLERE PLANTATION - NIGHT

The BOMBARDMENT has lasted almost an hour. The British hide

in ditches and behind trees. CASUALTIES litter the field.

Suddenly, the firing comes to a halt. And then --

SORE HANDS:

What could possibly happen now?

THREE ROCKETS light up the sky -- one RED, one WHITE, and oneBLUE. Jackson’s signal from the Louisiana.

And then all hell is unleashed.

Jackson’s men OPEN FIRE from the darkness just north of the

plantation. They boldly CHARGE onto the field where theymeet the weary and bloody British forces. The BATTLE is on.

It’s unlike any the British have ever seen. No drums, no

marching lines. Jackson’s ENLISTED MEN lead the charge, butsoon the MILITIA and WORKER BATTALION join. The FREE MEN OF

COLOR attack near the swamps, cutting free British horses.

Through this Jackson leads with Lafitte not far from hisside. They are impressive. And as the battle continues -

EXT. VILLERE HOUSE - NIGHT

Major General Keane is outside the main house trying to findsome semblance of order in the chaos.

72.

MAJOR GENERAL KEANE

How many men!?

COLONEL THORNTON

Impossible to tell through thesmoke and fog!

MAJOR GENERAL KEANE

Form a line as best we can and send

word into the swamps -- all otherlegions, get them here now!

EXT. VILLERE PLANTATION - NIGHT

The battle has broken into vicious little FIGHTS all over the

field. A BRITISH MAJOR slays a member of Villere’s MILITIA,

then turns to a sound in the smoke and darkness --

BRITISH MAJOR:

Are you the Ninety-third?

SOLDIER (O.S.)

Aye, that’s right!

The major is relieved. He walks forward only to have a handslap down on his shoulder. It’s one of Jackson’s ENLISTED -

SOLDIER (CONT’D)

Apologies, Major. I was mistaken.

And now you’re my prisoner.

Across the way the BARATARIANS battle with a legion ofREDCOATS. The pirates fight with anything available --

RIFLES, BAYONETS, KNIVES, HATCHETS, SABERS, FISTS. A few of

Jackson’s ENLISTED MEN are impressed by the show.

One of the WORKER BATTALION hears footsteps in the dark. He

turns and fires, only to find he’s killed one of his own.

Across the way Jackson reconvenes with Coffee and Lafitte.

As the battle drags, it’s becoming harder to tell who’s

winning and where. Casualties mount on both sides.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes