Battle of New Orleans Page #21

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And as Jackson watches them, these men who have already donethe impossible, something compels him to stop. Right therein the middle of the line, Jackson gets down off his horse --

AND THE GENERAL STARTS TO WALK AMONGST HIS TROOPS.

It’s a sight. The men greet Jackson with friendly nods andhellos. Jackson reaches out to shake hands. Thanking themen, slapping them on the shoulder. This is the first time

we’ve seen him as such, not just a general but a true leader.

Lafitte watches from across the way. He has a sense of pridealmost, to see Jackson like this. And then Jackson stops --

103.

ANDREW JACKSON:

What’s the meaning of this?

There’s a line of ENLISTED MEN standing in front of DOMINIQUEYOU and his lieutenants. Dominique is brewing COFFEE andfrying BEIGNETS under the AMERICAN FLAG. Dominique smiles --

DOMINIQUE YOU:

Can’t fight the damn Reddies

without a proper breakfast.

ANDREW JACKSON:

Smells better than what we get inthe officer’s tent.

DOMINIQUE YOU:

Parce que ce est, le Général.

Dominique offers it to Jackson. Jackson drinks. And that’s

when he notices the CROWD that has gathered around him...

They wait for Jackson to say something, but for the firsttime, Jackson is SPEECHLESS. And then, simply and honestly -

ANDREW JACKSON:

I have never been prouder than this

moment. To see you here. To see

what we’ve built. I raise my glassin your honor, and all that I ask,

no matter what is to come, is that

you stand and fight for the manbeside you. If we do that, we

cannot lose. Take time now boys,

the battle begins at daybreak.

For all the blustery speeches Jackson has given, this meansmore to the men than all of them. The love is there.

And as Jackson finds himself standing next to Lafitte -

JEAN LAFITTE:

You’re wrong, General. The battle

has already begun.

ANDREW JACKSON:

Then God save us all.

EXT. SWAMP - NIGHT

Pierre Lafitte treks through the swamp near the BRITISHLINES. He carries a SATCHEL full of TOOLS on his back.

104.

Pierre hides in the bog. He looks through the trees towardthe CANAL on the VILLERE PLANTATION. COLONEL THORNTON is

there with his men waiting to row down into the RIVER.

And as the first BRITISH BARGES are launched, Pierre moves.

EXT. VILLERE PLANTATION - LEVEE - NIGHT

Pierre sneaks down to a point next to the makeshift DAM near

the end of the canal. He lowers himself into the water.

It’s FREEZING. And there are REDCOATS everywhere. Pierre

shivers in the cold. He eyes the dam thirty yards away -

But in these conditions, behind enemy lines, it might as well

be thirty miles. Pierre tries to summon the courage...

And it looks like Pierre will move, it does. But then Pierre

sees the line of BARGES floating down the canal toward him.

Pierre hesitates. And then he hesitates again. And then -HE

JUST CAN’T DO IT.

Pierre starts back toward the swamp, defeated. But then he

STOPS as a CROCODILE swims past not far in front of him.

There’s something about that animal. Pierre’s eyes NARROW.

EXT. VILLERE PLANTATION - CANAL - NIGHT

The next BARGE is launched. Thornton turns to a MESSENGER --

COLONEL THORNTON

Tell General Packenham we are

proceeding according to schedule.

But then there’s SHOUTING from down near the river. The

water level in the canal suddenly DROPS -

BRITISH CAPTAIN:

Sir! Something’s wrong!

EXT. VILLERE PLANTATION - LEVEE - NIGHT

Thornton arrives to find the DAM destroyed. The water from

the canal RUSHES into the surrounding fields as the BARGESbottom out short of the river. Thornton is furious.

COLONEL THORNTON

How many made it to the river?

105.

BRITISH CAPTAIN:

Only three, sir.

COLONEL THORNTON

We must carry the rest of thebarges to the shoreline.

BRITISH CAPTAIN:

We’ll never make it in time for the

first assault.

Thornton knows it’s the truth. His frustration boils over -

COLONEL THORNTON

Find whoever did this now!

EXT. SWAMP - NIGHT

But Pierre has already DISAPPEARED, moving back through thedarkness. And in the moonlight, we see Pierre SMILE.

EXT. MACARTY PLANTATION - RODRIGUEZ CANAL - DAWN

Daylight comes quickly now. The men are in their positions,

nervous but not scared. A SCOUT approaches Jackson -

SCOUT:

The British have yet to make landon the west bank, sir.

Jackson and Lafitte share a look --Pierre did his job.

ANDREW JACKSON:

Then they shall be too late. Tell

the Major to bring the rest of themen here to the front line.

Lafitte tries not to show it but it’s clear -- through it

all, he’s proud of his brother. And then three BRITISH

CONGREVE ROCKETS shoot into the sky, exploding...

Jackson takes a BREATH. The battle is about to begin.

EXT. MACARTY PLANTATION - DAWN

The entirety of the BRITISH ARMY moves toward the Americanline. They march in three MAJOR COLUMNS, twice as many menas the last assault. It’s a truly breathtaking sight.

TITLE:
JANUARY 8, 1815 - THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS

106.

Packenham and his command advance steadily to the beat of theDRUMS. Packenham turns to Admiral Cochrane -

GENERAL PACKENHAM

No word from Thornton on the bank?

ADMIRAL COCHRANE

Nothing. And we should have

already heard of his attack.

Packenham knows -- this day is not off to a great start.

GENERAL PACKENHAM

This is why we never trust apirate. We shall wait no longer.

On my mark! God Save the Queen!

Packenham gives the signal and another ROCKET fires in to theair. The drumming speeds up, the men march faster. The

Americans wait, putting the British in their sights. The

tension builds and builds until finally -

The BRITISH open FIRE. Then so do the AMERICANS.

The cacophony is DEAFENING. It’s a CONFRONTATION almost a

mile long, with more MEN, more GUNS and more ARTILLERY in thelargest, loudest spectacle of war you have ever seen.

And as the mayhem of the FINAL BATTLE begins here -

EXT. FRENCH QUARTER - MORNING

It’s a quiet SUNDAY MORNING in the Quarter. The ELDERLY

POLICE FORCE stands at attention, waiting with the othersthat have gathered to protect the city. The sound of CANNON

FIRE mixes with nearby CHURCH BELLS. The fight is on.

And then from down the street, GOVERNOR CLAIBORNE approaches.

There are furtive glances amongst the group. CLAIBORNE’S

ADVISORS look away, not wanting to meet the Governor’s stare.

Claiborne stops in front of them. A beat, then Claiborne

pulls an antique PISTOL out of his pocket --

GOVERNOR CLAIBORNE

I’m here to serve.

The men consider Claiborne, then nod. Claiborne joins them.

107.

INT. CITY CATHEDRAL - MORNING

The rest of the WOMEN and CHILDREN have gathered to pray.

There are the HOUSEWIVES who knitted uniforms and the NUNS

who manned the hospital. We find a WOMAN dressed in rags --

She has a VOODOO DOLL of a BRITISH SOLDIER in her lap. The

woman sticks the doll with needles. An ELDERLY NUN approves.

EXT. MACARTY PLANTATION - RODRIGUEZ CANAL - MORNING

The BRITISH REDCOATS stand tall through the hail of bullets,

continuing their advance. Jackson shouts behind the line --

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