Battle of New Orleans Page #3

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11.

INT. BOARDING HOUSE - ROOM - MORNING

Jackson finishes dressing. He is meticulous.

ANDREW JACKSON (V.O.)

I miss you, my love, and my heart

yearns. Please hold me in your

prayers and pass my love to the

children. Your dearest, Andrew.

There’s a knock at the door. John Coffee enters.

ANDREW JACKSON:

I’m ready.

Jackson heads for the door, but not before --

JOHN COFFEE:

Sir -- if I may -- there’s over

three hundred miles of shore on our

coast, with myriad routes into New

Orleans, while Nicholls commands

but a small legion of troops -

ANDREW JACKSON:

You believe I’m the fool.

JOHN COFFEE:

I believe if we move to Pensacola,

the British will move to Mobile or

Biloxi or straight into the River.

They have options, sir, we have

none. And we know no one will come

to our assist. How many times have

we called for reinforcements this

past year and received nothing in

return? No matter how many battles

won, no matter how much land had.

Coffee speaks candidly with Jackson and Jackson, unlike withothers, listens. A friendship formed over many years.

ANDREW JACKSON:

We must not let them gain solid

ground, John. Not even a moment.

JOHN COFFEE:

The British Armada has sailed,

General. 20,000 troops. Perhaps

more. They have finished with

Napoleon and now they come for you.

12.

ANDREW JACKSON:

No. They come for us.

(beat)

Myriad routes, yes, by land and by

sea. But with the sea comes marsh.

Swamps. Inlets as wide as a man.

We move to Pensacola and force them

off dry land so into the River they

must go. I have seen the British

march and I will take my chanceswith the bog and the mud any day.

JOHN COFFEE:

My concern, General, is they areaware of this as well. If we force

them into the River, what will we

find when we meet them there?

ANDREW JACKSON:

The Devil himself But fear not,

John, we shall fight.

And as we hear the sound of a BOAT fighting against the sea -

EXT. BARATARIA BAY - MORNING

A BRITISH LONGBOAT is rowed through the rough waters of theGulf. Behind it waits the imposing brig-sloop HMS SOPHIE.

TITLE:
BARATARIA BAY - FORTY MILES SOUTH OF NEW ORLEANS

CAPTAIN NICHOLAS LOCKYER (36) and two other BRITISH OFFICERSare on the boat. Lockyer looks through a SPYGLASS toward -

Another BOAT being rowed out to meet them. A tall, handsome

WELL-DRESSED MAN (32) stands in the bow while four other mendo the rowing. The other men are dressed like, for lack of a

better word, PIRATES. Bandanas and brightly colored shirts.

Lockyer shares a look of trepidation with his officers.

EXT. BARATARIA BAY - MORNING

The two boats converge. The British are aghast by theappearance of the disheveled rowers. Lockyer stands -

NICHOLAS LOCKYER

(in French; subtitled)

My name is Captain NicholasLockyer, British Royal Navy. I am

here to gain audience with thepirate Jean Lafitte.

(MORE)

13.

NICHOLAS LOCKYER (CONT'D)

We offer your men no harm, thoughwe caution you of the closeness ofour brothers.

The well-dressed man considers Lockyer a moment. And then -

WELL-DRESSED MAN

I will take you to Lafitte.

EXT. GRAND TERRE ISLAND - BEACH - MORNING

The two boats come on shore at a nearby ISLAND -- an eighteensquare-mile sliver off the coast of Louisiana. They aregreeted by several hundred men, women and children.

These are the BARATARIANS OF GRANDE TERRE ISLAND. Like the

rowers of the boat, they are best equated with traditionalPIRATES. Free men of the seas, mostly French in descent.

The island is a WONDERLAND. There are huts and thatched

cottages as well as larger homes. Music is played on thebeaches, men passed out in the sand from the night before. A

fleet of battle-worn PIRATE SHIPS is anchored just off shore.

It is a paradise of a certain kind. To the British, they aredecidedly uncomfortable by their surroundings.

WELL-DRESSED MAN

Welcome to Grande Terre.

Lockyer has his hand on his PISTOL as the well-dressed manleads the officers through the CROWD. A few of the rougherBaratarians great them with jeers and cigar smoke.

The men head up a PATH into the woods. Lockyer eyes a FORTbuilt at the end of the beach well-armed with rows of CANNONS

and HEAVY ARTILLERY. They continue onto the island.

EXT. GRAND TERRE ISLAND - LAFITTE’S HOUSE - MORNING

The men finally arrive at a GRAND HOUSE in the trees. It’s

tastefully constructed with a magnificent wraparound BALCONY.

NICHOLAS LOCKYER

Is this where we will meet Lafitte?

I do not wish to be delayedfurther, we are on official

business of the Crown.

The well-dressed man turns... then SMILES gregariously. He

switches to a slightly French-accented English -

14.

WELL-DRESSED MAN

Messieurs, I am Lafitte. And if

it’s business you have, we will do

so only after a proper breakfast.

EXT. LAFITTE’S HOUSE - DAY - ESTABLISHING

A few hours later. Many of the BARATARIANS from the beachhave taken position around Lafitte’s house in the trees.

They are clearly interested by what’s happening inside. And

as LAUGHTER wafts out the open FRENCH DOORS of the balcony --

INT. LAFITTE’S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - DAY

Lockyer and his officers are finishing up what could only bedescribed as a FEAST. A long dining table has remnants ofevery type of breakfast food imaginable -- MEATS, FRUITS,

PASTRIES -- all served on fine silver with accompanying WINE.

Lafitte sits at the head of the table, relaxed and charming.

Next to him are his two brothers -- PIERRE LAFITTE (40) isnebbish and not as handsome as Jean, while DOMINIQUE YOU (33)

is Pierre and Jean’s half-brother and just a bull of a man.

And while Jean and Pierre are dressed somewhat like

businessmen of the time, Dominique is pure RUFFIAN PIRATE.

JEAN LAFITTE:

-- we found the sailor shivering ina row boat wearing nothing but hisdressing clothes. He paid twice asmuch to tow him back to his ship!

More laughter. A SERVANT BOY fills Lockyer’s cup.

NICHOLAS LOCKYER

Monsieur Lafitte, we must givethanks for such warm hospitality.

JEAN LAFITTE:

Please, Captain. It is our nature.

NICHOLAS LOCKYER

Fruit from the West Indies, the

best wines of Old Spain. And yourwares of the house -- Chinese silk

on the table, French silver and

crystal. Even -- yes, I’m quite

sure -- is that not a British

chronometer in the corner?

(MORE)

15.

NICHOLAS LOCKYER (CONT'D)

I believe it is actually, oneissued to Her Majesty’s trading

ships just this past year. Quite

rare to be found in residences such

as these.

That was casually direct. Lafitte plays it cool.

JEAN LAFITTE:

I see we have arrived at the

business portion of our encounter.

Lockyer nods --and so we have. One of Lockyer’s OFFICERS

places a worn HAND-BILL in the center of the table.

JEAN LAFITTE (CONT’D)

Shall I read it or am I to assume -

NICHOLAS LOCKYER

It’s a bill. Offering $500 rewardfor anyone who may deliver you toGovernor Claiborne of Louisiana.

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