Battle of New Orleans Page #8

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MAJOR GENERAL VILLERE

This battalion was raised just thispast month. Local businessmen and

the like, planters and their sons.

The WORKER BATTALION wears brightly colored but mismatcheduniforms. Their eagerness betrays their experience.

ANDREW JACKSON:

You’ve known the British to be

ascending and these are your onlyrecruited numbers? 250 at best?

36.

MAJOR GENERAL VILLERE

Most men are unwilling to fight orhave been told they need not to.

ANDREW JACKSON:

By unpatriotic morons. It is now

our duty to compel them. And what

of these regiments here -- theyseem better equipped to plowthrough crops than fight an army.

MAJOR GENERAL VILLERE

(swallows his pride)

They are mine, sir. Louisiana

State Militia at your command.

While in greater numbers than the worker battalion, theunkempt MILITIA inspires only slightly more confidence.

ANDREW JACKSON:

Fowling pieces. Muskets. I’ve

seen better arms in a bar fight.

MAJOR GENERAL VILLERE

I have personally sent a request toSecretary Monroe. A shipment ofmunitions is purportedly on its wayfrom Pittsburgh but so far --

ANDREW JACKSON:

We have been left to fight by hand.

And who commands this unit?

Jackson has stopped in front of a group of FREE MEN OF COLOR.

Mostly Haitians, the 200 men are the most ill-equipped yet.

JEAN DAQUIN:

I do, sir.

JEAN DAQUIN (54) is a proud man, a former plantation worker.

ANDREW JACKSON:

You have formal military training?

JEAN DAQUIN:

I do not, sir. I’m a baker.

Villere whispers into Jackson’s ear --

MAJOR GENERAL VILLERE

The Governor thought it a placatinggesture to have a colored unit butfelt it unnecessary to give themarms or actual paid wages.

37.

Jackson doesn’t have time for this. Back to Daquin -

ANDREW JACKSON:

Are your men willing to fight for

the freedom of this country?

JEAN DAQUIN:

Absolutely, General. We are.

ANDREW JACKSON:

General Coffee, distribute to them

proper weapons -- wherever you may

scrounge to find them -- and see to

it the legislature pays these men

an equal wage through and through.

This brings a smile to a few of the Haitian faces. Jackson

quickly puts them in their place -

ANDREW JACKSON (CONT’D)

This is not a time for giddiness.

1,800 of my volunteers from

Tennessee. The 7th and 44th

regiment of the United States Army

loyally under my command. And the

rest of you. With no money for

pay, no weapons for arms and no

experience to lead. General

Coffee, our final numbers?

JOHN COFFEE:

Just under 3,000.

ANDREW JACKSON:

Against 20,000 or more. And what

of our requested reinforcements?

JOHN COFFEE:

1,400 from Kentucky but we have

heard nary a word.

Jackson speaks to everyone in the square now, firm -

ANDREW JACKSON:

You men are all there is. With

only days to prepare. In those

days, you will be trained within an

inch of your life. If we are to

have any hope, you must provide it,

and by God, if I must crack the

whip myself I will see to it that

you do. Begin the drills.

38.

Those smiles have quickly disappeared. And as Coffee and his

lieutenants shout forceful orders through the square -

EDWARD LIVINGSTON

General, may I have a word?

EXT. PLACE D’ARMES - DAY

Livingston has pulled Jackson aside. Jackson is incredulous.

ANDREW JACKSON:

The pirate Jean Lafitte?

EDWARD LIVINGSTON

Yes, sir. He has much to offer in

way of men, knowledge, munitions -

ANDREW JACKSON:

Do you see what I have to work withnow, Livingston? As inept a forceas I’ve been put in charge of. I

only have so much trust and totrust these men is enough.

EDWARD LIVINGSTON

A simple meeting is all I ask --

ANDREW JACKSON:

A man never allies with someone who

would shoot him in the back. We

work with what we have.

And as Jackson turns back to the task at hand, Lafitte’s

offer for help through Livingston once again denied -

ANDREW JACKSON (V.O.)

My fairest Rachel -

EXT. PLACE D’ARMES - COURTYARD - DAY

Coffee and his men put the troops through their paces. The

weather is cold and wet, the men undisciplined.

ANDREW JACKSON (V.O.)

It has been far too long since youlay by my side, and that is what Idream, but first I must write with

tails of misfortune from the city.

Coffee yells at the men to hold a line. To march in time.

Lieutenant Adler shakes his head at Coffee’s efforts.

39.

EXT. PLANTATION FIELD - DAY

The FREE MEN OF COLOR and WORKER BATTALION are beinginstructed on how to fire and reload a rifle. An OFFICER

demonstrates, then passes the rifle to the next man over.

ANDREW JACKSON (V.O.)

The men are no more soldiers than I

a socialite. At times fifty trainupon a single rifle. If given ayear we would still not be ready.

EXT. SWAMPS - DAY

Soldiers use HATCHETS to cut down trees around the bayou.

They lay the felled trees across any exposed WATERWAYS.

ANDREW JACKSON (V.O.)

The city itself is indefensible.

With as many streams, inlets andcanals we have resigned ourselvesto covering all routes badly.

Two STATE MILITIA stand guard at each major waterway as therest of the soldiers move on to the next inlet.

EXT. FORT ST. PHILLIPS - DAY

A rundown FORT on the Mississippi. Jackson takes a tour with

COMMODORE PATTERSON, the commander who raided Barataria.

ANDREW JACKSON (V.O.)

Even key forts on the Mississippihave been left to rot by thisinsipid legislature.

Jackson is not impressed. He notices a few of Patterson’s

men off-loading HEAVY ARTILLERY CANNONS from a river barge.

COMMODORE PATTERSON

(proudly)

Captured from Lafitte.

EXT. FRENCH QUARTER - RESIDENTIAL AREA - DAY

A row of MANSIONS in residential HIGH SOCIETY. SERVANTS

supervise the loading of LUGGAGE onto waiting CARRIAGES.

40.

ANDREW JACKSON (V.O.)

Additionally the very men who sentfor my services do not seem fit forthe task at hand. They have spentmore time packing their houses andsending their wives to the countrythan leading their own city.

A few of Claiborne’s advisors say goodbye to their FAMILIES.

Claiborne kisses his prim and proper wife SUZETTE (38).

GOVERNOR CLAIBORNE

I shall join as quickly as I can.

MARY-ANNE DERN (O.S.)

We’re sure that you will.

That was said with mild derision from Suzette’s cousin MARYANNE

DERN (26). Suzette shushes Mary-Anne with a look.

INT. URSULINE CONVENT - DAY

A group of elderly NUNS have turned their convent into aMAKESHIFT HOSPITAL. They prepare bandages and setup beds.

ANDREW JACKSON (V.O.)

Thankfully those that remember ourbloody history with the Britishhave shown much more character then

their elected officials.

The same HOUSEWIFE who commented on Jackson’s “dirty” troops

sits with a few others sewing and cleaning UNIFORMS.

EXT. FRENCH QUARTER - BOURBON STREET - DAY

Three OLDER MEN walk the streets as a recruited POLICE FORCE.

One of them uses a CANE. A BAR FIGHT spills out of a TAVERN.

ANDREW JACKSON (V.O.)

Now only if I were granted thepower to conscript those that haveforgotten to do the same.

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