Battle of New Orleans Page #9

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WALKING CANE fires his PISTOL into the air. The fightingdrunks startle to a stop -- the old guy means business.

INT. JACKSON’S OFFICE - NIGHT

Jackson finishes a bottle of whiskey while studying maps ofthe bayou. He’s clearly been at it for awhile.

41.

ANDREW JACKSON (V.O.)

Regardless, the battle comesquickly, and until their true pathof attack is known, I am left

simply to wait and wallow.

Jackson takes a BREATH -- a moment alone to be exhausted.

EXT. ELMWOOD PLANTATION - DAY

The carriages carrying SUZETTE CLAIBORNE and MARY-ANNE DERNarrive at a picturesque PLANTATION in the countryside.

ANDREW JACKSON (V.O.)

But know as I do, my thoughts oftendrift to you and your warm embrace.

I will see you again, my dear. I

must. With love, Andrew.

The women are greeted by affable owner MILES ELMWOOD (63).

MILES ELMWOOD:

Mrs. Claiborne, it’s an honor.

SUZETTE CLAIBORNE

You’re too kind, Mr. Elmwood. Your

hospitality is appreciated.

MILES ELMWOOD:

I do have to confess, my wifeinsisted on housing another guestas well at this time. I hope itwon’t be much an inconvenience.

A MAN emerges from the house and heads down the front steps.

SUZETTE CLAIBORNE

Surely it won’t.

MILES ELMWOOD:

Mrs. Claiborne, may I introduceMonsieur Jacques Clement.

And as Suzette offers her hand to this man -

SUZETTE CLAIBORNE

Monsieur Clement, my pleasure.

JEAN LAFITTE (O.S.)

The pleasure is indeed mine.

We reveal JEAN LAFITTE wearing the same plantation clothes wesaw him choosing in the swamp. Lafitte smiles mischievously.

42.

It’s clear Suzette has no idea who he is. And as Lafitte’s

lips touch her skin, MARY-ANNE watching with a curious look -

EXT. LAKE BORGNE - MORNING

Five AMERICAN GUNBOATS sail off the coast of Mississippi.

TITLE:
DECEMBER 10, 1814 - THE BATTLE ON THE LAKE

CAPTAIN THOMAS JONES (37) uses a SPYGLASS to scan the horizonto the east. There’s nothing out of the ordinary, until -

CAPTAIN THOMAS JONES

Great hell.

A row of never-ending WHITE SAILS emerges in the distance.

SAILOR:

Is that -- sir, is that -

CAPTAIN THOMAS JONES

The British. They are here.

EXT. HMS TONNANT - MORNING

Thirty miles to the east. The armada drops ANCHOR along aline of marshy ISLANDS that form a passageway into the lake.

Admiral Cochrane is on deck with his high-command includingColonel Nicholls and Major General Keane. They have yet tobe made aware of the American presence across the way...

ADMIRAL COCHRANE

We shall make anchorage andreconnoiter quickly the far side ofthe lake. End of the line for the

ships, the rest we’ll row by hand.

Reds’ll be ready, yeah, Keaney-boy?

There’s still no love lost between Cochrane and diminutive

Keane. A CAPTAIN hustles over with a SPYGLASS.

BRITISH CAPTAIN:

Sir. Five American gunboats, fiftykilometers dead ahead.

He hands the glass to Nicholls who reconfirms the assessment.

ADMIRAL COCHRANE

Bastard Jackson knew we’re coming?

43.

COLONEL NICHOLLS

Our spies say no. These boat are

simply lucky scouting the Gulf.

ADMIRAL COCHRANE

Or unlucky as the case may be.

There’s a pheasant in our path,

lads. Clear the lakes.

EXT. AMERICAN GUNBOAT - MORNING

Jones notices MOVEMENT on the decks of the British ships.

CAPTAIN THOMAS JONES

We must retreat hastily to warnJackson and the others.

But there’s a problem on his own deck -

SAILOR:

Captain.

The SAILOR motions upward -- not a lick of wind in the sails.

SAILOR (CONT’D)

Worse yet, we always meant to sailin to the Gulf. The current pushesus out now squarely to the east.

East meaning toward the armada. This is not good news.

DECKHAND:

(naively)

Perhaps they won’t see us.

But Jones uses the spyglass to witness the first of manyBRITISH BARGES being lowered from the ships into the water.

CAPTAIN THOMAS JONES

They see us. We’re left no choice.

Drop anchor and prepare for battle.

EXT. LAKE BORGNE - DAY

A few hours later. FORTY-FIVE BRITISH BARGES race toward the

American boats. The barges carry almost 1,500 troops andform a line half a mile wide. CAPTAIN NICHOLS LOCKYER, last

seen negotiating with Lafitte, is in the lead position.

The American boats have spread into a defensive formation,

but it’s fairly clear they don’t have much of a chance.

44.

EXT. AMERICAN GUNBOAT - DAY

The sailors watch with varying degrees of helplessness. The

men arm their RIFLES and cover the boats with BOARDING NETS.

Suddenly the WATCHMAN sees something through his spyglass -

WATCHMAN:

Sir, they’ve stopped!

Dispositions perk up. But then Jones looks himself -

CAPTAIN THOMAS JONES

Yes. To eat lunch. They’ve

stopped to eat lunch.

Oh. Indeed they have -- right in the middle of the lake.

And the deafening sound of CANNON FIRE brings us to -

EXT. LAKE BORGNE - DAY

The opening conflict in THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS. Jones’

men fight bravely at the outset, managing to SINK two of thebarges with their long-range CANNON fire...

But the Americans are simply overmatched. The British bargesquickly break-off and PLOW FULL-SPEED into Jones’ boat. The

men fight hand-to-hand as the British cut through the NETSand climb onto the deck. Lockyer leads the bloody charge.

It’s only a matter of time now. Captain Jones fires onLockyer, but Lockyer SHOOTS Jones in the belly. Jones falls.

The redcoats turn the boat’s cannons on the other Americans,

creating chaos, allowing those boats to be boarded.

And as a handful of American SAILORS jump into the coldwaters of the lake, a BRITISH VICTORY easily in hand -

INT. JACKSON’S OFFICE - DAY

Jackson receives word from Coffee on the state of their trooppreparations. Coffee is unenthusiastic to say the least.

JOHN COFFEE:

As little progress as we’ve made,

the harder we push, I fear the menmay break before any actual battle.

Jackson works at his desk, undeterred -

45.

ANDREW JACKSON:

Broken is not an option, John. We

must make them soldiers.

JOHN COFFEE:

Even our men -- those that marched

from Mobile to Pensacola to here --

their spirits have waned. No one

believes we can win.

ANDREW JACKSON:

Their only belief should be inkilling the miscreant Britishstanding in front of them.

Suddenly there’s a RAUCOUS coming from the street below -

EXT. FRENCH QUARTER - ROYAL STREET - DAY

Where two of the AMERICAN SAILORS have trudged their way backto the city. A CROWD gathers to hear their report --

TALL SAILOR:

Aye, it was a bloodbath! Ships asfar as the eye could see!

SHORT SAILOR:

They swarmed us like locusts, thebarges did. Captain Jones shotstraight through the belly --

ANDREW JACKSON (O.S.)

What of our gunboats?

The crowd parts for Jackson and Coffee. The sailors try tostand a little straighter -

SHORT SAILOR:

Gone, sir. Captured. All five.

TALL SAILOR:

They come from the east, General.

Lake Borgne. With as many troopsas you could count. We were

slaughtered. It was a slaughter.

The crowd murmurs in panic. They look to Jackson for wordsof comfort. A long beat, and then -

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