e city and make every
possible preparation to repulse the expected attack of the enemy. He
sent word to General Winchester, in command at Mobile, to be on the
alert, and messengers to Generals Thomas and Coffee urging them to
hasten with their commands to assist in the defence of the city.

"Then he appointed, for the 18th, a grand review of all the troops in
front of the Cathedral of St. Louis, in what is now Jackson Square, but
at that time was called Place d'Armes.

"All the people turned out to see the review. The danger was great, the
military force with which to meet the foe small and weak, but Jackson
made a stirring address, and his aide, Edward Livingston, read a
thrilling and eloquent one.

"They were successful in rousing both troops and populace to an intense
enthusiasm, taking advantage of which, Jackson declared martial law and
a suspension of the writ of _habeas corpus_."

"What is that, papa?" asked Grace.

"It is a writ which in ordinary times may be given by a judge to have a
prisoner brought before him that he may inquire into the cause of his
detention and have him released if unlawfully detained. It is a most
important safeguard to liberty, inherited by us from our English
ancestors."

"Then what right had Jackson to suspend it, sir?" queried Walter.

"A right given by the constitution of the United States, in which there
is an express provision that it may be suspended in cases of rebellion
or invasion, should the public safety demand it," replied the captain:
then resumed his narrative.

"After the review, Jean Lafitte again offered his own services and those
of his men, urging their acceptance, and they were mustered into the
ranks and appointed to important duty.

"Jackson showed himself sleeplessly vigilant and wonderfully active,
making every possible preparation to meet and repulse every coming foe.

"On the evening of the 23d, the schooner _Carolina_, one of the two
armed American vessels in the river, moved down and anchored within
musket shot of the centre of the British camp. Half an hour later she
opened a tremendous fire upon them from her batteries, and in ten
minutes had killed or wounded a hundred or more men. The British
answered with a shower of Congreve rockets and bullets, but with little
or no effect, and in less than half an hour were driven in confusion
from their camp.

"They had scarcely recovered from that when they were startled by the
sound of musketry in th