These men could of had any American rifle imaginable. The Mississippi Drainage connects directly to most and indirectly to just about all the rest of the great rifle building regions of the period. There also the overland routes like the Natchez Trace to Nashville and The Federal Road to present day Macon GA.
Looking at the routes and the fact New Orleans was the major port/market destination of the American interior virtually any type of rifle could have been used by Beal's Riflemen.
On the morning of Jan 8, 1815 the British launch their major attack on Line Jackson. They had lost some of their heavy guns during the Artillery Duel on the 1st. Jackson's artillery proved formidable indeed. Still though, if the British had pressed on the 1st the issue may have been in doubt.
Their attack plan for the 8th was sound. There was to be a coordinated assault on the American lines on each side of the river. Once the American West bank was captured, those guns could be turned to rake Line Jackson on the East Bank. The British objective on the East Bank was the Western Redoubt close to the River. This Redoubt, a elevated battery projecting South of Line Jackson would give support to the West Bank action and also could turn to the left to rake Line Jackson.
Elements of the British East Bank assault actually took this readout.
The British West Bank action was delayed because the assault troops were swept far down river essentially taking them out of the fight.
Back on the East Bank the 7th US Infantry in concert with Marines and Beal's Riflemen in their blue checked Hunting shirts recaptured the redoubt. This was the closest, fiercest fighting on the East Bank. The Redoubt was built of debris sunken into the mud some being cotton bales. To this day the 7th Infantry is still known as The Cotton Balers.
Withdrawing with heavy loss from the redoubt, the British decide to assault the weaker appearing portion of Line Jackson to the East of Center. Here the batteries were less numerous and line was held by what the British thought were ill trained volunteers or "dirty shirts.
It's at this time Pakingham is felled by cannon shot. There is a break down in the British command, namely the scaling ladders. It is now that the 44th Highlanders and the main assault force march at an oblique angle to the the Dirty Shirts. This angled march takes then across Jackson's murderous batteries manned by US Navy gunners, Marines, Army, Baritarian Pirates and French Arilleriests.
After this murderous march to their objective the British find that these "Dirty Shirts" instead of being ill trained volunteers are in actuality crack frontier riflemen coming off of two years of Indian Warfare. This was General William Carroll's Tennesseans veterans of the Redstick War along with Col. Adair's Kentuckians some of whom were veterans of the NW and River Raisen campaigns.
It has been said that when Carrols and Adairs riflemen opened up it sounded like rolling thunder. The ever reliable Gen John Coffee and his crack Tennesseans to Carrols left (East) also opened up on the British flanks.
The British, without their scaling ladders, for a while took the fire standing in formation. It is said that some of the Tennesseans and Kentuckians shed tears on having to fire on such brave men. Eventually the British line broke and what was left withdrew in order. Some took shelter from the carnage against the muddy walls of Line Jackson while a few actually scaled the wall promptly demanding the Americans surrender. Instead they found themselves prisoner.
It was all over on the East Bank and thus one of the greatest victories and most lopsided defeats was settled.
On the West Bank regrouped the British Left Wing easily routed some Kentucky troops (Much to Jackson's Fury)and captured the American batteries on the West Bank. It was too little too late.
A good many of the Kentuckians came poorly armed. Too a flat boat of arms for the equipped Kentuckians was lost on the river. New Orleans was soured for coats and all manner of arms.
John Lafite the Baritarian Pirate supplied cannon, cannoners, powder, flint, ball and arms.
I also must mention the the Free Men of Color, Choctaw Indians Beal's Riflemen and the crew of the USS Carolina who fought gallantly in this battle and in the Night Battle of Dec. 24 1814.
