City Park oak tree

November 30, 1814

New Orleans – Two men stand between the Dueling Oaks of the Allard Plantation, where Creole gentlemen settle differences by drawing first blood from one who has given offense. None dare refuse a challenge under threat of ostracism. The duel is between journalist Gérard and Francois Aprés-Rasage, Third Acton of Henri II. This came about over a disagreement over a table in a restaurant. A life could be extinguished by rapier or pistol over a seating at a table. This will not happen as Gérard, the one challenged, chooses a most unorthodox weapon.

from BATTLE KISS, Part 1, “The Redcoats are Coming” www.oneildenoux.net

November 29, 1814

New Orleans – Daring Elizabeta Toledo leads her young friends, Aimée Monlezun and Lucia Rodriguez, into the city’s newest secret sensation – a sauna. It is so naughty, young ladies sitting nude in a steamy room while two young Finnish men come in and out to pour water on the heated rocks.

from BATTLE KISS, Part 1, “The Redcoats are Coming” www.oneildenoux.net

Royal Navy white ensign

November 28, 1814

New Orleans – British spy Harold Lowe sends a note to his brother, Fleet Captain Godfrey Lowe on the staff of Admiral Cochrane’s flag ship, HMS Tonnant with the disposition of US forces, in particularly around Lake Borgne east of the city and the narrows into Lake Pontchartrain above the city. The Americans have five gunboats, a tender and a small dispatch boat on Lake Borgne and Fort Petite Coquilles that commands the Rigolets has eleven cannons, 24-pounders. There are no defenses at the Chef Menteur Pass nearer the city.

Rodriguez Plantation – The Rodriguez family starts moving from their blue plantation house to the larger Macarté house, now part of their plantation.

from BATTLE KISS, Part 1, “The Redcoats are Coming” www.oneildenoux.net

November 27, 1814

New Orleans – British spies are working hard, learning the disposition of forts around the city and the small mosquito fleet on Lake Borgne. The Americans are aware of spy Harold Lowe, but Capt. Carmenbray explains you do not kill a spy. You feed him misinformation. If you kill him, the enemy will send another you do not know.

from BATTLE KISS, Part 1, “The Redcoats are Coming” www.oneildenoux.net

Caribbean Sea near Grand Cayman Island

November 26, 1814

Sixty warships leave Jamaica with about half the army sent to invade the US. Sails billow in a fair breeze over the bright blue Caribbean. They look like birds of prey with wings spread. The best of the Royal Navy, led by 20-gun sloops, 40-gun and 50-gun frigates. The fleet includes ships-of-the-line of sixty-four, seventy-four, eighty-guns, as well as 30-gun brigs, troop ships, supply ships. In all, over a thousand pieces of artillery close on America. The greatest navy the world, Britain’s heart-of-oak, the oak barrier no nation can defeat, extends British might across the globe.

from BATTLE KISS, Part 1, “The Redcoats are Coming” www.oneildenoux.net

Jamaica from VOYAGER OF THE SEAS cruise ship in 2012

November 25, 1814

Negril Bay, Jamaica – With no word on the arrival of Gen. Pakenham, Admiral Cochrane talks Gen. Keane into leaving immediately for New Orleans. If they move quickly, they just might get to the city before the Americans are ready. Keane is leery but gives way to the senior officer to take control of the invasion, although the admiral has no experience in land warfare

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Heralds of Gen. Jackson are already assembling the city’s defenses. Capt. Carmenbray, engineering officer with the 7^th US Infantry Regiment, is a most serious, determined officer. He meets vivacious Elizabeta Toledo and starts a torrid romance. War raises passions easily.

from BATTLE KISS, Part 1, “The Redcoats are Coming” www.oneildenoux.net

cover art by Dana De Noux

November 24, 1814

New Orleans – The backstory of the captain of USS Relentless is learned. He is Gérard’s cousin Alain. Back in 1810, Alain returned to New Orleans to commission and command an armed schooner USS Merlin. Alain takes the ship’s sailing master along, a lovely seventeen year old girl born and raised aboard Merlin. The story of Alain and his Lucy is told by an ancient mariner, whose voice quivers as he tells of the tragic star-crossed love affair. It is the saddest story he knows.

from BATTLE KISS, Part 1, “The Redcoats are Coming” www.oneildenoux.net

Photo of painting of shrimp boats by Dana De Noux, photobombed by cat

November 23, 1814

Atlantic Ocean – The American armed schooner shadowing HMS Statira keeps signaling, which draws the captain of the frigate carrying the high command of the New Orleans expedition to take evasive maneuvers, slowing down Gen. Pakenham’s journey across the ocean. Is one of the large American frigates nearby? Is the super frigate USS Relentless approaching?

As the Commander-in-Chief (CIC) of the expedition, Gen. Pakenham tries to convince the captain to stop maneuvering and head straight for Jamaica. He is reminded the captain of HMS Statira’s orders are to deliver the general and his staff safely to Jamaica and the captain of the ship is in command of the ship. This particular navy captain will no got down in history as the fool who allowed a CIC to be captured by the enemy before the invasion starts.

from BATTLE KISS, Part 1, “The Redcoats are Coming” www.oneildenoux.net

Breadfruit tree on Jamaica

November 22, 1814

Jamaica – Admiral Cochrane arrives at this British island and Major General John Keane, who has been assembling portions of the invading army from North America and the Caribbean, awaits the admiral. Keane is a veteran of Britain’s bloody Peninsula War against Napoleon’s armies. A young man at 33, Keane is not anxious to deal with bombastic, megalomaniacal Cochrane. Keane bemoans the fact Gen. Pakenham has yet to arrive.

Mobile – After his victory at Pensacola, Gen. Andrew Jackson stops in Mobile to shore up his defenses. This morning he starts his army marching overland to New Orleans.

from BATTLE KISS, Part 1, “The Redcoats are Coming” www.oneildenoux.net

Caribbean Sea

November 21, 1814

Caribbean Sea – Aboard HMS Tonnant, 80-gun ship-of-the-line, Sir Alexander Cochrane, Vice Admiral of the White, meets with his staff as his ship approaches Jamaica.

The attack on New Orleans is Cochrane’s idea. He salivates at the booty in the city. Years of blockade has warehouses overflowing with cotton, tobacco, indigo and especially sugar from the cane fields of Louisiana. Creoles banks are filled with gold and silver as New Orleanians refuse to move their money from the city. In the long-held Royal Navy tradition, prize money and booty go to the victors and avaricious Cochrane wants his loot. An impatient man, Cochrane’s spies tell him he can take New Orleans with as little at 3,000 men.

from BATTLE KISS, Part 1, “The Redcoats are Coming” www.oneildenoux.net