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THE "RISING OF '98," and THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS

by John Edward "Ed" MurphyOn 22 August 1798 a French force of about 1000 under General Jean Humbert landed in Killala Bay in County Mayo Ireland, and provided military assistance to the Irish rebels in the "Rising of '98" --- Sometimes referred to as "Bliadhan na bhFrancach" or "The Year of the French."  About five days later Humbert's force surprised and routed a British force at Castlebar.  This encounter is often referred to as the "Castlebar races."  Nevertheless the 1798 Rising was ultimately suppressed, and Humbert surrendered to British General Cornwallis (of Yorktown fame) at Ballinamuck, County Longford, in early September.  Humbert was repatriated to France later in 1798. Now let's turn to the New Orleans connection....... Humbert ultimately emigrated to New Orleans and participated with Andrew Jackson in the Battle of New Orleans --- the last engagement of the (Anglo - American) War of 1812.  The Battle of New Orleans was fought on 8 January 1815.  Humbert directed the mounted scouts and was commended by Jackson in General Orders of 21 January 1815, for having "continually exposed himself to the greatest dangers with characteristic bravery."Humbert spent his remaining years in New Orleans.  He died in New Orleans on 2 January 1823 --- almost eight years after the Battle of New Orleans.  New Orleans gave him a hero's funeral.  The corps d'elite of The Louisiana Legion formed a guard of honor and a huge concourse of citizens came out spontaneously to pay him a final tribute.  Humbert's remains were interred in Saint Louis Parochial Cemetery No. 1 on 3 January 1823.  The exact burial site within the cemetery is unknown.  But the cemetery is near the Saint Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square near the French Quarter. I last visited in New Orleans in December of 2000.  I found a (very) brief reference to Humbert in a book at Chalmette National Park (the site of the battle).   I doubt that the smoke stack was there in 1815.  But the cannon and fortifications are real enough.  Big irony, the Treaty of Ghent (Belgium) ending the War was signed on 24 December 1814 --- about two weeks EARLIER. Communications in the early 19th century weren't what we have today.  So the battle ensued...ENTRY ON GENERAL JEAN JOSEPH AMABLE HUMBERT from DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN BIOGRAPHY, UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF LEARNED SOCIETIESEDITED BY:DUMAS MALONE, CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS; NEW YORK; 1932HUMBERT, JEAN JOSEPH AMABLE(Nov. 25, 1755 - Jan. 2, 1823), French general, resident of New Orleans who served under Jackson, was a typical son of the French Revolution.  Born in Rouvray (Meuse) of humble parentage and orphaned at an early age, he earned his livelihood as best he could until 1792 when he organized a company of volunteers to help protect invaded France.  Within two years he became general of brigade taking an active part in Jacobin circles in Paris.  Sent into Vendee, he soon took a leading role in the merciless pacification of that revolted province.  In 1798 he was in Ireland hoping to join Irish revolutionists against the English.  The English overwhelmed his little French army, but Humbert was exchanged and was soon on his way to join Massena under whom he was wounded near Zurich in 1799.  His next activity was with Le Clerc in the expedition to Santo Domingo which captured the leader of black revolt, Toussaint L'Ouverture.  ' By winning the affection of Le Clerc's widow, Pauline Bonaparte, whom Napoleon had destined to marry a Borghese, Humbert incurred Napoleon's displeasure.  Exiled in Brittany, he fled to the United States, apparently arriving in New Orleans in I814.  He took an active part in the battle of New Orleans, delighted at the opportunity to fight the English.  He directed the mounted scouts and was commended by Jackson in General Orders of Jan. 21, 1815, for having "continually exposed himself to the greatest dangers with characteristic bravery" (Fortier, post, III, 189).  The following year Humbert joined a filibustering expedition to Mexico, hoping to take part in the Mexican war of liberation, but he arrived too late.  Returning to New Orleans, he taught school, ending his years in dissipation, and dying of dysentery after a long illness.  The French Restauration paid him a pension for a short while.  The records of the Saint Louis Cathedral, New Orleans, show that he was buried in the parochial cemetery on Jan. 3, 1823.  He was accorded a military burial and his funeral was well attended.Humbert was a product of the French Revolution; as cruel as he was brave, he did the work assigned regardless of humanity; a martinet in discipline, trained in European warfare, he was a true soldier of the Napoleonic era.  Louisiana tradition paints him as tall, possessor of a pleasant personality and good manners.  He is the hero of Ponsard's drama Le Lion amoureux (1866).Biographie Universelle (Michaud)., vol.  XX . (1858); J G. Rosengarten, French Cloonists and Exiles in the U.S. (1907); ALcee Fortier, A Hist. of La. (1904), vol. III; S.C. Arthur, The Story of the Battle of New Orleans (1915).  H.C. Castellanos, New Orleans as It Was (1895); E.L. Guillon, La France et l'Irlande sous le Dircetoire (1888), pp.366 ff.; Courrier de la Louisiane (New Orleans), Jan 6, 1823.)    [removed] and Other Works on The Year of the French ("Rising of 1798")THE YEAR OF THE FRENCH by Thomas FlanaganFlanagan's THE YEAR OF THE FRENCH was also made into a movie.  As far as I know it was only show only on RTE, and so far has not been released in America.   The Chieftains provided the musical background for the film, with a recording produced under the title, YEAR OF THE FRENCH.A FLAME NOW QUENCHED by Liam KellyBooks on The (Anglo - American) War of 1812NAPOLEON'S SOLDIERS IN AMERICA by Simone de la Souchere Delery (Gretna, La.: Pelican Publishing Co., 1972) contains many references to Humbert.THE FLAG, THE POET AND THE SONG: THE STORY OF THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER by Irvin Molotsky.  Very little about the Battle of New Orleans, but good coverage of another aspect of The War of 1812.

Posted by Michael on Thursday 28 February 2002