Captain Isaac Townsend and the Battle of New Orleans

Four times great grandfather Isaac Townsend was a 29 year old Captain under Col. Alexander DeClouet's Reg't in the Louisiana Militia during the Battle of New Orleans. The Reg't served under Gen'l David B. Morgan, who was over all the Louisiana units. Isaac and his company served on the unfortunate west bank during the Battle of New Orleans.

While the east bank was an overwhelming victory for Andrew Jackson celebrated for decades as the "Glorious 8th of January," the simultaneous action on the west bank was a near disaster. Morgan's Kentucky units and the Louisiana units under his command were routed and nearly overrun by the advancing British army and it has been a sore point in American history ever since.

General Morgan caught a lot of heat, initially, from Andrew Jackson. The press, at the time, excoriated him; so much so, that he wrote a public letter in defense of his own honor describing, in detail, his actions, and that of his men. Morgan generally deflected the blame from himself and directed it toward the Kentuckians who fell under his command.

Gen'l Morgan's letter describes the rout, how his men, in panicked retreat, could not be convinced to stop and fight. Then he says,

"When the retreat became general, and no hopes entertained of being able to halt them, I rode forward and endeavored to make a stand at Jourdan's Canal, but without effect; and at Flood's Canal made another attempt, and succeeding in getting Capt. Townsend of the drafted militia of Louisiana with about sixty or seventy men of different corps to make a short stand."

Powell A. Casey also mentions this episode in his book, Louisiana in the War of 1812. He credits Capt. Townsend with slowing the British advance enough to allow time for the retreating American artillery men to spike the cannons before fleeing. One reason the British were on the West bank was to gain control of those American cannon positions which were fixed toward the main battle on the east bank.  Ultimately, they wished to reach the opposing bank at New Orleans and from there, bombard the city into submission.  This did not happen thanks primarily to the massive defeat on the east bank, but also, I believe, in small part to the men under Isaac's command on the West bank.

When an artillery unit is in danger of being overrun and there is no time to remove the guns in retreat, an order would be issued to spike the cannons.  This action renders the cannons inoperable so that the enemy can't use the weapons on the retreating units.  Spiking a cannon consists of blocking the vent and touch hole at the rear of the cannon so that ignition can't pass to the charge inside the bore.  Generally, you would hammer a metal wire or spike into the touch hole and break it off even at the top making it very difficult to remove.

My impression is that Townsend's action during that chaotic retreat was significant. He provided cover to allow for the Artillery unit's timely retreat-- had they not been allowed to spike the cannons, the British would have controlled the canons intact, able to create havoc on Jackson's line across the river.  Fortunately, by this time, the east bank victory was won and the advancing British on the west bank were compelled to retreat back to their suffering main body on the east bank.

Louisiana State Gazette (New Orleans) 2 Feb 1826

In 1826, The Louisiana legislature elected Isaac Townsend "Brigadier General" of the 7th Brigade, 3rd Division of Louisiana Militia. He maintained the post for two years. (See page 13 of Official Journal of the Proceedings of House of Representatives of the State of Louisiana at the ... General Assembly ... published 1827 University of Chicago).

Isaac was born in 1786 to a Quaker household in New Castle, Delaware.  The book, The Plains and the People, says he came to Louisiana in 1811 and that he was a hatter by trade.  I haven't found any evidence that any other family came with him.

He established himself quickly in his new home.  Isaac married in 1813 to 17 year old Phoebe Carl of East Baton Rouge Parish.  Phoebe had been born not far from Niagara falls in Canada to an American couple that sided with the British during the American Revolution.  Phoebe's father, Jonas, served as a Lieutenant in his Majesty's service under James De Lancey (The Outlaw of the Bronx) in New York during the war.  He was imprisoned by the Patriots for a time and eventually escaped with his wife to Canada.  After rearing four children on grant lands in Canada, the family migrated down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, resided a short time in New Madrid, Missouri and eventually arrived at Buhler's Plains in East Baton Rouge about the same time as Isaac Townsend.  While in New Madrid, Phoebe's father is found to have signed a petition, along with many of his neighbors, stating favor in Governor Wilkinson of the Louisiana and Missouri territory.  In 1810, Jonas and family were buying lots in the city of Baton Rouge.

By the time Isaac participated in the Battle of New Orleans, he was established at Buhler's Plains with Phoebe and their four month old daughter, 3x great grandmother, Eliza Ann Townsend.  In 1828 Isaac resigned his position as Brigadier General with the 7th Division of Louisiana Militia.  He is next found as one of the incorporating members of The Plains Presbyterian Church, founded by an act of the State legislature in 1833. Isaac died two years later at age 49.  

I found Isaac's gravestone in a neglected cemetery about 900 feet west-northwest of the Annison Plantation house in Zachary, Louisiana.  A neighborhood is building all around the grove of woods where these graves are located.  No effort has been made to maintain the graves in a very long time.  Over the years, falling trees and limbs have done a number on the headstones.  I have only identified three markers.  Isaac's headstone is in several pieces-- some under a couple inches of dirt. After some effort, I was able to puzzle-piece it together..  The gravestone indicates Isaac's death occurred on January 28, 1835.

SACRED to the memory of
Isaac Townsend who departed this life January 28, 1835
in the 49th year of his age

He was survived by his wife, Phoebe who remained in the Buhler's Plains area for the remainder of her life.  They had 7 children in all.  The 1870 census shows Phoebe at 74 years of age living in her eldest daughter's home.  She passed away the following year.  The family remained active in the Plains Presbyterian Church for many years.  Phoebe and Isaac's daughter, Eliza Ann wrote a history of the church in 1890.

-Lineage from Isaac Townsend-

ISAAC TOWNSEND SR (1786-1835) who married Phoebe Carl (1796-1871)

(father of)

ELIZA ANN TOWNSEND (1814-1895) who married David Young (1806-1884)

(mother of)

PATIENCE ELIZABETH YOUNG (1841-1892) who married Charles Brashear Sherburne (1841-1913)

(mother of)

ANNIE ELIZA SHERBURNE (1876-1915) who married Nathaniel William Sentell (1886-1936)

(mother of)

ANNIE LOU SENTELL (1903-1990) who married William McGinty McBride (1899-1963)

(mother of)

WILLIAM MCGINTY MCBRIDE JR. (1929-2016) who married Marjorie Catherine Keller

(father of)

JOHN SENTELL MCBRIDE