The Battle of New Orleans
A classroom play by Team HOPE
Cast List
Andrew Jackson (JACK)………….…….U.S. General
Gabriel Villare (VILL)…………..…….. Major in Louisiana militia
Samuel Withers (WITH)………………. merchant in Louisiana militia
Jordan Noble (JORD)…………………. freed black in U.S. Army
Elijah Lovejoy (ANCH)………………..anchor of “The History News Report”
Margaret Fuller (R1)…………..……… reporter for “The History News Report”
Nellie Bly (R2) ………………….……. reporter for “The History News Report”
Ernie Pyle (R3)…………………………reporter for “The History News Report”
TEACHER NOTES
SETTING: A contemporary classroom. It is advised to set up the anchor in the front of the room facing the class, in
front of some sort of background with “The History New Report.” You many choose to set up the different reporters
conducting the interviews around the classroom and have the historical figures come to them. This way it gives the
appearance of different locations. A name plate in front of each cast member is highly recommended. A 5x8 index
card folded in half works great for this purpose.
COSTUMES: Although not necessary, any period costumes for the historical figures are a great addition. Even a
simple hat or wig is excellent.
MASKS: Masks are an easy addition that will add to the drama and make the entire event more fun for the students.
First, go to www.google.com and click on “image search.” Type in the historical figure’s name and find an image of
the person. Copy and paste the picture in a Word document. You may need to crop and then enlarge the photo so
you get a picture large enough to be used as a mask. Portraits obviously work best for this use. Print out the picture
and paste it onto a cardboard backing. You can tape a plastic spoon or popsicle stick to be used as a handle. You
may decide to make masks for the student correspondents as well, using pictures of television news personalities for
the masks.
Note: If there is a historical person you cannot find a picture for, don’t despair! Almost any random “period”
person’s picture (as long as it not someone easily recognizable) would work as a mask.
ROLES: Encourage students to act out the roles with as much energy as possible. Do not be too terribly concerned
that the sex of the historical figure matching with the sex of the student.
The teacher may decide to take a part in the play, role-modeling one of the historical figures. It is recommended that
eight copies of the scripts are specifically set aside for each character in the play. For each character, highlight all
their lines in order to facilitate a faster pace of dialogue. All other students should receive an unmarked copy of the
play to read as the play is performed.
ANCHOR AND REPORTERS: In order to facilitate the historical discussions that exist in the plays, actual famous
journalist names have been used in the plays. Teachers should point out that these journalists come from different
times in American history and do not necessarily reflect the period they report on. It is as if they can travel in time to
deliver “The History News Report.” A teacher may also decide to substitute the names given in the script for student
names if desired. A brief description of the journalists is as follows:
 Elijah Lovejoy (1802-1837) A minister and journalist for the St. Louis Observer and later editor of the
abolitionist newspaper the Alton Observer of Alton, Illinois. In 1837, pro-slavery forces attacked his
warehouse in order to destroy his printing press and he was murdered on the scene.
 Margaret Fuller (1810-1850) An early woman rights activist, Margaret was the first female journalist to
work on the staff of a major American newspaper, The New York Tribune. She was a widely read literary
critic who was also sent on overseas assignments to Europe.
 Nellie Bly (1864-1922) After a writing a fiery rebuttal to a sexist column in the Pittsburgh Dispatch,
Nellie was hired by a very impressed editor at the newspaper. She went on to become a famous
investigative journalist on the plight of working women, and gained further fame for having faked insanity
in order to investigate the treatment of the mentally ill.
 Ernie Pyle (1900-1945) An American journalist who was a roving correspondent for Scripps Howard
newspaper chain. His articles were read in over 200 newspapers. He is most famous for having been a war
correspondent during World War II. He led the charge for Congress to give soldiers “battle pay” while in
combat. He died under heavy fire from a Japanese machine gun nest in the Pacific on April 18, 1945. His
body had been riddled with 40 bullet holes.
DISCUSSION: Use the attached worksheets to facilitate discussion before and after the play. Students who are not
directly involved in the play can attempt to write preliminary answers as the play is performed. The audience should
be told that they will be the primarily responsible for the discussion questions at the end of the lesson.
The Battle of New Orleans
(A Report by HNR News)
NOTE: All responses by historical figures reflect actual events and beliefs as closely as possible.
CAST ABBREVIATIONS
Andrew Jackson …………………………... JACK
Gabriel Villare …………………………….. VILL
Samuel Withers……………………………..WITH
Jordan Noble ………………………………. JORD
Elijah Lovejoy ……………………………...ANCH
Margaret Fuller…………………………….. R1
Nellie Bly…………………………………....R2
Ernie Pyle……………………………………R3
ANCH
Welcome to the History News Report. I am your anchor Elijah Lovejoy. Today we
are reporting live from New Orleans. A major battle has just been won by the
Americans against some of the best British troops. HNR News has reporters on the
scene for live interviews of some key players. For a live report let’s got to HRN
News reporter Ernie Pyle. Ernie, who do have with you?
R3
Thanks Elijah! I have none other than General Andrew Jackson himself. General,
can you give us some background on this historic victory against the British?
JACK
Certainly. We knew that the British intended to take New Orleans and their intention
was to get the people of Louisiana to secede from the union and attach themselves to
the British. Of course, President Jefferson had only purchased Louisiana a little over
a decade ago, so we were worried it might happen.
R3
So you were sent to lead the defense of the city?
JACK
Yes, and I had to make some immediately unpopular decisions. I declared martial
law and took control of the city in order to build defenses against the coming
invasion.
R3
You didn’t have the regular professional army to defend the city did you?
JACK
Not at all. I had a collection of mostly outcasts, frontier men, and the poor.
R3
I understand that this army even included pirates?
JACK
Yes, we had a division led by the famed Gulf of Mexico pirate Jean Lafitte (la-feet).
R3
What made you take assistance from a pirate?
JACK
Mostly desperation. I needed every man I could get. Even with the hellish bandits
that I collected, I still was outnumbered two to one by the British. Besides, Lafitte’s
men did have some skills. They were particularly skilled in artillery. That’s why I
put them in charge of the cannons protecting the city.
R3
Who else made up your army?
JACK
I brought with me Kentucky and Tennessee militia members, all very accurate
riflemen. There were tradesmen, aristocrats, lawyers, and manual workers from New
Orleans. We had Indians, Portuguese, and French volunteers. We even contained a
battalion of free blacks. The British derided us as “dirty shirts.”
R3
The battle itself. It was short, wasn’t it?
JACK
It didn’t last long. The British army, numbering almost twice my force with 10,000
veterans of the Napoleonic wars in Europe, advanced on our trenches early in the
morning. It was foggy and we couldn’t see the British as they literally crawled their
way toward our lines. It told my officers to hold fire until the British were close.
Then Colonel Smiley was the first to give the word, “FIRE!” There was a deafening
concussion of gun fire released all at once. The first line of British fell, but they
continued to advance.
R3
Did any of your men run?
JACK
Not a man. There was no where to run. We had a canal to our back, the river on our
right and a thick cypress wood on our left. We had a formidable position. The
British advanced on us, wave after wave, and were cut down by our murderous fire!
Even as the battle field was encased in smoke, my men continued to fire with deadly
accuracy. It didn’t take long for the British to turn back and run.
R3
What were the casualties on both sides?
JACK
The British lost over 2,000 men dead, wounded, and captured. We lost 52. It was a
stunning victory!
R3
General, I’ll let you get back to work. Thank you for your time. Back to you Elijah!
ANCH
Great report, Ernie. We are now going to turn to HNR News reporter Margaret
Fuller, who is standing in front of the American trenches and is standing by with
Major Gabriel Villare.
R1
Thanks Elijah. I have with me Major Gabriel Villare, who has an amazing story to
tell us from the Battle of New Orleans. Major, you were at home at your plantation
when the British suddenly arrived on your property?
VILL
Yeah, I was sitting on my porch, just smoking a cigar, and talking with my brother.
Suddenly the British came crashing through the dense woods and seized both of us
and dragged us into the house. In a moment of their inattention, I jumped out a
window and sprinted for the woods.
R1
What did the British do?
VILL
The British Colonel yelled, “Catch him or kill him!” But I was too fast. I jumped
over a picket fence and ran into the thick underbrush. I weaved my way deeper into
the woods, trying to hide.
R1
Did anyone follow?
VILL
Oh, the British spread out and were looking but they had trouble moving through the
scrub.
R1
Were there any moments when you were almost caught?
VILL
Yes, (sadly) when my favorite dog found me hiding. He was so excited to find me
that he just wouldn’t be quiet. The British were closing in on my position (pausing,
upset) and I did the only thing I could do.
R1
You had to kill your dog?
VILL
(shaking head, looking very upset) With tears in my eyes. I had to in order to keep
him from giving me away.
R1
After this you escaped and reported to General Jackson?
VILL
Yes, I was able to give him detailed information about the British positions and
movement. General Jackson immediately fortified our position in front of the
Rodriquez Canal.
R1
That’s all from here Elijah, back to you.
ANCH
What an amazing story! Nellie, you have another witness to the battle?
R2
I have with me Samuel Withers, a volunteer in the New Orleans militia. Mr.
Withers, could you describe what you saw at the battle?
WITH
It was so dark that little could be seen, until right before the battle ceased. And the
smoke was so thick that everything seemed to be covered up in it. Our men did not
seem to sense any danger, but would load and fire as fast as they could, talking,
swearing, and joking all the time. After the first shot, everyone loaded and banged
away on his own rifle.
R2
Was anyone in your company killed?
WITH
About five or six yards from me a man fell. A ball passed right through his head.
This was the only man I saw fall in my area.
R2
Can you confirm that you hit any British?
WITH
I know I shot several. Right after the battle, a few of us were disputing who shot
these three British soldiers. One of them was a colonel. I said, “If he isn’t shot above
the eyebrows, it wasn’t my shot.”
R2
Well, where was he hit?
WITH
Right in the forehead. It was mine!
R2
Thanks for your time Mr. Withers. Elijah?
ANCH
Margaret is still at the trenches and has another interview for us. Margaret?
R1
I have Jordan Noble, a free black, who took part in the battle. Mr. Noble, what was
your role at the Battle of New Orleans?
JORD
I was the head drummer boy for the army.
R1
What does the drummer boy do exactly?
JORD
Well, drums provide a really important role in the army. Different beats
communicate different orders to the troops, which is why I am usually very close to
the officers in charge. I am typically close to the front lines as well. I could hear
musket balls whizzing by my head during the heat of the battle.
R1
What did you do at this particular battle?
JORD
I beat the “long roll” at the battle.
R1
The long roll?
JORD
That is the initial drum roll that communicates to the army to grab arms and take
positions in the trenches.
R1
Did you see anything during the battle that really stood out to you?
JORD
Well, I have to admit, I had a laugh at the end of the battle. This one unshaven and
rather unwashed American stuck his rifle in the face of a British soldier and
demanded him to surrender. The redcoat dropped his sword and said, “What a
disgrace for a British officer to have to surrender to a chimney sweep!”
R1
Back to you Elijah.
ANCH
Thanks Margaret. What an army! Pirates, merchants, backwoodsmen, freed blacks,
and unwashed chimney sweeps! It seems as if the Battle of New Orleans proves the
saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover! That’s all we have time for now. For HNR
News, this Elijah Lovejoy reporting.
“The Battle of New Orleans,” Louisiana State Museum, http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/cabildo/cab6.htm, (2007)
"The Battle of New Orleans, 1815," EyeWitness to History, eyewitnesstohistory.com (2006).
Bennett, William J., America: The Last Best Hope, Nelson Current, Nashville: 2006. p. 208-211.