James Brown to William Harris Crawford, 23 April 1816
James Brown to William Harris Crawford
Washington April 23d. 1816
Sir,
Captain Hamilton has requested me to state what I know respecting the characters of Doctors William Flood & William E Cochran of New Orleans, supposing that you might not be acquainted with them.1 The first of these Gentlemen has resided in Louisiana ever since I was a citizen of that country, and has held the first rank as a man distinguished by his professional talents, his integrity and patriotism. In the late memorable defence of that city, he bore a very distinguished part, and was sent on board the British Fleet by General Jackson for the purpose of obtaining an exchange of Prisoners. Doctor Cochran served as a volunteer in the Rifle Company of Capt Beale,2 was made a Prisoner in the action of the 23rd December, and detained on board the fleet until intelligence of the Peace arrived. His character is unblemished, and he possesses the confidence and esteem of the respectable part of society at New Orleans. I have the honor to be Respectfully yr Obdt Servt
(signed) James Brown
Tr (DLC).
1. Capt. Archibald W. Hamilton was an American-born officer in the British Army who refused to serve against U.S. forces during the campaign against New Orleans in the final stages of the War of 1812 and resigned his British commission in February 1815 (Stuart Sutherland, His Majesty’s Gentlemen: A Directory of Regular British Army Officers of the War of 1812 [Toronto, 2000], 178). Both Cochran and Flood became aware of Hamilton’s conduct, and wrote him letters of support on 5 Mar. 1816 and 12 Apr. 1816, respectively, commending his decision not to fight against the Americans. At some point, possibly as late as 1822, these letters were forwarded to JM (DLC; 2:504–5, 506–7).
2. Thomas Beale, register of deeds in New Orleans, was captain of a volunteer militia rifle company in New Orleans (Smith et al., Papers of Andrew Jackson, 3:212 n. 1).