“Grandma Elsie,” said Grace, “I think I remember reading that that victory of Reid’s—­or perhaps I should say successful resistance—­had much to do with the saving of New Orleans.”

“Yes; that British squadron was on its way to Jamaica, where the British vessels were gathering for the expedition to move against and take New Orleans, and their object in attacking the Armstrong was to secure her for themselves and make her useful in that work.  Had they succeeded in taking her they would have reached New Orleans while it was utterly defenceless, General Jackson having not yet arrived there.  But Reid, in his splendid defence of his vessel, so crippled those of the enemy that they did not reach Jamaica until fully ten days later than the time when the expedition was expected to sail from there; Lloyd was waited for and the expedition thus delayed until Jackson had reached the city and was making haste with arrangements for its defence.”

“Yes, grandma, I’ve heard the story about that,” said little Elsie; “how the British tried to take that city and General Jackson and his soldiers killed so very many of them, and drove the rest away.”

Neddie was looking very grave and thoughtful.  “Isn’t it wicked to kill folks, grandma?” he asked.

“Yes, dear, unless it is necessary to prevent them from killing or badly injuring us or someone else.  The British were terribly abusing our poor sailors and it was right for our government to fight them, because they would not stop it until they were forced to do so.”

“But you haven’t told about ‘Long Tom’ yet, grandma,” said Elsie; “that big gun, you know, that we saw to-day.”

“Yes; it was one of those on the Armstrong with which Captain Reid defended his ship.”

“Weren’t the Americans glad when they heard about it, grandma? and didn’t they praise Captain Reid?”

“Indeed they did! and also made him many handsome presents.  The State of New York thanked him and gave him a sword.”

“Hadn’t he afterward something to do with a change in our flag, Grandma Elsie?” asked Grace.

“Yes; our flag at first bore thirteen stars and thirteen stripes, and as new States were admitted another star and stripe were added for each one.  But it was soon found that that was making the flag very large unless the stripes became narrower and narrower, while there was nothing to show what had been the original number of States.  Captain Reid suggested the plan of retaining the thirteen stripes to indicate that, and the adding of a new star every time a new State was admitted, and Congress adopted that plan.  He was certainly a talented man.  He invented and erected the signal telegraphs at the Battery and the Narrows.”

“I’m proud of him, Grandma Elsie!” said Grace, her face lighting up with enthusiasm.  “His defence at Fayal against such overwhelming numbers was wonderful.  And so was Jackson’s at New Orleans.  England was a great and powerful nation while ours was but small and weak, but we were in the right—­fighting against dreadful wrongs done to our sailors—­and God helped us to drive away our haughty, powerful foe, and deliver our brave tars from her unendurable oppression.”