Service in The State Militia
Slaughter had been commissioned as a lieutenant colonel in the Fifth Regiment of the Kentucky militia on December 24, 1803. He was promoted to the rank of major in 1802 and colonel in 1803. In 1814, he answered Governor Shelby's call for volunteers to serve in the army of the Southwest under General Andrew Jackson.
When the Quartermaster general did not deliver promised supplies to Slaughter's regiment, private funds had to be used to purchase boats for their travel down the Mississippi River. They also ran short of weapons. Upon their arrival at New Orleans on January 4, 1815, General Jackson noted in his official report that "Not one man in ten was well armed, and only one man in three had any arms at all." The citizens of New Orleans provided enough firearms to equip the rest of Slaughter's men and another Kentucky battalion. Despite being vastly outnumbered, Jackson's forces were victorious. Units from Kentucky and Tennessee, including Slaughter's regiment, bore the brunt of the British attack. Slaughter was later recognized by the state legislature for his service.
Following their service together, Jackson asked Slaughter to preside over a court martial. When the verdict was not satisfactory to Jackson, he ordered Slaughter to reconsider and reverse the decision. Slaughter declined, replying "I know my duty, and have performed it." This decision was respected by Jackson, and apparently did no harm to the mutual respect between him and Slaughter.
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