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Authors: Winston Groom
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Senate; in 1802 he was elected major general of the Tennessee militia.* 19
By this time the Jacksons had a growing brood in their household. After Rachel lost a number of infants in childbirth, the couple began taking in orphans or children whose parents were unable to properly care for them; one of these was legally adopted and christened Andrew Jackson, Jr.
During this period there were, occasionally, unfortunate vicissitudes. In 1806 Jackson became, arguably, the best pistol shot in Tennessee after killing a man named Charles Dickinson (whom everybody had
said
was the best shot in Tennessee) in a duel over a horseracing bet. In 1803 he had gotten into a dispute with then Tennessee governor John “Nolichucky Jack” Sevier, an old rival whom Jackson had publicly exposed for perpetrating large real estate frauds. When Sevier retaliated by insulting Mrs. Jackson regarding her alleged adultery, he was promptly challenged to a duel.
The governor did not wish to fight a duel with Jackson, however, pleading old age, his service in the Revolutionary War, and the likely resultant poverty of his large family, should he lose. But neither would he apologize for making a crack about Jackson’s “taking a trip to Natchez with another man’s wife [Rachel],” so Jackson promptly published a screed on the front page of the local newspaper in which he called Sevier all the ugly things that were fit to print, including a “coward.” Jackson then set out for the appointed dueling grounds to await the governor, who was not at all punctual. What happened next, by the account of Marquis James, one of Jackson’s biographers, is worth quoting in its entirety:
“For five days they encamped at the Point and had started to leave when Sevier appeared with several armed men. Andrew Greer rode ahead and addressed Jackson, who suddenly left off speaking and drew a pistol, dismounted and drew a second pistol. Turning, Greer perceived Sevier off his horse with pistols in his hands advancing on Jackson. Twenty steps apart they halted and began to abuse each other, the governor damning him to fire away. After a little of this both put away their arms. There were more words and Jackson rushed at Sevier saying he was going to cane him. [Then] Sevier drew his sword, ‘which frightened his horse, which ran away with the governor’s pistols.’ Jackson drew a pistol and the governor went behind a tree and damned Jackson: ‘Did he want to fire on a naked man?’ he asked. George Washington Sevier, the governor’s seventeen-year-old son, then drew on Jackson and Dr. Van Dyke [Jackson’s second] drew on Washington.
“Members of the Sevier party rushed up making amicable signs. They got the three men to put away their guns and suggested that the governor relinquish the field, which he did, swearing at Jackson and receiving [Jackson’s] comments in return as long as either could hear.”* 20
So it sometimes went on dueling days, but Jackson’s next encounter was not to be so uneventful.
W ith the War of 1812 four months old and still going terribly for the Americans, and with Jackson still brooding in Nashville with his militia division, something finally seemed to be happening. Washington had sent out its call for 50,000 volunteers from the various states. Unlike militia, these would come directly under the authority of the War Department, as would their commanding officer. The governor of Tennessee, William Blount, appointed Jackson to the post of major general of U.S. volunteers, certainly an exalted regular army slot for a mere militia officer. Tennessee’s quota had been 1,500 men, but 2,500—including the famed frontiersman Davy Crockett—joined up from mid-October until the end of December, walking or riding out of the canebreaks, mountains, and backwoods communities to form up in Nashville on the banks of the frozen Cumberland River. Jackson personally mortgaged much of his fortune to supply and equip them.
Unfortunately—or so
By this time the Jacksons had a growing brood in their household. After Rachel lost a number of infants in childbirth, the couple began taking in orphans or children whose parents were unable to properly care for them; one of these was legally adopted and christened Andrew Jackson, Jr.
During this period there were, occasionally, unfortunate vicissitudes. In 1806 Jackson became, arguably, the best pistol shot in Tennessee after killing a man named Charles Dickinson (whom everybody had
said
was the best shot in Tennessee) in a duel over a horseracing bet. In 1803 he had gotten into a dispute with then Tennessee governor John “Nolichucky Jack” Sevier, an old rival whom Jackson had publicly exposed for perpetrating large real estate frauds. When Sevier retaliated by insulting Mrs. Jackson regarding her alleged adultery, he was promptly challenged to a duel.
The governor did not wish to fight a duel with Jackson, however, pleading old age, his service in the Revolutionary War, and the likely resultant poverty of his large family, should he lose. But neither would he apologize for making a crack about Jackson’s “taking a trip to Natchez with another man’s wife [Rachel],” so Jackson promptly published a screed on the front page of the local newspaper in which he called Sevier all the ugly things that were fit to print, including a “coward.” Jackson then set out for the appointed dueling grounds to await the governor, who was not at all punctual. What happened next, by the account of Marquis James, one of Jackson’s biographers, is worth quoting in its entirety:
“For five days they encamped at the Point and had started to leave when Sevier appeared with several armed men. Andrew Greer rode ahead and addressed Jackson, who suddenly left off speaking and drew a pistol, dismounted and drew a second pistol. Turning, Greer perceived Sevier off his horse with pistols in his hands advancing on Jackson. Twenty steps apart they halted and began to abuse each other, the governor damning him to fire away. After a little of this both put away their arms. There were more words and Jackson rushed at Sevier saying he was going to cane him. [Then] Sevier drew his sword, ‘which frightened his horse, which ran away with the governor’s pistols.’ Jackson drew a pistol and the governor went behind a tree and damned Jackson: ‘Did he want to fire on a naked man?’ he asked. George Washington Sevier, the governor’s seventeen-year-old son, then drew on Jackson and Dr. Van Dyke [Jackson’s second] drew on Washington.
“Members of the Sevier party rushed up making amicable signs. They got the three men to put away their guns and suggested that the governor relinquish the field, which he did, swearing at Jackson and receiving [Jackson’s] comments in return as long as either could hear.”* 20
So it sometimes went on dueling days, but Jackson’s next encounter was not to be so uneventful.
W ith the War of 1812 four months old and still going terribly for the Americans, and with Jackson still brooding in Nashville with his militia division, something finally seemed to be happening. Washington had sent out its call for 50,000 volunteers from the various states. Unlike militia, these would come directly under the authority of the War Department, as would their commanding officer. The governor of Tennessee, William Blount, appointed Jackson to the post of major general of U.S. volunteers, certainly an exalted regular army slot for a mere militia officer. Tennessee’s quota had been 1,500 men, but 2,500—including the famed frontiersman Davy Crockett—joined up from mid-October until the end of December, walking or riding out of the canebreaks, mountains, and backwoods communities to form up in Nashville on the banks of the frozen Cumberland River. Jackson personally mortgaged much of his fortune to supply and equip them.
Unfortunately—or so
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