Andrew Jackson once said about himself “I was born for a storm, and calm does not suit me”. And I think he nailed it. Andrew Jackson could be described as our most temperamental President, fighting in over 100 duels and never backing down from a challenge. Although, he would go on to become one of the most decorated President’s this nation has ever seen. No other President has served in the House of Representatives, the Senate, a governor of a Territory, a state attorney general, justice on a state Supreme Court, a general in the Army, and President of the United States. Wow that is quite the list! But Jackson wasn’t always this decorated. He also had one of the most troubled and humble beginnings of any President. This article today will take a look at those humble beginnings.
Jackson was born in 1767, but his father was killed in a logging accident just weeks before he was born. Leaving his young mother to raise him and his two older brothers. When the Revolutionary War broke out, all three brothers joined the Continental Army. Young Andrew was only 12 at the time, and he and his middle brother served as couriers between the militias. Jackson’s oldest brother would die from heat exhaustion in the war. The next year Jackson and his brother would be captured and taken as prisoners of war. Therefore Jackson is our only President to have been a Prisoner of War.
They were put into the household service of a British officer. Jackson once refused the orders of the officer, and was slashed with a sword leaving scars on his hand and head that he would carry with him forever. The brothers then contracted smallpox, and nearly starved to death while serving as prisoners. Finally, their mother secured their release, and started the long journey home. Traveling through huge downpours on the trip back, and still suffering from smallpox, Andrew’s brother Robert would not survive the trip back.
Jackson’s mother then started treating U.S. Soldiers who were also sick and suffering from diseases. She quickly also contracted a disease and passed away. Leaving Andrew Jackson as an orphan at age 14. Jackson received sporadic education the rest of his teenage years. He would then go on to assist several lawyers, and gained enough education to qualify for the North Carolina Bar. He would set out west to practice law, and this is where he experienced his first duel. It ended with both men firing their pistols into the air, as 90% of duels did in that day.
He would end up settling in a small frontier town called Nashville (and now it’s like super cute and trendy and you can like take cute Kelsey Montague wing pictures and eat hot chicken). Here Jackson would meet his future wife, and also some very prominent and powerful frontiersmen whom he would befriend. These friendships would help him secure the position of Attorney General of the Tennessee Territory and then elected as Tennessee’s first U.S. Representative when they became a state. The next year he was elected as Senator for Tennessee. He would serve during the administration of John Adams, which he soon became “disgusted” with, and resigned. Once again showing his quick temperamental nature.
He would return home and be elected as a Justice to the Tennessee Supreme Court. Jackson would also be elected major general of the Tennessee Militia, a position that was voted upon by officers at the time. In 1806 he would settle down with his wife Rachel on their farm, the Hermitage, outside Nashville. This is when the most famous of his reported 100 duels would take place. Jackson had quite the controversy in his life, as he had married his wife before she was fully divorced from her first husband (unbeknownst to him). A fellow attorney, Charles Dickinson published an article in the local newspaper attacking Jackson. He and Jackson were bitter rival horse breeders and betters. Defending his wife and his reputation, Jackson challenged Dickinson to duel.
They met for the duel, and Jackson let Dickinson fire first. Dickinson was an expert shot, and had already killed 26 men in duels. He fired and hit Jackson square in the chest just inches from his heart. Since Dickinson fired first, he had to remain still as Jackson fired. Jackson shot, but his gun misfired. Not considered a legitimate shot, Jackson aimed again and hit him chest and killing him. Doctors were amazed that Jackson remained on his feet and was not killed. The bullet was so close to his heart it couldn’t be operated on. And he would live the rest of his life with the bullet still lodged in his chest.
Just when you thought we’ve described a pretty packed and adventure filled life, it was really far from over and his military career was just beginning. He was sent to lead the Tennessee Volunteers to defend New Orleans during the War of 1812. This trek where he would encounter street fighting brawls and more duels (one of which he got shot in the shoulder) would lead to his troops giving him the nickname “Old Hickory” for his toughness. He would lead troops in battles against the Creek and Shawnee in the Creek Wars. During this fighting he was commissioned as a major general of the United States Army. He then fought the British and Spanish in Florida, and then the British in the huge Battle of New Orleans. He would win the battle and receive the Congressional Gold Medal. The U.S. had bought this land from the French. But had the British won this battle they may have kept the land or given it back to Spain who originally owned it. So this was a hugely important victory, and vaulted Andrew Jackson to national fame.
After his military service he was again elected to the Senate after a 24 year gap. The second longest gap in service of any Senator. As was pointed out in our last article, John Quincy Adams won our very first extremely close election for President. Jackson was in the that election, and actually won the popular vote. But in the run off election, one of the other Presidential candidates, Henry Clay, supported JQA. This tipped the scales to Adams and he won the election of 1824. Mr. Temperamental Jackson called Clay the “Judas of the West” and that he had accepted his 30 pieces of silver. Jackson once again resigned from the Senate and returned to Tennessee.
In the election of 1828 Andrew Jackson would revive his Presidential aspirations. Jackson, with the campaign help of a prominent New York Senator named Martin Van Buren, who greatly opposed Adams, won the election. Thus making John Quincy Adams and his father John Adams the only 1 term Presidents the country had seen up to that point. Rachel although did not fare so well. After struggling with sickness and stress from the long election, she died of a heart attack three days after the election.
Jackson’s Presidency, like his life, was filled with much turmoil and controversy. His cabinet was constantly having scandals, until almost all of them were removed and his famed “Kitchen Cabinet” was created. He also signed the Indian Removal Act, perhaps his biggest controversy. Even though Jackson signed around 70 treaties with Indian Tribes, and negotiated some of them himself. And some of the more well known Indian Removal Act treaties like that removing the Cherokee along the Trail of Tears were not enforced until Jackson’s successor took office. He even adopted a couple of Indian children as his own. His treatment of Indians is still one of his longest lasting legacies. He also introduced policies that would help bring about the disastrous “spoils system”. And his Congress implemented tariffs that angered southern farmers, especially those growing cotton.
He did have some successes as President surrounding foreign politics and the economy. He negotiated numerous trade deals with other countries. The also paid off the entire national debt, the time that’s ever been done in the history of our country.
As if Jackson hadn’t had enough gun incidents, he was also the first victim of a Presidential assassination attempt. A man named Richard Lawrence was an unemployed painter and believed the U.S. government owed him a large sum of money. President Jackson was leaving the Capitol Building after a funeral. Lawrence was waiting outside and in close proximity fired a pistol at Jackson. It misfired. From his coat he pulled out a second pistol and shot at Jackson. It too misfired (where does this guy get his guns?). Jackson then proceeded to chase down a fleeing Lawrence and beat him with his cane. The two men where separated by the crowd and Lawrence was subdued and disarmed by Davy Crockett, King of the Wild-frontier (you’re singing aren’t you?).
Martin Van Buren served as Jackson’s Secretary of State during his first term, and then as his Vice President during his second term. For those in my area, he is also the namesake of Van Buren, Missouri. Named after him at its establishment while he was Jackson’s Vice President. Van Buren was Jackson’s chosen successor, and did succeed him as President. He will be the subject of our 8th article next week. We are entering a stretch of “lesser known Presidents”, and part of why I wanted to do this series. So stayed tuned for those guys!