The Life of Andrew Jackson
534
The Life of Andrew Jackson
534Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780817389338 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | University of Alabama Press |
| Publication date: | 04/27/2015 |
| Series: | Library of Alabama Classics |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 534 |
| File size: | 2 MB |
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The Life of Andrew Jackson
By John Reid, John Henry Eaton, Frank L. Owsley Jr.
The University of Alabama Press
Copyright © 1974 The University of Alabama PressAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-8173-8933-8
CHAPTER 1
His birth, parentage, family, and education. — Engages in the American revolution, and is shortly after, with his brother, made a prisoner. — Their treatment and sufferings. — Commences the study of law. — His removal to the western country. — Becomes a member of the Tennessee convention, and afterwards a senator in the United States' congress. — Retires, and is appointed a judge of the state courts. — Declaration of war. — Tenders the services of 2500 volunteers to the president. — Ordered to the lower country. — His descent and return.
THE parents of Andrew Jackson were Irish. His father, (Andrew) the youngest son of his family, emigrated to America about the year 1765, bringing with him two sons, Hugh and Robert, both very young. Landing at Charleston, in South Carolina, he shortly afterwards purchased a tract of land, in what was then called the Waxsaw settlement, about forty-five miles above Camden; at which place the subject of this history was born, on the 15th of March, 1767. Shortly after his birth, his father died, leaving three sons to be provided for by their mother. She appears to have been an exemplary woman, and to have executed the arduous duties which had devolved on her, with great faithfulness and success. To the lessons she inculcated on the youthful minds of her sons, was, no doubt, owing, in a great measure, that fixed opposition to British tyranny and oppression, which afterwards so much distinguished them. Often would she spend the winter's night, in recounting to them the sufferings of their grandfather, at the siege of Carrickfergus, and the oppressions exercised by the nobility of Ireland, over the labouring poor; impressing it upon them, as their first duty, to expend their lives, if it should become necessary, in defending and supporting the natural rights of man.
Inheriting but a small patrimony from their father, it was impossible that all the sons could receive an expensive education. The two eldest were therefore only taught the rudiments of their mother tongue, at a common country school. But Andrew, being intended by his mother for the ministry, was sent to a flourishing academy in the Waxsaw meeting house, superintended by Mr. Humphries. Here he was placed on the study of the dead languages, and continued until the revolutionary war, extending its ravages into that section of South Carolina, where he then was, rendered it necessary that every one should betake himself to the American standard, seek protection with the enemy, or flee his country. It was not an alternative that admitted of much deliberation. The natural ardor of his temper, deriving encouragement from the recommendations of his mother, whose feelings were not less alive on the occasion than his own, quickly determined him in the course to be pursued; and at the tender age of fourteen, with his brother Robert, he hastened to the American camp, and engaged in the service of his country. His oldest brother, who had previously joined the army, had lost his life at the battle of Stono, by the excessive heat of the weather, and the fatigues of the day.
Both Andrew and Robert, were, at this period, pretty well acquainted with the manual exercise, and had some idea of the different evolutions of the field, having been indulged by their mother in attending the drill, and general musters.
The Americans being unequal, as well by the inferiority of their numbers, as their discipline, to engage the British army in battle, retired before it, into the interior of North Carolina; but when they learned, that lord Cornwallis had crossed the Yadkin, they returned in small detachments to their native state. On their arrival, they found lord Rawdon in possession of Camden, and the whole country around in a state of desolation. The British commander being advised of the return of the settlers of Waxsaw; major Coffin was immediately despatched thither, with a corps of light dragoons, a company of infantry, and a considerable number of tories, for their capture and destruction. Hearing of their approach, the settlers, without delay, appointed the Waxsaw meeting house as a place of rendezvous, that they might the better collect their scattered strength, and concert some system of operations. About forty of them had accordingly assembled at this point, when the enemy approached, keeping the tories, who were dressed in the common garb of the country, in front, whereby this little band of patriots was completely deceived, taking them for captain Nisbet's company, in expectation of which they had been waiting. Eleven of them were taken prisoners; the rest with difficulty fled, scattering and betaking themselves to the woods for concealment. Of those who thus escaped, though closely pursued, were Andrew Jackson and his brother, who, entering a secret bend in a creek, that was close at hand, obtained a momentary respite from danger, and avoided, for the night, the pursuit of the enemy. The next day, however, having gone to a neighbouring house, for the purpose of procuring something to eat, they were broken in upon, and made prisoners, by Coffin's dragoons, and a party of tories who accompanied them. They had approached the house by a route through the woods, and thereby eluded the vigilance of a sentinel who had been posted on the road. Being placed under guard, Andrew was ordered, in a very imperious tone, by a British officer, to clean his boots, which had become muddied in crossing a creek. This order he positively and peremptorily refused to obey; alleging that he looked for such treatment as a prisoner of war had a right to expect. Incensed at his refusal, the officer aimed a blow at his head with a drawn sword, which would, very probably, have terminated his existence, had he not parried its effects by throwing up his left hand, on which he received a severe wound. His brother, at the same time, for a similar offence, received a deep cut on the head, which afterwards occasioned his death. They were both now taken to gaol, where, separated and confined, they were treated with marked severity, until a few days after the battle before Camden, when, in consequence of a partial exchange, effected by the intercessions and exertions of their mother, and captain Walker, of the militia, they were both released. Captain Walker had, in a charge on the rear of the British army, succeeded in making thirteen prisoners, whom he gave in exchange for seven Americans, of which number were these two young men. Robert, during his confinement in prison, had suffered greatly; the wound on his head, all this time, having never been dressed, was followed by an inflammation of the brain, which, in a few days after his liberation, brought him to the grave. To add to the afflictions of Andrew, his mother, worn down by grief, and her incessant exertions to provide clothing and other comforts for the suffering prisoners, who had been taken from her neighbourhood, expired, in a few weeks after her son, near the lines of the enemy, in the vicinity of Charleston. Andrew, the last and only surviving child, confined to a bed of sickness, occasioned by the sufferings he had been compelled to undergo, whilst a prisoner, and by getting wet, on his return from captivity, was thus left in the wide world, without a human being with whom he could claim a near relationship. The small pox beginning, about the same time, to make its appearance upon him, had well nigh terminated his sorrows and his existence.
Having at length recovered from his complicated afflictions, he entered upon the enjoyment of his estate, which, although small, would have been sufficient, under prudent management, to have completed his education, on the liberal scale which his mother had designed. Unfortunately, however, he, like too many young men, sacrificing future prospects to present gratification, expended it with rather too profuse a hand. Coming, at length, to foresee that he should be finally obliged to rely on his own exertions, for support and success in life, he again betook himself to his studies, with increased industry. He re-commenced under Mr. M'Culloch, in what was then called the New Acquisition, near Hill's iron works. Here he revised the languages, devoting a portion of his time to a desultory course of studies.
His education being now completed, so far as his wasted patrimony, and the opportunities then afforded in that section of the country, would permit; at the age of eighteen, he turned his attention to acquiring a profession, and preparing himself to enter on the busy scenes of life. The pulpit, for which he had been designed by his mother, was now abandoned for the bar; and, in the winter of 1784, he repaired to Salisbury, in North Carolina, and commenced the study of law, under Spruce M'Cay, Esq. (afterwards one of the judges of that state,) and continued it under colonel John Stokes. Having remained at Salisbury until the winter of 1786, he obtained a license from the judges to practice, and continued in the state until the spring of 1788.
The observations he was enabled, during this time, to make, satisfied him that this state presented few inducements to a young attorney; and recollecting that he stood a solitary individual in life, without relations to aid him in the onset, when innumerable difficulties arise and retard success, he determined to seek a new country. But for this, he might have again returned to his native state; but the death of every relation he had, had wiped away all those recollections and circumstances which warp the mind to the place of its nativity. The western parts of the state of Tennessee were, about this time, often spoken of, as presenting flattering prospects to adventurers. He immediately determined to accompany judge M'Nairy thither, who was appointed and going out to hold the first supreme court that had ever sat in the state. Having reached the Holston, they ascertained it would be impossible to arrive at the time appointed for the session of the court; and therefore determined to remain in that country until fall. They re-commenced their journey in October, and, passing through the wilderness, reached Nashville in the same month. It had not been Jackson's intention, certainly, to make Tennessee the place of his future residence; his visit was merely experimental, and his stay remained to be determined, by the advantages that might be disclosed; but finding, soon after his arrival, that a considerable opening was offered for the success of a young attorney, he determined to remain. His industry and attention soon brought him forward, and introduced him to a profitable practice. Shortly afterwards, he was appointed attorney general for the district, in which capacity he continued to act for several years.
Indian depredations being then frequent on the Cumberland, every man became a soldier. Unassisted by the government, the settlers were forced to rely for security on their own bravery and exertions. Although young, no person was more distinguished than Andrew Jackson, in defending the country against these predatory incursions of the savages, who continually harassed the frontiers, and not unfrequently approached the heart of the settlements, which were thin, but not widely extended. He aided alike in garrisoning the forts, and in pursuing and chastising the enemy.
In the year 1796, having, by his patriotism, firmness, and talents, secured to himself a distinguished standing with all classes, he was chosen one of the members of the convention, for establishing a constitution for the state. His good conduct and zeal for the public interest, on this occasion, brought him more conspicuously to view; and, without proposing or soliciting, he was, in the same year, elected a member of the house of representatives, in congress, for the state of Tennessee. The following year, his reputation continuing to increase, and every bosom feeling a wish to raise him to still higher honours, he was chosen a member of the United States' senate.
The state of Tennessee, on its admission into the Union, comprising but one military division, and general Conway, who commanded it, as major general, dying about this time, Jackson, without being consulted on the subject, and without the least intimation of what was in agitation, was chosen, by the field officers, to succeed him; which appointment he continued to hold, until May, 1814, when he was constituted a major general in the United States' service.
Growing tired of political life, for the intrigues of which he found himself unqualified, and having for two years voted in the minority in congress, he resigned his seat in the senate, in 1799. To this measure he was strongly urged, by a wish to make way for general Smith, who, he conjectured, would, in that capacity, be able to render more important services to the government than himself. His country, unwilling that his talents should remain inactive and unemployed, again demanded his services. Immediately after his resignation, he was appointed one of the judges of the supreme court of the state. Sensibly alive to the difficult duties of this station, and impressed with the great injury he might do to suitors, by erroneous decisions, he advanced to the office with reluctance, and in a short time resigned it; leaving it open for those, who, he believed, were better qualified than himself, to discharge its intricate and important duties. Determined now to spend his life in tranquillity and retirement, he settled himself on an elegant farm, ten miles from Nashville, on the Cumberland river; where, for several years, he enjoyed all the comforts of domestic and social intercourse. Abstracted from the busy scenes of public life, surrounded by friends whom he loved, and who entertained for him the highest veneration and respect, and blessed with an amiable and affectionate consort, nothing seemed wanting to the completion of that happiness he so anxiously desired whilst in office. But a period approached, when all these endearments were again to be abandoned, for the duties of more active life. Great Britain, by multiplied outrages on our rights, as an independent and neutral nation, had provoked from our government a declaration of war against her. This measure, though founded in abundant cause, had been long forborne, and every attempt at conciliation made, without effect: when, at length, it was resorted to, as the only alternative that could preserve the honour and dignity of the nation. General Jackson, ever devoted to the interest of his country, from that moment, knew no wish so strong as that of entering into her service, against a power, which, independent of public considerations, he had many private reasons for disliking. In her, he could trace the efficient cause, why, in early life, he had been left forlorn and wretched, without a single relation in the world. His proud and inflexible mind, however, could not venture to solicit an appointment in the army, now about be raised. He remained wholly unknown, until, at the head of the militia, employed against the Creek Indians, his constant vigilance, and the splendour of his victories, apprised the general government of those great military talents which he so eminently possessed, and conspicuously displayed, when opportunities for exerting them were afforded.
The acts of congress, of the 6th of February, and July, 1812, afforded the means of bringing into view a display of those powers, which, unfortunately, being unknown, had too long slumbered in inaction. Under these acts, authorizing the president to accept the services of fifty thousand volunteers, he addressed the citizens of his division, and twenty-five hundred flocked to his standard. A tender of them having been made, in November he received orders to descend the Mississippi, for the defence of the lower country, which was then thought to be in danger. Accordingly, on the 10th of December, those troops rendezvoused at Nashville, prepared to advance to the place of their destination; and, although the weather was then excessively severe, and the ground covered with snow, none could have displayed greater firmness. The general was every where with them, inspiring them with the ardour that animated his own bosom. The cheerful spirit with which they submitted to hardships, and bore privations, on the very onset of their military career, as well as the order and subordination they so readily observed, were happy presages of what might be expected, when they should be directed to face an enemy.
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Table of Contents
Contents
Editor's Acknowledgments,Editor's Introduction,
The Life of Andrew Jackson,
Editions of the Life of Andrew Jackson,
Editor's Notes,
Editor's Bibliography and Appendices,
Editor's Index to the Life of Andrew Jackson,
Editor's Index to the Apparatus Critica,