USA > Tennessee > History of Tennessee from the earliest time to the present : together with an historical and a biographical sketch of from twenty-five to thirty counties of east Tennessee, V.2 > Part 32
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Gov. Blount called the Legislative council and the House of Repre- sentatives in extra session at Knoxville on June 29, 1795, to take steps toward the formation of a State constitution. An act was passed July 11, 1795, ordering a census and a vote on the question of forming a State constitution. The result of this poll was announced by the gov- ernor November 28, 1795, there being 6,304 votes for and 2,562 votes against a State constitution. On the same day he ordered a general
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election to be held December 18 and 19, for the election of five persons from each county to assemble in Knoxville January 11, 1796, to draft a State constitution. The final announcement of the passage of the act took place February 6, 1796. On March 30 the names of William Blount and William Cocke were proposed for United States Senators, and on the following day were unanimously elected. The Legislature met again on July 30, and Congress in the meantime having declared the March election of senators illegal, from the fact that the State had not been admitted, these men were again elected on August 2. Gov. Blount took his seat in the Senate December 5, 1796. July 3, 1797, President Adams sent a message to both Houses of Congress, stating that the con- dition of the country was critical. The grounds for this suspicion was some correspondence Mr. Blount had had with various parties, which led to the belief that he had entered into a conspiracy to transfer the territory of New Orleans and Florida to Great Britain through the influence of an English army and the assistance of the Indians, who were to be drawn into the scheme. Five days after the giving of the notice Mr. Blount was expelled from the Senate on a charge of having been guilty of "high misdemeanor, entirely inconsistent with his public trust and duty as a senator." The vote stood twenty-five for expulsion to one against it. Mr. Tazewell, of Virginia, alone voted in the negative. On the vote of the impeachment of William Blount as a civil officer within the meaning of the Constitution of the United States, etc., it was deter- mined in the negative. The vote stood eleven for conviction and four- teen for acquittal.
It is claimed for Mr. Blount that if time had been given him he could have vindicated himself. So great was the confidence of the peo- ple in his innocence that Gen. James White, senator from Knox County. resigned his seat in the General Assembly of the State in his interest it is said, and the people of Knox County elected him to the vacant seat. At a called session, December 3, 1797, he was unanimously elected speaker of that body. He is described by Dr. Ramsey as a man "remarkable for great address, courtly manners, benignant feelings and a most commanding presence. His urbanity, his personal influence over men of all condi- tions and ages, his hospitality, unostentatiously yet elegantly and grace- fully extended to all, won upon the affections and regard of the populace. and made him a universal favorite. He was at once the social compan- ion, the well-read gentleman and the capable officer." This inscription on a slab in the grave-yard of the First Presbyterian Church in Knox- ville tells his end: "William Blount, died March 21, 1800, aged fifty- three years."
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Gov. William Carroll was born in Pennsylvania March 3, 1785. He had little advantages for an education, but was a man of extraordinary good sense. In 1810 he left Pittsburgh, Penn., and came to Nashville. He engaged in mercantile business in which he was very successful On the outbreak of the Creek war he was appointed captain. His fine personal appearance, brave and courageous manner, knowledge of mili- tary matters, frank and noble bearing attracted the attention of Gen. Jackson, who made him one of his most trusted lieutenants. He took an active part in the battle of Talladega December 9, 1813, and contributed no little to its success. On the expiration of the term of service of the men Gen. Carroll was one of the most active in raising recruits for the very needy army of Jackson at Fort Strother. These forces, amounting to 900 men, were forwarded early in January, and on the 17th started for Emuckfau, where they met and defeated the Indians on the 21st. In a retrogade movement on Fort Strother the Indians attacked the Ameri- can lines on the 24th at Enotochopco, and were again defeated. On March 24 the army again started, and on the 27th was fought the great battle of Tohopeka or Horseshoe. In these engagements Gen. Carroll sustained his reputation for skill and bravery. He soon after returned home to take charge of the new levies for New Orleans. On November 19. 1514, he embarked at Nashville with 2,500 men, and hastened down the river to assist in the defense of New Orleans, that place was reached December 21, and in a few hours the men were in the position assigned them.
On the final battle of January 8 Gen. Carroll occupied the position next to the extreme left. The center of Carroll was selected for the main attack. This was done on information that these men were militia. The British advance in column was made with great desperation, but was met with great coolness. There was an appalling loss of life in front of Carroll's men. The military fame of Carroll and Coffee is indelible linked with the fame of Jackson in the great achievements of that period. After the close of the war Gen. Carroll again returned to civil life. He was a very active business man, and brought the first steam-boat the "Gen. Jackson," to Nashville, in 1818. He continued in business till the finan- cial depression of 1S18-20, when he met with severe reverses, which led him into politics. In 1821 he was a candidate and was elected governor of the State. He was re-elected twice in succession, but being constitu- tionally ineligible for a fourth term he gave way to Gen. Houston. He was again recalled and served six years longer. His official career as governor was characterized by clearness, good judgment and firmness. His official documents though not classical are noted for good literary taste. In 1813 he was led into a duel with Jesse Benton, brother of
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Col. Thomas H. Benton. It seems some of the younger element was jealous of Carroll's popularity. Several ineffectual efforts were made to bring about a collision between Carroll and some one of the young men. At last Jesse Benton was led into the quarrel and promptly challenged Carroll to a duel. Carroll appealed to Jackson to act as his second, but the latter insisted that Carroll should select some one else. Gen. Carroll told Jackson that he believed there was a conspiracy to run him (Car- roll) out of the county. This angered Gen. Jackson, who promptly said that while he was alive Carroll should not be run out of the State. . Jackson endeavored to bring about a reconciliation between the two belligerents and partially succeeded. However, the duel was fought and both contestants received slight wounds. The part that Jackson took in this affair led to the altercation between him and Benton a few weeks afterward. The life of Carroll is summed up in the inscription on his monument: "As a gentleman he was modest, intelligent, accomplished ; as an officer he has energetic, gallant, daring ; as a statesman he was wise and just. Delivered an address in Nashville on March 15, 1844, con- gratulating Gen. Jackson and the country on the final passage of the act of Congress appropriating a sum of money to repay Gen. Jackson the amount of the fine with interest imposed upon him by Judge Hall, of New Orleans. This was the last public act of Gen. Carroll. He died on March 22, 1844, in the fifty-sixth year of his age."
The ancestors of Andrew Jackson were long known near Carrickfer- gus, * in the north of Ireland. Hugh Jackson, the great-grandfather of Gen. Jackson, was a linen draper there as early as 1660, and as was the case generally in that county the same avocation was followed by mem- bers of the family for many years. Hugh Jackson was the father of four sons, the youngest of whom was named Andrew. Andrew was the father of Andrew Jackson, so well known throughout this country. The father of Andrew Jackson, the general, married Elizabeth Hutchinson, the daughter of a poor but respectable linen weaver near their old home at Carrickfergus. With his wife, two sons, Hugh and Robert, and several of his kinsmen, Andrew Jackson immigrated to America and arrived in Charleston, S. C., in 1767, but soon moved to a settlement known as the "Waxhaws," near the line between North and South Carolina. The father settled at Twelve Mile Creek, near a branch of the Catawba River, in what was formerly called Mecklenburg, but now Union County, N. C. The family began work in clearing and cultivat- ing a piece of land. but it seems no title to it was ever acquired. In the spring of 1767 occurred the death of Mr. Jackson, a short time
"The Crag of Fergus, or where King Fergus was drowned.
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before the birth of Gen. Jackson. The body, with the family, was placed in a wagon and carried to the old church at Waxhaw, where the body was buried. Mrs. Jackson went to live with her married sister, Mrs. George McKemey or McCamie, where on March 15, 1767, the future President was born. Owing to the poverty of this brother-in-law Mrs. Jackson went to live with Mr. Crawford, another brother-in-law, who lived near the State line, in South Carolina.
Here young Jackson spent the first ten or twelve years of his life. He might have been seen a tall, slender, long, sandy haired, freckle- faced, bright blue-eyed boy while attending an "old field school." He was dressed in coarse coppered-clothes; and barefooted attended a school at Waxhaw taught by Dr. Humphries, but it seems he never attained great proficiency in any branch nor any great love for books. The massacre at Waxhaw on May 29, 1750, was the first introduction he had to the horrors of war. Here were butchered 263 of the Whigs of the Carolinas, the wounded having received from three to thirteen wounds; among the number killed was his brother Hugh. Andrew was present at the engagement at Hanging Rock, but was too young to take an active part. He took Col. Davie at that time as his ideal commander, the dash and spirit of that enterprising officer well suiting the aggressive character of Jackson.
Soon after this Jackson and his brother Robert, with many others, were captured by the British and Tories. It was while a prisoner that a British officer ordered Jackson to clean his boots, an order which he refused to obey on the ground that he was a prisoner and should be treated as such. A sabre stroke on the head and arm was received for his disobedience. An order was then given to Robert to do the work; another refusal and another wound was the result. The young Jacksons were crowded into a prison pen at Camden after the defeat of Gen. Gates on August 16, 1780. Here without food and clothing and badly crowded the suffering of the prisoners was intense. Mrs. Jackson. by great exertion, succeeded in securing an exchange of her sons and a few others. With these she started to a place of safety, forty miles distant. The elder son was wounded and suffering from small-pox. Andrew was compelled to walk through rain and mud, and burning with the fever of coming small-pox. Robert soon died and Andrew was reduced to death's door. The suffering of the prisoners in 1781 induced Mrs. Jackson to go to Charleston, 160 miles distant, to nurse the sick. Here she soon after died of ship fever.
The disbarring of many Tory attorneys by the war opened a new and lucrative field for Whig lawyers. This led many young men to embark
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in the profession, among them Jackson. He began the study of law with Spencer McCay, in Salisbury, S. C., where he remained during the years 1785-86. Here it is said he played cards, fought cocks, ran horse races and occasionally got drunk, but was never dissipated. After a short practice in North Carolina, of which little is known, Jackson de- termined to seek his fortune in the West. The difficulties between North Carolina and the State of Franklin had been settled. Judge McNairy, a friend and former associate of Jackson, had been appointed judge of the Supreme Court for the Western District, and Jackson obtained the ap- pointment of prosecutor for the same district. Others determined to follow. A party started from Morganton to cross the mountains to Jonesboro, the usual stopping-place this side of the mountains. The party left for Nash- ville by escort in November, 1788. Jackson seems not to have been without cases. In the Davidson County Court in 1790 out of 192 cases Jackson had 42; in 1793 out of 155 he had 72, and in the July term he had 60 out of 135, and in 1794 he had 228 out of the 397. On the ad- mission of Tennessee as a State he resigned his attorneyship and was chosen first representative for the session by the Legislature, beginning December 5, 1796, and ending March 3, 1797. He appears not to have been present at the next session, beginning May 13, 1707, and ending July 10, 1797. Blount was expelled from the Senate July 8, 1797, and on November 22 Jackson succeeded him. August 28, 1798, he was ap- pointed to the office of judge of the superior court of law and equity, and soon after resigned his seat in the Senate. He was noted while in Con- gress for the vigor with which he urged the militia claims of Tennessee on Congress. He resigned his seat on the bench in 1804, and again be- gan practice. The salary of a supreme judge was only $600, and this doubtless led him to resign. It is said no reports of his decisions are extant, and that they were clothed in bad language, poorly spelled and ungrammatical-not technical but generally right.
After leaving the bench he devoted his time to his profession and to business, occasionally going down the river trading. He was very ag- gressive as an attorney. He was insulted by Col. Waightstill, to whom he first applied to read law, in a case wherein Jackson was defeated. Waight- still was challenged for a duel, which was accepted, and the duel fought without bloodshed. A quarrel arose between Jackson and his old friend Sevier. There was just a little favor asked, which Sevier did not readily grant, then an accusation concerning some land speculation in which Jackson accused Sevier of having a hand. In 1803 Jackson, who was still judge. opposed Sevier's re-election. At a public speaking in Knox- ville. Gov. Sevier denounced Jackson most bitterly and vehemently, and
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went so far as to question Mrs. Jackson's chastity. This threw Jackson into an ungovernable rage, and interference of friends only prevented bloodshed. A challenge soon followed. Sevier accepted on condition that the fight should be outside the State. Jackson insisted that it should be within the State. Each accused the other of cowardice. The matter finally ended without harm to either. In the fall occurred the duel between Gen. Jackson and Charles Dickinson. The melancholy ending of this encounter is well known. Dickinson fired first, severely wounding Jackson who did not fall, but coolly aimed at his antagonist and pulled the trigger, the hammer stopping at half-cock. He re-cocked the weapon, took deliberate aim, fired and killed Dickinson. In 1S13 occurred the encounter between Jackson and the Bentons, in which the General was severely wounded.
The splendid military achievements of Jackson in the Creek war end- ing in his magnificent triumph at New Orleans on January 8, 1815, are facts of American history. "The Seminole war again brought out his military genius, and his government of Florida at a very critical period showed his administrative qualities. There is a certain halo around mili- tary glory that captures the public mind. The name of Jackson was mentioned as early as 1815 by some of his admiring military friends. On July 20, 1822, the Legislature of this State formally nominated Jack- son for president in 1824. This brought him prominently before the people. . Col. John Williams who was United States Senator from Ten- nessee. was a candidate for re-election. To succeed he must carry the Legislature of the State. The election of Col. Williams meant the suc- cess of the Whig ticket and the defeat of Jackson's prospects. It became necessary for Jackson's success to defeat Col. Williams. The friends of Jackson staked all by nominating him for senator. His name and fame carried. the day and he was elected by a large majority. In the presi- dential campaign of 1824, there were four candidates for the presidency, Gen. Jackson, William H. Crawford, Henry Clay and John Quincy Adams. Jackson had the largest electoral vote, also the largest popu- lar vote. but the matter being thrown into the House, Mr. Adams was elected. In 1825 Jackson resigned his seat in the Senate and returned home, but in October of the same year was again nominated for the presi- deney. The enthusiasm for him rose to a white heat, nor was the tongue of slander idle. In the election of 1828 Mr. Jackson received 178 votes to eighty-three for Mr. Adams. So popular was Mr. Jackson's first admin- istration that in 1832 he received 219 electoral votes to forty-nine votes for Mr. Clay.
The military career of Jackson is also brilliant. He husbanded his
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1
resources until the time for a blow, then it was struck with the fierce- ness of a gladiator. He pushed his advantages to the utmost and never allowed his enemies time to recover. He often deceived them by a show of strength when he was really weak. His boldness and aggressive spirit made up for his deficiency in men and material. His administra- tive abilities may be more a question, yet whatever of error there might have been in them there will always be persons who will try to imitate his course. Many of his ideas were put into successful practice that would have been entirely impracticable if advocated by a man of less force. His aggressive administration did more to establish respect for American prowess than any other. His conclusions when reached were carried out. "His wonderful will and courage were the motor which carried him over all obstacles." He stood by his friends and was a good hater of his enemies. His aggressive nature coupled with the love of his friends often led him into difficulties. All his biographers say he was not quarrelsome; this may be, but it seems hardly true. He loved horse racing and could indulge in the most bitter oaths; was also frequently officious in duels. To all these things it may be said that public senti- ment was so little against these vices that they were looked upon as mere trifles. Jackson was not a profound scholar nor a great reader. He read men well and kept posted on the events of the day. His spelling has often been ridiculed. Parton says: "Jackson lived at a time when few men and no women could spell;" furthermore he spelled better than Frederick II, Marlborough, Napoleon or Washington. Even "O. K." is said to have been written by him for "all correct." A case from the docket in 1790 in Jackson's handwriting, will illustrate how this error started. "A. Jackson presented a bill of sale which was approved and marked O. R." The initials being O. R. instead of O. K., are the ab- breviations for "ordered recorded," a very common form of simplifying the expression. Jackson, though never a very polished writer or speaker, had the faculty of getting at the truth in the most direct way. His do- mestic relations were always the most happy. The death of Mrs. Jackson. which occurred on December 22, 1828, was a severe blow to the General. He himself died, without heir, at the Hermitage on June 8, 1845.
Sam Houston, a very noted and somewhat eccentric individual was born in Lexington, Rockbridge Co., Va., March 2, 1793. His ancestors were Scottish Covenanters, who fled to the north of Ireland to escape per- secution. A number of them came to Pennsylvania about the beginning of the eighteenth century. The father of Sam was a soldier in the Rev- olutionary war, and at the time of his death, in 1807, was inspector of a brigade. The mother with her nine children-six sons and three daugh-
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ters-soon after moved to East Tennessee and settled in Blount County, near the Cherokee country. Young Houston learned to read and write before leaving Virginia, and on his arrival at their new home was sent to school to an academy in the settlement. While attending school he com- mitted to memory almost the whole of Pope's translation of the Illiad. On his teacher's refusal to teach him Greek and Latin, he left school in disgust, with the remark that he would never recite another lesson. By the influence of his elder brother he entered a store as a clerk soon after leaving school. Becoming disgusted with his clerkship, he suddenly left and went to live with the Indians. His tall commanding figure and daring exploits as a hunter soon made him a great favorite among the Indians. The chief Ootooteka adopted him as his son. He remained with the Indians three years and grew to manhood, in size being fully six feet in height, of handsome, fine figure. He left his friends, the Indians, as suddenly as he had left home before. He was now eighteen years of age, and on his return home he opened a school. He charged the moderate rate of $8 per year for tuition; one-third payable in cash. one-third in corn and one-third in domestic cotton cloth.
He began his teaching in 1811, and soon had a flourishing school. The outbreak of the war with Great Britain afforded an opportunity for the display of his talents in a direction more congenial to his nature. In 1813 he enlisted as a common soldier, but soon rose to the rank of ensign. At the battle of the Horseshoe Bend, on March 27, 1813, he re- ceived a severe wound in the thigh from an arrow, and two balls in the shoulder. After the battle he was carried to Fort Strother on a litter. His wounds were thought to be mortal, but his robust constitution saved him. His bravery in battle made him a particular favorite of Jackson. After peace he was stationed at Knoxville as lieutenant, in charge of a post, but was soon afterward sent to New Orleans. While there his old wounds broke out afresh and he was compelled to undergo a very dan- gerous and painful surgical operation. After a winter of suffering he went to New York, where his health improved. In 1816 he returned to Tennessee, by way of Washington City, and was stationed at Nashville. On January 1, 1817, he was appointed to carry out a treaty with the Cherokee Indians. The next year he headed a delegation of Indians to Washington. While in that city he was accused of exercising too great zeal in putting a stop to the African slave trade through Florida, but was fully acquitted on trial. On March 1, 1818, he resigned his commission in the army and settled in Nashville, where he began the study of law. After a course of six months he was admitted to practice, and began his labors at Lebanon, Wilson County. His rise was rapid. In October,
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1819, he was attorney-general for the Nashville District, and in 1821 he was made major-general of the militia of the Western District. In 1823 he was elected to Congress, and again in 1825. He was elected govern- or of the State by the very flattering majority of 12,000. In January, 1829, Gov. Houston was married to Miss Eliza Allen, but from domestic infelicity he left her in April, resigned his office, gave up his candidacy for re-election, and again went to his old friends, the Cherokees, now be- yond the Mississippi. His old adopted father, Ootooteka, again kindly received him, and by a council of the chiefs, on October 21, 1829, he was made a citizen of the Cherokee nation, with full power. Detecting frauds in contracts with the Indians he went to Washington in 1832, where he plead the cause of the Indians so strongly that it led to an investigation. which caused the suspension of several clerks, and led to a personal en- counter between himself and W. R. Stansbury, of Ohio, in which the lat- ter received a severe castigation. For this offense Houston was arrested and fined $500, and was reprimanded by the speaker. President Jack- son, however, caused his fine to be remitted, and he left Washington in disgust and returned to the Indians in December, 1832.
He soon after moved to Nacogdoches, Tex., and took a very active part in the affairs of that State. He was elected delegate to the conven- tion on April 1, 1833; while a member of that body he exercised great influence over its deliberations. On the outbreak of war between Texas and Mexico, Houston was made commander of the militia of the eastern district, and in October, 1835, joined his forces with Gen. Austin, who was besieging Bexar. Gen. Austin offered to resign the entire command to Houston, who refused to accept. By vote of forty-nine out of fifty Houston was made commander-in-chief of the Texan forces, but resigned March 2, 1836, because he was accused of wanting to make himself dictator. He was soon after re-elected commander-in-chief by the same vote. He took command of the Texan forces at Gonzales, March 10. which numbered 374 men. A force under Col. Travis held the Alamo against the orders of Houston, and were besieged and captured by Santa Anna and the garrison of 185 men massacred. A panic seized Houston's men when the news reached camp that Santa Anna was advancing with 5,000 men. With difficulty Houston, who was absent at the time. col- lected his fugitives and fell back to Peach Creek. Here he was joined by 100 men, and soon after by 650 more. Being without artillery he was unwilling to give battle; in the meantime Col. Fannin was ordered to join him with the garrison of Goliad, but the order was not promptly obeyed. The entire garrison was surrounded and captured by Gen. Urrea and 357 men were shot. Intense feeling was aroused against the
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