Old times in Tennessee, with historical, personal, and political scraps and sketches, Part 25

Author: Guild, Jo. C. (Josephus Conn), 1802-1883
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Nashville, Tavel, Eastman & Howell
Number of Pages: 1012


USA > Tennessee > Old times in Tennessee, with historical, personal, and political scraps and sketches > Part 25


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The victory of San Jacinto was demanded by retributive justice. It was a victory that the civilization of the age and the honor ofthe human race required to be won. The battle of San Jacinto stands unparalleled in the history of the world, either as to the manner in which it was fought or the results growing out of that splendid victory of a few raw, undisciplined troops, poorly armed and equipped, over a veteran army, thoroughly armed and provided with all the appliances to make a war of invasion effective. Texas thus secured its independence and became a republic. Goliad and the Alamo decreed independence, and San Jacinto gave force and effect to that decree. The massacre of the pris- oners of the Alomo and Goliad must ever be regarded as snap- ping the last ligament that bound Texas to Mexico. These acts, more befitting an untutored savage than the soldiers of a pro- fessedly civilized nation, not only gained for the struggling Texans the sympathy of patriotic and liberty-loving people throughout the world, but nerved the survivors to deeds of valor that won for them and their posterity a heritage as enduring as their own broad and beautiful prairies. It is said that "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church." It is equally true that the blood of slaughtered patriots is the dragon's teeth sown upon the earth from which heroes, full grown and armed, leap into life and become victors in battle and founders of republics. the leader of the revolution and the hero of San Jacinto, was made


Texas having won its independence, established a republic by adopting our constitution and institutions. Gen. Sam. Houston,


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President of the new republic, and afterwards he brought upon his broad shoulders the empire of Texas, and the " Lone Star" was annexed to our glorious constellation, and became one of the States of the Union. Gen. Houston was elected one of the first United States Senators from Texas, and was afterwards frequent- ly elected Governor of Texas, which office he held in 1861. Be- ing opposed to the war, he was deposed, and retired to private life, and died at Huntsville, Texas, in January, 1863, at the age of seventy. If he had lived, it is probable that he would have become President of the United States. Gen. Houston married for his second wife an estimable lady of Alabama, and left seven interesting children.


HOUSTON'S SEPARATION FROM HIS FIRST WIFE.


The citizens of Sumner county who knew Mrs. Eliza H. Houston from childhood, and that there was no stain of dishonor upon her character, deemed it due to her to call a meeting of the .citizens of that county nearly half a century ago, to give expres- sion to the' opinion entertained by the entire community of the private virtues of that lady, and whether her character had re- ceived any injury, among those acquainted with her, in conse- quence of the unfortunate disagreement between her and her husband, Gen. Sam. Houston, resulting in their separation. The following letter published in the Louisville Courier Journal, in January, 1875, reproduces the action of that meeting :


"CLARKSVILLE, TENN., January 18.


"The domestic misfortune of Samuel Houston, the unswerving friend of Andrew Jackson, Governor of Tennessee, and the first and third President of the republic of Texas-troubles long since forgotten by the masses of the nation-were probably the cause of driving him into exile among the red men West of the Missis- sippi, from which he emerged into the wilds of Texas and became the captor of Santa Anna, established a republic, and afterwards · represented the State of Texas as Governor and one of its most honored Senators. Strange as it may seem, General Houston, with all the heroism of his nature-the man of nerve who never did concede that Texas belonged to Spain by the stipulations of the Florida treaty-although he had filled the position of Gover- nor of Tennessee, President of a republic, and Senator from Texas, still failed to secure from this nation that respect which


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has been enjoyed by obscurer men. It was these family troubles over which the general public desired forty years ago to throw the mantle of forgetfulness that blasted his private character, and with it followed the fame his daring exploits and love of country- had so worthily bestowed upon him.


"The subjoined extract, copied from an old paper published in this State in 1830, explains to some extent the cause of the disso- lution of his marital ties :


"'At a meeting of sundry respectable citizens of Sumner coun -. ty, Tenn., assembled at the court-house in Gallatin, on the 26th day of April, 1830, George Crockett, of said town, was called to the chair, and Thomas Anderson appointed secretary. The design of said meeting having been explained by appropriate remarks from Col. Jo. C. Guild, on motion of W'm. H. Douglas, it was


"' Resolved, That the following gentlemen be appointed a com- mittee to consider and draw up a report expressive of the opinion entertained of the private virtues of Mrs. Eliza H. Houston, and whether her amiable character has received an injury among those acquainted with her, in consequence of the late unfortunate occurrence between her and her husband, Gen. Samuel Houston, late Governor of the State of Tennessee, to-wit: Gen. Wm. Hall, Wm. L. Alexander, E-q., Gen. Eastin Morris, Col. J. C. Guild, Elijah Boddie, Esq., Col. Daniel Montgomery, Thomas Anderson, Esq., Capt. Alf. H. Douglas, Isaac Baker, Esq., Mr .. Robt. M. Boyers, Maj. Charles Watkins and Joseph W. Bald- ridge, Esq. ; and that said committee meet at the court-house in Gallatin, on Wednesday next, and report.


"'The meeting was then adjourned until Wednesday next at 10 o'clock, A. M.


"' GALLATIN, April 28, 1830.


"'The citizens met according to adjournment (all the members present except Col. Montgomery), and presented the following report :


"' The committee deem it unnecessary at this time to animad- vert on the character and conduct of Governor Houston, except · so far as they may be inseparably connected with the investiga- tion and development of the character of his unfortunate wife.


"' It appears that very shortly after the marriage Governor Houston became jealous of his wife, and mentioned the subject to


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one or two persons, apparently in confidence ; yet the committee are not informed that he made any specific charges, only that he believed that she was incontinent and devoid of the affection which a wife ought to have toward her husband. The commit- tee cannot doubt but that he rendered his wife unhappy by his unfounded jealousies and his repeated suspicions of her coldness and want of attachment, and that she was constrained by a sense of duty to herself and her family to separate from her infatuated husband and return to her parents, which she did early in the month of April, last, since which time she has remained in a state of dejection and despondency.


"' The committee will close this report by observing that they are informed that Gov. Houston had lately made a tour through the Middle States, and had returned to Nashville on his way to . Arkansas, where they understood he has located himself in the Cherokee Nation ; and it has been suggested that public sympa- thy has been much excited in his favor, and that a belief has ob- tained in many places abroad that he was married to an un worthy woman, and that she has been the cause of all his misfortunes and his downfall as a man and as a politician, whereas nothing is fur- ther from the fact ; and without charging him with malignity of heart or baseness of purpose, the committee have no hesitation in saying that he is a deluded man ; that his suspicions were ground- less; that his unfortunate wife is now, and ever has been, in the possession of a character unimpeachable, and that she is an inno- cent and injured woman there is not the semblance of a doubt.


"' The committee appointed to express the sentiments of this meeting in relation to the character of Mrs. Eliza H. Houston, and the causes which led to the separation from her husband, beg leave to present that, on the 22d of January, 1829, General Samuel Houston, the then Governor of Tennesse, was married to the daughter of a highly respected citizen of Sumner county. She was born in the town of Gallatin, and reared in the county of Sumner, and is personally known to the whole community, a majority of whom have known her since her infancy. Up to the time of her marriage with Governor Houston, no lady sus- tained (and the committee think justly sustained) a fairer and more unsullied reputation for all those virtues which embellish and adorn the female character.


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"' The committee have had placed in their hands a letter from Gov. Houston to his father-in-law, written shortly after the sep- aration, a copy of which is appended herewith without comment :


"' DEAR SIR-The most unpleasant and unhappy circumstance has just taken place in the family, and one that was entirely un- necessary at the time. Whatever had been my feelings or opin- ions in relation to Eliza at one period, I have been satisfied, and it is now unfit that anything should be adverted to. Eliza will do me the justice to say that she believes I was really unhappy. That I was satisfied, and believed her virtuous, I had assured her last night and this morning ; this, however, should have pre- vented the facts coming to your knowledge and that of your wife. I would not for millions that it had ever been known to you. But one human being knew anything of it from me, and that was by Eliza's consent and wish. I would have perished first ; and if mortal man had dared to charge my wife or say aught against her virtue, I would have slain him. That I have and do love Eliza none can doubt, and that I have ever treated her with affection she will admit; that she is the only earthly object dear to me God will bear witness. The only way that the matter can now be overcome will be for us all to meet as though it had never occurred, and this will keep the world, as it should ever be, ig- norant that such thoughts ever were.


""' Eliza stands acquitted by me. I have received her as a virtuous, chaste wife, and as such I pray God I may ever regard her, and I trust I ever shall. She was cold to me, and I thought did not love me; she owns that such was one cause of my unhap- piness. You can think how unhappy I was to think that I was united to a woman who did not love me. That time is now past, and my future happiness can only exist in the assurance that Eliza and myself can be more happy, and that your wife and yourself will forget the past, forget all, and find your lost peace- and you may rest assured that nothing on my part shall be want- ing to restore it. Let me know what is to be done.


"' Your most obedient, SAM. HOUSTON.'


" The report was unanimously accepted, and it was


"'Resolved, That the editors of the State of Tennessee, and all other editors who feel any interest for the character of an injured female, be requested to give the foregoing report and proceedings


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an insertion in their respective papers. And the meeting ad- journed.'


"This separation was final; a pure woman's character was fully exonerated. Governor Houston never returned to Tennes- see, ** but remained in Texas, where he married a most estimable woman. In 1861 he was deposed as Governor, and resided in Texas throughout the remainder of his life, which terminated at Huntsville, Texas, in June, 1863.


"He was a staunch supporter of the cause of the Union. He died, aged seventy-three, in full faith and fellowship in the Cal- vinistic Baptist Church, leaving a widow and seven children, none of whom had attained their majority. He died as Tom Benton said an honest public man ought to die-poor. His eldest son was a Confederate soldier."


I did not see Gen. Houston after this meeting until he visited Nashville while a Senator in Congress. While here, he was the guest of Dr. John Shelby, but received his friends at the Nash- ville Inn. In early life I had sustained him, in my feeble way, in all his aspirations for office. But I did not know how he would now receive me, supposing he had seen the action of citi- zens of Sumner county touching the unfortunate troubles be- tween him and his wife, and the part I had taken in that meet- ing; yet I ventured to call on him, and extending my hand as I approached him, he rose and received me in the most cordial manner, and expressed much concern as to my welfare. We spent an hour chatting about men and events of the "long time ago." At one time during the interview, when not interrupted by visitors, he took me cordially by the hand and said, "Guild, you did a noble thing in vindicating the character of Eliza. I thank you and citizens of Sumner county for the stand you took in that unfortunate affair." It was too delicate for me press the interview further. He then glided off upon the heroic conduct of the seven hundred and fifty Texans he commanded in the great battle that secured the independence of Texas, and did not again allude to his family troubles.


Napoleon put aside his estimable wife Josephine and married the Austrian Princess Maria Louisa in order to advance his po-


* Gov. Houston visited Tennessee after he became a United States Senator from Texas .- J. C. G.


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litical ambition, Houston, from perhaps the same consideration, espoused the amiable Eliza H. Allen, and for reasons inexplica- ble separated from her and went into voluntary exile. The con- duct of Napoleon and Houston in these matters has placed a cloud upon the brilliant fame of these great men which will, per- haps, never pass away.


I have deemed it due to the memory of Gen. Houston and of his first wife to print the following documents in this connection :


LETTER FROM COL. WILLOUGHBY WILLIAMS.


NASHVILLE, TENN., April 1, 1878.


Judge Jo. C. Guild-My Dear Sir: In the several conversa- tions we have had on the subject of Gen. Sam. Houston's life, you have expressed a desire to have me relate some of the par- ticular scenes and events in his early career still familiar to my mind. I will endeavor then, in a short sketch, to give you what now occurs to me of most interest.


My earliest recollections of Gen. Houston date back to 1811, at Kingston, Roane county, Tenn. He was a clerk at the time in the store of Mr. Sheffy. My mother, in her widowhood, was living about three miles from Kingston. I was thirteen years of age, and Mr. Houston five years my senior. The line of the Cherokee country was about three miles South of Kingston, the Holston river being the boundary. The Indian trade being much valued, his services were highly appreciated from the fact that he spoke with fluency the Cherokee language. He was es- pecially kind to me, and much of my time was spent in his com- pany. He remained in the capacity of clerk until after the declaration of the war of 1812. At that time the United States were recruiting troops at Kingston for the war. Lieut. Wm. Arnold, of the thirty-ninth regiment of regulars, was sent to Kingston on recruiting service. The whole population had caught the war fever, and intense interest prevailed. The manner of enlisting at that day was to parade the streets with drum and fife, with a Sergeant in command. Silver dollars were placed on the head of the drum, and, as a token of enlistment, the vol- unteer stepped up and took a dollar, which was his bounty; he was then forthwith marched to the barracks and uniformed. The late Robert H. McEwen, of this city, cousin to Gen. Hous-


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ton, and myself were standing together on the street and saw Houston take his dollar from the drum and enlist as a private in the year 1813. He was taken immediately to the barracks, dressed as a soldier, and appointed the same day as a Sergeant. Soon after this Lieut. Arnold had received thirty-nine soldiers, and was ordered to send them forth to join the troops, marching to the Creek war, under the command of Col. John Williams, of Knoxville, who commanded this regiment of regulars in person at the battle of the Horse Shoe, and afterward became a distin- guished Senator in Congress from Tennessee. Soon after Hous- ton left Kingston, his friends applied to President Madison for his promotion, who commissioned him as Ensign. The commis- sion was promptly sent, and reached him before the battle of the Horse Shoe. At that battle he mounted the Indian defenses with colors in hand, and was wounded by a barbed arrow in the thigh. A soldier, whom he ordered to extract it by main force, made several ineffectual efforts, and only succeeded under a threat by Houston to kill him unless he pulled it out. He was carried back, suffering intensely from the wound, which had been much lacerated. His indomitable will led him immediately back into the fight, when he was soon wounded by two balls in his right shoulder. The intrepid spirit he displayed on this occasion won for him the lasting regard of Gen. Jackson. Disabled from fur- ther service, he was sent back to Kingston with the sick and wounded. Robert H. McEwen and myself met him some dis- tance from Kingston, on a litter supported by two horses. He was greatly emaciated, suffering at the same time from his wounds and the measles. We took him to the house of his relative, 'Squire John McEwen, brother of R. H. McEwen, where he re- mained for some time, and from thence he went to the home of his mother, in Blount county. After this battle he received the appointment of Lieutenant for his gallantry. After the restora- tion of peace he was appointed sub-agent of the Cherokee Na- tion under Return J. Meigs, who was agent, the agency being on the West bank of the Hiwassee, near where the railroad be- tween Knoxville and Chattanooga crosses, the spot where the re- mains of Gov. MeMinn and Return J. Meigs lie buried, both having been agents to the Indian Nation. While in the capacity of sub-agent, a controversy arose between himself and Mr. Cal-


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houn, Secretary of War, which caused his removal about the year 1818. Soon after this he came to Nashville and commenced the study of law with Hon. James Trimble, father of Mr. John Trimble, of this city, and obtained license to practice after six or eight months' study. At the first meeting of the Legislature he was elected Attorney General of this district over some dis- tinguished lawyers as competitors, and in 1821 was elected Major General of the militia of this division of the State, and in 1823 was elected to Congress, and re-elected in 1825. While a mem- ber of Congress he preferred some charges against the postmaster here, who, it was understood, would hold him personally respon- sible on his return home. The matter was public, and great ex- citement existed among the friends of both parties, and rumors were afloat that a duel would follow. Col. John T. Smith, a noted duelist, living in Missouri, arrived in the city, and it was understood he would be the bearer of the challenge to Houston. . It was believed that Col. McGregor, who was the second of Gen. Houston, would refuse to accept the challenge through the hands of Col. Smith, for reasons which he explained. This caused some excitement amongst the friends of Gen. Houston, as they expected a difficulty to occur between McGregor and Smith be- cause of the refusal to accept the challenge if borne by Smith, he being well known as a desperate man. It was anticipated that the challenge would be delivered at the Nashville Inn, where Gen. Houston was stopping that afternoon, and all were on the lookout for the movements of Smith. He was soon seen, about where now stands the Hicks block, walking in the direction of the Nashville Inn, and the friends of both parties hurried to the Inn, where the meeting was to take place. Maj. Philip Campbell, a gallant soldier in the Creek war, and a warm, personal friend of Gen. Houston, with ten or fifteen other Houston men, made their appearance at the Inn prepared to take part, as it was expected there would be a fight when McGregor refused to accept the challenge borne by Smith. The challenge was presented by Smith to Mc- Gregor in front of the Nashville Inn, with these words : " I have a communication from Col. Irwin to Gen. Houston, which I now hand to you, sir," extending his hand with the challenge. Mc- Gregor replied, "I can receive no communication through your hands from Col. Irwin," and the paper dropped on the pavement


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before them. Col. Smith then returned to his quarters, walking down the Public Square, the same route by which he approached the place of meeting. The crowd rushed into the hall of the Inn, where Gen. Houston was standing, greatly relieved that there was no fight between McGregor and Smith. Gen. Wm. White, a brave and chivalric gentleman, remarked that he did not " think the proper courtesy had been extended to Col. Smith." Houston heard the remark, and said to him, " If you, sir, have any grievances, I will give you any satisfaction you may demand." Gen. White replied, "I have nothing to do with your difficulty, but I presume to know what is due from one gentleman to an- other." This ended their conversation. The next day it was rumored on the streets that Gen. Houston had " backed down" Gen. White. When it reached the car of the gallant White through some evil-minded person, he resented the imputation by sending a challenge to Gen. Houston, who readily accepted. Robert C. Foster, a prominent citizen of Davidson county and preserver of the peace, came to town and heard the rumor. He expected the fight, and immediately had a warrant issued for the arrest of both parties, which was placed in the hands of Joseph W. Horton, the Sheriff of this county at that time. Mr. Horton requested me to accompany him next morning to the residence of Gen. White to make the arrest. White was then living four or five miles North of Cumberland river. Declining the request of Mr. Horton, I immediately went to Houston's room and found that he had heard, late in the afternoon, of the warrant for the arrest of both himself and Gen. White. That evening he left the city, and passed by the Hermitage on his way to the home of Jimmy Dry Sanders, in Sumner county. The next day he sent a messenger to learn what had been done with White, and to notify him that he would be in Kentucky on a certain day to offer him any redress he might desire. White met him accord- ing to appointment, and they fought a duel at runrise. White was thought to be mortally wounded, but recovered. On the evening of the fight a large crowd was assembled at the Inn to hear the news of the duel, among them Gen. Jackson. While waiting in great expectation, a personal friend of Gen. Houston, and a noted character, John G. Anderson, who had gone up to witness the fight, was seen coming in full speed over the bridge,


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and soon announced that Houston was safe and White mortally wounded.


After Houston's term in Congress expired, he was elected Gov- ernor of Tennessee, successor to Gen. Wm. Carroll. During his Governorship he married Miss Allen, who was a member of a large and influential family in Sumner and Smith counties. Gen. Carroll, after being out of office two years, was again eligible, and declared himself a candidate in opposition to Houston. The first meeting of Houston and Carroll in the canvass occurred at Cockrill's spring, in the month of April, at a battalion muster. I was at that time Sheriff of the county and Colonel of the mili- tia, and, at the request of Houston, drilled the regiment on that day. He desired me to fully acquaint myself with popular sen- timent, and communicate it to him after the speaking, which I did, and it afforded him much gratification. He left the muster- ground Saturday afternoon for the city, and I accompanied him as far as the residence of Mr. John Boyd, in sight of the city, and then returned to my home, leaving him in fine spirits. I went into the city on Monday morning early, and while register- ing my name at the Nashville Inn, the late Daniel F. Carter, who was at the time clerk of the hotel, said to me, "Have you heard the news?" I replied, "No; what news?" He replied, "Gen. Houston and wife have separated, and she has returned to her father's home." I was greatly shocked, having never sus- pected any cause for separation. Asking where Gen. Houston could be found, Mr. Carter replied he was in his room, but could not be seen. I went immediately to his room and found him in company with Dr. Shelby. He was deeply mortified, and refused to explain this matter. I left him with Dr. Shelby for a few minutes and went to the court-house on business. When I re- turned I said to him, "You must explain this sad occurrence to ns, else you will sacrifice your friends and yourself." He replied, "I can make no explanation. I exonerate this lady fully, and do not justify myself. I am a ruined man; will exile myself, and now ask you to take my resignation to the Secretary of State." I replied, " You must not think of it," when he again said, " It is my fixed determination, and my enemies, when I am gone, will be too magnanimous to censure my friends." Seeing his de- termination, I took his resignation to the Secretary of State, who




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