Old Hickory-Duelist
Share
Andrew Jackson was directly involved in three duels as a participant. The first one was with a lawyer named Avery. Jackson was an attorney and the experienced Avery used Jackson’s own argument to make Jackson look foolish, or so Jackson thought. The future president issued a challenge to duel on the spot. Avery did not respond so the challenge was issued on the next day. Avery decided that he had to accept. The duel could end by the parties shooting each other or, they could fire in to the air and miss on purpose. That way their honor was left in tact. Both Jackson and Avery fired their pistols into the air. They remained cordial with each other afterwards.
The next duel to discuss was with the first Governor of the State of Tennessee, John Sevier.
Sevier had been Governor three two year terms. This was all that was allowed. Jackson’s friend Archibald Roane ran for Governor and won. Sevier ran against Jackson for Commander of the State Militia. The race was so close that it was declared a draw. The new governor picked Jackson as the winner. This angered Sevier, who decided to run against Roane two years later for Governor. He defeated him in a bitter contest. Since The were both officers of the State of Tennessee they would occasionally come into contact with each other. The resentment boiled over one day with Governor Sevier calling Jackson an adulterer. (Lots of controversy surrounding the marriage of Andrew and Rachel Jackson which I will get to in the future). The challenge was issued.
Jackson showed up at the appointed time and place. Sevier was delayed and Jackson left after waiting two hours. They met up on the road. Insults were hurled with the seconds restraining Jackson from attacking the Governor. Eventually both went home. The wounds never healed but at least neither man was killed.
The last was with a fellow by the name of Charles Dickinson. This one was the one that turned deadly.
Dickinson and Jackson‘s feud began over a horse racing bet. The bet was 2000 dollars between Jackson was considerably wealthy at the time, and Dickinson’s Father-in Law. The arrangement is said to carry an 800 dollar stipulation in case one of the horses had to be scratched. Jackson’s opponent’s horse showed up lame, but did not want to pay the stipulated money. Eventually he did but the feud began to boil between the two families. Fights broke out between Jackson and men Dickinson sent to spy on Jackson.
Eventually, Dickinson published articles in the local newspaper calling Jackson a coward among other things. Jackson then challenged Dickinson to a duel.
The duel took place with Jackson decided to let Dickinson shoot first at 24 paces. Dickinson fired striking Jackson in the chest. Narrowly missing his heart. The bullet would be with Jackson for the rest of his life. Jackson then carefully aimed and struck Dickinson in the stomach. Dickinson was carried from the field and died that day.
The bullet lodged in Jackson’s chest eventually killed him, but it was many years later as a complication. Jackson died in 1845 after serving two terms as President.
All of the stories of him fighting in hundreds of duels are false.
Thank you for reading
AO