by H. W. Brands
“So weak is the Executive”: Windship to Plumer, April 2, 1814, ibid., 575–76.
“The quantity of goods brought in by the banditti”: Walker Gilbert to Thomas Freeman, February 18, 1814, in Arthur, 34.
“Natives of Louisiana! . . . a certain protection”: Nichols to residents of Louisiana and Kentucky, in Parton, 1:578.
“You may be a useful assistant . . . honorable intentions”: Nichols to Laffite, ibid., 584.
“I call on you . . . the British constitution”: Nichols to Laffite, ibid., 584; William Percy to the inhabitants of Barataria, ibid., 585.
“I offer to you to restore . . . to be proscribed”: Laffite to Claiborne, ibid., 588.
“The Major General commanding . . . dealt with accordingly”: Jackson to New Orleans citizens and soldiers, December 15, 1814, PAJ, 3:204–05.
“Major General Andrew Jackson . . . held for examination”: General order, December 16, 1814, PAJ, 3:206–07.
“They are the oppressors . . . dearer than all”: Jackson address to troops, December 18, 1814, CAJ, 2:118–19.
“Soldiers! . . . to great deeds”: Jackson to black troops, December 18, 1814, CAJ, 2:119.
“The lakes in complete possession of the enemy”: Jackson to James Winchester, December 16, 1814, PAJ, 3:208.
21. DAY OF DELIVERANCE
“It is scarcely possible . . . effect his escape”: Gleig, 142–49.
“Perfectly convinced of the importance . . . if not into consternation”: Jackson to Monroe, February 13, 1815, CAJ, 2:167–68.
“It may not be altogether”: Coffee to wife, no date given, excerpted in Buell, 1:357–58.
“Say to them not to be alarmed”: Jackson quoted in Reid and Eaton, 287.
“As the Americans had never yet dared . . . had confessedly been taken”: Gleig, 159.
“The result equaled my expectations . . . prosecute his own”: Jackson to Monroe, February 13, 1815, CAJ, 2:168.
“I feel no objection”: Wellington quoted in Hickey, 295.
“In you I have the greatest confidence”: Wellington to Gallatin, no date given, excerpted in entry for December 12, 1814, Gallatin, 35.
“The terms of this instrument . . . I think no honor”: Clay to Monroe, December 25, 1814, Papers of Clay, 1:1007.
“I told him I hoped . . . of my country”: Entry for December 24, 1814, J. Q. Adams, Memoirs, 3:126–27.
“The British delegates very civilly asked us . . . I feel much older”: Entries for December 25 and 27, 1814, Gallatin, 35–36.
A rumor began circulating . . . move toward surrender: Reid and Eaton, 318–21.
“This was the turning point . . . 106 Royal Street”: Laffite, 58–59.
“Of the American army nothing whatever”: Gleig, 165.
“Nothing was kept a secret”: Unidentified British officer quoted in Reid and Eaton, 319.
“By the 25th . . . with incredible labour”: Forrest, 33–35.
“Pakenham might not be the brightest” . . . commission as governor of Louisiana: Introduction by Rankin to Forrest, 9.
“The distance rendered her fire”: Ibid., 33.
“The enemy opened a very brisk fire . . . grace their brows”: Latour, 96.
“Yesterday the enemy opened . . . able to judge”: Jackson to Monroe, January 2, 1815, CAJ, 2:130.
“For two whole nights and days . . . the 6th of January”: Gleig, 167–76.
“infinite labor”: Jackson to Monroe, January 9, 1815, CAJ, 2:136.
“In the afternoon of the 7th . . . re-establishing his batteries”: Latour, 107–08.
“The dawn of day . . . after the first”: Ibid., 107–09.
“Being opposed by overwhelming numbers . . . so much as revenge”: Gleig, 179.
“And now, for the second time . . . of their comrades”: Latour, 108–09.
“Sir Edward saw how things were going . . . his aide-de-camp”: Gleig, 179.
“A great number of officers . . . of the day”: Latour, 109.
“Riding through the ranks . . . of the fugitives”: Gleig, 179–80.
“Prompted by curiosity . . . fourteen men wounded”: Ibid., 182.
“The whole plain on the left . . . killed and wounded”: Latour, 111. British officers reported their losses as totaling a bit more than two thousand (Remini, Battle of New Orleans, 167).
22. THE SECOND WASHINGTON
“Is there a Federalist”: Boston Gazette, no date given, quoted in Parton, 2:242.
“Appearances justify the expectation”: National Intelligencer, no date given, ibid., 244.
“Louisiana is still American . . . for the English”: Louise Livingston to her sister, January 12, 1815, Hunt, 59–61.
“strange and difficult to account for . . . thus hastily quitted”: Jackson to Monroe, January 9, 1815, CAJ, 2:137–38.
“Hail to the chief!”: Unidentified poet, in Reid and Eaton, 369.
“As soon as their defeat reaches Ghent”: Jackson to Winchester, January 19, 1815, PAJ, 3:252.
“I produced my books . . . Good morning, sir”: Nolte, 233–34.
“abuse of authority”: Louisiana Courier, March 3, 1815, in Parton, 2:309.
“I have thought proper”: Jackson to Hall, March 11, 1815, CAJ, 2:189.
“The commanding general . . . be immediately discharged”: Jackson proclamation, March 13, 1815, PAJ, 3:310.
“Whenever the invaluable rights . . . of my country”: Jackson to Jean Baptiste Plauché et al., March 16, 1815, PAJ, 3:312–14.
“Under these circumstances”: Jackson quoted in Reid and Eaton, 387.
“I received your letter by express . . . so much in my life”: Rachel Jackson to Jackson, February 10, 1814, PAJ, 3:28.
“I have this moment received . . . three sweet kisses”: Jackson to Rachel Jackson, February 21, 1814, PAJ, 3:34.
“Tell him I have”: Jackson to Rachel Jackson, April 1, 1814, PAJ, 3:55.
“May God preserve them from accident”: Jackson to Robert Hays, February 4, 1815, CAJ, 2:157.
“After supper we were treated”: Nolte, 238–39.
“My friends and many citizens . . . by your permission”: Joseph Delaplaine to Jackson, March 25, 1815, CAJ, 2:196–97.
“I think it very proper”: Jackson recommendation, date not given, Heiskell, 2:77.
“I have had a serious attack of dysentery”: Jackson to Hays, February 17, 1815, PAJ, 3:281.
A study conducted in the late twentieth century: Deppisch, 569–71.
They probably did less systemic harm: Ibid. Remini (Jackson and Course of American Freedom, 1–3) is among the historians and biographers who seem to have overstated the damage done by Jackson’s medications.
“Go, full of honour . . . an admiring world”: Jackson to troops, March 21, 1815, CAJ, 2:195–96.
“He is every where hailed”: Reid to Sophia Reid, April 20, 1815, Reid papers.
“In New Orleans there was two public dinners”: Jackson to John Coffee, April 24, 1815, PAJ, 3:348.
“The sons of America”: Jackson speech at the Hermitage, in Parton, 2:330–31.
23. EAST BY SOUTHWEST
“The Revolution was effected before the war commenced”: Adams to H. Niles, February 13, 1818, John Adams, Works of John Adams, 10:282.
“General, you are the man”: Livingston quoted in Hunt, 52.
“My health is not restored”: Jackson to Livingston, July 5, 1815, PAJ, 3:370.
“manifest a just respect”: Dallas to Madison, May 20, 1815, Madison papers.
“The case of military necessity”: Dallas to Jackson, July 1, 1815, CAJ, 2:212–13.
“I expect to set out thither”: Jackson to Dallas, September 5, 1815, PAJ, 3:384.
“Honor and gratitude . . . secretary of war”: toasts quoted in Parton, 2:334.
“having traveled all day . . . can’t be long”: Reid to Elizabeth Reid, November 18, 1815, PAJ, 3:391–92.
“Judge Washington was not at home”: Reid memorandum, November 1815 (no day give
n), CAJ, 2:219.
“I had the pleasure of seeing . . . fatiguing to them”: Jackson to Robert Butler, December 31, 1815, CAJ, 2:223.
“The wonderful revolution in France . . . with Great Britain?”: Jackson to Edward Livingston, May 17, 1815, PAJ, 3:357.
“well-armed, clothed, and disciplined . . . peace of the nation”: Crawford to Jackson, March 15, 1816, CAJ, 2:236–37.
“The growing hostile dispositions . . . it stands on”: Jackson to Gaines, April 8, 1816, CAJ, 2:238–39.
“The conduct of this banditti”: Jackson to Zuñiga, April 23, 1816, CAJ, 2:241–42.
“If the object was sufficiently important”: Ferdinand Amelung to Jackson, June 4, 1816, CAJ, 2:242–43.
“You will, upon the application . . . by military force”: Crawford to Jackson, January 27, 1816, CAJ, 2:227–28.
“The line must be run . . . as early as possible”: Jackson to Coffee, February 13, 1816, CAJ, 2:231–32.
“Why the government should feel . . . with the settlers”: Jackson to Crawford, June 10, 1816, CAJ, 2:244–45.
“Candour to the Government”: Jackson to Crawford, June 13, 1816, CAJ, 2:248.
24. PARTY AND POLITICS
“A congressional caucus will . . . success is inevitable”: Burr to Alston, November 20, 1815, Burr, Memoirs, 2:433–35.
“I fully coincide with you”: Alston to Burr, February 16, 1816, ibid., 2:437.
“If all influence but the native Indian”: Jackson to Butler, September 5, 1816, CAJ, 2:259.
“We experienced some difficulty . . . a strong population”: Jackson to Monroe, October 23, 1816, CAJ, 2:261–62.
“He is a man . . . a true American”: Jackson to Monroe, October 23, 1816, CAJ, 2:261–62.
“In every selection . . . our common country”: Jackson to Monroe, November 12, 1816, CAJ, 2:265.
“The chief magistrate . . . it may be done”: Monroe to Jackson, December 14, 1816, CAJ, 2:266–68.
“Names are but bubbles . . . was unjustly ascribed”: Jackson to Monroe, January 6, 1817, CAJ, 2:272–73.
“My mind was immediately fixed . . . for improper purposes”: Monroe to Jackson, March 1, 1817, CAJ, 2:276–77.
“the best selection . . . Department of War”: Jackson to Monroe, March 18, 1817, CAJ, 2:282–83.
“Short sighted politicians . . . holding treaties with them”: Jackson to Monroe, March 4, 1817, CAJ, 2:277–81.
“Then we will have peace”: Jackson to Monroe, March 18, 1817, CAJ, 2:282–83.
25. JUDGE AND EXECUTIONER
“Your order . . . will be accomplished”: Jackson to Monroe, January 6, 1818, CAJ, 2:345–46.
“I well remember . . . any other person”: Monroe to Calhoun, May 19, 1830, Papers of Calhoun, 11:165.
“In accordance with the advice . . . of its suggestions”: Jackson “Exposition,” unpublished pamphlet, 1831, in Benton, Thirty Years’ View, 1:170.
“General Jackson and Mr. Rhea”: Ibid., 178–79.
And in fact Jackson’s letter book: CAJ, 2:346n4.
“You have murdered many . . . or my lands”: Gaines-Hatchy colloquy quoted in Parton, 2:427–28.
“With this force”: Jackson to Calhoun, January 12, 1818, CAJ, 2:347.
“The excessive rains”: Jackson to Calhoun, February 26, 1818, American State Papers: Military Affairs, 1:698.
“The creek swamp was so bad . . . women and children”: McIntosh to Jackson, March 16, 1818, Jackson papers, Library of Congress, and Parton, 2:446–47.
“It is all important”: Jackson to Isaac McKeever, no date given, Parton, 2:447–48.
“They maintained for a short period . . . crowned with scalps”: Jackson to Calhoun, April 8, 1818, CAJ, 2:358.
“not as the enemy”: Jackson to Francisco Caso y Luengo, April 6, 1818, Parton, 2:451.
“I may fairly say . . . hung this morning”: Jackson to Rachel Jackson, April 8, 1818, CAJ, 2:357–58.
“Tomorrow I shall march”: Jackson to Calhoun, April 8, 1818, CAJ, 2:359.
“They were in a bad swamp . . . head of cattle”: McIntosh to William Mitchell, no date given, quoted in Parton, 2:459.
“Here I should have halted . . . for the present”: Jackson to Calhoun, April 20, 1818, CAJ, 2:361–62.
“The Commanding General orders”: Jackson order, April 29, 1818, American State Papers: Military Affairs, 1:734. Parton has the fullest account of the trial of Arbuthnot and Ambrister (2:463ff.).
26. THE EYE OF THE STORM
“There is a chain of communication”: Jackson division order, April 22, 1817, PAJ, 4:113–14.
“The War Office gentry . . . on your guard”: Anonymous to Jackson, August 14, 1817, PAJ, 4:134.
“I have not permitted myself”: Jackson to Scott, September 8, 1817, CAJ, 2:325.
“If the Captain obeys”: Scott to Jackson, October 4, 1817, PAJ, 4:142–43.
“with the designs of an assassin . . . to number yourself”: Jackson to Scott, December 3, 1817, PAJ, 4:157–58.
“It is my earnest desire . . . our free government”: Monroe to Jackson, October 5, 1817, PAJ, 4:148.
“There are serious difficulties”: Monroe to Madison, July 10, 1818, Writings of Monroe, 6:54.
“This is justifiable”: Jackson to José Masot, May 23, 1818, PAJ, 4:208.
“I am informed that you have orders”: Jackson to Luis Piernas, May 24, 1818, PAJ, 4:210.
“Resistance would be a wanton sacrifice”: Jackson to Masot, May 25, 1818, PAJ, 4:211.
“Mr. Calhoun is extremely dissatisfied”: Diary entry for July 13, 1818, J. Q. Adams, Memoirs, 4:107.
“Calhoun says he has heard . . . in the speculation”: Diary entry for July 21, 1818, ibid., 113.
“The opinion is unanimously against Jackson”: Entries for July 15 and 16, 1818, ibid., 108–09.
“The Eighth of January shall be remembered”: Clay address to House, January 29, 1816, Papers of Clay, 2:148.
“We are fighting . . . avoid their errors”: Clay address, January 20, 1819, ibid., 646, 650, 658–59.
“to dismiss them with impunity . . . urgent and indispensable”: Adams to Gallatin, November 30, 1818, Writings of John Quincy Adams, 6:513.
“I have destroyed the Babylon . . . women and children”: Jackson to Rachel Jackson, June 2, 1818, PAJ, 4:212.
“absolutely necessary to put down the Indian war . . . never yield it”: Jackson to Monroe, June 2, 1818, PAJ, 4:213–15.
“Had General Jackson”: Monroe to Madison, February 7, 1819, Madison Papers.
“If the executive refused to evacuate”: Monroe to Jackson, July 19, 1818, PAJ, 4:225–26.
“the theatre of every lawless adventure . . . great measure derelict”: Monroe annual message to Congress, November 16, 1818, Annals of Congress, 15th Congress, 2nd session, Senate, 12.
27. CONQUISTADOR
“The years of 1819 and ’20 . . . state and federal”: Benton, Thirty Years’ View, 1:5–6.
“It is, sir . . . a small college”: Curtis, 170.
“Let the end be legitimate . . . on the states”: Marshall opinion for the majority in McCulloch v. Maryland, Hall, 537.
“Times are dreadful here”: Jackson to James Gadsden, August 1, 1818, PAJ, 4:307.
“Eastern paper is not to be obtained”: Jackson to Andrew Jackson Donelson, September 17, 1819, PAJ, 4:322.
“I reached Nashville . . . side and breast”: Jackson to Donelson, July 14, 1818, PAJ, 4:222.
“My health is bad”: Jackson to Shelby, August 11, 1818, PAJ, 4:235.
“I was taken very ill . . . under another campaign”: Jackson to Donelson, September 17, 1819, PAJ, 4:322–23.
“I have never believed that Spain . . . a good appetite”: Jackson to George Gibson, September 7, 1819, PAJ, 4:318.
“Does Congress believe . . . in six months”: Jackson to George Gibson, February 1, 1820, PAJ, 4:356.
“My dear nephew . . . to instant death”: Jackson to Donelson, December 28, 1818, PAJ, 4:262–63.
“I am not insensible . . . interpose no barrier”: Jackson to Monroe, November 15, 1818, PAJ, 4:247.
“The combination formed . . . politically damned”: Jackson to William Lewis, January 30, 1819, PAJ, 4:268–69.
“The insidious Mr. Clay”: Jackson to Rachel Jackson, February 6, 1819, PAJ, 4:271.
“What poor minded bitches”: Blount to Jackson, April 18, 1819, PAJ, 4:285.
“I am happy to be informed”: Jackson to Clark, July 13, 1819, CAJ, 2:420.
“Having laboured from my youth”: Jackson to John Clark, January 6, 1820, PAJ, 4:349.
“Like Lucifer”: Ibid.
“If you persist . . . let it come!”: Tallmadge and Cobb, February 16, 1819, in Annals of Congress, 15th Congress, 2nd session, House, 1203–04.
“No man is more sensible”: Clay to J. Sloane, August 12, 1823, in Remini, Clay, 180.
“firebell in the night”: Jefferson to John Holmes, April 22, 1820, Selected Writings of Jefferson, 698.
“Pensacola is a perfect plain . . . one hundred feet”: Rachel Jackson to Eliza Kingsley, July 23, 1821, in Parton, 2:603–06.
“Yesterday I received possession . . . of my days”: Jackson to Coffee, July 18, 1821, CAJ, 3:105.
“It is further ordered”: Jackson to Robert Butler and James Bronaugh, August 22, 1821, PAJ, 5:95.
“Colonel Callava repeatedly asserted”: From the official report by Butler and Bronaugh, no date given, in Parton, 2:624.
“A party of troops”: Callava’s account, ibid., 626.
“The Governor, Don Andrew Jackson”: Unnamed Spanish officer, ibid., 630–31.
“pompous arrogance and ignorance”: Jackson to John Quincy Adams, August 26, 1821, CAJ, 3:115.
“Rising to his feet . . . before God himself”: Unnamed Spanish officer, Parton, 2:631–32.
“indignation and contempt”: Jackson to Fromentin, September 3, 1821, PAJ, 5:100.
“The first time the authority . . . to the stake”: Fromentin narrative, no date given, Parton, 2:636.
THE PEOPLE’S PRESIDENT (1821–1837)
28. CINCINNATUS
“Our place looks like it had been deserted”: Jackson to Richard Call, November 15, 1821, PAJ, 5:116.
“I am truly wearied . . . my declining years”: Jackson to Monroe, November 14, 1821, CAJ, 3:129.
