Just finished "Andrew Jackson, His Life and Times" by H.W. Brands, published by Doubleday, 2005.
Found it a very good read as to events, the man, and temper of the times from 1767-1845. He was almost ironed willed in everything he undertook and did not suffer fools gladly. He began life as a young orphaned boy, little to no education and overcome almost every obstacle he found in his way. He killed a man in a duel after receiving a ball to the chest, (Jackson said, "if shot through the brain, I would have put a ball into him") he was shot again and almost killed in a brawl where knives were also liberally applied.
His military exploits almost defy truth, a British officer in the revolutionary war slashed him across the head and face, and he had an undying hatred of the English throughout most of his life. He was an Indian fighter who struck fear into all the tribes he engaged, The battle of Horseshoe Bend in March of 1814 against the Red Sticks, (Creeks) who were allied with the British, was the bloodiest defeat ever suffered by Indians in American history. 557 bodies counted in the fort and over 250-300 more who died trying to flee into the Tallapoosa River. Enraged over the massacre earlier by the Red Sticks at Fort Mims of 540 White men, women and children, the frontiersmen exacted terrible vengeance.
Before and during battle, he showed no mercy, but could at times be quite lenient after the foe was vanquished.
Facing an almost hopeless situation at New Orleans, he declared martial law and took a rag-tag band of about 4,000 "frontiersmen, militiamen, regular soldiers, free men of color, Indians, pirates, and townspeople, ordered anyone whom showed cowardice at the front, to be immediately shot down. In less than two hours, there were over 1500 of England's finest troops killed or wounded with 500 captured, the American loss was 13 killed and 64 wounded.
Found it a very good read as to events, the man, and temper of the times from 1767-1845. He was almost ironed willed in everything he undertook and did not suffer fools gladly. He began life as a young orphaned boy, little to no education and overcome almost every obstacle he found in his way. He killed a man in a duel after receiving a ball to the chest, (Jackson said, "if shot through the brain, I would have put a ball into him") he was shot again and almost killed in a brawl where knives were also liberally applied.
His military exploits almost defy truth, a British officer in the revolutionary war slashed him across the head and face, and he had an undying hatred of the English throughout most of his life. He was an Indian fighter who struck fear into all the tribes he engaged, The battle of Horseshoe Bend in March of 1814 against the Red Sticks, (Creeks) who were allied with the British, was the bloodiest defeat ever suffered by Indians in American history. 557 bodies counted in the fort and over 250-300 more who died trying to flee into the Tallapoosa River. Enraged over the massacre earlier by the Red Sticks at Fort Mims of 540 White men, women and children, the frontiersmen exacted terrible vengeance.
Before and during battle, he showed no mercy, but could at times be quite lenient after the foe was vanquished.
Facing an almost hopeless situation at New Orleans, he declared martial law and took a rag-tag band of about 4,000 "frontiersmen, militiamen, regular soldiers, free men of color, Indians, pirates, and townspeople, ordered anyone whom showed cowardice at the front, to be immediately shot down. In less than two hours, there were over 1500 of England's finest troops killed or wounded with 500 captured, the American loss was 13 killed and 64 wounded.
