The Shasta courier., 1865-12-23
Old Hickory.

All Americans are familiar with this SOU.
briquet of General Andrew jackson; yet
very few know how it was earned by the
old hero. | happen to be able to inform
your readers.
In 1886 | was intimately acquainted with
Col. John Allen, United States Agent Of the
Chiekasaw Indians, residing in Pontotoc !;
and with his brother, Capt. William Alien,
then merchant. | learned from Capt. Allen
that his father was near neighbor and de.
voted friend Of General Jackson, and that he
and his brother John served as soldiers in
his escort, in all his campaigns, and campcd
at the same fire and messed with him during
the Greek war. They were certainly great
favorites with him and he rewarded them
for their friendship by giving them lucrative
appointments in the Chckasaw nation, while
he was President. In conversation with
Capt Allen about General jackson, on one
occasion | asked him how he acquired the
name of d" Old Hickory?' give his reply,
as well as l can remember, in his own
words:
During the campaign, which included
the battle of Emucktaw Greek, the army was
moving rapidly to surprise the Indians, and
we were without tents. In the month OF
March, cold equinoctial rain fell on us.
mingled with a sleet which lasted several
days. The General was exposed to the
weather. and was suffering severely with a
bad cold and sore throat At night we
bivouacked in muddy bottom while it was
pouring down rain, which froze as it fell
My brother John and l feeling that he was
very unwell. became uneasy about him,
although he did not complain, and laid
down upon his blanket by the camp fire
With his soldiers. Seeing him wet to the
skin, stretched in the mud and water in
his suffering condition, We determined to try
and make him comfortable.
We cut down stout hickory tree, in
which the sap was rising, and peeled the
bark from it in large flakes; cut two forks
and a pole, laid down a floor of bark and
dead leaves, and rooted it, and closed one
side, or rather one end of the structure
against the wind with bark, and left the
other end open. We then dried our blan
kets and made a pallet in the tent we had
constructed We woke up the General and
with some difficulty persuaded him to crawl
in. With his saddle for pillow wrapped
in our dry blankets, and his feet to the fire,
he slept snugly, and soundly all night, well
cased in hickory bark.
The next morning an old man from the
neighborhood came into camp with a Jug of
whisky which after imbbing quite freely
himself, he gave US all Il treat as far as the
liquor would 20. He seemed to be a kind
hearted, ioval and patriotic old fellow a sort
of privileged character in his country
While staggering about among the camp
fires, full of fun and whisky, he blundered
upon our little hickory bark tent, which
Immediately arrested his attention. After
cycling it for moment, fe exclaimed !:
What sort Of an outlandish Indian g fixin''
is this and gave it kick which tumblcd
down the queer looking structure, and com
pletely buried the old hero in bark. As he
struggled out Of the ruins and looked ierccly
around for the author of the mischief the
old topper recognized him. and exclaimed :
:. Hello, Old Hickory! Come out of your
bark and join us in drink
There was something so ludicrous in the
whole scene. that respect for his presence and
rank could not restrain our merriment. lie
very good humoredly joined US in laughing
at the mishap As he rose up and.shook the
bark from him, he looked so tough and stern
we all gave him a cira =" Hurrah for old
Hickory This was the first time he ever
heard these words, which were afterwards
shouted by the millions of his countrymen,
whenever he appeared among them.
Twill only add that Capt William Allen,
of Davidson county, Tennessee, who died
in Pon.otoc. in 1887, was distinguished for
courage. il tagrity and strict veracitv: and
the above may be regarded as a true account
of the origin of the nickname of General
Andrew Jackson.-Jacksoa Mss Nc,rs.