Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1866-02-14
HOLD HICKORY"
T. M. NJ.

"OLD HICKORY"
A correspondent states that General
jackson obtained his soJriqnet Of "Old
Hickory under the following curcum-
stance -
tn 1885, | was intimately acquainted
with Colonel John Allon, U. S. agent of
the Chickasaw Indians, residing in Pont-
otoc, and with his brother, Capt VIM. AL
len, then merchant in thai town.
learned from Capt. Allen, that bis father
was near neighbor and devoted friend
of General Jackson, and that he and his
brother John served as soldiers in his es.
cort in all his campans, ard camped at
at the same fire, and messed with him
during the Greek war. They were GER
taluly great favoritos with him; and he
rewarded them for their friendship by
giving them lucrative appointments in the
ChlchasAw nation while he was president
In conversation with Allen about jackson,
on one occasion, | asked him how he ac-
quired the name of "Od Hickory" He
gave his reply, as remember, in his own
words.
during the campaign which included
the battle of Emuckfaw Creek, the army
was moving rapidly to surprise the In
dians, and We were without tents. In
the month of March, cold equinoctial
rain fell on US, mingled with sleet, which
lasted several days.
"lhe general was exposed to the wealth
er, and was suffering severely with bad
cold aud sore throat. At night we BIZ
vouacked in muddy bottom. while it
was pouring down rain which froze as it
fell.
My brother John and I, finding 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
at once-to try and make him comfort.
able.
I'VE cut down a stout hickory tree in
which the sap was rising, and peeled the
bark from it in large fakes, cut two forks
and pole, laid down floor of bark and
dried leaves, and rooted it and closed ono
side or rather one end of the structure,
against the storm with bark and left the
other end OPEN We then dried our blan.
kes and made him pallet in the tent
we had constructed. ....r ....
ave woke up the old 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 soundly all night we'll cased in
hickory bark. .....
1.-The next morning an old man from
; the neighborhood came into camp with d
jug of whiskey, with which, after imbib.
ing quite freely himself, he 6 we US all a
treat as far as the liquor would 60. He
seemed to be a kind hearted and patriotic
old fellow, sort of privileged character
in his country. .....
| While staggering about the camp fires
full OF fun and whiskay, he blundered
upon our little hickory bark tent, which
Immediately arrested his attention. After
eycingit for moment, he exclaimed
What sort of an outiandish Indian
fixing is this 2 and gave it kick which
tumbled down the queer,looking structure
and completely buried the old hero under
the bark. W. l5I....r n.f rnt
"As he struggled out of the ruins, and
looked iercely around for the author oI
the mischief, the old topper recognized hin
and exclaimed
",Hallo, Old Hickory, come out of youl
bark, and join in drink !" .-.0..
"1here was something so ludricrous il
the whole scene, that respect for his pres
euee and rank could not restrain our mer
riment. He very good. humorcdly joined
us in laughing at the mishap. AS he ros'
up, and shook the bark from him, ht
looked SO tough and stern, we all gave hin
q 'Hurrah for Old Hickoryf ao
This was the first time he ever heard
these words, which were afterwards shouted