Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1866-08-04
Old Hickory.


All Americans are familiar with this
soubriquet 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 l was intimately acquainted
with Col. John Allen, United States
Agent of the Chickasaw Indians, resid-
ing in Pontotoc; and with his brother,
Captain William Allen, then a merchant
in that town. 1 learned from Captain
William Allen that his father was a
near neighbor and devoted friend Of
General jackson, and that he and his
brother John served as soldiers in his
escort, in all his campaigns, and camped
at the same fire, and messed with him
during the Greek war. They we're GER
tainly great favorites with him, and he
rewarded them for their friendship by
giving them lucrative appointments in
the Chickasaw nation while he was
President In conversation with Capt.
Allen about General jackson, on one
occasion, | asked him how he acquired
the name of 'Old Hickory I give the
reply, as we'll as I can remember, in his
own words:
"During the campaign which includ-
ed the battle of Emuckfaw Creek, the
army was moving rapidly to surprise
the Indians, and we were without tents.
In the month of March a cold equinoc-
tial rain fell on US, mingled with sleet
which lasted several days. The general
was exposed to the weather, and was
suffering very severely with bad Id
and sore throat AT night we bivou-
acked 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 un-
easy about him, although he did not
complain, and laid down upon his
blanket by the camp fire with his SOL
diers. Seeing him wet to the skin,
stretched in mud and water, in bis suf-
fering condition, we determined to try
and make him more comfortable.
We cut down stout hickory tree, in
which the sap was ascending, and peel
ed the bark from it in large fakes cut
two forks and 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
woke up the General, and with some
difficulty persuaded him to crawl in
With his saddle for a pillow, wrapped
in our dry blankets, and his feet to the
fire, he slept snugly and soundly all
night, we'll cased in hickory bark.
The next morning, an old man from
the neighborhood came into camp with
a jug of whisky, with which, after i'm
biblng quite freely himself, he gave us
all "a treat as far as the liquor would
go. He seemed to be kind d-hearted,
patriotic and jovial old fellow a sort Of
privileged character in his country
While staggering about among the camp
fires, full of fun and whisky, he blum
dered upon our little hickory bark tent,
which Immediately arrested his atten-
tion. After cycling it for moment he
exclaimed: "What sort of an outlandish
Indian fxin is this and gave it kick
which tumbled down the queer looking
structure, and completely buried the
old hero in bark. AS he struggled out
of the ruins and looked fercely 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 He very good humor-
edly Joined us in laughing at the mis-
hap. AS he rose up and shook the bark
from him be looked so tough and stern
that we all gave him viva 'Hurrah
for Old Hickory This was the first
time he ever heard these words, which
were afterwards shouted by the millions
of bis countrymen whenever he appear
ed among them"
will only add that Captain William
Allen, of Davidson county, Tennessee,
who died in Pontotoc, in 1887, was
distinguished for courage, integrity and
strict veracity; and the above may be
regarded as true account of the origin
of the nickname of General Andrew
Jackson.-Jdckson { Mss Ne,cs.