The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1866-03-06
"oLD HICKORY"


A correspondent says that General
jackson obtained his sobriqad Of odd
Hickory" under thrsfclIowing circumstan,
ces;
In 1886, | was intimately acquainted
with Colonel John Allen. I. 5. agent Of
the Chickasaw Indians. residing 10 Ponto-
toe, aud with his brother, Capt. Wm Al.
len, then merchant in thai town. !
learned rom Capt. AIlen, that his father
was near neghbor and devoted friend cf
General jackson. and that he and bis
brother John served rs soldiers ia hi, Is
cort in all his campaigns, and camped nj
the same fire, and messed with him dur.
ing the Greek war They were cerainly
great layoriies with him and lie reward
ed them Iortheir friendship by giving them
lucrative appointments in the Chickasaw
nation while he Was president. In conver-
salion with Allen about Jackson, on one
occasion, | asked him how he acquired the
name Of sold Hickory" He gave his re.
ply. as remember, in his own words.
"During the campaign which included
the battle Of Emuckfaw Greek. the army
was moving rapidly to surprise the lndi-
ans, and we were without tents III the
month Of March. co.d eqahtoctal rain
tell on US, mingled with sleet, which lasted
several days.
! The general was exposed to the wealth.
er, and WAS suffering severely with a bad
cold AID sore throat At night We bi-
vouacked in muddy bpuoni, while il
was pouring down rain Which iroze as il
fell
Ny brother John aud |, finding that
he was very uaweli, became uneasy about
him, although he did not complains! aud
laid down npol his blanket by the camp
fire with his soldiers. SEEING him wet 10
the skin, stretched in the mud and water
in his suffering condition, Nc dttermln d
--at onee---lo t'y aud make him comfort
able.
we cut down n s'out hickory trepaip
which he sap was rising, and peeleds lbc
bark from i,'ln lalge fakes, eat wo fglk.
aid pole, laid down floor 81 bark and
dried leaves and ooed il and clpsed one
ie or rather one end Of the structu G
against tie storm with birk and. lei, the
s, .er end open. we thea dripd our alan-
kels, AID rngle Inn d pallet in The teot
had 60 strHeied
We woke up the old general, anl viii
some difficulty pursuad i him 20 ctawl n
/ With lis saddle lor a pillow, wrapped II
our dry blankets, aud his fe,I 10 The lire,hc
slept sonndy all night, well cased IN hick-
orr bark.
"lhe next IN rning an OLD man from
the neighbopbood caulc into camp with 9
Jug OF whskey, with which, after imblb
ing quite freely himself, he give us all q
treat as far A.. the liquor wouhl 20. lie
seemed to be kind,hearted and patriotic
old fellow, - sort of privileged character
in his country.
"Whie staggering about the camp fires
fall OF fun and whiskey, he blnnderrd upol
our ltlle hickory bark tent, which rmme.
dlately arrested his attention. Alter eye.
ing il for moment, he exclaimed
"tWbat so.t OF an outlandsh ludlal
liking is this ? and gave it kick whcl
tumbled down the queer locking structure
and completely buried the old helo nndel
the bark.
".is he struggled out Of the ruins, ane
looked iiercely around for The au'hor OF th'
mischief, the cid topper recognized hm ant
exclaimed :
j "'Hallo, Old Hickory, come out Of you
bark, and join in drink!
There was something 50 ludicrous y
the whole scene, that respect for his pres
ence and rank could not restrain our mer
rimrnt. lie very goo I-humoredly joined
Us in laughing at the mi'hap. As lie rose
up and shook tie bark from him,he iookec
80 tough and stern, We alI gave him
Iurrah for Old Hickory
This was the fast lime he ever hear1
these words, which were afterwards shout
ed by millions Of his cOunirymen hen b'
appeared among them.
| will only add that Captain william
Allen. Of Dasid,oa County, Tennessee
who died ii Pontocoe, IA 1887, was DIS
/ tingaished for courage, integrity aud st. ic
veracity and the above may be regarded
as true account Of the origin Of the nick
name of Geaeral Andrew jackson.