The sun., 1893-10-01


under Gen. Jackson. he took part in the des
perate bnttle Of Tohopeka. which was Tough
in August 1914. Here he displayed extraordi
nary Rnllsntry. He was the nrst man Of hi
regirne ent to gain the top OF tho enemy's breast
works. and. as he did so. was stricken with ,
bnrbed arrow in the thigh. Two attempts I,
extract tho arrow having failed. II was at last
pulled out by main strength, and gaping anc
Jagged wound was left from which the blooc
gushed In a stream. Ordered to the rear b,
Jackson, Houston refused to obey. and rush
ing to the front, was the only man who an
| swerotl the cnll for volunteers to storm the
ravino in which tho last remnant OF the Creeks
had taken refuge. Unsupported. Houston
dashed forward. but when within q few yards
| of tho entrance received two bullets in his
shoulder and had his upper right arm shatter-
ed. When Houston was borne from the field his
wounds were pronounced by the surgeons ne
cessarily fatal. They extracted one bullet. but
tho other was not removed until two years
later. and the operation nearly cost him his
life. Tho wound indeed. never entirely healed.
and constantly discharged until the day OF his
death. One is. OF course. prepared to hear that
his gallantry at Tohopeka caused his promo
tion to a Lieutenancy. but IL 10 OF moro conse-
quence to learn that his conduct In that battle
gained for him Jackson's confidence and
friendship. which he retained throughout his
life. Tho Lieutenancy he resigned In 1918.
having taken umbrage at some unwarranted
attacks upon the motives which had prom pt ed
him to shield his old friends. the Cherokees
from spoliatlon at tho hands OF Indian agents
After leaving the army. Houston determined
to become a lawyer. and after six months
study was admitted to the bar. The qualia-
cations for practice In Tennessee at the time
were not so much q knowledge OF the law and
familiarity with legal procedure. as a flow OF
popular oratory and determin alton to hold
ones own against the fighting attorneys who
were wont to supplement debate in the court
room with a personal encounter outside.
Houston never pretended to be lawyer in the
professional sense Of the term. In Tennessee.
and afterward in Texas. he was what was
known as q political attorney. and did not pro-
fess to be anything else. That he soon became
figure in public life is evident from
tho fact that about a year after his
admission to tho bar. he was elected
Prosecuting Attorney for the district which
included Nashville and. four years later. was
chosen Representative to Congress. Houston
served in Congress for four years without
especial distinction. though he was known to
be an earnest member OF the Jackson wing Of
tho Democratic party. 1t was during his Sec
ond term that his duel with Gen. William
White took place. a duel In which tho latter
was severely wounded. although Houston es-
caped untouched. 1t is recalled that as they
took their places. Houston slipped something
into his mouth. That, as he afterward ex-
planned. was a bullet which he had put be-
tween his teeth on the advice OF Andrew Jack
son. who said that. on such occasions. 1t was
good to have something in the mouth to bite
on. Houston never fought again while sober.
and was equally ready with lofty asump-
ton Of dignity. or joke. to avoid
the necessity. To a challenge from
political inferior in Texas he replied
that he never fought down hill" On
another occasion. when called to account
by a gentleman whom he had been denounc-
Ing, he said: why. H.. I thought you were n
friend OF nine" 80 was: but do not pro-
pose to be abused by you or anybody else"
- Well. should like to know" said Houston.
IL man can't abuse his friends. who in hell
can he abuse?" and the affair ended in a
laugh. Once In Texas. Houston and ex-Presi-
dent Burnett had an acrimonious newspaper
controversy. in which they banded epithets.
until finally Houston accused Burnett OF being
n hog thief" There was no retort In Texan
capable OF matching this. SO
Burnett sent challenge to Houston. What
does he predicate the demand upon ?" said
Houston In his loftiest manner. The emisssry
replied that 1t was for his abuse OF Mr.. Bur- !
nett. Hasn't he abused me to an equal de- |
gree He has done SO publicly and privately.un-
til am compelled to believe that the people are
equally disgusted with both OF u.s." Houston's |
dignity OF manner overpowered the emissary.
and he took back the challenge. Houston also
rejected challenges from President Lamar.
Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston. and Commodore
Moore Of the Texas navy. besides a good
many others. On one occasion. being visited
~ gentleman with a warlike message. he
ook the challenge and handed it to his private
with instructions to endorse 1t
Number fourteen" and flo 1t away. He then
informed the visitor that his affair must wait
is turn until the previous thirteen hal been
disposed OF. The present bioRrapher consid-
,rs it wonder that Houston should have pre-
erved his reputation for courage in such o
while persistently declining to
light. AS a matter OF fact. his courage seems
lever to have been seriously questioned. He
la6 furnished his proofs.
1t was in 1927 at the age OF "a. that Houston
4 knl - lx.o