Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-05-30
NIcKNAMEs OF FAMOUS MEN.
How Public Characters Came to Get
the Familiar Titles BY Which They
Are Known.


many of our presidents and generals
and other public characters, and many
of our cities and states. has for half
century given me good deal Of in
terest and innumerable hours of re-
search; although, of course, it would
be impossible for any one to present
an article on such a complex subject
with completeness.
, We are all aware that Washington
became known early after the revolu-
tionary war as the Father of his
Country but few of us are aware of
killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel
at Weehawken, n. j., about 100 years
ago, was the author OF the appellation.
We all know that Andrew Jackson re-
ceived the nickname of "Old Hick-'
ory," early in the 20's, but how many
people have traced the bestowal to an
old New Hampshire Democrat named
Isaac Hill? Or that Jackson bestowed
| the nickname of .Martie" on Martin
Van Buren,? We are all on affection
ate terms with "Old Abe" but not
many of us are aware Of the fact that
lit was Stephen A. Douglas who refer
red first to Abraham Lincoln in that
way, and that 1t was George Alfred
Townsend who accompanied Mr.. Lin
coin from Springfield to Washington
| in February, 1861, as correspondent of
the Philadelphia Press who first ap-
piled the term Of Father Abraham"
in newspaper. And 1t was President
Lincoln, after Andrew Johnson had
made one Of his last Union speeches in
the United States senate, in February,
1852, who called the great Tennessean
who was afterward generally known as
I"Old Andy" or just plain Andy
Johnson"
Many of our presidents were given
nicknames. John Quincy Adams was
Monroe will always be remembered by
the Doctrine" that is connected with
his name. William Henry Harrison
was "Tippecanoe," on account Of his
splendid Indian victories in Indiana In
the late sos. And Benjamin Harri-
son was widely cartooned and referred
to by Democrats as My Grandfather's
Hat" President Zachariah Taylor
earned the soubriquet Of Rough and
Buchanan was known as "Old Buck"
and as Jimmy Buchanan" Andrew
Johnson was often referred to by his
enemies as His Accidency." Grant
earned his nicknames during the war,
the best of them being Unconditional
Surrender Grant" Dana, of the Sun,
called Hayes "8 to Hayes" and still
meaner names, none Of which followed
The president to his grave. Another
was often Prince Arthur" McKin-
ley was either Major" or 'Bill Nc
Kinley." Cleveland was just Gro
ver." Roosevelt, Teddy" and Taft,
BILL"
Away back many years ago 5. ID.
Goodrich was Peter Farley" his son
was Dick Tinto," the vitriolic Ran
dolph was John Randolph Of Roa-
noke," Clay was the Mill Boy Of
Slashes," Benton was "Old Bullion"
Webster was the Sage of Marshfield,"
and Houston was Sam Houston" La
ter Stephen A. Douglas became known
as the Little Giant" Fremont as the
Gwin." And still later, Samuel S.
Cox. was known as Sunset Cox" on
account Of his brilliant description Of
a sunset Matt Carpenter was, the
Rufus Choate Of the west" Tom
Fitcl. was known as the "Silver Ton
gued," so highly ornamental and so
scintillant were his orations. Schurz
was "Snarleyow," Sharon, Fair and
Jones were called the "Silver Sena-
tors" and Ingalls, the 'Irascible Sena-
tor" Andrew Of Massachusetts, Cur
tin of Pennsylvania, Sprague Of Rhode
Island, Yates Of Illinois, and Morton
Of Indiana, were particularly known as
the War Governors" although there
were others quite as active, noble and
patriotic. Butler was always "Old
Ben Butler" and Montgomery Blair
was slippery Blair" Congressman
Kelley OF Pennsylvania was often re-
ferred to as Pig Iron Kelley" the
latter on account Of his tremendous
voice. Bouligny of Louisiana, the last
southern member Of the lower house
ole Congressman; he was thoroughly
Union, but joined the Confederate
army and was killed at Antietam.
Wentworth Of Illinois was Long Jim
Wentworth" George Washington Ju-
liam was the "Abolitionist of the
West" He was the vice presidential
candidate on the Free Soil ticket,
headed by John p. Hale. In 1852, and
later (after the war; was Democrat
lie congressman. John Morrissey was
the Prize Fighter congressman from
New York" Simon Cameron was
Thumbs Up" and his son was Don
Cameron" Hiram Rhodes Revels was
the "Nigger Senator" at least social
ed by many newspapers, and Congress-
man Horace Maynard was the East
Tennessee Indian" on account Of his
swarthy complexion and long black
hair.
Many Of our distinguished military
men have been favorably or unfavor-
ably known by their nicknames, thus:
Sherman was Tecumseh Sherman;
Thomas was Pop Thomas and the
Rock of Chickamauga, the latter be-
cause he saved the army of the Cum
berland from a crushing defeat In
September, 1863, in Georgia; Rose
Grams was beloved by his soldiers as
Old Rosey; Sheridan was always Little
Phil; Hooker was Fighting Joe Hook
er; Howard was the Christian ,ien-
eral; Colonel Moody was the Fighting
Parson; William H. Lytle. the author
of Il Am Dying, Egypt, Dying" was
the Poet General and was killed at
mounted and with his hat in his hand,
leading the troops; General Jim Stead
man was Sure and Steady; Gordon
Granger was Fighting Granger; Swee-
ney was One-Armed Sweeney; Ros-
seau was Handsome Rosseau; Critten-
den was Lovely Tom Crittenden; Han
cock was the Superb; Mcclellan was
Little Mac; Sprague was the Fighting
Governor, and had two horses killed
unueT Illlil dl the uTSI Ddllle Ol MdlldS-
sas (Bull RUM; Heintzleman was Old
HetinZe, called so first by President
Lincoln; Logan was Black Jack and
the McCooks were the McCooks al
ways; General Thomas Jefferson Wood
was Familiarity spoken Of as Tom
WOod-he had been in the Mexican
war and was looked upon by Thomas
as one of the safest division command
ers; Sill was the Dashing General and
was killed in the battle of Stone River
on the first day of the fight, Wednes-
day, December 81, 1862; Turchin was
the Little Russian General, and could
outswear any general in the army OF
the Flanders; Ogilvie was Safe and
Steady and always had chip on his
shoulder: Don Carlos Buell. was for
at least year known as the Traitor
Buell., although he saved Grant at Shi-
loh. crossing the Tennessee river with
two divisions at midnight on Sunday,
April 6, 1862, when General Grants
army had been beaten by Albert Sid