Dropped stitches in Tennessee historyAllison, John
History
Dropped stitches in Tennessee history
Allison, John
Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845 -- Homes and haunts -- Tennessee; Tennessee -- History
This was established beyond doubt, in the minds of a few old gentlemen
(who afterward learned the actual facts), by an incident which happened
in 1832--probably in the early part of October--at the public house
or tavern kept by Capt. Bell at Bean’s Station, in Grainger county.
President Jackson had left Washington, in the early part of August,
1832, in company with Francis P. Blair and others, to visit the
Hermitage; and the incident about to be related occurred on the return
trip to Washington. Before leaving the Hermitage, the itinerary or
schedule of travel and stopping-places on the route had been made out.
Bell’s tavern had been fixed upon as a point for dinner and rest, and
Capt. Bell had been notified of the date. Bell had been a friend and
admirer of Jackson for many years, and he and his wife naturally made
great preparations to receive and entertain the President and his
accompanying friends. Quite a number of leading citizens, acquaintances
and adherents of Jackson, who had been apprised of the day he would
arrive, were on hand to greet their old friend and leader, the
President of the United States.
The party arrived on time, and the President’s carriage stopped in the
public road in front of the tavern, which stood at some little distance
back from the highway. Capt. Bell and others were at the carriage door
to receive President Jackson, who got out immediately and “shook hands
all round.” Bell, however, observed that Jackson, with an ominous
storm-cloud gathering on his face, was looking intently toward a broad
porch which extended along the front of the tavern, his eyes evidently
fixed upon a gentleman who was walking back and forth on this porch,
and who was evidently in turn eyeing Jackson with equal intensity.
Suddenly, Jackson turned toward the conveyances which were accompanying
him with friends, some of whom had already gotten out, and said, “Don’t
get out--we will not take dinner here.” Then, turning to Capt. Bell,
he said, “I regret that I can’t stop, rest awhile and take dinner with
you. Tell Mrs. Bell that I could not stop.” The latter remark was made
in an undertone to Capt. Bell, after which President Jackson got into
his carriage and ordered his driver to go on, and his friends followed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account