ANDREW JACKSON was born in the Waxhaw Settlement, North Carolina, March 15, 1767. His parents had recently emigrated from Ireland, and he lost them both early in life. In 1781 he joined the Continental Army and served in North Carolina. Having studied law, he removed, in 1788, to Nashville. He was the first member of Congress from Tennessee, in 1796; was United States senator, 1797-1798; judge of the Supreme Court of Tennessee, 1799; resigned in 1804, and retired to his farm, called "The Hermitage," near Nashville. As major-general of the Tennessee Volunteers, he gained victories over the Creek Indians at Talladega, November 9, 1813, at Emuckfaw and Enotochopco, January 22 and 24, and at Tohopeka, March 27, 1814. He was appointed brigadier-general in the United States Army on April 19, (p. 239) major-general on May 1, 1814, and commander-in-chief for the defence of Louisiana against the British troops under General Packenham, whom he completely defeated at the battle of New Orleans, January 8, 1815. For this great victory Congress gave him a vote of thanks and a gold medal. He retired from the army, 1819, was governor of Florida territory, 1821, United States senator from Tennessee, 1823-1824, unsuccessful presidential candidate in 1824, and President of the United States (first term), 1829-1833; (second term), 1833-1837. He retired to the Hermitage in 1837, and died there June 8, 1845. He was known by the sobriquet of "Old Hickory." _____ ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS. _Resolution of Congress Voting a Medal to General Jackson._ _Resolved unanimously by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled_: That the thanks of Congress be, and they are hereby, given to Major-General Jackson, and, through him, to the officers and soldiers of the regular army, of the militia and of the volunteers, under his immediate command, and to the officers and soldiers charged with the defence of Fort St. Philip, for their uniform gallantry and good conduct, conspicuously displayed against the enemy, from the time of his landing before New Orleans until his final expulsion from the State of Louisiana, and particularly for the valour, skill, and good conduct on the eighth of January last, in repulsing, with great slaughter, a numerous British army of chosen veteran troops, when attempting by a bold and daring attack to carry by storm the works hastily thrown up for the protection of New Orleans, and thereby obtaining a most signal victory over the enemy with a disparity of loss, on his part, unexampled in military annals.