Col. John Williams of the 39th U.S. Infantry Regiment-- Part 2

In the War of 1812, John Williams raised a small company of 200-250 volunteers, primarily from Tennessee and Georgia, with the intention of invading Florida and attacking the Seminoles.  They invaded Florida in February 1813 and destroyed several Indian villages.  They returned to Tennessee where they were mustered out.

In June 1813, Williams was commissioned into the U.S. Army and ordered to recruit and organize the 39th U.S. Infantry Regiment.  They were charged with engaging the Red Stick Creeks Indians.  Williams raised 600 troops for his regiment.

Early in 1814, they were placed under General Andrew Jackson's command, who was preparing for an expedition against the Red Sticks in Alabama.  They met at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend where the 39th formed the center of Jackson's line and captured the log barricades the Creeks had fortified along the riverbed and forced them to retreat..

Among the soldiers in the 39th were future Arkansas senator Thomas Hart Benton and future governor of Tennessee and Texas, Sam Houston.

After the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, Williams went to Washington, D.C., to raise money and weapons for the 39th.  Throughout the rest of 1814, Jackson and Williams bickered over the dispersal of those weapons.,leading to them being adversaries after the war.

In 1815, he was chosen to fill Tennessee's senate seat and later won it on his own.

--Brock-Perry