William J. Worth-- Part 6: Worth Square, Manhattan

William Worth's remains were reinterred in a 51-foot granite monument on Worth Square on a traffic island between Fifth Avenue and Broadway at 25th Street  in New York City's borough of Manhattan.  It is the second oldest monument in New York City (the oldest is Cleopatra's Needle).

It was designed and built by James G. Batterson in 1857.

The monument's decorative bands are inscribed with the names of Worth's battles and attached to the front of it is a bronze equestrian relief of Worth.  The top of each spike of the cast iron fence surrounding the monument is topped with a plumed helmet he is wearing on the memorial plaque.  The main part of each spike is modeled after Worth's Congressional sword.

The American artist Thomas Hart Benton depicted the monument in his "New York: Early Twenties" painting  Worth Street (Manhattan) at the southern end of Little Italy, is named in his honor.

Quite an Important Early American Hero You Probably Have Never Heard Of Before.  --Brock-Perry

Stokely Donelson Hays-- Part 2: The Fight Between Andrew Jackson and the Bentons

OIn September 1813, Andrew Jackson, Gen. John Coffee and Stokely hays deliberately strolled by the Nashville City Hotel where they knew Thomas Hart Benton and his brother Jesse were staying.  A feud had been brewing between Jackson and the Bentons and they were there to provoke it even more.

Both sides had threatened the other.  And, a confrontation occurred.  never one to back down from a fight, Andrew Jackson was wounded and the others fought.  Jackson just barely survived his wound.

Sounds like the making a a good book.

Stokely Hays fought with Jackson and Coffee in the Creek War and at the Battle of New Orleans.

--Brock-Perry

Andy and Clarksville-- Part 3: "Old Hickory"

In February 1813, Andrew Jackson learned that the War Department had ordered him to disband his army and send them home.  He refused to do that and said he'd would instead lead them back home himself.

He them marched them back to Tennessee and was really hard on his force, so tough that the men said he was "Tough as Hickory," from whence he got the name "Old Hickory."

Once back in Nashville, he got involved in a duel as a second between Jesse Benton, Thomas Hart Benton's brother and William Carroll (Later Tennessee governor).   The duel fortunately did not result in any deaths.

Later there was a free-for-all fight between Thomas Hart Benton and Jackson.

Boys Will be Boys.  --Brock-Perry

Clarksville and Andy-- Part 2: Andrew Arrives in Town

On January 13, 1813, Andrew Jackson arrived in Clarksville, Tennessee, on the first of 13 boats carrying infantry on their first leg of a voyage down the Mississippi to stop the British in the Gulf of Mexico area.  Cavalrymen, including 31 from Montgomery County were moving overland to join him.

Jackson's quartermaster, Thomas Hart Benton, was in Clarksville and reputedly brandished a bayonet on local merchants to get them to sell 160 barrels of flour.  They did, but Benton ended up paying $8 a barrel instead of the current going rate of $5.50.

Jackson then continued on his journey, finally arriving at Natchez, Mississippi, where he received rumors that the British were amassing 14,000 troops in the West Indies for the purpose of capturing New Orleans.

Jackson prepared to go there to defend the city.

39th U.S. Infantry

From the NPS.

First Muster, June 18, 1813:  John Williams, colonel; Thomas H. Benton lt.-col.

Others in July 29, 1813:

1st Majhor--  Lemuel P. Montgomery
2nd Major--  William Peacock
1st. Lt. and adjutant--  Willie Martin
2nd Lt. and quartermaster--  Gyt Smith
Surgeon's Mate--  John Reed
Sgt. Major--  Anthony Palmer
2nd Master Sergeant--  Ezekial W. Hudnall
Drum Major--  Edward Hunt

--Brock-Perry

Thomas Hart Benton-- Part 2: Got Into Brawl With Jackson

From Wikipedia.

Born March 14, 1782   Died April 10, 1858.

Thomas Hart Benton moved his family to a plantation in Tennessee, near Nashville, and continued his legal education.  While there, he came to know Andrew Jackson.

With the outbreak of the War of 1812, Jackson made Benton his aide-de-camp with the rank of lieutenant-colonel.  Jackson then assigned Benton to go to Washington, D.C., to represent his interests there.  Benton did not like this assignment.

In 1813, he engaged Jackson in a frontier brawl in which Jackson was wounded.

--Brock-Perry

Thomas Hart Benton in the War of 1812

From the Civil War in Missouri.

Thomas Hart Benton was born into a wealthy Virginia family in 1782 and later moved to Tennessee.

During the War of 1812, he offered his services to Col. Andrew Jackson who made him his aide-de-camp.  Benton engaged the Creek Indians but really wanted to fight the British.  He would get that chance with Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans.

He was so proud of that, that for years afterwards he signed his correspondence "Lieutenant Colonel. 39th Infantry."

In 1815, he moved to Missouri Territory.

--Brock-Perry

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