This Month in the War of 1812: Battle of the Thames and Battle of Queenston Heights, Isaac Brock, Tecumseh

From the American Battlefield Trust  "War of 1812 Timeline."

OCTOBER 5, 1813

**  Battle of the Thames.    British defeat and death of Tecumseh.

OCTOBER 7, 1813

**  Andrew Jackson establishes camp at Fayetteville, Tennessee, to recruit American forces to combat  the Creeks in Alabama.

OCTOBER 9, 1811

**  Major General Isaac Brock is appointed administratior of Upper Canada.  (He is the Brock in my Brock-Perry sign off each post, and an amazing general.)

OCTOBER 13, 1812

**  British-Canadians win the  Battle of Queenston Heights, Upper Canada (Ontario).

OCTOBER 13, 1812

**  British General Isaac Brock killed at the Battle of Queenston Heights.

OCTOBER 26, 1813

**  Engagement at Chateauguay.

--Brock-Perry

Camp Blount Volunteer Days Begins-- Part 3: Led To the State's Nickname and Jackson Becoming President

"We  think we have a little bit of the claim to the reason why Tennessee got its name (Volunteer)," Dr. Farris Beasley said.  "We  were the biggest muster site for the War of 1812.  That's where we come from."

The association said that this was led to General Jackson becoming the seventh president of the United States and the turnout  of Tennessee volunteers earned the state its nickname, the "Volunteer State."

The public is invited to the free and open event  from 9 am until 4 pm Saturday, October 2.  

Volunteer Days will include speakers, music, demonstrations, history and more.

Some of the demonstrations which will be taking place include firing a cannon, rifles and pistols; blacksmithing; spinning and weaving; flint knapping; woodworking and leather working.  Native American, equestrian, local archaeologist, period crafts, period music, women's fashion and historic impression demonstrations will also be held.

Camp Blount is located at 1124 Huntsville Highway in Fayetteville and is Tennessee's eighth historic site.

It's Going On Right Now, So, If In the Area.  --Brock-Perry

Camp Blount Volunteer Days Gets Underway-- Part 2: How Tennessee Got the Nickname Volunteer State

"Fayetteville was involved in two of the muster sites that supplied troops to two of the major battles in the War of 1812," said Dr. Farris Beasley, a member of the association, who said that Tennessee at that time was considered a frontier state.  "There was no Alabama, no Mississippi, or no Louisiana."

In September 1813, a call for troops went out from President James Madison to Tennessee  Governor Willie Blount.

"The governor called on General Andrew Jackson, in charge of the Tennessee militia, to raise militia and volunteers,"  Beasley said, adding that they met at Camp Blount.  "The governor gave the order to meet on the south bank of the Elk River at the big oak trees."  Those oaks would have been  in front of where the Walmart in Fayetteville sits today.

They called for 2,500 volunteers,"  Beasley said.  "4,500 showed up.  And for the first time, a Nashville newspaper used the term Tennessee, the volunteer state."

Beasley said that Andrew Jackson kept a diary and often the words "my Tennessee volunteers" are found within those pages.

So That's How We Got "Tennessee Volunteers."  --Brock-Perry

Sam Houston's War of 1812 Service-- Part 1: Camp Blount, Tennessee

From Wikipedia.

In the last post I mentioned that Sam Houston, much better known for his role in the history of Texas, was in Col. John Williams' 39th U.S. Infantry.  I did some more research on his role in the War of 1812.

(March 2, 1793-July 26, 1863)

In 1813 he reported for training at Camp Blount near present-day Fayetteville, Tennessee, and enlisted.  By December, he had transferred to the 39th U.S. Infantry and had risen from private to third lieutenant.

At the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, he was wounded by a Creek arrow in the groin.  The wound was bandaged and he returned to the battle.  General Andrew Jackson called for volunteers to dislodge the Indians from their breastworks and Houston was eager to go.  He suffered bullet wounds in the arm and shoulder, but his men drove the Creeks away.

Afterwards, he returned to Marysville, Tennessee, as a disabled veteran but took advantage of the Army's offer of free surgery and convalesced  in a New Orleans hospital.

Andrew Jackson was impressed with Sam Houston's bravery and the two became close friends and Jackson acted as his mentor.

--Brock-Perry