Jan 1, 2019
Sometimes called "the forgotten conflict," the War of 1812 has largely faded from modern memory, even though it had a lasting legacy. Host Allen Forkum (editor of The Nashville Retrospect newspaper) interviews Dr. Tom Kanon of the Tennessee State Library and Archives about his book, Tennesseans at War, 1812 to 1815, and that legacy, including: Tennessee rising to national prominence and becoming known as “The Volunteer State”; Native-Americans losing millions of acres of territory in the Creek War, which Kanon contends was a first step toward the Indian Removal Act of the 1830s; and Gen. Andrew Jackson becoming president of the United States because of his fame after a lopsided victory against the British in the Battle of New Orleans. Also hear how a comet and earthquakes helped launch the war. (Segment begins at 05:15)
“Andrew Jackson with the Tennessee forces on
the Hickory Grounds (Ala) A.D. 1814” is a circa 1840 lithograph
published by Breuker & Kessler. (Image: Library of
Congress)
“Se-loc-ta, A Creek Chief” is an engraving
from The Indian Tribes of North America (1838) by Thomas
Loraine McKenney and James Hall. Selocta joined Gen. Jackson as a
guide and warrior in his campaign against the Red Sticks, a faction
of Creek Indians at war with American settlers. (Image: Library of
Congress)
This map shows “The Battle of the Horse
Shoe,” which took place on March 27, 1814, between Red Stick Creek
Indians and Tennessee troops led by Major General Andrew Jackson.
The map is from The Pictorial Field-Book of the War of 1812
(1869) by Benson John Lossing. The original caption: “The above
plan of the battle of Cholocco Litabixee, or the Horseshoe, is
arranged from one in Pickett’s History of Alabama. A shows the
position of the hill from which Jackson’s canon played upon the
breastwork. CCC represents the position of Coffee’s command.
(Image: Tennessee State Library and
Archives)
“Treaty with the Creeks” is an 1847
depiction of the August 1814 meeting at Fort Jackson between
representatives the United States, led by Major General Andrew
Jackson, and the defeated Creek Indians. Kanon says the Creek
Indians lost 22 million acres of land, located in today's Alabama
and Georgia. (Image: New York Public
Library)
“January 8, 1815. British (Gen. Pakenham)
Loss: Gen. Pak. & Over 2000 Kd [killed] & Wd [wounded]. American
(Gen. Jackson.) Loss: 7 Kd. & 6 Wd.” is a lithograph published
circa 1890 by Kurz & Allison of Chicago. (Image: Library of
Congress)
In this episode's "audio artifact" segment, hear Richard Fulton’s country music record from 1968. Fulton was a Tennessee state senator, a U.S. congressman, and a mayor of Nashville. (Segment begins at 58:00)
(Special thanks to Clinton J. Holloway for use of his Richard Fulton record)
Richard Fulton’s “Poor Little Paper Boy” was
predicted by the Jan. 20, 1968, Billboard magazine to hit
the top 20 Hot Country Singles chart, though it apparently did not.
(Image: Clinton J.
Holloway)
And finally, Allen Forkum reviews some of the contents of the January 2019 issue, including: Gen. Tom Thumb’s Nashville visit in 1869; Richard Fulton’s ousting from the state senate in 1955; a speech given at the 1905 emancipation celebration; and a religious controversy in 1835. Also hear an interview with former Nashville Banner reporter Roger Shirley about his 1982 story about the sulphur water fountain at Werthan Industries. (Segment begins at 01:30)
(Special thanks to Roger Shirley)
A line forms to get a drink of sulphur water
at Werthan Industries on Taylor Street at Eighth Avenue North in
December 1982. Nashville attorney David Rutherford (standing at the
back of the line) tried to get the historic sulphur spring moved to
nearby Morgan Park. In the podcast, former Nashville Banner
reporter Roger Shirley recalls visiting the foundation to write
a story (which was republished in the December 2018 issue of
The Nashville Retrospect). (Image: Nashville Public Library, Nashville Room,
photo by Owen Cartwright)
SHOW NOTES
A list of articles relating to this episode that you can find in archive issues of The Nashville Retrospect (archive issues can be ordered by clicking here or on the issues links below):
• “The War of 1812, Part I: Why Tennesseans Should Remember ‘The Forgotten Conflict’,” by Dr. Tom Kanon, The Nashville Retrospect, June 2012
• “The War of 1812, Part II: Tennessee and the Declaration of War,” by Dr. Tom Kanon, The Nashville Retrospect, August 2012
• “The War of 1812, Part III: Jackson and His Tennesseans Depart for War,” by Dr. Tom Kanon, The Nashville Retrospect, December 2012
• “The War of 1812, Part IV: The Beginnings of the Creek War,” by Dr. Tom Kanon, The Nashville Retrospect, September 2013
• “The War of 1812, Part V: Early Battles of the Creek War,” by Dr. Tom Kanon, The Nashville Retrospect, November 2013
• “The War of 1812, Part VI: The Battles of Emuckfau and Enitochopco,” by Dr. Tom Kanon, The Nashville Retrospect, January 2014
• “The War of 1812, Part VII: The Battle of Horseshoe Bend,” by Dr. Tom Kanon, The Nashville Retrospect, March 2014
• “The War of 1812, Part VIII: The Treaty of Fort Jackson,” by Dr. Tom Kanon, The Nashville Retrospect, August 2014
• “The War of 1812, Part IX: Jackson’s ‘Visit’ to Pensacola,” by Dr. Tom Kanon, The Nashville Retrospect, November 2014
• “The War of 1812, Part X: The Battle of New Orleans,” by Dr. Tom Kanon, The Nashville Retrospect, January 2015
• “The War of 1812, Part XI: The Trial of Andrew Jackson,” by Dr. Tom Kanon, The Nashville Retrospect, March 2015
• “The War of 1812, Part XII: The Legacy of the War,” by Dr. Tom Kanon, The Nashville Retrospect, May 2015
• “Indians near Detroit,” The Clarion, Jan. 19, 1808 (The Nashville Retrospect, January 2019)
• “Fifteen Hundred Volunteers,” The Clarion, Nov. 17, 1812, (The Nashville Retrospect, November 2012)
• “The Farewell” (a poem from the War of 1812), Nashville Whig, Feb. 17, 1813, (The Nashville Retrospect, February 2013)
• “$850 Reward” (advertisement for deserters), The Clarion, Sept. 1, 1814 (The Nashville Retrospect, September 2018)
• "The Eighth of January," Nashville Union and American, Jan. 9, 1858
• "The Eighth of January," Daily Press and Times, Jan. 9, 1869
• “Earthquake,” The Clarion, Dec. 17, 1811 (The Nashville Retrospect, December 2011)
• “The 200th Anniversary of The New Madrid Earthquakes: Part I,” by George Zepp, The Nashville Retrospect, January 2012
• "The 200th Anniversary of The New Madrid Earthquakes: Part II,” by George Zepp, The Nashville Retrospect, February 2012
• “Earthquake Christians,” by Tom Kanon, The Nashville Retrospect, January 2012
• “Senate Vote Ousts Fulton,” Nashville Banner, Jan. 5, 1955 (The Nashville Retrospect, January 2019)
• “Artifacts: Richard Fulton record,” by Clinton J. Holloway, The Nashville Retrospect, January 2019
Other related articles:
• “Fulton To Autograph Records at Cain-Sloan,” Nashville Tennessean, Jan. 11, 1968
• “Nashville’s Mayor Vows To Aid the Industry; Richard Fulton Once Cut a Record Himself,” Billboard, March 13, 1976
• “Fog Slows Search; Rep. Fulton Views Efforts Helplessly,” Nashville Tennessean, Jan. 18, 1970
Links relating to this episode:
Dr. Tom Kanon email
Tennesseans at War, 1812 to 1815 by Tom Kanon
“Prelude to the War of 1812” at The Mariner’s Museum
“The War of 1812: Stoking the Fires” at National Archives
“British Navy Impressment” on “History Detectives” at PBS
“Battle of New Orleans Day” at The Hermitage
“War of 1812” at Tennessee State Library and Archives
“Brief History of Tennessee in the War of 1812” at Tennessee State Library and Archives
“War of 1812 Timeline” at American Battlefield Trust
"The War of 1812: The Movie" parody trailer by College Humor
Audio excerpts: “Poor Little Paper Boy” and “A Dozen Yellow Roses,” by Richard Fulton, written and produced by John A. Bozeman, RCA Records (1968)
Music: “Near You” by Francis Craig and His Orchestra (Bullet, 1947); “Quiet Outro” by ROZKOL (2018); “Covered Wagon Days” by Ted Weems and His Orchestra; and “The Buffalo Rag” by Vess L. Ossman
