Sold – Houston, Stepping Onto the National Stage As a Protege of Andrew Jackson, Accurately Pred

Joining the army in the War of 1812, Houston served under Andrew Jackson in his battles against the Creek Indians. At Horseshoe Bend in March 1814, he was wounded by a Creek arrow. The wound was bandaged, and he rejoined the fight. When Jackson called on volunteers to dislodge a group of Creeks from their fortifications, Houston volunteered, but during the assault was struck by a bullet in the shoulder and arm. This was the kind of bravery that attracted Jackson, who became personally close to Houston. Elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1822, Houston became a staunch supporter of Jackson and was widely considered to be his political protégé. He was elected to Congress with Jackson’s concurrence and arrived in Washington to begin his great career of public service in 1823. As a member of Congress, his first major undertaking was to work for the election of Andrew Jackson to the presidency in 1824.

Autograph Letter Signed, 3 pages, Washington, April 8, 1824, to his cousin William Houston Letcher, assessing the prospects for the election, and accurately predicting that either Jackson or John Quincy Adams would emerge victorious. “…You are excusable for not answering my letter sooner but I certainly did expect an answer before this time. I am very happy to hear of the welfare of cousin Betsy and the little ones, and have a request that you  will give my love to her, with all my relations. You wish to learn who will be the next President. On this subject, we can only speak from conjecture. My own opinion is that General Jackson will be the man!?If not him, Mr. Adams. Mr. Crawford is surely down! You say my horse is doing well. I wish you would see Mr. West and if he will give $150 let him have him, as my intention at this time is to go north and return by the Canada Lakes to the west. My wound is worse than it has been for eight years and on that account I wish to travel north. The moment you get this letter, I wish you would see Mr. West, for if he does not want him (my horse), I will send him to Tennessee in the course of a few days by a friend on his way to Nashville. My horse cost me two hundred & thrity dollars, and I will not lose more than $80 on him. He is a most excellent animal.”

Houston was right to deprecate the chances of William Crawford, and also by omission, Henry Clay. In the four-way race that year, Jackson received the most popular votes with Adams second, but Adams won the election in the House of Representatives with Jackson runner-up.