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2 The nashville Clarion publicized the news of the declaration of the “second war for independence,” appropriately, on the fourth of July. an express rider thundered into the state capital the evening before, with President madison ’s proclamation in hand. The significance of the news arriving on the eve of the fourth of July was not lost on the Clarion’s editor. “it was this day 36 years ago that the american people declared themselves free from the tyranny of George the third,” he articulated, “and we are highly gratified to find this second declaration proves that the people of the present day have still some of the spirit of their forefathers, and are determined to fight for the rights acquired by them.” a timely letter from felix Grundy accompanied the news. “The national legislature has done its duty,” Grundy trumpeted, “it now remains for the people of the United states to show themselves americans .” The announcement of war set off wild celebrations across the state— parades, bonfires, rifle salutes, and, of course, the obligatory toasts, like that of Governor Willie blount, who saluted the memory of George Washington and the heroes of ’76. George Wilson, editor of the Knoxville Gazette, reported citizens enthusiastically shaking hands with each other and meeting at the Globe inn to raise a glass (or two) in honor of the occasion. “The american eagle has risen from her nest of peace,” Wilson gloated, “& the british lion with his allies of the forest will tremble beneath her soaring.”1 Tennessee land speculator moses fisk, formerly of massachusetts, chastised his minister brother for delivering a sermon back home condemning the unjustness of the war: “none, as it seems to me, was ever juster. . . . The british government (favorites of heaven you call them, i call them anointed felons ) are responsible for all the mischiefs [sic] to result from the war.” moses accused the new england clergy (including his brother) of siding with Great britain. “This is a new way of praying for enemies,” he spewed. This brand of anglophobia permeated the writings and musings of most Tennesseans leading up to the war. a few months before the June 1812 declaration, one Tennessean , labeling himself “americus,” pronounced the clear advantage of a Chapter 2 / 35 war with england: the annexation of Canada in the north and the floridas in the south. “americus” saw the expulsion of the british from the north american continent as “a great national object.” Thus the expansionist tendencies of the western Jeffersonians were directly tied to an imbued hatred of Great britain.2 as the Twelfth Congress forged legislation leading the nation to war in early 1812, it became apparent a large army of volunteers and militia would be necessary to conduct any sizeable military campaigns. The volunteer act of february 6, 1812, authorized the president to accept companies of volunteers not exceeding 30,000 men for a year, unless discharged earlier. officers of units already organized were to remain at their posts; while officers of newly organized units were to be selected in accordance with state militia laws (this was later modified so that the president could appoint all company and field officers). in april 1812, Congress also authorized the president to require the governors of the states to call out 100,000 militiamen for a period of six months. since all eligible men were, by law, already in the militia, volunteers had to come from those same militia ranks, thereby greatly affecting state organizations. Coupled with existing militia laws, the resulting confusion proved to be disastrous in terms of enlistment periods, as a frustrated andrew Jackson would bitterly discover in late 1813.3 in the meantime, the volunteer act provided the initial opportunity for Tennesseans to join the fray. in announcing the february 6 act, major General andrew Jackson issued his divisional orders in late July 1812 with the idea his troops would be fighting in the south rather than in Canada. “behold in the province of West florida, a territory whose rivers and harbors, are indispensable to the prosperity of the Western, and still more so, to the eastern Division of our state,” Jackson declared. furthermore, West florida, he added, was the “asylum from which an insidious hand incites to rapine and bloodshed, the ferocious savages,” referring to supposed british instigation of the Creek indians. a month later, when the secretary of war informed Governor blount that Tennessee troops might be called into service on the northern frontier after all, Jackson quickly issued...

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