he
war was declared in June, 1812. A member of Congress, on his way home
after voting for the declaration, had a talk with Aaron Burr, who was
now living in retirement in New York. "I know," said Burr, "that my word
is not worth much with Madison; but you may tell him from me that there
is an unknown man in the West, named Andrew Jackson, who will do credit
to a commission in the army."

It is said, indeed, that Jackson was twice recommended to President
Madison for a commission in the regular army, and twice rejected. Many
years later, Thomas H. Benton told in Congress how he himself, who was
in 1812 a young lawyer in Nashville and a militia officer under Jackson,
found in his mail one morning an act of Congress authorizing the
President to accept organized bodies of volunteers. It was a raw day in
February, but young Benton at once drew up a plan for offering Jackson's
militia command to the government, rode to The Hermitage to find the
general, "and came upon him," so Mr. Benton's story goes, "in the
twilight, sitting alone before the fire, a lamb and a child between his
knees. He started a little, called a servant to remove the two innocents
to another room, and explained to me how it was. The child had cried
because the lamb was out in the cold, and begged him to bring it
in--which he had done to please the child, his adopted son." That is a
far pleasanter picture than the other we saw just now of Jackson the
duellist, but this also is a characteristic picture, and should go into
the gallery; for Jackson, like many another man who has been denied
children of his own, was singularly tender with little folk. It is
certainly good to be able to think of him, fierce man that he was, as
turning from fondling a child to enter on his soldier's career.

Mr. Benton's account of the matter is questioned, but it is certain that
Jackson offered his services, with those of 2500 volunteers, immediately
after the declaration of war. The government accepted the offer, but
left him in idleness until October, 1812, when the governor of Tennessee
was asked for volunteers, ostensibly to reinforce General Wilkinson at
New Orleans. The governor in turn called upon General Jackson, and he,
setting to work with the utmost enthusiasm, issued to the volunteers the
first of those eminently Jacksonian addresses wherewith he was wont to
hearten his followers. On January 7, 1813, the command set forth, the
infantry by river, the cavalry, under