Cecilee Miller October 24, 2012 History 1301 Sam Houstons Relationship with the American Indians Sam

Houston had a unique relationship with the American Indians. When Houston was about sixteen years old he joined the band of about three hundred Cherokees led by Chief Oo-loo-te-ka (also known as John Jolly) who lived on a small island in the Tennessee River about fifty miles southwest of Maryville. Sam quickly learned their language and participated in their games, hunts, and festivals. He was especially fortunate in that Chief Oo-loo-te-ka liked him and offered to adopt him. Houston received the Indian name Colonneh, which he translated as The Raven, a symbol of good luck to the Indians. Life with the Cherokees was, in Houstons words, greatly to his own satisfaction and comfort He developed an abiding understanding and respect for his hosts culture that he extended to the Indian way of life in general. Few if any, white leaders matched Houstons concern and sympathy for the Indian Sam Houston would win fame as a soldier, but as a leader he rarely favored war over peace, even when everyone around him clamored for a fight (Houston, page 4). Houston developed a deep attachment to the tribe that continued even after he returned to the white world, where he became a successful military officer and protg of Andrew Jackson. In my opinion, many people took advantage of Sam Houstons relationship with the Indians, because after the Creek War he was greatly injured in his shoulder and his thigh which led him to doing the lighter duties. But Andrew Jackson, nicknamed, Old Hickory admired the courage shown by the young officer and soon came to respect his good sense and character as well. Houston received a promotion to

first lieutenant on May 1, 1817, and while doing light work in the adjutant generals office, developed a lasting friendship with Old Hickory. Soon, Jacksons personal regard for his abilities led to a difficult new assignment that involved the first stages of removal of his old friends, the Cherokee Indians, from their lands in Tennessee and other southeastern states Houston returned to Chief Oo-loo-te-kas island, dressed like an Indian, and used his knowledge of their language and beliefs to convince several bands, including his adoptive fathers, to move west Houstons role as an Indian subagent directed [him] to accompany the Indians to Washington to act as an interpreter and, no doubt, to calm their anger. On February 5, 1818, the Cherokees met Secretary of War John C. Calhoun with the young subagent, dressed like the Indians, serving as interpreter. This was Houstons first encounter with the great South Carolinian, and it proved unfortunateHouston probably resented being used by the government he certainly felt slighted by Calhoun (Houston, pages 10,11,12). Furthermore, to summarize and paraphrase the rest in 1829 Houstons first marriage collapsed. The failure and scandal rocked him to the core so much so that the only people he looked to for help was his old family, which were the Indians. Therefore, he resigned his office and fled to Indian Territory. For the next three years, he lived once more among the Cherokees, who helped nurse him through this period of heartbreak and acute alcoholism. He married a Cherokee woman, became a Cherokee citizen and became actively involved in peace keeping, trade, and other tribal affairs. In late 1832, he left Oklahoma for Texas. Although he never lived with the Cherokees again, he spent much of his career trying to promote peaceful and moderate policies toward American Indians. During his first term as president, Houston held conferences with Indian leaders in an attempt to address past grievances and establish new trust. He appointed agents to deal with the tribes and to run government trading houses. Though Houston

pulled back surveyors and military companies from the frontier, he authorized a new force of 280 mounted riflemen to enforce the company trade laws and deal fairly with both sides, removing white trespassers and arresting Indian Raiders. However, Houstons forces were unable to keep peace between whites and Indians. Many Texans refused to wait for Houstons policy to work and demanded that the Indians be removed from Texas. Whites and Indians were competing for the same land in East Texas. By the time Houstons term ended on December 22, 1838, a majority of white Texans were ready for a drastic change in Indian policy (Houston pages, 86, 90, 94, and116-118). In conclusion, throughout his political career as twice president of the Republic of Texas, as U.S. Senator, and as governor, he took the side of Native Americans when other Texas and national leaders would have banished them westward, or worse, had them exterminated. For he wrote in 1843, I will punish any man who does injustice to the IndiansI have known them from my boyhood. They are a brave, honest, upright people

Cecilee Miller October 24, 2012 History 1301 Sam Houstons Relationship with Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson was the seventh president of the United States, a war hero, and a close friend of Sam Houston. Jackson was born in the Carolinas and orphaned during the Revolutionary War. He wandered west to what is now Tennessee and became a lawyer. From his home in Nashville he eventually served as a U.S. congressman and senator, and first ran for President in 1824. To many in the new states west of the Appalachian Mountains, he was a symbol of a new democratic society. In 1824, he won the most votes for U.S. president, but the election was decided in the House of Representatives, and John Quincy was elected instead. In 1828, and again in 1832, he ran for president and won easily. This increased the power of his party, which became known as the Democratic Party. Jacksons military career began in the Revolutionary War, when he was captured by the British at the age of 13. In the War of 1812, Jackson fought the Creek Indians in Alabama, along with Sam Houston. Jackson also led the Americans to victory at the famous Battle of New Orleans. Sam Houston and Andrew Jackson shared a lifetime friendship. The two discussed many issues and plans, including the role of Texas in the future of America. Sam Houstons first encounter with Andrew Jackson was in the war of 1812. Houston saw action in the war of 1812 only against the Creek Indians, but the campaign in which he was in involved ample opportunity for glory. The Creeks claimed most of Alabama and resented the constant pressure of white settlers on their lands August 1813 began a war by killing four

hundred men, women, and children at Fort Mims on the Alabama River north of Mobile Tennessee sent a militia and volunteer force into Alabama under the command of General Andrew JacksonThen, early in 1814, the national government decided to recognize Jacksons success by putting regular army troops under his commandThird Lieutenant Houston came under the command of the man, who was to become his idol, and at times his protector, for the next thirty years (Houston page 7). As Houston and Jackson got more acquainted with one another, Old Hickory [began to admire] the courage shown by the young officer at Horseshoe Bend and soon came to respect his good sense of character as wellHouston received a promotion to first Lieutenant on May 1, 1817, and while doing light work [because he was injured severely] in the adjutant generals office, developed a lasting friendship with Old Hickory (Houston page 10). Also as they began to get to know each other Jackson soon found out about Houstons relationship with the Indians and uses him as a key to get the American Indians to move. Soon, Jacksons personal regard for his abilities led to a difficult new assignment that involved the first stages of removal of his old friends, the Cherokee Indians, from their lands in Tennessee and other southeastern states. In my opinion, this was the only thing that I believe Houston did not like about having close relations with people in power because they would sometimes take advantage of his relationship with Indians so he could persuade the Indians to do what he was told for them to do. Moreover, because Andrew Jackson had so much appeal Voters in the Southwest, could not fail to support his protg [which was Sam Houston] ( Houston page 14). Houston supported Andrew Jackson in every little thing that he did because he knew he owed his success greatly to him. Houstonused every opportunity to support Jacksons presidential candidacy (Houston Page 15). Even though Sam Houston supported Andrew Jackson, Houston began to

realize that like everyone Jackson came with his own set of enemies. All was not smooth, however, because Houston was learning that a man who associated with Andrew Jackson and spoke his mind on political and social issues in the southwest was likely to become well acquainted with controversy (Houston page17). All in all, Sam Houston was quite adorned by Andrew Jackson which brought him through the doors of many places he couldnt have gone if not for Jackson and the clout he had. Either way both of them needed each other and had special skills and favors that worked out for the both of them. Sam Houston and Andrew Jackson had what it took to make Texas what it is today and that is strong and independent.