 |
Medal Name: Seventh President of the United States of America
Struck for: President Andrew Jackson
OBVERSE
ANDREW JACKSON PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES A. D. (Anno Domini: The year of our Lord), 1829.
Bust of President Jackson, facing the right.
REVERSE
PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP. Two hands clasped in token of amity; on the cuff of the left wrist three stripesand buttons with the American eagle on them; the other wrist bare;
above the hands, a calumet and tomahawk crossed - Indian emblems of peace and war.
BACKGROUND
Andrew Jackson was born in the Waxhaw Settlement, North Carolina, March 15, 1767. His parents had recently emigrated from Ireland, and he lost them both early in life. In 1781 he joined the Continental Army and served in North Carolina. Having studied law, he removed, in 1788, to Nashville. He was the first member of Congress from Tennessee, in 1796; was United States senator, 1797-1798; judge of the Supreme Court of Tennessee, 1799; resigned in 1804, and retired to his farm, called "The Hermitage," near Nashville. As major-general of the Tennessee Volunteers, he gained victories over the Creek Indians at Talladega, November 9, 1813, at Emuckfaw and Enotochopco, January 22 and 24, and at Tohopeka, March 27, 1814. He was appointed brigadier-general in the United States Army on April 19, major-general on May 1, 1814, and commander-in-chief for the defence of Louisiana against the British troops under General Packenham, whom he completely defeated at the battle of New Orleans, January 8, 1815. For this great victory Congress gave him a vote of thanks and a gold medal. He retired from the army, 1819, was governor of Florida territory, 1821, United States senator from Tennessee, 1823-1824, unsuccessful presidential candidate in 1824, and President of the United States (first term), 1829-1833; (second term), 1833-1837. He retired to the Hermitage in 1837, and died there June 8, 1845. He was known by the sobriquet of "Old Hickory."
Source: The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876 by J. F. Loubat, LL.D. (1878)