Jackson-The Iron-Willed Commander by Paul Vickery

The book begin with the inauguration of Andrew Jackson as a seventh President of the United States on March 4, 1829. It then goes back to Andrew Jackson as a youth, his meeting with Rachel, his duels, the Battle of New Orleans and his death.

I am listing the chapters for the review because they define the book:

A Note From the Author

Prologue

Chapter One: A Boy Becomes a Man

Chapter Two: A Lawyer is Born

Chapter Three: Rachel and Nashville

Chapter Four: The Dueling Judge

Chapter Five: Hostility with the Creeks

Chapter Six: Old Hickory

Chapter Seven: The Creek War Begins

Chapter Eight: Old Hickory Faces Mutiny

Chapter Nine: The Battle of Horseshoe Bend

Chapter Ten: The Creek War Ends: The Treaty of Fort Jackson

Chapter Eleven: Fort Bowyer and Pensacola

Chapter Twelve: New Orleans: Preparation for Battle

Chapter Thirteen: The Battle of New Orleans: Beginnings

Chapter Fourteen: New Orleans: The Battle of January 8, 1815

Chapter Fifteen: The Hero of New Orleans

Chapter Sixteen: The Indian Question

Chapter Seventeen: The First Seminole War

Chapter Eighteen: Jackson as President

Chapter Nineteen: Legacy

Notes

Bibliography

I think there is a good lesson in the history of the United States of America and the many encounters with war, Indians, politics and people. One might not agree in how things were done but Andrew Jackson did believe what he did was for the good. "This was classic Jackson. We may disagree with his policies, but we must at least grant he was consistent". (page 168)

Some notes I took were:

1. John Quincy Adams did not attend the inauguration of Andrew Jackson because of the disagreement they had when Jackson believed Adams spread slander about Rachel.

2. The Louisiana Purchase: "Jefferson's vision of having independent farmers as the backbone of the nation now seemed feasible, and America had access to the Gulf of Mexico". The problem was France had never taken possession from Spain (page 44).

3. Florida: Jackson wanted a reason to invade Florida. (page 173 and chapter 17).

4. New Orleans Battle was " the boost in morale to the national spirit brought by the victory in New Orleans cannot be overstated". (page 157).

5. Names of historical figures are throughout the book: Sam Houston, Davey Crockett, Napoleon and Jean Lafitte for some.

6. Songs: Yankee Doodle, Hail Columbia and some written about Jackson but not named in this book.

7. Rachel and his love for her. Jackson was always writing her letters. Her remarks when he won the presidency was :"Well, for Mr. Jackson's sake", she quietly whispered, "I am glad; for my part I never wished it". (page 194). Their adopted son Andrew, Jr, is also in the book.

8. The wars with the Indians continued with Jackson. The Trail of Tears (page 201); the relocation of the Cherokee nation to Oklahoma (page 201), Seminole War (page 179) and the Battle of Horseshoe Bend.(page 91- chapter 9) for some. The Cherokees called Jackson Sharp Knife.

9. Burr wrote to Governor Claiborne in New Orleans "I fear there's something rotten in the State Denmark"' (page 46). (( I had to check the saying and it was in the play Hamlet by Shakespeare in 1602.))

10. How Andrew Jackson got the name Old Hickory. (page 62).

I give this a five star because of the history and so many facts. It made me as a reader want to read more of this time period. I remember my mother took me to see "The President's Lady.

As a parent, read this book and have your child read it and then discuss it. Especially since this is a time of elections in 2012, it is a great learning tool. I found it more of a military book and Jackson as a General but there are so many more facts.

I received a complimentary copy of Jackson- The Iron-Willed Commander by Paul Vickery to read and review from booksneeze. The opinions are my own.

This is a Thomas Nelson Publisher book; ISBN:978-1-59555-454-3; published 2012.