Andrew Jackson (1767-1845)

7th President of the United States 1829 - 1837

A brief biography

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Retirement, 1821 - 1822

Jackson's health was never very good after receiving a bullet near his heart. It caused abcesses, internal bleeding, excess mucous and constant pain. The strain and the tropical swamps of Florida caused a near complete collapse. So Jackson retired the Governorship after 11 months, did not return to the army, and went home. Perhaps the governorship had served its purpose. At any rate it made him look more like a statesman and less like an insubordinate general, as some considered him to be.

During retirement in his "Hermitage" in Nashville Tennessee, he was surrounded by loving family and friends, including one or two adopted and several all-but adopted children.

He also fumed over what he saw as the country's corruption. He felt that public offices were being used widely for private ends. Also banks, including the Bank of the United States (BUS), were issuing credit that they could not back up, at least until 1819 when the BUS severely tightened credit, causing a panic. Jackson had a general distrust of banks and the paper money, which they at that time circulated.

Jackson maintained correspondence with many people in this period, including his old political friends of the "Western Tennessee" faction. They were losing popularity (partly from association with the failed banks). They wanted the extremely popular military hero to run for President and bear them up in the polls.