Another seasonal post from Balladeer’s Blog with Presidents Day approaching.
JAMES K. POLK
Conflict – Tennessee Unrest: Service – From 1821-1825 Polk served in the Maury County Cavalry unit of the Tennessee Militia. He retained his law practice and political activities throughout his service.
No official wars were fought during this period, so Polk and his comrades policed internal tribal violence among the Cherokee and the Creek. Periodic clashes between Native Americans and settlers had to be dealt with, too.
ZACHARY TAYLOR
Conflict – War of 1812: Service – In May 1808 Taylor enlisted in the U.S. Army as a lieutenant and by the June outbreak of the War of 1812 was a captain. Fort Harrison was under Taylor’s command and in September he led his men to victory defending the fort, the first American land victory of the war.
Promoted to major, Zachary took part in September campaigns into Illinois Territory and Indiana, fighting in November’s Battle of Wildcat Creek and other actions. Taylor spent 1813 at Fort Knox and in the spring of 1814 led troops in the Battle of Credit Island in Iowa. Continue reading
ANDREW JACKSON 
Conflict – War of 1812: Service – War was declared by Congress on June 18th and by November 1st, General Jackson was placed in charge of Tennessee troops for southeastern campaigns against the British and their Native American allies. By February 1813, his troops saw action all the way to Natchez. 
With Presidents Day coming up in nine days Balladeer’s Blog will be taking a look at the military service of America’s Commanders-in-Chief. For presidents like Washington, Grant and Eisenhower it would take thousands of words to cover their military service so I will save them for separate articles of their own in the future. 
JAMES MONROE 
RIN TIN TIN (1918-1932) – Here at Balladeer’s Blog, I’m even fonder of dogs than I am of silent movies, so this post will combine the two topics. Sadly, most silent films have become so little remembered that few people even realize that there actually WAS a real Rin Tin Tin, adopted by American soldiers during World War One. 
