Tag Archives: Andrew Jackson

U.S. PRESIDENTS IN THE MILITARY (Jackson-Harrison)

With Presidents Day approaching, here is another seasonal post.

ANDREW JACKSON

Conflict – Revolutionary War: Service – In June 1780 the 13-year-old Andrew Jackson and his older brother Robert enlisted in the South Carolina Militia and saw action in Southern Theater clashes like the Battle of Hanging Rock.

In April 1781 Andrew and Robert became Prisoners of War and Andrew was slashed across the face and hand by a British officer’s sword. The facial scar is sometimes omitted from painted portraits of the man but is visible in the primitive daguerreotype photograph of an elderly 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.

In March and April 1813 Jackson led his men back to Nashville and by then had been nicknamed Hickory and/or Old Hickory by his troops. October saw General Jackson assigned to lead his men against the Red Sticks Creek Tribe, who were allied with England and Spain against the U.S.

Jackson and his forces fought the Red Sticks Creek for months, including battles at Tallushatchee and Talladega. January 1814 brought the Battles of Emuckfaw and Enotachopo Creek. In March, Jackson and his combined force of American, Choctaw, Cherokee and Creek Indians won a major victory over the Red Sticks Creek at Horseshoe Bend. Continue reading

12 Comments

Filed under Neglected History

ELVIS PRESLEY: ROCK’N’ROLL VS THE REDCOATS

Elvis IS General Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans

Elvis IS General Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans

January 8th of each year always represents the general rift that separates American pop culture from alleged “high culture”. On the one hand it’s Elvis Presley’s birthday. On the other hand it’s also the anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans, in which General (and future President) Andrew Jackson teamed up with French pirate Jean Lafitte to hand the British their worst defeat in the War of 1812.

It’s not tough to guess which event gets more attention year in and year out, but cult director Eddie Wozniak took a break from the film world to write, produce and direct this musical comedy.

General Jackson as a one-man USO show for his battle-hardened troops

General Jackson as a one-man USO show for his battle-hardened troops

Rock’N’Roll vs the Redcoats is Wozniak’s hilarious but educational fusion of Elvis’ birthday with the martial anniversary. The musical comedy depicts the events of 1815 as they might have been depicted in an Elvis Presley movie with an actual Elvis impersonator in the lead role. So basically the star of Rock’N’Roll vs the Redcoats is a man playing Elvis Presley playing General Andrew Jackson. Continue reading

6 Comments

Filed under Fantastic Movie Reviews, humor

QUICK SHOTS

Mascot with demo and repub heads

The symbol of the nonexistent Balladeer Political Party

*** Aaron Black, formerly of Occupy Wall Street, joined Balladeer’s Blog in hoping for the emergence of a viable alternative party consisting of working class voters from both the political left and the political right. 

*** The Media Insight Project’s latest poll showed results indicating that only SIX PERCENT of the American public believe the media can be trusted to tell the truth. In a related story the six percent of people still foolish enough to trust the media said they would probably still vote for Obama twice. (Well, that goes without saying …) Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES

ELVIS PRESLEY AS GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON IN ROCK’N’ROLL VS THE REDCOATS

Elvis IS General Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans

Elvis IS General Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans

January 8th of each year always represents the general rift that separates American pop culture from alleged “high culture”. On the one hand it’s Elvis Presley’s birthday. On the other hand it’s also the anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans, in which General (and future President) Andrew Jackson teamed up with French pirate Jean Lafitte to hand the British their worst defeat in the War of 1812.

It’s not tough to guess which event gets more attention year in and year out, but for this 200th Anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans cult director Eddie Wozniak took a break from the film world to write, produce and direct this new musical comedy which premiered last week on the 8th.

General Jackson as a one-man USO show for his battle-hardened troops

General Jackson as a one-man USO show for his battle-hardened troops

Rock’N’Roll vs the Redcoats is Wozniak’s hilarious but educational fusion of Elvis’ birthday with the martial anniversary. The musical comedy depicts the events of 1815 as they might have been depicted in an Elvis Presley movie with an actual Elvis impersonator in the lead role. So basically the star of Rock’N’Roll vs the Redcoats is a man playing Elvis Presley playing General Andrew Jackson.

If you enjoyed the musicals 1776 and Bye, Bye, Birdie you’ll no doubt love the way Wozniak works in historical trivia without deviating from the overall “Elvis Movie Feel” of the piece.

Many of the songs play into this perfectly – Hermitage Howlin’ deals with Jackson’s Tennessee background, a characteristic he shared with the Man from Memphis; Rachel, Will You Marry Me Again covers the way Andrew Jackson and his beloved wife Rachel were forced to marry a second time when it was learned that she had unknowingly committed bigamy and My Tallahassee (Tallahassee is My Bitch) tunefully recounts the way General Jackson seized Tallahasee, FL in TWO separate wars.

That latter song has a certain Tallahassee Lassie feel to it. Continue reading

48 Comments

Filed under Fantastic Movie Reviews

BALLADEER’S BLOG’S QUICK LOOK AT PRESIDENTIAL PROS AND CONS: MONROE TO VAN BUREN

James Monroe5. JAMES MONROE – Motto: “I’m sick of hearing about how John Quincy Adams was the real author of The Monroe Doctrine” *** Nickname: The Furnituregate Mastermind *** Pro: Bought Florida from Spain, ensuring America would have a long, phallic peninsula dangling off our mainland.  Con: Got elected president despite being a slave-owner from Virginia … hey, wait a minute!  

6. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS – Motto: “No slaves, no tact, no problem!” *** Nickname: Mr Television *** Pro: Was Continue reading

5 Comments

Filed under LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, Presidential Rap Sheets

PRESIDENTIAL PROS AND CONS FROM BALLADEER’S BLOG: WASHINGTON TO CLEVELAND

Fun Fact: Barbara Bush patterned her "look" after Millard Fillmore

Fun Fact: Barbara Bush patterned her “look” after Millard Fillmore

In honor of the upcoming President’s Day Holiday weekend  Balladeer’s Blog now presents some of my quick takes on each of the 44 men who have stayed one step ahead of the law while occupying the office.

1. GEORGE WASHINGTON – Motto – “Screw taking a salary, just bill ’em outrageously for your expenses!”  *** Nickname: The First Lady of Broadway *** Pro: Established the precedent of stepping down after 2 terms max.  Con: Owned other human beings.

2. JOHN ADAMS – Motto – ” A day without alienating someone is like a day without sunshine.” *** Nickname: Boom-Boom *** Pro: Was almost fanatically honest.  Con: Alienated nearly everyone except his wife Abigail.

3. THOMAS JEFFERSON – Motto: ” What’s with that painting where I look like Bea Arthur?” *** Nickname: The Pompous Hypocrite *** Pro: Never vetoed a single bill, deferring to the will of the people’s representatives.  Con: Owned other human beings.

4. JAMES MADISON – Motto: “That’s me on the five thousand dollar bill, babe!” *** Nickname: Continue reading

38 Comments

Filed under LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, Presidential Rap Sheets