The Hermitage duel that nearly killed a future president but made him a Tennessee legend

The 1806 Duel Between Andrew Jackson and Charles Dickinson

Andrew Jackson stood twenty feet from Charles Dickinson, blood already soaking his shirt from the bullet lodged near his heart.

Most men would have fallen.

Jackson fired back, killing his opponent instantly. The 1806 duel started over a horse race bet and harsh words about Jackson’s wife Rachel.

Here’s the full story of that deadly morning in an area called “Second Poplar Bottom” which you can explore today at The Hermitage in Nashville.

The Cancelled Horse Race in 1805

Jackson owned a stallion named Truxton, while Joseph Erwin, Dickinson’s father-in-law, owned a horse called Ploughboy.

They arranged a race with $2,000 at stake.

Their agreement included an $800 penalty if either horse couldn’t race. Erwin’s horse went lame before race day.

Jackson and Erwin argued over how to pay the $800 forfeit, a small dispute that turned bloody between two proud men.

Thomas Swann Inflames The Situation

Thomas Swann asked Jackson about comments supposedly made about Erwin during the forfeit dispute, adding more fuel to the fire.

Jackson erupted in anger, calling Swann a “damned liar.”

Their conflict grew worse during a meeting at Winn’s Tavern in Nashville. Jackson hit Swann with his walking cane during this heated encounter.

Swann struck back by calling Jackson a coward. This public attack forced Jackson to defend his honor when reputation meant everything.

Insults To Rachel Jackson Escalate Tensions

Rachel’s marriage to Jackson came with controversy.

She married Jackson thinking her divorce from Lewis Robards was final, but legal problems meant she was still married.

Dickinson called Rachel a bigamist, which struck a hard nerve.

Jackson had confronted Dickinson before about the comments to which the latter apologized, saying he was drunk at the time.

The peace didn’t last, as remarks about Rachel remained the deepest source of hatred between the two men.

The Public Exchange That Led To The Challenge

In May 1806, Dickinson published a statement in the Nashville Review calling Jackson “a worthless scoundrel, a poltroon, and a coward.”

Jackson sent Dickinson a letter demanding “satisfaction due me for the insults offered.” This formal language was a clear challenge to a duel.

Dickinson accepted right away, as men of that time were expected to do. Refusing would ruin his standing in Nashville society.

The newspaper attack turned a private fight into a public test of courage.

The Duelists And Their Seconds Prepare

To ensure fair play, General Thomas Overton served Jackson, while Dr. Hanson Catlet represented Dickinson in the duel.

Dickinson’s skill as a marksman worried Jackson. Jackson and Overton planned to let Dickinson fire first, hoping his quick shot might miss.

Jackson wore a loose-fitting coat as added protection. The extra fabric would make it harder for Dickinson to find the exact spot of his heart.

Both sides agreed on the terms: the distance, weapons, and commands.

The Journey To The Dueling Ground

The dueling site was a full day’s ride from Nashville.

Both groups left about 24 hours before the scheduled time of 7:00 am on May 30, 1806. Dickinson traveled with friends in good spirits.

Along the way, he showed off his shooting skills at various stops. Jackson admitted he felt “badly frightened” knowing how good a shot Dickinson was.

He and Overton followed behind Dickinson’s group. The men spent their last night in separate cabins near the dueling ground before sunrise.

The Rules Of Engagement To Ensure Honor

Overton won a coin toss, giving him the right to call the command to fire.

The men would stand 24 feet apart, facing each other with single-shot pistols. Each would fire once when told, as per the law.

The seconds agreed that anyone who fired early would be shot by the seconds themselves. This rule prevented cheating.

With positions chosen and rules set, the men prepared to face each other at dawn.

Dickinson Fires First

At 7:00 am, Overton called out the command. Dickinson fired immediately, hitting Jackson in the chest near his heart.

The bullet broke ribs and caused bleeding.

Jackson stayed standing through pure will. Dickinson shouted, “Great God! Have I missed him?” when he saw Jackson still standing.

He expected Jackson to fall, knowing his shot had hit. According to the rules, Dickinson now had to stand still and face Jackson’s return fire.

Jackson’s Controversial Return Fire

Jackson raised his pistol, but it stopped at half-cock.

Normally, a misfire counted as a shot, which would have ended the duel. Instead, Jackson re-cocked his weapon and fired again.

This time, his bullet hit Dickinson directly in the chest.

Dickinson’s seconds protested, saying Jackson broke dueling rules by taking a second shot after a misfire.

Jackson’s seconds defended his actions. The disputed second shot created controversy that followed Jackson for the rest of his life.

The Aftermath Of The Duel

Dickinson’s friends carried him to the nearby Will Tyler farm. Despite medical help, he bled to death later that day, only 25 years old.

Jackson’s wound was worse than it looked.

The bullet lodged very close to his heart, making it too dangerous to remove. Jackson hid how badly he was hurt.

He refused to let Dickinson know he had succeeded in wounding him.

Nashville’s newspapers printed black-bordered pages to mourn Dickinson, while many people condemned what Jackson had done.

Visiting Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage, Nashville

You’ll find Historical Marker #100 at the intersection of South Main Street (U.S. 431) and Park Avenue in Adairville, Kentucky.

To see where Dickinson died, head half a mile west to the former Will Tyler farm site. For the full story, visit Nashville’s Old City Cemetery, where he’s buried.

The Hermitage, Jackson’s home, displays his dueling pistols and offers exhibits about this famous confrontation.

According to The Hermitage, the Mansion Tour offers insights into Andrew Jackson’s life, home, and final resting place.

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