Last stop on our tour of duty was Tennessee. We toured through the HERMITAGE, the home of our nation's 7th president, Andrew Jackson. If you ever get a chance to visit The Hermitage, it is well worth the stop. It really captures what a plantation was like during slavery times.
Jackson was an interesting fellow. He deserves some credit for his ambition and self-confidence. His father died 3 weeks before he was born. At age 13, he signed up to be a messenger during the American Revolutionary War. He and his big brother were captured and held prisoner by the British. While in prison he refused to shine the boots of a British officer who then slashed his hands and head with a sword, leaving him scarred. The brothers almost starved to death, but eventually were let go. Sadly, his brother died just a few days after their release. His mother then died a few weeks after that. At the age of fourteen, Andrew was an orphan.
With almost no schooling, and no parents, he worked his way up politically. He was smart as well as ruthless. During the war of 1812, he had a mismatched troop of soldiers, the bottom of the barrel, and yet he was able to defeat the British. This victory moved him up the ladder and onto the presidency.
He was not only politically ambitious, but monetarily as well. He bought 350 and started a cotton plantation. In the end, he owned over 150 slaves and over 1000 acres. He was a successful plantation owner, but he was not kind to his slaves. When slavery was finally abolished, only 3 out of 150 slaves chose to remain with him at the Hermitage.
At the end of the tour, my Dad asked me, "so, was Andrew Jackson a good President?" That is a difficult question. Yes, he made progress for the US, but he hurt many innocent people in the process, so I would have to say "no".
The gardens were lovely but we all were eaten alive by mosquitoes... Emma was constantly dabbing "itchy medicine" on herself. Greyson said, "THESE BUGS KNOW NO BOUNDARIES"... so funny.
I think my favorite discovery on our drive through Tennessee was the PIGGLY WIGGLY. If you are a "Steel Magnolias" fan, then you will know that famous quote from Ouiser, "I'm pleasant. Darn it! I saw Drum Eatenton this morning at the Piggly Wiggly, and I smiled at the SOB 'fore I couldn't help myself." Yup, pleasant. Trish and I cracked up to see the Piggly Wiggly in person... we did not know they really exist. They are a southern grocery chain. "Oh Spud, I'm a chain!"
Oh, it was fun to be in the south.... "Annelle, you can take your bible and shove it where the sun don't shine"... good times.
1 comment:
Emily lives in Georgia and worked at the Piggly Wiggly. I thought it was a joke when she told me where she worked and it took her a while to convince me it wasn't. I laughed long and hard.
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