American Historical Trivia

Trigger Happy

Andrew Jackson is an asshole, okay? I hate the guy so much. Seriously, don't even get me started. He's basically equivalent of Trump, but more evil.

So this dude wasn't liked much when he was alive either. It's 1835, Jackson is leaving a Congressional funereal surrounded by body guards.

Richard Lawrence, a mentally ill house painter, stands in the crowd surrounding the building. He draws a pistol, shooting Jackson point blank. Fortunately (or unfortunately, you decide.) the pistol misfires.

Jackson, the first president to experience an assassination attempt, is infuriated. Like the emotionally unstable politician he is, Jackson decides to confront his attacker.

Now, Jackson always carried his hickory walking stick, this particular day being no different. He attacked Lawrence, clubbing him several times with his cane. This is how he got the nickname, Old Hickory.

Amongst the physical brawl, Lawrence was able to pull his second pistol from his jacket and fired it at Jackson. This shot misfired as well!! (Historians a century later calculated this double misfire was one of 1250,000, Jackson is one lucky son of a bitch.)

In the end, Jackson and Lawrence were pulled from each other. Lawrence was then rushed away because he ended up being in more danger than the president! Jackson was so mad he resisted his body guards as they hauled the two men away from each other, still wanting a go at Lawrence.

This event left Lawrence in a mental institute for the rest of his life and Jackson in constant paranoia. Martin Van Buren, Jackson's VP, even was said to carry a pair of loaded pistols with him everywhere he went after this assassination attempt. 

Old Hickory was never the same.