Sam Houston
Years before the fall of the Alamo, during the Creek War, at the Battle of the Horseshoe, Andrew Jackson had just given the order for a part of his troops to charge the Indian breastwork. The troops rushed forward with loud shouts.
The first in that rush was a young Lieutenant, Sam Houston.5 As he led the way across the breastwork, a barbed arrow struck deep into his thigh. He tried to pull it out, but could not. He called to an officer, and asked him to draw it out.
The officer tugged at its shaft twice, but failed.
“Try again!” shouted Sam Houston, lifting his sword, “and if you fail this time, I will smite you to the earth!”
The officer, with a desperate effort, pulled out the arrow. A stream of blood gushed from the wound. Sam Houston recrossed the breastwork to the rear, to have it dressed.
A surgeon dressed it and staunched the flow of blood. Just then Andrew Jackson rode up to see who was wounded. Recognizing his daring lieutenant, he forbade him to return to the fight.
Under any other circumstances, Sam Houston would have obeyed without a word. But now he begged the General to allow him to go back to his men. General Jackson ordered him most peremptorily not to cross the breastwork again.
But Sam Houston was determined to die in that battle or win fame for ever. And soon after, when General Jackson called for volunteers to storm a ravine, Sam Houston rushed into the thick of the fight, and the next minute he was leading on his men. He received two rifle-balls in his right shoulder, and his left arm fell shattered at his side. At last, exhausted by the loss of blood he dropped to the ground.
He eventually recovered; and the military prowess and heroism which he had displayed throughout this battle, secured for him the lasting regard of Old Hickory.
Retold from the “Life of Sam Houston”