Richard Mentor Johnson: War Hero, Political Fighter

Richard Mentor Johnson's largest claim to fame originates from his storied killing of the Native American warrior Tecumseh in the Battle of the Thames in Oct. 1813. Public Domain

At a few weeks old, Richard Mentor Johnson was nearly killed in an Indian attack. His battlefield exploits against the Indians in later years, however, would lend his name to great political success. A career that includes a singular moment in U.S. history.

As the American Revolution began to wind down in the 1780s, former-colonists, now-American citizens were on their way west to become settlers. They eyed the far end of Virginia, formerly known as Kentucky County, which by 1780 it had been broken into three counties: Jefferson, Lincoln, and Fayette.

Settling the land required fending off British-supported Indian raids and engaging in warfare against Native tribes. With the Continental Army busy fighting the British along the eastern seaboard, settlers had to form militias. George Rogers Clark, who would become known as the “Conqueror of the Old Northwest,” led the charge into Kentucky territory.

In 1780, among many others, Robert Johnson made his way from Virginia into Kentucky County to serve under Clark. While in the fortified settlement of Bryan’s Station (located in what is now Lexington, Kentucky), his newborn son Richard (1780–1850) was nearly killed. The Miamis launched an attack on the fort, firing fiery arrows. One arrow ignited Richard’s cradle, but luckily, his sister Betsy put out the fire. Richard Johnson hadn’t lived a year, yet he had already experienced a close brush with death in a battle against Indians. It would not be his last time, and it was these encounters that would make his career in politics.

Law and Politics

Johnson grew up in Kentucky before and after it entered the Union as the 15th state. Possessing only a rudimentary formal education, he began attending Transylvania University in Lexington. Johnson studied law and passed the bar exam to become a lawyer in 1802. Along with practicing law and running several businesses, he lived on a plantation that his father had given him.

In 1804, by now a community leader, he was elected as a representative to the State Legislature. The next term he ran successfully for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served consecutively through 1819.

He and Henry Clay, the Whig Party leader, were often at odds over policies. Johnson championed the causes of veterans and widows, working for army reform bills and ways to alleviate pressures on those in debt. He strongly opposed debt imprisonment as well as the establishment of the Bank of the United States (a vision of Alexander Hamilton’s that eventually saw its end during Andrew Jackson’s administration).

Richard Mentor Johnson, the vice president for Martin Van Buren from 1837 to 1841. Public Domain

His motivation for abolishing debtors’ prisons may have been twofold. He had invested large sums of money into failing enterprises and was thus hounded by creditors. Also, the state hero, George Rogers Clark, was never reimbursed by Virginia for his efforts and expenditures to settle and defend the territory in Kentucky. He spent his last days in debt and evading creditors.

A Military Triumph

During his time in the House, the War of 1812 broke out. Known as one of Congress’s “War Hawks,” Johnson was given permission by the War Department to assemble and organize a “regiment of mounted Volunteers.” By September of 1813, his 300 volunteers were on the march toward what is now Toledo, Ohio. It eventually marched to Detroit, helping defeat the British. Joining with Gen. William H. Harrison’s army, Johnson’s regiment marched into Canada, where Johnson, now a colonel, would cement his legacy.

On Oct. 5, 1813, during the Battle of the Thames, the Americans, outnumbering the enemy by more than two-to-one, routed the British and their Native allies, who were led by the great Shawnee warrior, Tecumseh. Harrison’s army pursued the rout, but the British fled, abandoning Tecumseh and his Confederacy to fight the Americans.

Johnson charged along with the Americans toward the Indian Confederates. During the harshest fighting along a swamp, Tecumseh was killed. But who killed him? The credit fell to Johnson. Stories and paintings immortalized the moment when Johnson and Tecumseh met. (Tecumseh’s death was further immortalized by Frederick Pettrich’s 1856 marble sculpture “The Dying Tecumseh.”)

"The Dying Tecumseh," 1856, by Ferdinand Pettrich, immortalizes the Native American leader's death. National Portrait Gallery, Washington. Public Domain

When Robert McAfee, one of Johnson’s captains, wrote a book about the battle in 1816, he perpetuated the story. Describing Johnson’s courage under fire, having suffered gunshot wounds to the thigh, hip, and hand, he continued “in front of his men, gallantly fighting the enemy.” The captain claimed in his book that “Tecumseh was found among the dead, at the point where colonel Johnson had charged upon the enemy in person; and it is generally believed, [sic] that this celebrated chief fell by the hand of the colonel.” In 1818, Johnson was presented with a ceremonial sword by President James Monroe for his “daring and distinguished valor” during the Battle of the Thames.

The reflections on his military heroism were timely, as much of his political prowess was muffled by prejudice against his choice in romantic partner: a female slave. In 1815, Johnson’s father died, and he acquired a female slave, Julia Ann Chinn, who was a mulatto. There are differing reports regarding their relationship. What is for certain is that Kentucky law forbade the two to marry, though they nonetheless assumed a “common law” marriage. Chinn became the manager of the plantation. Johnson and Chinn had two daughters together, whom he openly claimed as his own. Both girls received a formal education. Regardless, Johnson’s relationship with Chinn was a scandal, and it eventually cost him politically.

Chinn died in 1833 during a cholera epidemic. Some time afterwards, Johnson began relationships with two other female slaves, fathering children, though these relationships appear, unfortunately, to be exploitative.

Working in the Senate

His political work continued until a brief resignation in 1819. The state legislature, however, appointed him to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by John Crittenden that same year. Crittenden returned to the Senate in 1835 as part of a 40-year career in politics. Johnson was re-elected in 1822.

In 1821, with much credit due to Johnson, Kentucky became the first state to abolish debtors’ prisons. During his time as a Senator, Johnson dedicated time and energy toward the education of Native American children. In November 1825, he began an academy with 21 Choctaw boys that eventually blossomed to approximately 300.

In 1828, due primarily to the scandal of his “common law” marriage, he lost his reelection bid for the Senate. Despite this political loss in the Senate, his district enthusiastically elected him back to the House. He was elected and served until 1837. In 1832, again, due to his strenuous efforts, Congress abolished debt imprisonment for the District of Columbia and the territories. During this second run in the House, he began to eye the White House.

How About the Vice Presidency?

Although Johnson had the support of those out west and was a friend of President Andrew Jackson, he didn’t have enough support from the Democratic Party for the presidency. Jackson supported Johnson as vice president, as Martin Van Buren proved the most popular among the Democrats.

The Democrat press hounded Johnson with insults for his unabashed common law marriage with Chinn and the fact that he doted on his daughters. The Virginia Democrat Party, in particular, refused to back him for the vice presidency. Amid the turmoil, those who knew him best came out in support of him, like his neighbor and clergyman, Thomas Henderson, who was also the superintendent for Johnson’s Choctaw Academy. He wrote an open letter expressing his exasperation for how the newspapers were trying “to put down and destroy one among the greatest and most useful patriots in the United States.”

When the election took place, Van Buren won the presidency. Johnson, facing three other candidates, fell one vote shy of the majority for vice president. For the first and only time in U.S. history, the vote for vice president went to the U.S. Senate in accordance with the 12th amendment. On Feb. 8, 1837, the Senate voted 33 to 16 in favor of Johnson.

During Johnson’s one term as vice president, he broke 17 senatorial voting ties. When he was not performing his duties as President of the Senate, he could be found managing his Kentucky tavern.

A Name and Phrase

Many may recall the 1840 election slogan for William Henry Harrison: “Tippecanoe and Tyler too.” Tippecanoe represented the river near where Harrison led a victory over Shawnee Indians. Johnson had a slogan that has lived on, though not to the same degree, which references his heroism during the Battle of the Thames: “Sound the bugles Rumpsey, Dumpsey, Colonel Johnson killed Tecumseh.”

The slogan "Tippecanoe and Tyler too" was part of William Henry Harrison's 1840 campaign slogan. Public Domain

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