In the annals of American history, few events capture the fiery spirit of personal honor and the rough-and-tumble politics of early America quite like the infamous altercation between two formidable men of their time: Sam Houston and William Stanbery. This blog post pulls back the curtain on a captivating excerpt from my upcoming book, “A Profitable Wife” where the clash of reputations and the defense of honor on the streets of Washington D.C. are vividly brought to life. Join me as we step back into 1832, to a moment where words were met with the uncompromising force of a hickory cane, and the halls of Congress were left echoing with the repercussions of this legendary beating for slander:

…William Stanbery, a congressman from Ohio, stepped out of the boarding house onto the cool evening streets of Washington City. For comfort, his fingertips confirmed a pistol was tucked easily accessible under his coat, a habit he’d acquired since his speech on Indian Affairs at the House of Representatives ten days prior. Stanbery glanced around, ensuring it was safe to venture forth as had become his recent custom.

He hadn’t anticipated that his speech would incite violence upon himself. It was merely politics. He and his fellow Whig Party members were incensed by President Jackson’s position on the nation’s banks, which had caused them significant financial hardship back home. They hoped to weaken Jackson by attacking his good friend, one Governor Sam Houston, who was in town with the Cherokee delegation. Three years earlier, Houston had resigned as governor of Tennessee. His current role, representing the Cherokee, was perceived as Houston’s reentry into politics as Jackson’s ally.

So much controversy was swirling around Jackson’s Indian Removal Act. For his enemies, it was basically Jackson’s vulnerable underbelly at the moment. On behalf of Ohio, Stanbery had denounced the act’s weaknesses and failures while calling out officials, like Governor Houston, as corrupt, accusing him of attempting to profiteer from food ration contracts. As his close friend, this insinuated Jackson’s duplicity and incompetence. Once Stanbery’s remarks were published in the newspapers, Houston became incensed, stalking Stanbery’s known haunts and proclaiming to many that he would have satisfaction. Having never met Houston, Stanbery could only rely on rumors that he would be no match for this formidable frontiersman. Stanbery was aware that Jackson sometimes insinuated violence should be visited upon those in Congress who opposed his policies, inviting attacks by private citizens. Many were on edge these days.

As Stanbery walked up the street, the hair on the back of his neck bristled at the sudden sound of footsteps approaching from behind. He whirled around, all at once face to face with a man he suspected must be the source of his trepidation: the former governor from Tennessee. Towering over six foot tall with a broad-shouldered muscular build, the man was dressed in a formal evening suit which framed a vest made from some type of spotted animal skin. Rugged features, thick sideburns, and an intense gaze conveyed a force to be reckoned with. As his brow furrowed, jaw clenched, and his lips pressed tightly together in a scowl, his fierce eyes burned with anger and indignation narrowing and fixating on Stanbery. The man was indeed in a savage mood.

“Are you William Stanbery?” Sam Houston demanded, one hand clenched around a cane and the other opening and closing in a fist. His eyes were blazing with fury.

Stanbery’s throat constricted with fear, rendering him speechless. He managed a nod and then the towering figure bellowed, “Then you are a damned rascal!”

Stanberry scarcely had time to raise his arm in defense as Houston’s cane swooped through the air, striking him repeatedly. The next thing he knew they were on the ground, rolling in the dirt. Stanbery finally managed to loosen his pistol, shove it into Houston’s chest and squeeze the trigger, only to hear a disheartening empty click. This only served to further enrage Houston, who continued the beating until, at last, his rage subsided. He abruptly turned and stomped righteously away, leaving Stanbery badly injured and bloodied in the street.

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‘A Profitable Wife,’ is now available on Amazon and other online book retailers.