To James Madison from Andrew Jackson, 5 July 1815
From Andrew Jackson
Nashville July 5th. 1815
Sir
The bearer Mr Lewis Livingston of Newyork,1 is one of those young heroes, who faithfully sustained the national charactor, on the lines of defence below Neworleans, he acted by my appointment as assistant engineer, his unwearied attention to the duties assigned him, obtained the thanks of his General and a claim on the gratitude of his country. Mr Livingston possessing a liberal education, his talents may be, beneficially employed in the service of his country, and particularly on the event of another war—as Such I beg leave to introduce him. I have the honor to be very respectfully yr mo ob, Servt,
Andrew Jackson
RC (NjP: Edward Livingston Papers).
1. Lewis Livingston (1798–1821), the son of Edward Livingston, traveled to New York in the spring of 1815 to continue his education, while his father remained in New Orleans. In reply to a 29 July letter from his son at Rhinebeck, New York, the elder Livingston wrote on 1 Sept. 1815: “I am glad you have General Jackson’s letter, and still more so that you view it in its true light as a stimulus to further exertions.” Lewis returned to New Orleans in 1818. Probably suffering from malaria, he sailed to France in April 1821 in an attempt to improve his health, but re-embarked for New Orleans in November, died on board ship, and was buried at sea (Charles Havens Hunt, Life of Edward Livingston [New York, 1864], 89–90, 212, 215–16, 244, 246, 250, 252–53).