Episode #70: The Deadly Duel of Future American President Andrew Jackson & the 1806 Zodiac Back

An 1834 woodcut depicting Jackson's duel with Charles Dickinson from the satirical Major Jack Downing's Life of Andrew Jackson. Downing was a fictional character created by Seba Smith to parody Jackson.

6/20/2025: On today’s episode, Valerie shares the petty and ridiculous tale of Andrew Jackson’s murderous duel. This story proves true any rumors of his violent temper and obsession with retribution for ANY perceived wrongs. We outline the dramatic name-calling, the series of “diss tracks” between him and Charles Dickinson (and friends), the challenge to a duel, the unsavory strategies to win, and a controversial end to the events of that fateful day. Next, Amy Jo presents the 1806 astrology, including Tecumseh’s Eclipse, which when correctly predicted by Shawnee Chief Tecumseh’s brother, Shawnee prophet Tenskwatawa, helped to further their cause of forming a united Native Peoples coalition. Lastly, we discuss Pluto in Pisces, Biela’s Comet, and whatever happened to Merriweather Lewis?

Letter from Charles Dickinson to General Andrew Jackson. Scan of a microfilm of a handwritten letter from the papers of Andrew Jackson. (Dated January 6, 1806). Library of Congress Manuscripts Division

Charles Henry Dickinson

Kentucky Department of Highways historical marker on the town square in Adairville, Kentucky, recalling the duel between Andrew Jackson and Charles Dickinson that took place nearby in 1806.

Miss Grace Stockman with President Andrew Jackson’s dueling pistols, at the National Museum. Photographic print. (Created 1926). Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

Engraved portrait of Jackson as president by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. This portrait has appeared on the $20 bill since 1929.

Dickinson's son's slaves built Live Oak Plantation (Iberville Parish, Louisiana) ("Traditional Opulence of South Reached Peak at Live Oak Plantation" by Albert Procter, The American Progress, Hammond, Louisiana, January 6, 1939)

Jackson in his dotage

Jeff Conaway as Kenickie

The Sun’s Corona During a Total Eclipse (Credit: NASA/SDO)

June 16, 1806, Total Solar Eclipse Path

A painting of Shawnee chief Tecumseh, in water colors on platinum print, based on Lossing's 1868 engraving.

Ten-sqúat-a-way, The Open Door, Known as The Prophet, Brother of Tecumseh.

Ohioan William Henry Harrison -Courtesy of the Library of Congress

Biela's Comet in February 1846, soon after it split into two pieces.

Sources/Photo Sources

Intro Sources:

NA

The Deadly Duel of Future American President Andrew Jackson Sources:

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/may-30/andrew-jackson-kills-charles-dickinson-in-duel 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Jackson 

https://www.loc.gov/collections/andrew-jackson-papers/articles-and-essays/andrew-jackson-family-history/ 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickinson_(attorney_and_duelist) 

https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2015/04/frontier-racing-and-injured-pride-the-duel-between-andrew-jackson-and-charles-dickinson/

https://www.cracked.com/article_19008_the-7-most-unexpectedly-awesome-parties-in-history.html

The Deadly Duel of Future American President Andrew Jackson Photo Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Jackson#/media/File:Charles_Dickinson_Andrew_Jackson_duel_1806_-_crop_contrast_-_Image_from_Seba_Smith's_1834_parodic_biography_of_Andrew_Jackson_07.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Jackson#/media/File:JACKSON,_Andrew-President_(BEP_engraved_portrait).jpg

https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2015/04/frontier-racing-and-injured-pride-the-duel-between-andrew-jackson-and-charles-dickinson/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickinson_(attorney_and_duelist)#/media/File:Adairville-Jackson-Dickinson-duel-marker-ky.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickinson_(attorney_and_duelist)#/media/File:P15138coll25_14_full_Charles_Henry_Dickinson.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickinson_(attorney_and_duelist)#/media/File:Traditional_Opulence_of_South_Reached_Peak_at_Live_Oak_Plantation.jpg

https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2015/04/frontier-racing-and-injured-pride-the-duel-between-andrew-jackson-and-charles-dickinson/ 

https://turtledove.fandom.com/wiki/Andrew_Jackson

https://www.facebook.com/killercosmonaut/posts/remembering-american-actor-jeff-conaway-on-his-birthday-october-5-1950-may-27-20/1139998307925301/

1806 Zodiac Back Sources:

https://horoscopes.astro-seek.com/calculate-birth-chart-horoscope-online/?narozeni_den=16&narozeni_mesic=6&narozeni_rok=1806&narozeni_hodina=16&narozeni_minuta=24&narozeni_mesto_hidden=Unknown%20place&narozeni_stat_hidden=XX&narozeni_podstat_kratky_hidden=&narozeni_city=&narozeni_sirka_stupne=0&narozeni_sirka_minuty=0&narozeni_sirka_smer=0&narozeni_delka_stupne=0&narozeni_delka_minuty=0&narozeni_delka_smer=0&narozeni_timezone_form=auto&narozeni_timezone_dst_form=auto&house_system=placidus&hid_fortune=&hid_fortune_check=on&hid_vertex=&hid_vertex_check=on&hid_chiron=&hid_chiron_check=on&hid_lilith=&hid_lilith_check=on&hid_uzel=&hid_uzel_check=on&&nick=Total%20Solar%20Eclipse 

https://mooncalendar.astro-seek.com/solar-and-lunar-eclipses-1806 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_June_16,_1806#:~:text=A%20total%20solar%20eclipse%20occurred,for%20a%20viewer%20on%20Earth.

https://horoscopes.astro-seek.com/retrograde-planets-astrology-calendar-1806 

https://patrickwatsonastrology.com/a-history-of-pluto-through-the-zodiac/

https://astroaz.com/events/neptune-in-signs-movement-through-the-zodiac-for-1800-2100/

https://www.historicalastrology.com/outer-planets-in-astrology/american-saturn-returns/

https://www.historicalastrology.com/outer-planets-in-astrology/american-saturn-returns/

https://www.washingtonhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/01-4_Brown-1.pdf 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Republican_calendar 

https://annevanweerden.nl/docs/Bielas_Comet.pdf

1806 Zodiac Back Photo Sources:

https://www.eclipse-chasers.com/article/history/tse1806.shtml 

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2024/04/04/how-tecumseh-used-the-1806-total-eclipse-in-ohio-to-his-advantage/72931327007/

https://www.marionstar.com/story/news/local/2024/02/25/program-to-highlight-1806-eclipse-to-prepare-for-april-8-event-tecumseh-marion-county-historical/72699834007/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tecumseh#/media/File:Tecumseh02.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenskwatawa#/media/File:Ten-sq%C3%BAat-a-way.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biela%27s_Comet#/media/File:CometBiela.jpg