The fire in 1834 destroyed much of the furniture then in use in the house, and it was replaced with goods purchased in Philadelphia. Jackson left the selection of the furnishings to Mrs. Sarah York Jackson, his only suggestion in connection with the furniture being that she order beds with plain posts instead of carved ones as they would be easier to keep clean. This admonition accounts for the severely plain bedsteads to be seen throughout the Hermitage.

This new furniture was shipped in coastwise vessels to New Orleans, and thence by river steamboats to Nashville. There seems, for some reason, to be a strange conflict of erroneous opinions about the origin of the furniture used to furnish the new Hermitage. Some have stated that it was imported directly from France. At one time it was persistently reported that Jackson took the White House furniture to the Hermitage when he retired from office in 1837. The records clearly indicate, however, that the furniture was bought in Philadelphia through Jackson’s agent there, Henry Toland, and consigned by Toland to Maunsel White, Jackson’s New Orleans factor, with instruction to send it up the river to the Hermitage. The total value of the new furniture was $2,303.77, divided among seven Philadelphia merchants. A specimen bill for furniture from one house, showing the values prevailing at the time, was as follows:

Andrew Jackson, Jr., Esqr.,
to Barry & Krickbaum Dr
To 1 large wardrobe $ 75
2 dressing bureaus to match 110
2 wardrobes, French pattern 120
1 elliptic front bureau 45
1 secretary and bookcase, complete 50
2 pier tables, marble tops 120
1 work table, elegantly fitted up 50
1 work stand, marble tray top 35
2 ditto ditto 50
1 marble slab 10 $665

The detailed bill of lading for the principal consignment of the new furnishings gives a good idea of the original cost of much of the furniture now in the house:

Andrew Jackson, junior, Esqr.,
to George W. South, Dr.
For the following goods, shipped on board the ship Edward Bonaffe:
6 mahogany bedsteads, including the packing @ $40 $240
24 fancy chairs, cane seat, rich blue and gold @ $2.50 60
Matting to cover the chairs 2 $302
For the following goods shipped on board the Ship Milo:
4 curtains, crimson silk lined with white silk and full mounted, @ $75 300.00
Box 1.00 301
7 pair tongs and shovels, polished steel, @ $4.50 $ 31.50
1 pair Ditto large size 7.50
1 pair chamber candlesticks, plated 6.00
1 brass fender, Best 13.00
Box 1.00 59
1 wardrobe, black and ornamented 50.00
2 wash stands, marble tops, @ $18 36.00
2 ditto small, @ $5 10.00
2 large size bureaus @ $30 60.00
2 center tables @ $30 60.00
8 packing boxes 16.50 232.50
5 wire fenders with knobs @ $4.50 22.50
1 nursery fender 6.50
Box 1.75 30.75
2 pairs brass andirons @ $6 12.00
1 pair ditto 6.50
2 pairs ditto @ $7 14.00
32.50
Box 1.00 33.50
3 sets of fine paper hanging, Views of Telemachus @ $40 120.00
Shipped by Ship John Sergeant:
150 yards super Nankeen matting @ $.50 $75.00
20 yards Brussels 4/4 stair carpeting, crimson damask center with red border, @ $2.87½ 57.50
1 mahogany bedstead packed 40.00
1 ” ” very fine 60.00 232.50
1 blind, large size 10.00
1 pair blinds to match 10.00
1 dozen 40 inch stair rods 6.50
Box. 1.75 28.28
1,339.50
Insurance for Bonaffee at $400
” Milo 900
” Jno Sergeant 300
$1,600
@ 1½% $24
Policy 1 25.00
$1,364.50
Received payment, Geo. W. South, January 14, 1836.

All the goods mentioned in the above invoice arrived safely in New Orleans, but when they were reshipped on river steamboats to Nashville a large part of the goods was lost when the John Randolph burned at the wharf in Nashville on May 16, 1836. The John Randolph carried eighteen crates of the new Hermitage furniture, including the famous Telemachus paper, and this loss coming close on the heels of the loss of his house must have been sorely discouraging to the old man. But he promptly, upon receipt of the bad news, wrote Andrew to check up the bills of lading and let him know just what parcels were burned so that he could reorder them in Philadelphia. His letter closes on a pathetic note: “This catastrophe will make it necessary that I should have more means, and in one of my letters I said to you to inquire whether the tract in the Western District, or part of it, could be sold and for what. You told me some time ago that there was a man would give five dollars per acre for 400 acres. If you can get that for it in cash I authorize you to sell it. You can say with truth that I had declined taking that offer for it because it was too low; but the burning of my house, and now my furniture, makes it necessary for me to sell.”

The General’s worst fears were realized insofar as he was perturbed about the inability of his resources to absorb the loss of his home and furniture. Soon after his return from Washington he wrote to a friend: “I returned home with just ninety dollars in money, having expended all my salary and most of the proceeds of my cotton crop; found everything out of repair, corn and everything else to buy for the use of my farm; having but one tract of land besides my homestead, which I sacrificed and which has enabled me to begin the new year clear of debt, relying on our industry and economy to yield us a support, trusting to a kind providence for good seasons and a prosperous crop.” To another friend he wrote, complaining that he had to buy bacon for his family and also corn and oats for the stock—an unforgivable thing to a practical farmer. Furthermore, upon his return he found “the new roof of my house, just rebuilt, leaking and to be repaired.” Continuing he said: “I carried $5,000 when I went to Washington—it took all of my cotton crop ($2,250) with my salary, to bring me home. The burning of my house and furniture has left me poor.” A few days after his return he said: “I find my blooded stock in bad order and too numerous for empty corn cribs and hay lofts. I have determined to sell out part to enable me to feed the balance better.” In the spring of 1838, anticipating a needed vacation at a health resort during the approaching summer, he was trying to sell off some town lots he owned in Alabama, admitting frankly that unless he could sell the lots he would not have the means to make the desired trip to the springs. It was at this time that he wrote: “To wind up our debts since last spring we have paid upwards of $7,000. Andrew was inexperienced, and most men are likely to become swindlers when an opportunity offers, and he happened to fall into the hands of men who pretended to be friends and trusted too much to their honesty. But, thank God, we are not now in debt.”

But in the midst of his adversity we find him writing unselfishly to Andrew Jackson Donelson: “I heard you say that your means to buy corn was exhausted. Inclosed I send you half of my present means after paying for my corn, oats and fodder engaged. This half Eagle ought to buy you three barrels of corn. It will buy 20 bushels of oats, which will be better for your colts.”

V: THE GARDEN AND GROUNDS

Much of the sentimental interest attached to the Hermitage centers around the garden, that fenced-in acre to the east of the mansion house which was set aside by General Jackson for that purpose when the Hermitage was built in 1819. We know that the exact site of the house was carefully selected by his wife, and it is safe to assume that it was she also who picked out this particular spot for the garden.