Among the items at the Hathi Trust Digital Library -- Official letters of the military and naval officers of the United States, during the war with Great Britain in the years 1812, 13, 14, and 15:
One of the letters included (HEAD QUARTERS, FORT STROTHER, February 17th, 1814) from General Andrew Jackson to Colonel William Cocke:
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Your two letters of the 8th and 14th instant, have been received, but from the continued hurry of business with which I am surrounded, I have not had time to answer them until now. The importance of the service you have rendered, and the deep interest you have taken in forwarding my views and the objects of the campaign, command my sincere thanks. I hope you will continue to aid in procuring the means and transporting the supplies to this place: the active exertions of a patriot of sixty-five years of age, will certainly stimulate the youthful soldier to his duty; such examples have become necessary: I find those
who talk most of war and make the greatest bustle about our injured rights at home, are the last to step forward in vindication of those rights. Patriotism is an appendage which such men wear as a coquette does a fine ribband, merely for show, and to be laid aside or applied as necessity may require.
