Captain John Gordon was an extremely interesting individual and an ancestor of mine. I found out about him when I told my grandmother that we were talking about Andrew Jackson in class. John Gordon was a very close friend of Andrew Jackson, assisting him in many conflicts during the Creek War of 1813. He was born July 15, 1759 near Fredericksburg, Virginia. Captain Gordon was well known as an Indian fighter, but also as a postmaster, smuggler and even spy. Although John Gordon is not one of those people that is written about in history books, his actions are very remarkable and deserve to be recognized. John Gordon's reputation as a ruthless fighter is one of his most notable achievements, but there were other titles he held that are worthwhile. mentioning. Captain Gordon lived in Tennessee for much of his life. While living in Nashville, he became Nashville's first postmaster. Additionally, Captain Gordon was a merchant who traded along the Natchez Trace. He was one of the first to take advantage of the Natchez Trace and use it as a trade route. He also won the right to operate a ferry along the Duck River, which crosses the Natchez Trace. Once he gained ferry access on this river, he was able to become even more successful in his business venture. Captain Gordon's lineage is certainly worth noting. It is through him and his wife Dolly that I am connected to Pocahontas. My grandmother, through genealogical work, discovered that John and Dolly were related to Pocahontas. For a while, Captain Gordon's lineage was somewhat of a mystery, but my grandmother and other family members worked hard to fill in the gaps and eventually arrived at this tremendous discovery. Now the strange thing about this information is that even with this line...... middle of paper ......ola. Using information obtained from the governor, Gordon reported to Jackson that Pensacola was being used by the British. With this information, Jackson took Pensacola, which would then result in the Battle of New Orleans. After researching my ancestor, I now know the importance of genealogical work. I would never have known about Captain John Gordon's role in the Creek Wars or his friendship with Andrew Jackson. His accomplishments are admirable, and if some of the things he accomplished had never happened, American history as we know it could have radically changed. Andrew Jackson was a hugely influential president. Who can say what would have happened if Jackson had not been saved by Captain Gordon and his spies? Captain John Gordon is an important person both to my family and to American history. Without him, American history would be seriously impacted.