When his family found him, he refused to return home,
and the next seven years were spent largely in the wilderness with his
savage friends. The wild life was congenial to him, and he grew up rough
and head-strong and healthy. Then the Creek war broke out, and Houston
enlisted with Andrew Jackson. One incident of that war gives a better
insight into Houston's character than volumes of description. At the
battle of the Horseshoe, where the Creeks made a desperate stand, a
barbed arrow struck Houston in the thigh and sank deep into the flesh.
He tried to pull it out and failed.
"Here," he called to a comrade, "pull out this arrow."
The other took hold of the shaft of the arrow and pulled with all his
might, but could not dislodge it.
"I can't get it out," he said, at last.
"Oh, yes, you can!" cried Houston, and raised his sword. "Pull it out,
or it'll be worse for you!"
The soldier saw he was in earnest, and, taking hold of the arrow again,
gave it a mighty wrench. It came out, but the barbs of the arrow tore
the flesh badly. Houston, however, paused only to tie up the wound
roughly, and hurried back into the fight, though Jackson ordered him to
the rear. Before long, two bullets struck him down, and he lay between
life and death for many days.
Such desperate valor was exactly after "Old Hickory's" heart, and from
that time forward, Jackson was Houston's friend and patron.
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