242 Making the American Thoroughbred 



No contest on the soil of Tennessee has ever been so 

 exciting or caused so much betting, considering the means 

 of the people, as this race. Hundreds of horses and nu- 

 merous 640 acre tracts of land were staked on the result. 

 The old pioneers, who were accustomed to quarter-racing, 

 and had witnessed the indomitable game and great success 

 of Greyhound, bet their horses and lands upon him with 

 the utmost confidence. When the race was over there 

 was a general inquiry of, "Will you carry my saddle 

 home for me?" and "Does your horse carry double?" 



In the fall of 1805 Capt. Joseph Erwin offered to run 

 his horse, Tanner, a son of imp Tanner, against any horse 

 in the world, 4-mile heats, for $5,000 a side, the person 

 accepting the bet to name at the post. Gen. Jackson 

 accepted the banter and trained 16 horses, Truxton and 

 Greyhound among them. He started Greyhound and won 

 the race at three heats over the Clover Bottom Course. 



At the same time and place Gen. Jackson had a 

 match of $2,000 a side in cash notes on Truxton, against 

 Capt. Erwin's Ploughboy, 2-mile heats; but Ploughboy 

 being amiss Capt. Erwin paid the forfeit. A misun- 

 derstanding arose concerning this last mentioned race, 

 which was the occasion, but not the cause, of the fatal 

 duel between Gen. Jackson and Mr. Dickinson. 



