Andrew Jackson believes it was Divine Intervention
On January 30th in 1835, Richard Lawrence became the first known person to attempt to assassinate a sitting U.S. president. His target was Andrew Jackson, a man known for his fiery temper and iron will. But fate—and perhaps Jackson’s own resolve—ensured Lawrence’s plan would fail in a most dramatic fashion.
Who Was Richard Lawrence?
Richard Lawrence was a British-born house painter who lived in Washington, D.C. In the years leading up to his attack, he exhibited signs of severe mental illness. He believed he was the rightful heir to the British throne and that Andrew Jackson was conspiring against him, personally preventing him from receiving a vast fortune. These delusions, combined with Jackson’s controversial policies, fueled his growing obsession with the president
The Assassination Attempt
On that fateful day in 1835, Jackson was attending the funeral of Congressman Warren R. Davis at the U.S. Capitol. As the president exited the building, Lawrence stepped forward, raised a pistol, and pulled the trigger. A misfire. Undeterred, he produced a second pistol and fired again. Another misfire.
The odds of two flintlock pistols failing consecutively were astronomical—later tests showed they were both in working order, and the humid weather may have played a role in the misfires. Before Lawrence could attempt another shot, Jackson, in true Jacksonian fashion, charged at him with his cane, striking him repeatedly. Witnesses, including Davy Crockett, helped subdue and disarm the would-be assassin.
Capture and Trial
Lawrence was immediately taken into custody and, after a brief investigation, declared insane. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity and was committed to several institutions for the rest of his life, spending his final years at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, D.C.
Legacy and Theories
The attempt on Jackson’s life was the first of its kind against a U.S. president and revealed early concerns about presidential security. Jackson, never one to shy away from conspiracy theories, suspected his political enemies—particularly the Whigs—had orchestrated the attack, though no evidence supported this claim.
Lawrence’s failed assassination remains one of history’s most bizarre political attacks, not just because of its dramatic failure, but because of the sheer improbability of two pistols misfiring in succession. Some say luck saved Andrew Jackson that day, while others believe it was destiny. Either way, the incident cemented Jackson’s reputation as a larger-than-life figure—one who even death seemed unable to touch.
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