Gainesville resident guest speaker at War of 1812 Symposium

GAINESVILLE - Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) James A. Hendricks of Gainesville, U.S. Army (Ret), was invited to be a guest speaker at the War of 1812 Bicentennial Symposium recently in Vincennes, Indiana, on the 200th anniversary of the war.

The Symposium was held by Historic Southern Indiana, part of the University of Southern Indiana, and hosted on the campus of Vincennes University.

LTC Hendricks, a member of the Riverside Military Academy teaching faculty, co-wrote the historical novel They Were Too Drunk with Firewater and Fear. It is a tale of the Northwest territorial operations and Court of Inquiry of Kentucky Major General Samuel Hopkins during the War of 1812.

Along with co-authors Kentucky Colonel Richard Ferguson and National Guard Chief Historian John Trowbridge, Hendricks presented the group's historical research as part of the symposium. The focus of their presentation centered on the military land campaign in the Northwest Territory between the Kentucky Militia and the Anglo-Native Americans. They also participated in roundtable and panel discussions on various aspects of the War of 1812. Audience members included the general public as well as a large group of academic scholars and historians.

The historical research of these three co-authors includes little-known facts concerning how the Native Americans conducted their campaigns under Tecumseh's leadership. They shared tales of Richard Taylor and his son, Captain Zachary Taylor, who were part of Major General Hopkins' expedition.

"National Guard Chief Historian John Trowbridge, U.S. Army Colonel James Hendricks and Kentucky Colonel Richard Ferguson offered an informative and insightful presentation at the 3rd Annual War of 1812 Symposium," said Dr. Lisa Morales, Assistant Dean of Instruction for Lone Star College-Tomball and author of The Financial History of the War of 1812. "Their expertise enabled me to better understand the impact of U.S. wartime financial strategy at the state level and on the Northwestern Army. It was a pleasure to learn from the team's considered analysis."

Ferguson, Hendricks, and Trowbridge all hold the title of "Kentucky Colonel." The honorary title was given to each of them by a Kentucky Governor in recognition of their historical research and contributions. Famous "Kentucky Colonels" include President Lyndon B. Johnson, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Harold Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken.