Random History Question for you guys...

[VFL-82-JP]

It's funny how easily the early history of our state and nation gets mashed together until the parts are difficult to tease back apart.

Our state was borne of North Carolina, coming into separate existence in 1796. But we were here, in the mountains, hills, and river plains of what would become Tennessee, even before then. Blount College formed in 1794, while we were still just a territory.

And then, the War of 1812, the one that made Andrew Jackson famous, when we "fought the bloody British in the town of New Orleans." A call for volunteers went out, and more than 3,500 Tennessee men eagerly responded.

A generation later, in 1835 and 1836, a number of Tennesseans, big names this time, like Davy Crockett and Sam Houston, volunteered to help Texas fend off Mexico in the Longhorn State's fight for independence.

And yet a decade after that, in 1846, the Mexican-American war. President James K. Polk, another Tennessean, called for a brigade's worth of volunteers, 2,800 or so. He got 30,000.

Four different periods of our state's history, divided from each other by gulfs of a decade or more, sometimes an entire generation between them, and yet they meld together in our minds today as one flowing event: we were born, we fought the British and Mexico, we had a couple of Tennesseans as presidents, we fought again and again, and each time our lads volunteered eagerly to take up arms against the enemy.

That's Tennessee. It's who we are, it's how we became known as The Volunteers over that 50-year span.

~ ~ ~




EDIT and p.s.: I just thought of a way to humanize this part of our history. Let's fit your life around it.

Let's say you were born in the same year Nashville (then Fort Nashborough) was founded, 1779. And your baby sister was born when Knoxville (in the form of White's Fort) first came into being, 1786.

That would make you 15 years old when Blount College was founded, and 17 when the state gained admittance into the Union. Your sister would have been 8 to 10 in this period.

When General Jackson fought the British in New Orleans, 1812, you'd have been 33 years of age, and your sister 26.

At the age of 56, you'd have seen Davy Crockett and Sam Houston leave for Texas. Your sister would've just celebrated her 49th birthday.

Finally, you'd be an old man of 67 when James K. Polk got an overwhelming response from 30,000 fellow Tennesseans to go fight the Mexicans. Your sister would've just turned 60.

It was truly a life-long thing, this emergence of The Volunteers. It didn't happen overnight.

Go Vols!

 

[Boca Vol]

It's funny how easily the early history of our state and nation gets mashed together until the parts are difficult to tease back apart.

Our state was borne of North Carolina, coming into separate existence in 1796. But we were here, in the mountains, hills, and river plains of what would become Tennessee, even before then. Blount College formed in 1794, while we were still just a territory.

And then, the War of 1812, the one that made Andrew Jackson famous, when we "fought the bloody British in the town of New Orleans." A call for volunteers went out, and more than 3,500 Tennessee men eagerly responded.

A generation later, in 1835 and 1836, a number of Tennesseans, big names this time, like Davy Crockett and Sam Houston, volunteered to help Texas fend off Mexico in the Longhorn State's fight for independence.

And yet a decade after that, in 1846, the Mexican-American war. President James K. Polk, another Tennessean, called for a brigade's worth of volunteers, 2,800 or so. He got 30,000.

Four different periods of our state's history, divided from each other by gulfs of a decade or more, sometimes an entire generation between them, and yet they meld together in our minds today as one flowing event: we were born, we fought the British and Mexico, we had a couple of Tennesseans as presidents, we fought again and again, and each time our lads volunteered eagerly to take up arms against the enemy.

That's Tennessee. It's who we are, it's how we became known as The Volunteers over that 50-year span.

Excellent write-up, JP...since you mentioned New Orleans I had to attach this gem.

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

Excellent write-up, JP...since you mentioned New Orleans I had to attach this gem.

Thanks for the memories.... I will never forget that game and while sitting cross-legged on the floor of my livingroom I literally went HEELS OVER HEAD backwards when Powell broke through the line and raced down the left sideline to the endzone. Sadly, one of my most athletic moves ever.

 

[savannahfan]

Back in the early 2000's a local sports reporter on the TV here in Salt Lake was giving the scores and stats on a Tennessee game and he got to the word VOLS, and hesitated for just a second, not knowing what the word was, he pronounced it as VOLES...with a long o. It sounded weird to hear it that way.

I have heard casters pronounce it vAls.

 

[Tman44]

1812. Tennessee wasn't a state. Came to arms voluntarily to the U.S. instead of England. Mexican war furthered the already given name.

My bad. Can't always trust what you read online.

 

[WillisWG]

It's funny how easily the early history of our state and nation gets mashed together until the parts are difficult to tease back apart.

Our state was borne of North Carolina, coming into separate existence in 1796. But we were here, in the mountains, hills, and river plains of what would become Tennessee, even before then. Blount College formed in 1794, while we were still just a territory.

And then, the War of 1812, the one that made Andrew Jackson famous, when we "fought the bloody British in the town of New Orleans." A call for volunteers went out, and more than 3,500 Tennessee men eagerly responded.

A generation later, in 1835 and 1836, a number of Tennesseans, big names this time, like Davy Crockett and Sam Houston, volunteered to help Texas fend off Mexico in the Longhorn State's fight for independence.

And yet a decade after that, in 1846, the Mexican-American war. President James K. Polk, another Tennessean, called for a brigade's worth of volunteers, 2,800 or so. He got 30,000.

Four different periods of our state's history, divided from each other by gulfs of a decade or more, sometimes an entire generation between them, and yet they meld together in our minds today as one flowing event: we were born, we fought the British and Mexico, we had a couple of Tennesseans as presidents, we fought again and again, and each time our lads volunteered eagerly to take up arms against the enemy.

That's Tennessee. It's who we are, it's how we became known as The Volunteers over that 50-year span.

~ ~ ~

EDIT and p.s.: I just thought of a way to humanize this part of our history. Let's fit your life around it.

Let's say you were born in the same year Nashville (then Fort Nashborough) was founded, 1779. And your baby sister was born when Knoxville (in the form of White's Fort) first came into being, 1786.

That would make you 15 years old when Blount College was founded, and 17 when the state gained admittance into the Union. Your sister would have been 8 to 10 in this period.

When General Jackson fought the British in New Orleans, 1812, you'd have been 33 years of age, and your sister 26.

At the age of 56, you'd have seen Davy Crockett and Sam Houston leave for Texas. Your sister would've just celebrated her 49th birthday.

Finally, you'd be an old man of 67 when James K. Polk got an overwhelming response from 30,000 fellow Tennesseans to go fight the Mexicans. Your sister would've just turned 60.

It was truly a life-long thing, this emergence of The Volunteers. It didn't happen overnight.

Go Vols!

We can partly thank North Carolina, their issuance of Military Bounty Land Warrants in Tennessee brought men tested by War.

TNGenWeb, Land Grants in Tennessee by North Carolina

 

[WillisWG]

My bad. Can't always trust what you read online.

Trust, but verify.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

We can partly thank North Carolina, their issuance of Military Bounty Land Warrants in Tennessee brought men tested by War.

TNGenWeb, Land Grants in Tennessee by North Carolina

Amen.

I think of North Carolina as our "mother state" in the same way as Texans should think of Tennessee as their daddy.

 

[BruisedOrange]

Most logical would be that it first appeared in its shortened form in a newspaper headline, where horizontal space is at a premium and creative use of words is valued.

If your sports page headline needs to communicate that
"TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS BEAT MASSACHUSETTS MINUTEMEN IN OVERTIME"
...you know you're either going to abbreviate* some words or set type for the world's smallest-point headline. And I'm sure the first appearance of "Vols" provoked some critical letters to the Sports Editor, from purist fans and English teachers alike.

But there has to be a first occurrence, and I hope someone digs it out and posts it here.
----
* You can't abbreviate to the point of ambiguity. "VOLS TAKE MASS SATURDAY" wouldn't work in the Protestant south.

** The one headline phrase that is too valuable for attracting readers attention to ever be abbreviated is
"FLORIDA MAN..."

 

[ArdentVol]

The first I heard of the name "Vols" was in referrence to the Nashville Vols farm team in baseball. That was in the early 50's so I don't know about the football "Vols".

think i can remembere dad saying go vols in early 50s
we even went to a nashville vol game in sulphur dell

 

[dobre_shunka]

The song "Fight! Vols, Fight!" was written in 1938 so obviously "Vols" was used by then.

Fight! Vols, Fight - Volopedia

Volopedia doesn't state when "Vols" originated but "Volunteers" originated in 1902. So "Vols" came about sometime between 1902 and 1938

Nickname - Volopedia

The nickname for UT athletic teams and groups is “The Volunteers.” In the final road game of the 1902 season (UT vs. Georgia Tech) T. B. Green scored a touchdown in the game’s final five minutes to give UT a 10-6 victory. The next day, the Atlanta Constitution referred to the UT team as The Volunteers. Use of the term was probably a resurgence of the designation of Tennessee as the “Volunteer State” because of the large numbers of volunteers from Tennessee for the Spanish-American War (1898). The term originated when, during the Mexican War (1846–48), Tennessee sent more than 30,000 volunteers in response to the governor’s call for 2,800. The term is often shortened to Vols.


Prior to general adoption of this nickname, the teams had been designated as “The Tennesseans” or “The Varsity.” It was not until March 26, 1905, that the Knoxville Journal and Tribune used the name “Volunteers”—in relation to a practice game of the baseball team with Baker-Himel School. In fall 1905 both local newspapers used the term freely in referring to UT athletic teams.

 

[lukeneyland]

Lead by Davy Crockett, we 'volunteered' to go assist Texas against Mexico.

We got curb stomped at the Alamo. That was some rental car place in San Antonio.

I've slept a few times since I studied the history, so you might want to double check the details.

Wouldn’t call it a curb stomping. It was six thousand against less than 200. Yet Crocket and the other defenders killed about a thousand of the Mexicans. Their army was so battered that it made San Jacinto possible a few months later

 

[VegasBaby!]

I was wondering about it....

When did the Volunteers start being called "The Vols?" Was that something that came with the conception of the nickname or did that come on down the line? Who started it?

I just wondered, since that's not a "normal" nickname for a volunteer (I only say Vols in connection with the University of Tennessee), when it first became the nickname for us?

Does anyone have any insight? Just something I was asked, and I really had no clue.

I do not know the answer as to when Vols was 1st used. However, I remember reading while at UT in the 70s that General Neyland had disliked "Vols" as shorthand for Volunteers and did not allow its use while he was the Athletic Director. I found that interesting since in the 70s the huge V-O-L-S letters were mounted where the upper deck south end zone Is now. Neyland had past away some years before the letters were installed.

 

[VFL-82-JP]

I do not know the answer as to when Vols was 1st used. However, I remember reading while at UT in the 70s that General Neyland had disliked "Vols" as shorthand for Volunteers and did not allow its use while he was the Athletic Director. I found that interesting since in the 70s the huge V-O-L-S letters were mounted where the upper deck south end zone Is now. Neyland had past away some years before the letters were installed.

Yeah, I think I understand why the General didn't like the shorthand term.

It is vaguely reminiscent of some of the terrors of ancient and medieval Europe: the Visigoths...the Vandals...the Vikings. A lot of bugaboos in that crowd.

On the flip side, "vol" in ancient heraldry is from the French word for flight. So one could also think of the Vols with this imagery:

vol d'or (wings of gold, or flight of gold)

 

[tennesseeduke]

...which was a real shame because Davey had two years of eligibility left.

He’s in the transfer portal now!

 

[Jravol78]

Lead by Davy Crockett, we 'volunteered' to go assist Texas against Mexico.

We got curb stomped at the Alamo. That was some rental car place in San Antonio located in the basement of a Spanish mission .

I've slept a few times since I studied the history, so you might want to double check the details.

You were close but I FIFY

 

[Jravol78]

Back in the early 2000's a local sports reporter on the TV here in Salt Lake was giving the scores and stats on a Tennessee game and he pronounced it as VOLES...with a long o. It sounded weird to hear it that way.

Was it Donnie Tyndall?

 

[WillisWG]

General Neyland: 50 Facts On The 50th Anniversary

40. Hall of fame broadcaster Lindsey Nelson and Knoxville ad executive Edwin Huster Sr., helped form UT’s first radio network. Nelson thought it should be called the Volunteer Network and approached Neyland with his idea. Neyland had the ultimate veto power and said, “Let’s call it the Vol Network.” Nelson immediately replied, “Yes, sir. Let’s call it the Vol Network.”

 

[Hunerwadel]

I know the first time the name volunteers was written in a newspaper, in reference to the university, was in 1902. Link to article

I quickly read it and didn't see the condensed version... great question

If you never saw the Nashville Vols play at the Sulphur Dell you missed something. The outfield actually sloped uphill. Of course most of you aren't old enough. Notice the right field line is 262ft but with the slope and the wall being very high it took a pretty good lick to hit it out.

 

[livefaith]

I am just waiting for them to use this he same method for the Titans for their nickname.

That's just Two funny!

 

[Remy]

"In 1814 we took a little trip
Along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississip"

The first noteworthy instance of Tennesseans responding as Volunteers was during the Battle of New Orleans. Davy Crockett and his group of second Tennessee volunteers all expired at the Battle of the Alamo in 1836 trying to save Texicans. Obviously Tennessee has a VERY rich history as responding volunteers.

 

[Remy]

Wouldn’t call it a curb stomping. It was six thousand against less than 200. Yet Crocket and the other defenders killed about a thousand of the Mexicans. Their army was so battered that it made San Jacinto possible a few months later

Just so you know there is an attempted rewrite of history going around where Crockett was said to be captured. begged for his life on hands knees, and was executed squealing like a child. This is the La Raza and similar organizations attempting to rewrite history similar to the 1619 Project put forward by the NYTimes that has been discredited as a historically accurate piece of work tried to rewrite history. Crockett was a hero before and after the Alamo, he may have had money problems that caused him to seek a fortune in Texas but it does not detract from his overall resume.

 

[njvols]

It's funny how easily the early history of our state and nation gets mashed together until the parts are difficult to tease back apart.

Our state was borne of North Carolina, coming into separate existence in 1796. But we were here, in the mountains, hills, and river plains of what would become Tennessee, even before then. Blount College formed in 1794, while we were still just a territory.

And then, the War of 1812, the one that made Andrew Jackson famous, when we "fought the bloody British in the town of New Orleans." A call for volunteers went out, and more than 3,500 Tennessee men eagerly responded.

A generation later, in 1835 and 1836, a number of Tennesseans, big names this time, like Davy Crockett and Sam Houston, volunteered to help Texas fend off Mexico in the Longhorn State's fight for independence.

And yet a decade after that, in 1846, the Mexican-American war. President James K. Polk, another Tennessean, called for a brigade's worth of volunteers, 2,800 or so. He got 30,000.

Four different periods of our state's history, divided from each other by gulfs of a decade or more, sometimes an entire generation between them, and yet they meld together in our minds today as one flowing event: we were born, we fought the British and Mexico, we had a couple of Tennesseans as presidents, we fought again and again, and each time our lads volunteered eagerly to take up arms against the enemy.

That's Tennessee. It's who we are, it's how we became known as The Volunteers over that 50-year span.

~ ~ ~




EDIT and p.s.: I just thought of a way to humanize this part of our history. Let's fit your life around it.

Let's say you were born in the same year Nashville (then Fort Nashborough) was founded, 1779. And your baby sister was born when Knoxville (in the form of White's Fort) first came into being, 1786.

That would make you 15 years old when Blount College was founded, and 17 when the state gained admittance into the Union. Your sister would have been 8 to 10 in this period.

When General Jackson fought the British in New Orleans, 1812, you'd have been 33 years of age, and your sister 26.

At the age of 56, you'd have seen Davy Crockett and Sam Houston leave for Texas. Your sister would've just celebrated her 49th birthday.

Finally, you'd be an old man of 67 when James K. Polk got an overwhelming response from 30,000 fellow Tennesseans to go fight the Mexicans. Your sister would've just turned 60.

It was truly a life-long thing, this emergence of The Volunteers. It didn't happen overnight.

Go Vols!

Really good info! Also, a little known fact that James K Polk, upon hearing about 30,000 Tennessee Volunteers, became the first to say... "Woooo!"...

 

[lukeneyland]

Just so you know there is an attempted rewrite of history going around where Crockett was said to be captured. begged for his life on hands knees, and was executed squealing like a child. This is the La Raza and similar organizations attempting to rewrite history similar to the 1619 Project put forward by the NYTimes that has been discredited as a historically accurate piece of work tried to rewrite history. Crockett was a hero before and after the Alamo, he may have had money problems that caused him to seek a fortune in Texas but it does not detract from his overall resume.

Of course there is . Either the Mexicans or the liberals have been trying undermine the what happened at the Alamo since the days immediately following the battle. It started with Santa Anna’s farcically low casualty reports following the battle

 

[chuckiepoo]

That NFL team in Boston are sometimes referred to as the Pats. Tom Brady's new team has long been called the Bucs. We know where that leave that bunch in Nashville.

Houston Texans History: The Story Of BESFs