The 39th United States Infantry was a regiment of the regular Army. It was authorized on January 29, 1813, and recruited in the East by Colonel John Williams of Tennessee. It was commanded by Colonel Williams, who had previously led the Mounted Volunteers of East Tennessee. On December 31, 1813, Major General Thomas Pinckney ordered the regiment to join Andrew Jackson's force, countermanding orders that had been sent from General Thomas Flournoy at New Orleans, who wanted them there, The historian Henry Adams speculated that, without this regiment, Jackson would have fared no better in 1814 than he had the previous year.
Jackson welcomed the 39th. Since the beginning of his campaign in the Creek War, Jackson was troubled by serious discipline problems with his militia and volunteers, particularly the militia from East Tennessee. So he prosecuted a Private John Woods, only 18, under false charges. Woods had spent his last month in the camp of the 39th. The night before his execution the officers of the 39th signed and sent Jackson a petition asking for mercy. He not only failed to grant it, he made the 39th shoot him.
At the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, Jackson placed the regiment, (because they were the best-trained soldiers he had)
Postwar consolidation of regiment
In 1815, after that war ended, the 39th was consolidated with the 8th and 24th Regiments to form the 7th Infantry Regiment. The Flag of the 39th was returned to Col. Williams and is now on display at the East Tennessee History Center in Knoxville. It was embroidered by the handiwork of Col. Williams' sister-in-law, Mary (Polly) Lawson McClung Williams.