In the late 1820’s and early 1830’s, the Peggy Eaton Affair, also called the Petticoat War, took place in Washington D.C.
At the time of Andrew Jackson’s presidency, John Eaton held the job of Secretary of War. Eaton had married the daughter of a Washington boardinghouse owner, Peggy O’Neale. Jackson’s Vice President, John Calhoun and his wife Floride Calhoun snubbed Mrs. Eaton. President Jackson’s own wife had been a victim of scandals so Jackson, feeling sorry for Mrs. Eaton, ordered his cabinet to treat Mrs. Eaton as a social equal. Most of the cabinet continued to ignore and exclude the Eaton’s and the president could not do anything about it, which resulted in Jackson losing the Petticoat War. John Calhoun, the Vice President could not be fired. As a result, Secretary of State Marin Van Buren, w widower who had been caring to Peggy, became Vice President of Jackson in 1832. After Van Buren became Vice President, Jackson and Van Buren called for the resignations of the entire cabinet involved in the affair.
John Eaton, who had presidential aspirations, became governor of the Florida Territory and finally ambassador to Spain. Peggy Eaton became Washington’s leading hostess. The significance of the Petticoat War is that it led to Van Buren’s succession as Vice President after Calhoun and the resignation of the cabinet in 1831. The Peggy Eaton Affair also shows determination of scandal and personal morality issues in American politics.
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