Analysing the life of the Presidents (Part 12) Zachary Taylor, Old Rough and Ready
Zachary Taylor was born on November 24 1784, on a plantation in Orange County, Virginia , his birthplace may have been Hare Forest Farm, the home of his maternal grandfather William Strother, but this is uncertain another possibility is Montebello, another Orange County Estate.
He had 8 siblings (1 died in infacy but the most important one is Joseph Pannell Taylor, Union General during the Civil War) his mother was Sarah Dabney Taylor and his dad was Richard Taylor (lieutenant colonel in the American Revolution).
In August 1785, the family moved to Louisville, Kentucky on the Ohio River, as a child, he lived in a battleground of the American Indian Wars.
Zachary’s formal education was sporatic due to Kentucky’s education system just taking shape during those years, Sarah taught him to read and write, he went to attend a Middletown, Kentucky academy and he had a poor handwriting, spelling and grammar that all improved over time.
After briefly serving in the Kentucky militia in 1806, he joined the army on May 3 1808, being assigned by Jefferson as first lieutenant of the Kentuckian Seventh Infantry Regiment.
In June 1810, he married Margaret Mackall Smith.
“Peggy” Smith came from a family of prominent Maryland planters, they had 6 children (Ann, Sarah keep her in mind as she’s gonna be important later on, Octavia who died at 4, Margaret Jr who died at 1 right with Octavia when the family was stricken with a "bilious fever”, Mary and Richard Confederate Traitor later on).
After marrying, they brought a cottage in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and began buying a lot more land, including on the Mississippi River.
He became a captain in November 1810 and in July 1811, he went to the Indiana Territory where he took control of Fort Knox after the commandant fled, within a few weeks, he restored order and Governor Harrison lauded him.
Zachary defended Fort Harrison in Indiana from an Indian attack led by Tecumseh during the War of 1812 and defeated then in September 1812, for which he was praised a lot and became the first awarded brevet (temporarily though) in the US after more fighting, he moved to Fort Knox after the violence subsided.
But in the Spring of 1814, he was called back into action by Benjamin Howard (Brigadier General) and after Howard fell sick, he led a 430-man expedition from St. Louis, up the Mississippi River, he became a Captain by the time the war ended in 1815, resigned that year, but came back in 1816 after gaining a commission as a major.
In April 1819, he became a lieutenant colonel and dined with James Monroe and Andrew Jackson, in November 1822, he was transferred to Baton Rouge, where he remained until February 1824.
In late 1826, he was called go DC for work on the Army committee to consolidate and improve the military.
In April 1832, the Black Hawk War began and he was promoted to colonel of the 1st Infantry Regiment, and so he helped beat Chief Black Hawk until the end of the war in August.
During this period, he did not want Sarah to marry……JEFFERSON DAVID (he respected David) but did not want her to be a military wife as he knew how hard it was for families, they married in June 1835 and she died in September.
In 1837, during the Second Seminole War, he was sent to Florida, where he engaged with the Seminole at the Battle of Lake Okeechobee on Christmas Day, in May 1838, he took command of all forces in Florida (until 1840), he was of course criticised for using bloodhounds to track Seminole (like full Bloodhounds) and he deserved to be criticised.
After he got relieved (he wanted it), he began to get interested in Politics,as in 1841, he began to send letters (and get them back) with Harrison, but Harrison died in April 1841, and in May, he was made commander of the Second Department of the Army’s Western Division.
In April 1845, he was sent to Fort Jesup (who he helped built in 1822) in Louisiana and ordered to guards against any attempts by Mexico to reclaim the territory.
He was chosen cause the other generals like Scott and Gaines were Whigs and cause Taylor was apolitical (and had friendly relations with Andrew Jackson) made him the choice of Polk.
Polk directed him to deploy into disputed territory in Texas and he chose Corpus Christi (Body of Christ) and his Army of Occupation (that’s how it was named) encamped there in anticipation of any Mexican attacks.
On April 25 1846, the Mexican American War started with Taylor as one of it’s main generals, he commanded forces at the Battle of Palo Alto and the nearby Battle of Resaca de la Palma, and defeated the Mexican “Army of the North” despite being greatly outnumbered, he became a popular hero and was also praised for his humane treatment of the wounded Mexican soldiers before the prisoner exchange with General Arista, giving them the same treatment as he gave to his own men AND became a Major General.
From September 21-September 24 1846, he commanded forces at the Battle of Monterrey and captured it easily but was criticised for signing a “liberal” truce rather than pressing for surrender.
On February 22-23 1847, he crushed Santa Anna (who had more than triple the soldiers he had) and on July 4, he was elected an honorary member of the New York Society of the Cincinnati, joined the Aztec Club of 1847 (for veterans of the war) and got 3 Congressional Gold Medals, more than anyone.
He returned home in November 1847 and the war ended on February 2 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hildago leaving him a hero that many respected, even Ulysses Grant.
In 1848, despite being apolitical, he got the Whig Nomination easily and won the general election, defeating both Lewis Cass and Martin Van Buren.
For his tough career he got the nickname “Old Rough and Ready”.
He was sworn in on March 5 1849 (March 4 fell on a Sunday) as the 12th President.
Here are some of the things he did:
Despite being a big slave owner himself, he DID NOT want slavery to expand.
With all new the land the question was: What to do? Some wanted slavery, some not but Taylor did not want slavery in those states and fought hard to make sure California becomes a free state (even if it happened after he died).
He was also a big enforcer of the Monroe Doctrine, signing the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty with the UK to make sure they won’t control or colonise any Central American republics.
Now as for slavery:
While he had many slaves (bad that he did) but he opposed it to expand, when Southerners wanted to secede, he told them to stop and even promised not to veto the Wilmot Proviso and rejected the Compromise of 1850.
On July 4 1850, he was at a fundraising event for the Washington Monument where he reportedly ate a lot of cherries and milk, got sick and died at 10:35 pm on July 9 1850, he was 65, his last words were “I am about to die. I expect the summons very soon. I have tried to discharge my duties faithfully. I regret nothing, but I am sorry that I am about to leave my friends.”
He was interred in the Public Vault of the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C., from July 13 to October 25, 1850 and then buried in the National Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky, Margaret joined him after she died on August 14 1852, there were rumors that he was poisoned by slave owners but in 1991, he was exhumed and analysed and nothing was found, it’s now widely accepted that he died from cholera.
Zachary Taylor may have been only meant for the Army but it’s as a Politician that he made the biggest impact.
Zachary Taylor was born on November 24 1784, on a plantation in Orange County, Virginia , his birthplace may have been Hare Forest Farm, the home of his maternal grandfather William Strother, but this is uncertain another possibility is Montebello, another Orange County Estate.
He had 8 siblings (1 died in infacy but the most important one is Joseph Pannell Taylor, Union General during the Civil War) his mother was Sarah Dabney Taylor and his dad was Richard Taylor (lieutenant colonel in the American Revolution).
In August 1785, the family moved to Louisville, Kentucky on the Ohio River, as a child, he lived in a battleground of the American Indian Wars.
Zachary’s formal education was sporatic due to Kentucky’s education system just taking shape during those years, Sarah taught him to read and write, he went to attend a Middletown, Kentucky academy and he had a poor handwriting, spelling and grammar that all improved over time.
After briefly serving in the Kentucky militia in 1806, he joined the army on May 3 1808, being assigned by Jefferson as first lieutenant of the Kentuckian Seventh Infantry Regiment.
In June 1810, he married Margaret Mackall Smith.
“Peggy” Smith came from a family of prominent Maryland planters, they had 6 children (Ann, Sarah keep her in mind as she’s gonna be important later on, Octavia who died at 4, Margaret Jr who died at 1 right with Octavia when the family was stricken with a "bilious fever”, Mary and Richard Confederate Traitor later on).
After marrying, they brought a cottage in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and began buying a lot more land, including on the Mississippi River.
He became a captain in November 1810 and in July 1811, he went to the Indiana Territory where he took control of Fort Knox after the commandant fled, within a few weeks, he restored order and Governor Harrison lauded him.
Zachary defended Fort Harrison in Indiana from an Indian attack led by Tecumseh during the War of 1812 and defeated then in September 1812, for which he was praised a lot and became the first awarded brevet (temporarily though) in the US after more fighting, he moved to Fort Knox after the violence subsided.
But in the Spring of 1814, he was called back into action by Benjamin Howard (Brigadier General) and after Howard fell sick, he led a 430-man expedition from St. Louis, up the Mississippi River, he became a Captain by the time the war ended in 1815, resigned that year, but came back in 1816 after gaining a commission as a major.
In April 1819, he became a lieutenant colonel and dined with James Monroe and Andrew Jackson, in November 1822, he was transferred to Baton Rouge, where he remained until February 1824.
In late 1826, he was called go DC for work on the Army committee to consolidate and improve the military.
In April 1832, the Black Hawk War began and he was promoted to colonel of the 1st Infantry Regiment, and so he helped beat Chief Black Hawk until the end of the war in August.
During this period, he did not want Sarah to marry……JEFFERSON DAVID (he respected David) but did not want her to be a military wife as he knew how hard it was for families, they married in June 1835 and she died in September.
In 1837, during the Second Seminole War, he was sent to Florida, where he engaged with the Seminole at the Battle of Lake Okeechobee on Christmas Day, in May 1838, he took command of all forces in Florida (until 1840), he was of course criticised for using bloodhounds to track Seminole (like full Bloodhounds) and he deserved to be criticised.
After he got relieved (he wanted it), he began to get interested in Politics,as in 1841, he began to send letters (and get them back) with Harrison, but Harrison died in April 1841, and in May, he was made commander of the Second Department of the Army’s Western Division.
In April 1845, he was sent to Fort Jesup (who he helped built in 1822) in Louisiana and ordered to guards against any attempts by Mexico to reclaim the territory.
He was chosen cause the other generals like Scott and Gaines were Whigs and cause Taylor was apolitical (and had friendly relations with Andrew Jackson) made him the choice of Polk.
Polk directed him to deploy into disputed territory in Texas and he chose Corpus Christi (Body of Christ) and his Army of Occupation (that’s how it was named) encamped there in anticipation of any Mexican attacks.
On April 25 1846, the Mexican American War started with Taylor as one of it’s main generals, he commanded forces at the Battle of Palo Alto and the nearby Battle of Resaca de la Palma, and defeated the Mexican “Army of the North” despite being greatly outnumbered, he became a popular hero and was also praised for his humane treatment of the wounded Mexican soldiers before the prisoner exchange with General Arista, giving them the same treatment as he gave to his own men AND became a Major General.
From September 21-September 24 1846, he commanded forces at the Battle of Monterrey and captured it easily but was criticised for signing a “liberal” truce rather than pressing for surrender.
On February 22-23 1847, he crushed Santa Anna (who had more than triple the soldiers he had) and on July 4, he was elected an honorary member of the New York Society of the Cincinnati, joined the Aztec Club of 1847 (for veterans of the war) and got 3 Congressional Gold Medals, more than anyone.
He returned home in November 1847 and the war ended on February 2 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hildago leaving him a hero that many respected, even Ulysses Grant.
In 1848, despite being apolitical, he got the Whig Nomination easily and won the general election, defeating both Lewis Cass and Martin Van Buren.
For his tough career he got the nickname “Old Rough and Ready”.
He was sworn in on March 5 1849 (March 4 fell on a Sunday) as the 12th President.
Here are some of the things he did:
Despite being a big slave owner himself, he DID NOT want slavery to expand.
With all new the land the question was: What to do? Some wanted slavery, some not but Taylor did not want slavery in those states and fought hard to make sure California becomes a free state (even if it happened after he died).
He was also a big enforcer of the Monroe Doctrine, signing the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty with the UK to make sure they won’t control or colonise any Central American republics.
Now as for slavery:
While he had many slaves (bad that he did) but he opposed it to expand, when Southerners wanted to secede, he told them to stop and even promised not to veto the Wilmot Proviso and rejected the Compromise of 1850.
On July 4 1850, he was at a fundraising event for the Washington Monument where he reportedly ate a lot of cherries and milk, got sick and died at 10:35 pm on July 9 1850, he was 65, his last words were “I am about to die. I expect the summons very soon. I have tried to discharge my duties faithfully. I regret nothing, but I am sorry that I am about to leave my friends.”
He was interred in the Public Vault of the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C., from July 13 to October 25, 1850 and then buried in the National Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky, Margaret joined him after she died on August 14 1852, there were rumors that he was poisoned by slave owners but in 1991, he was exhumed and analysed and nothing was found, it’s now widely accepted that he died from cholera.
Zachary Taylor may have been only meant for the Army but it’s as a Politician that he made the biggest impact.