Democratic banner., 1846-05-16
GEN. ZACHARY TAYLOR,

tA0l SOfPF0fnlne1tly pciJE1''no PuoT1c, lad
swe.feel disposed tosggrA!93y III" strong de-
sire, EXPRESSED by many, BY giving some Of
.fhe ineidehts:of his life. l. -
Gen. Tafi6r ttmtfred the army in 1903,
;mmediatelyaft the attack on the Chesa-
peake, and has been, in the service Of his
country, from that time to the present.
Having entered the army as a lieutenant
1Of'infantry he, had risen to the command of
accompany, at the beginning of the last
4, For hisg~allant defence of Fort Harrison
on the 9th September, 1912, President
Madison conferred upon him the brevet rank
OF Major, and he is now the Oldest brevet
IN the army. 49,,
In 1892, he became the Colonel of the
9Th Infantry; with this regiment he vent to
Florida in 1856, where he was always fore
most in danger.
s. Ont the 25th December, 1886, Col. Tay-
@lor' at the head of a detachment of about
800 men, composed Of parts of the lst 4th
and 9th regiments of U. S. Infantry and
some Missouri volunteers, met about 700
Indians, under Alligator, Sam Jones and
-Coa-eoo-che, on the banks Of O-ke-cho-
bee; This battle was sought by the Indi-
ans; for the day before the engagement, Col.
Taylor received a challenge from Alliga-
tor, telling him where to find him, and ban
. tering him to come on. Col. Taylor desir-
ed nothing better, and Immediately pushed
on, at a rapid pace to the expected battle
ground, fearful that the willy Indian might
change his purpose. The Indians had a
strong position in a thick swamp, covered
in front by asmall stream, whose quick
sands rendered it almost impossible, but
Col. Taylor pushed through the quicksands
9 and swamps in the face ola deadly fire from
~aconccaled foe, driving the Indians before
him. The action was long and severe. The
: Indians yielding the ground inch by inch.
and then only at the point Of the bayonet.-
= Aterthree hours Of bloody contest, the In
dams were routed and pursued with great
slaughter, until night. This was the last
stand the Indians cvermade, in a large bo-
dy, aud tic only instance in which they vol
unfairly gave battle. Though Col. I. won
the day, it was at the expense OF 1879 killed
, and wounded-more than one fourth of his
whole force. Two c~oloneis (Col. Thomp-
son Of the 9TH Infantry, and Col. Gentry Of
the Missouri Volunteers fell at the head Of
q. the troops. Capt Van Sweariuston and
LieuteNants Brooke and Carter, also fell in.
the engagement.
During the whole ofthe engagement, Col.
T., remained on horseback, passing from
, point to point, cheering his men to the con-
fiict; and exposed to the Indian rifle at cv-.
cry moment. The spirit with which tnr
commander and all iis force entered into
the conflict, was exhibited in sol.le verses
written on the occasion by a soldier.
: There's battle in your han mock black,
There's lightning .!!your cloud,
H.rk. Harkl to The music, comrades dear,
For the Iliian yell is luril;
For the lndiau yell is loud, my Logs,
AMI the rifle, 5 flash is free;
But the field Of battle is our home,
And happy men are We;
And happy men are we" &c.
For this battle, MIR. Poinsett, Secretary Of War,
rendered meritcd praise TO all engaged, in his
j.. communication 10 Congress. The brevet of
Brigadier. General was conferred on Col. +. and
he was given the chief command in Florida,
which he resigned III 1910, after four or five
years arduous and interchangeable service in the
swainps and hammOck of Florida.
After his retirement from Florida, he was as
signed The command ofthe lst Department ofthe
Army, including the States of Louisiana, Missis-
sippi, Alabama, &C., with his head quarters at
Fort Jessup, Louisiana.
His position gave him the command of the
"Army of Occupation" but the usage of the SER
vice would have justified the Government in as
signing TO that command either of the six gener-
al officers of the Regular Army, whose rank is
higher than his.
But it may be fairly presumed that the high
character, gallant services and great experience.
Jef Gen. T., aside from his geographical position,
pointed him out, as the appropriate commander Of
an army, which, was to plant our flag upon the
banks Of the Rio del None.
-GSn:T., isabout 56 years of age: is a man of
much general information, an excellent and tried
soldier: a prudent commander, whose traits of.
character are: a wise precaution in providing for
The hour Offtrial, and a fearless, reckless courage
in battle.
He is q Kentuckian by birth, and all that that
word implies. He is an American in heart, and
stamped with all the elements Of a hero, by ma
tRre.
Under his command the flag Of the Union will
receive no dishonor on the hanks Of the Rio
Grande.-LSt. Louis American.