Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-07-03

HORSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, June J, le4o.
Your favor of The 9th ut, is received. ie-
great that cannot give you The exact in,oinia-
lion which you request, as 10 Inc preciSe 'e.ao w.,
chin between General Zachary Taylor ard my
farbcr. in-law. Gen. James Taylor or MI. Maul-
son never paid much attention 10 such mat
ers. and did not have The pleasure oil seeing me
family Tree made out BY you, andit was coiIih.n-
ced when The Generals house was burned: vi
Gen. Zachary Taylor, otherwise, however, take
pleasure in giving you such Information as !
possess, which hope may be interesting 70 you
and your friends.
General 4. Taylor is now 3o years Oh ase.
He is the son of Captain Dick Taylor, one OF mat
bard of en,erprisng pioneers Of The Wesl, VINO
sellled the clark and bloody ground" TO use ine
Indian meaning of the word Kentucky. vi
Captain Dick Taylor, Governor Scott (wno was
sometimes little proiane) is reported 70 nave
said, that if he had 10 storm the gates OF NELL ne
would want Dick Taylor 10 lead The column.
Zachary Taylor is Kentuckian by olf'h-nis
father was from Virginia. 4. Taylor entered an, me
service as Lieutenant OF Infantry III iouo,
shortly after the attack Of the Chesapeake, and
has remained III the army ever since. tie was
sent into Indiana, and early engaged in Indian
hoslililies. On the 9Th December, 1879, he nase
gallant defence Of Fort Harrison, Tor which ne
ras brercicd Major by President Madison,
which breret is the oldest in The army. In 1857
he led the first infantry in the Black HaWR war
he became The Colonel Of the sixth infantry, ]
think, in 1882 In 1886 he was ordered 10 tlori-
da in that country be was always foremost IN
danger With detachment OF abont 500 men,
composed of parts of the first, fourth, anu SKIN
regiments Of United States Infantry, and some
Missouri Volunteers he met about IGO Indians,
under those famous warriors, Sam Jones, Goa
In m lyo- rttn hsa
is said that he was cialcneedto this hattie b. Al
lisalor-an invitation which Colonel Taylor very
readily accepted. This is said 10 have been The
only instance in which the Indians voluntarily
gave battle in the Florida war. The Indians
were concealed in strong position in thick
swamp, covered in front by a small stream, which
was rendered almost impossible by quck-sands.
Colonel Taylor, however, charged his concealed
enemy, in the lace Of deadly fire, and forced
The Indians to yield their ground inch by inch al
The point of the bayonet. The battle was hardly
contesed-it lasted about three hours, when the
Indians were routed and pursued until night, with
great slaughter. This was bloody battle, and
reflected great credit upon the valiant band en-
gagged in il, both regulars and Missouri volunteers
OF whom l39 were killed or wounded, being more
than one-iourlh Of the whole force Colonel
Taylor remained on horseback during the whole
engagement cheering his men and exposing his
person 10 The deadly rifle Of the Indians. The
victory was complete, Tor Ibis was the last stand
which The lnlians made in Florida in any large
body. This short sketch would satisfy you that
General Taylrr will lose nothing o. his laurels
in Mexico, if his deeds had not already proved
that. II am not greatly mistaken, he will be
found 10 be one OF the greatest Generals Of the
age-he is bold, dashing soldier, who is not dis
posed 10 procraslinaie, but TO make hasly settle
men's BY an appeal 10 the bayonet, YET always
calm, srm and cool in the hour Of conflict. &C.
neral Taylor (ny father-in-law) who has now
returned IRON The South to Newport, will BIZ able
10 give you the other Information, which regre,
il is not in my power 10 give.
LAM very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
JOHN w. TlBBATTS.