Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1847-02-20
For he Herald.
General Taylor.

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vivid portrait on The canvass Of the magic Ian
comparative obscuriiy Of bis early
years makes The coIors more distinct eand
glowing II is strange how military fame
will intoxicaie mems imsginaions. The In
dian princess supposed that Aexander's cor.
porosi.y must be Of dimensions equal to his
glory, and SO some of orr portrait makers,
who paint by fancy. have mounted Taylor on
an ethereal charger. long and lofty, rival of
Marai But what Badger does not know the
hero Of the three yiciories2 From 1882 TO
1886, the first regiment of Infantry was sta
TONED at Prairie do CHEN, during most of
which time Colonel Taylor commanded there
in person. Taylor is an unclssscal, farmer
like old gentleman, and would spurn the sickly
incense tina, 1siiery has offered him as ne
wonld boItIe Of rose water and ruflied
shir, lie is not above the medium height
some time. straight as 6 Founder, short neck,
dark complexion, face broad and full as one Of
those busis made by The Mormons for their
temple, forehead not imposing narrowing to
his temples and rather declining-eyes, small
and dark, which CLEAN with the passions that
fash below whenever be is animated. be-
lieve il is the Philadelphia Sua that has en-.
rolled the General with the liiera of ha
country; be lie Latin and Greek scholar
hence The purity Of his Communications
Now Taylor has no affeciaion. no peeantry,
and certainly does not make any preteniions
whatever to scholarship. No doubt the Gener
aps follow officers rally him upon his late dal
lance with tho MUSES.. It follows as a matter
Of course that The man who could disjoint the
rsmpars Of Monterey with his cannon, can
conjugste 1upto.' and cut the Gordian knots
Of Newion's Piincipia with the sword Such
is the conclusion Of the editors. The writer
has been at General Taylor's honse, and
shared bis frugal fare, and does not esteem il
any violation OF the duties II hospitality. to
tell the public what Taylor himself would
frankly do--lhal he never had the oppOrtuni-
ties or the ambition to be a scholar. If he
were as unletiered as Pizsrro, il would not af.
fec, the style Of his letters, for there are per-
sons 10 the army whose sole business is to
write.
Ia early life, Taylor was an Indian fighter
TIC had commission in the late war. After
the war was over he retired to his farm in
Kentucky, and Mrs. Street, the wife of ,he
we'll known Indian Agent, General Street,
frvqusutiy related her fret sight of General
Taylor---hs was barefooied in his corn field,
following IN the tracks of old Cincinnatus.-
The want Of book learning will never make
such man ridiculous unless he affects 10 be
learned BY representing Taylor as a candid
ate for academic honors, his over arden,
friends will expose him to the rsilery ofeveTy
wag who may choose TO assault him. Tay-
lor had very few books abou, his house, and
probably never read ten books through in his
life He however, look and read newspapers,
and no doubt paid for Them. His miud is of
practical siamp--h his ideas and his reasoning
have been confined to objects which have come
under his own observation, and connected
with tillsge or The military profession. He
knows a great deal about men and horses,
', hat they can do, how to subsist them, how
TO construct a road or climb a mountain; bat
about the augmentation Of The bar or the
startling appeals OF The pulpit, be knows and
cares nothing. Rev David Lowry, teacher
of The Winnebsgoes. once told me an aneo-
do,e which he regarded as key to General
Taylors mind Lowry is an elOqueu, aud ar
dent preacher Taylor never attended his ser
mons, and as they were both ken,uokians, the
preacher took the liberty Of expostulaIing with
his friend 90 the duty Of attending church
Taylor replied tina, he never had fell, any curl
osiiy 10 hear sermon-lhat he could have
heard some Of The most eloquent men in Ken
lucky. but never had heard but two q think
that was he number) two sermons 10 his
life! What, no curiosity 10 hear those bursts
Of eioquence which like elaPs Of thunder 10
a Tranquil sky. have aroused men from their
s,opar and disclosed endless being, endless
blssl why, even Gallo would 60 to church to
revel on those fairy visions, even should they
prove yapor al last, Blu, on further enquiry,
Lowry found that Taylor aever had the curl
osi,y 10 vis, The legal forum The eloquence
Of Clay had 40 more impression on him Than
The Syren's song on Ulysses. This anecdole
shows the very peculiar stamp Of TaylOr's
mind. Never perhaps was there man more
entirely confined TO bis or sphere. He has
too much good sense 10 follow those editors
who at this late stage Of his life would lead
him ..iar as the solar walks and milky way"