Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-03-30
THE JOU RN AL.

PoRrRAIT OF OLD RovGH AND READY BY CLERGY
MAN.-The following graphic sketch of Gen Taylor,
written by the Rev. Dr. Wightman, of the Southern
Christian Advocate is the best description OF the old
man" that we have seen, indeed all the written ac
counts of him have been as vague and unlike the
caricatures of him which in all the shop win
dowS. Nearly ali who have written anything about
him have been content say that he looks like plain
American farmer; as though all American farmers
looked exactly alike:
AT Baton Rogue, where we took q few minutes
to take in passengers there stands in company with
two or three other gentlemen elderly, plain look
ing man, who, after a brief leaVe-taking, on
board We shove off, the breakfast bell rings, and
we find way to the table. observed that the
trance of new fellow-voyager occasioned a sub
dued remark, and brought upon him the curious CLAN
es OF several spectators and whispering to the clerk,
who was about to take the head of the table, asked
who he was. General Taylor was the reply
Indeed" Lucky chance thought l, that threw me
on board this craft There was the verltable Rough
aud Ready sitting opposite me, slipping his coffee;
the most remarkable man in many respects, on the
Western hemisphere.
had missed the gorgeous spectacle of his New
Orleans receptiOn-the most magnificent affair which
Ss~i NtSt-
ly better, had him now where could see and study
the maH-a man, whose name belongs to history, and
whose achievements place him side by side with the
great captains ofthe world
The first thing that struck me was his simplicity
unfaiing attribute of true greatness. He ate and
talked carried himself with the unstudied ease of
little child. You would have supposed him some
plain country gentleman, who dreamed no. of attrac-
l..
line, though /, but how different looking and better
looking than the million of Autograph ikenesse.
which stare you in the face at the shop windows and
every where else. There is in the living original
ofhat extreme breadth between the chin and the
back of the head very little of the protruson of the
lower lip, to be found in the Autographs In a word
they are bundle OF caricatures, and all. He is
precisely the height oyou present correspondents has
considerable sprinkle OF grey hairs, is sixty two
years Of age, erect and firm when on his feet will
of the kindes expressions of face you ever saw
He had on a common blue frock coat with fat but
tones the covering of which was worn off, showing
that by onged order of things which had pass
ed away some three years ago. Still his dres
a whole sufficiently becoming though exhibit
ing no trace whaeyer of the military. As we ros
from the breakfast table was introduced to the oil
hero. told him was from South Carolina, and re
joiced in the good fortune which had allowed me 4
see him and tell him how much the people of my ma
tive State honored and loved him. His eyes filled
with tears he shook nv hand warmly and saw
that the simple of love could affect pro
foundy man who faced the storm of battle with
nerve that never moved.
His conversation exhibited fine, clear, common
sense, without the slightest tnge ofany sort of aec
ton personal vanity. In the course of the day h
gave the details ofthe great battle ofBuena Vista
the key all the successes of the American arms il
Mexico Had that field been lost, the fate of the wa
would have been entirely different, even though in
domitable courage might in the long run cut its way
through TO the Mexican capitol. The victory, wor
against odds gave PRESTIGE to American val
or that made the subsequent battles comparatiyel,
easy affairs.
But must put a curb upon my gaoping pen, O
you vii never see the end Of this episte The Gen
eral remained with until after breakfast the mex
morning, and was landed his own residence on tn
river, some distance above Natchez. Ismiled to SCI
the republican simplicity with which couple of ne
groes, field hands, who happened to be the landing
walked up as he got shore and shook hands will
him without doffing hat cap. and the expression
delight with which they looked into his face as h
spoke kindly and Familiarity to them. Our engine bel
rang as soon as he touched the shore, and we wer
oH