The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-10-28
TIL L CALICO OMAN.
Testimony of a Clergyman.


lately communicated the following letter 10
gentleman of Salem, Ms. Mr. Savage is
ahighly esteemed Congregational or Presby-
terian minister:
BEDFoRD, N. II. Sept. 18th, 1913.
DEAR SlE,-Since my return from visit
at the south, many inquiries have been made
fine concerning Gen. Taylor, with whom
had repeated interviews, last winter, both IN
Mississippi and Louisiana. Such is the solc-
ludo in the public mind on this subject, and
so few in this section Of the country have any
personal knowledge of this distinguished
man, that have thought it my duty to com
mt TO writing my rccollectionS of him such
rs were incidentally gathered from a few So
cial calls at his leisure moments.
Having known something of each other
twenty-five years ago at Baton Rouge where
| was then engaged in the Christian
ministry, there was probably less Of ceremo-
ny about our intercourse, thnn if we had been
entire strangers. Gen. Taylor is man of
plain common sense, cOnversug freely on all
practical subjects. and with nildncss and
modesly you would hardly expect from one
who has passed his life amid the scGucS Ola
camp aud the hardships Of the tented field.
n predominant trait in his character which
any one, on slight acquaintance, cannot fail
10 notice is an imperlurahlc calmucss and
free from any thing like nervous eXcitabili,y:
aud this quality, should think, may have con
trIbnIed as much as any thing else to the sur
prIsing stlccess that attended his movements
IN The iale war. Speaking Of Bueua Vista.
he@niInry remarked to me, without the
least idea that the conversation would ever be
repeated, that it was on his lips once or twice
4Flhg the heat Of lhe engagement to men
Ton to his officers the parallel that occurred
10 INN, as to Disparity of forces, between
ihcr situation and that of Henry V. at 4 min
court. lie also said that Mt one time during
that memorable day, some Of his princiDIl
UHcGrS rode up 10 him, expressing it rs ,leir
decided opinion that The case was despcri,ic
~'9"U'u anna had fiau!;Cd thCnI-nnd ;hcy
saw no nope. "GentlCmcn," WINS his rrnIT
u cannot lhink with you exactly. The enc
my may now have placed himrscllin the very
position 20 he beulen7---ihus. do ,orbt rn-o,
suring Them, by The admirable cooIngss ,not
distinguished IlnI through the who,c notion
Gen. Taylor is humane. His victories
were obtained, so far as it depended on him
M)I the least possible loss OF human life.
''iG told me that al the siege of Alon;crcy HE 4
extraordinary slaughter was owing in part 20
Il misunderstanding of his Orders. His I'm
mainly has endCarcd him exceedingly to the
soldiers and ana confident il was not for
effect, hut the honest etlusion OF his lec!ings. .
uihrave meu
Il feel no eXultation in our succcss." The
following incident that occurred some years
ago. was related To me by gentleman, rs .
Ne were crossing Lake Ponichurjrain last A. ,
pHL AS we sat, in ihc evening, near the
pow OF the steamboat, Cuuversug Oh indificr- /
'nt subjects, 1t h1ppenqd that Gen. TayIor's 7
mne was mentioned. lie snd he saw the
+Ol. one day towards the close, at the head
ha,r ..l
on loot all day.--Being mouGteh himself OH
a good horse, aud knowing the regiment had
some miles farther to 20 before hating for the
night. he offered Col y. his horse. The
Col. thanked him kindly, hut declined-say-
ing his soldiers would perform il OH foot, and
he preferred to do the same.
In private life, the Cen. is correct and ex-
cmplary lie abstainS from the use of artfi-
cial stilnuanIs. lie is circunspcct in the
use OF languagc-nolhing like profanity, he
aSsured,ever proceeding from his lips. There
IS nothing OF that inpetuosty about him that
would hctray him into an oath under any cir /
to say nothing of the restrain,
from higher considerations
IN company, believe the General is uni
iorny atfiIbe and communicative. / no,ic-
ed slight hesitation in his uttcrance,which.
at first, gives the appearance of emborross,
ment; tut as the conversation proceeds. it ,
passes away. | saw him generally in citizcll's
dress, and as listened 10 his remarks on ag-
tlculture OF The passing topics of the day, | !
forgot the hero of Buena Vista in the plain
ness and simplicity ola private gentleman.
You cannot be in his company half an hour
without deep impression that though n
great wnrrlor,he is n lover ofthe arts ofpeacc.
lie converses like man who has lhoupht
much aud read much in the coursc oCLis liG,
ana whose leisure has been devoted to ,nnn''
tai cultivation. Indeed, | should think lie
literary at'alnments very respectable.
The likenesses of him that first onnona,
represented him with too much of the rourS
anu Warllke expression. Some have Iotci,
seen are very correct, but the penetrating he.
nevolent black eye is wanting, to give the re-
atty of life
The Generals plantation is about thirty
miles above Natchcz, on the Mississippi riv-
,er-producing in good year three or four
hundred bales of cotton. His son Richard.
an h'n'nnus of Yale College, resides on the |
GGstate-hls own residence being ut Baton
nonge. Though n Shareholder, think the
nen'Is not to be identified with the sIavehoid-
nS system. Having passed his life amid
'o'ier scenes and pursuits, he is prepared to
ssyhpathize with the North as well ms the
2cCu'h, IN all subjects pertaining to the good
VI our common country. But it was not NV
nin'en'lon TO give anything like a political
gearing TO my communication; and indeed
should not feel authorized to do il. for orr
conversation was altogether on other sub
Iects. know not how can better close than
Ewing remark that casually fell from
MS ups IN speaking of Buena Vista. One of
n,oS IauSes' ne said, that he thought contrib
"'e" 10 The wonderful result of The action.
' %as me rash and reckless confidence in
themselves with which the Mexicnus camo