Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1850-07-26
T H E G ZETT E.

Of General TAYLOR, given in the public
journals, we select the following as COM
pretending in a brief space the leading
events in his life:
ZACHARY TAYLOR, the son of father
honorably distinguished in the Revolution
ary War, was born in Orange county, Vir-
ginia, Nov. "a, 1884. Till the age of 81
he worked on the farm of his father, but
early developed taste for military life.
He was appointed lst Lieutenant in the
Seventh Infantry on May 3, 1903. In
1910 he married Miss Margaret Smith of
Maryland. In 1912 he served as Captain
under Gen. Harrison, in the Indian war of
the Northwest, where in September he
gained great credit for bravery and cool
ness in defending Fort Harrison against the
savages, and received the rank of Breyet-
Major in consequence. In the course of
the war he further distinguished himself.
When it ended, being reduced to the rank
| of Captain on account of the general re-
duction of the army, he resigned and went
back to his farm. He was reinstated as
| Major in 1916, and commanded for two
years at Green Bay on Lake Michigan.
Afterwards he served mostly in the South,
being scarcely ever absent from active duty.
On April l9, 1919, he received the COM
mission of Lieutenant Colonel. After
1926, he was again sent to the Northwest,
where he remained five years. In 1892
he was made Colonel, and served in the
Black Hawk war. Afterward he was
stationed at Prairie du Chen till 1896,
when he was ordered to Florida, where on
December %, 1897, he fought the battle
of Okechobee, one of the most memorable
in the annals of our Indian hostilities,
which virtually put an end to the war for
this he received the breyet rank of Briga-
dier General. He remained in Florida till
1910, when he took command of the first
department of the Army in the Southwest,
his headquarters being at Fort Gibson, in
Arkansas. In Is45 he was ordered to the
Texan frontier, in anticipation Of the Mex
lean War, and at the beginning of August
had taken up his position at Corpus Christi.
On March 8, 1916, in compliance with the
orders of President Polk, he began to
march on the Rio Grande.
The events which followed this step are
too we'll known TO require re-capitulation
here. The battle of Palo Alto was fought
May 8, 1916, that of Resaca de la Palma
the next day. Matamoras was taken May
IS; on the 3Oth he was made Major Cen
eral by brevet, and on June 80 was promo
ted to full rank. The attack on Monterey
began September 2l, and was closed by
the capitulation on the 24th. His great
and final battle of Buena Vista was fought
on February %, lS47. In all these affairs
he manifested great soundness of Judge
ment, readiness of mind fertility of re-
sources, mastery of the art of war, power
Of inspiring his subordinates not only with
affection for his person, but with conf
dence in his skill and fortunes, as well as
constant humanity toward the vanquished,
and frank dignity which won the regard
of the hostile people among whom he had
to command an invading army, somewhat
ncongruous in clements and difficult to be
controlled.
In November, 1S47, Gen. TAYLOR re-
turned to the United States. He was re-
ceived with the congratulations and reioi-
cings of the people wherever he appeared.
The year before he was nominated for the
Presidency. In June, 1913, he received
the nomination of the Wing Convention
at Philadelphia, and in November was
elected, receiving l63 electoral votes TO 1877
for Gen. Cass. lie was inaugurated on
March 5, IS49, and al his death had dis
charged the duties of President one year,
four months and four days. Had he lived
to the 24th of November he would have
been sixty-six years old.
In person, Gen. Taylor was about five
feet eight inches high, with slight ten
dency to corpulency. His complexion was
dark, his forehead high, his features plain,
but full of courage, intelligence, benevO-
lence and good humor. His dress was
always simple, and his manners made al
who approached him perfectly at home.
Mrs. Taylor, the wife of his youth, still
lives though, from taste, she has not ap-
peared in general society since her hus-
bands elevation to the Presidency. They
have had four children, one son and three
daughters one of the latter married DIR.
Wood of the Army, who has been in atten-
dance on the President during his last i'll
ness another (now deceased) married
Senator Davis, of Mississippi and the
third is Mrs. Bliss, who has done the
honors of the Presidential Mansion. His
son is still young man.
In this hour of universal sorrow. at this
great loss of the whole country and the
entire people, let our prayer be that the
public and private virtues of the man
whom all mourn may still lend their infu-
ence to orr national councils and character,
and that mis- noble and manly qualities may
never want exemplars in the Republic -
NelO York Tribune.