Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-04-26

I
Some Points Connected with she
History of this DistInEufshed
soldier and scholar.
Richard Taylor was born iii New
Orleans January 27, 1926. His early
education was desultory. He picked
up French In Louisiana almost as a
mpther-tOngue. Among lis kindred
in Kentucky he took In the Vir-
gilaia ideas prevalent there. At
Fort Smelling, in Minnesota, mis-
sionary caught him when six or
seven years old, the only white boy
in a school of Indians and half
breeds. He seems to have been
touched with the spirit of these
lawless sons of the forest, and on
one occasion when, impatient Of
the restraints Of the school-rOom
and envious of the freedom Of the
bumble-bee and the buffalo, they
broke bounds and fled to the woods,
he accompanied them and was not
captured for two days. AS his father
moved from post to post along the
frontier, from Baton Rouge 10 JEFF
ferson Barracks, ond thence to Fort
Smelling, he followed the drum,
like Hannibal, imbibing q knowl-
edge Of war in the nature Of the
camps. Probably in the hope of
giving more methOdical education
to his son, Gen. Taylor sent him,
when about thirteen years of age, to
Edinburg, Scotland, where ne was
thoroughly drilled for tiree years
in Latin and other studies. lie then
spent about a year in France. Re-
turning to America, he received
private tuition for two years from
Mr.. Brooks, of Lancaster, Mass,
and entered the Junior class at Har-
ward in 1843. Though perhaps
technically less of O scholar than
many of his classmates, he was the
most mature among them from
travel and wider experience OF life,
He has all his life been a vOracious
of books, a constant though
desultory reader.
He was graduated i'm 1S45. He
went directly from college TO his
camp on the Mexican
and was attached 20 his
person as a sort of military secretary
or aide-de-camp. He was present
db the UdNtleS vi raw ~AAANg ANooAAN
de Ia Palma and Monterey. Gen.
raylor's troops were then with
drawn from him, and as IL appeared
that military operations on that
line were at an end, young Taylor,
who was suffering from rheumatism,
to Louisiana, and thus
missed Buena Vista, where his
father crowned his reputation with
a glorious victory. His health had
been much impaired i'm Mexico, and
was not restored for a year or more.
To benefit It he made a visit to Can
ada during his fathers brief Presi-
iency, and was there received as
John Van Buren had been in Eng
and ten years before, as a sort OF
American prince, charming the best
Canadian and Governmental circles
With his Gallo wit and his graceful
iocial gifts.
He resided on a cotton plantation
belonging to his father I'm Jefferson
county, Miss, until 1919, when he
emoved to a sugar estate In the
Iarish Of st. Charles, about twenty
niles above New Orleans, where he
vas living when the war broke out.
m February, 1851, he married Miss
Myrth Bringier, a lady of French
extraction of an old and powerful
creole family, who died in 1875,
eaving him three daughters, who
low reside in Winchester, Va, and
laving lost four sons.
Gen. Zachary Taylor left n very
arge estate, and Richard TaylOr's
'Osition as a rich sugar planter Sc
uIed him all the affluence, luxury
nd social enjoyment of life on "the
oast." The business of sugar
Wanting required a rare combine
ion for the best success. AS lead
ng citizen he took part in politics,
nd was in the State Senate from
$50 to 1860. He was a delegate to
he Charleston Convention i'm 1860,
nd afterwards to that at Baltimore,
nd was a member of the Secession
of Louisiana i'm l860-61.
AS member of the Military
Taylor aided Gov. Moore
n organizing the troops of Louisiana
Or the contest. He was appointed
'olonel of the Ninth Regiment OF
yolunteers in June, 1861, and sent
yith them to Virginia. The day
e got to Richmond he waited ON
he Secretary of War and informed
i'm that he had a regiment thor
ughly armed, equipped and ready
Or the field. "When will you be
eady to start?" asked the Secretary.
In five minutes" replied Taylor.
he Secretary promised to have
ready for him that
light, but the men waited all night
n their arms, and 1t was daylight
efore they got off. Instead Of run
ing through in eight hours, they
cached Manassas Junction at dusk
n that eventful day on which the
attic had been fought. His regi-
lent remained with that army,
nd in the autumn Taylor was pro-
lOted to be brigadier. In the
lring of 1862 he had led his brigade
l the Valley campaign under
Jackson, and won dis
notion at Front Royal, Middle
)wn, Winchester, Strasburg, Cross
.eys and Port Republic. Gen.
ackson gave his brigade a battery
artillery which they had captured
! a reward for their gallantry, and
Taylor for promotion.
q the North American Review his
"reminiscences" OF these trnnsac-
Ons months ago prepared the way
II the more permanent work which
Q has barely lived to complete.