Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-05-14
VOL. 5S--WHOLE NO. 1891

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ERATE LIEUTENANT oENERAL-THE
STORY OF HIS cAREER-How HE
ACHIEVED MILITARY REP.
UrATIoN AND SOCIAL
DISTINCTION.
General Richard Taylor, died at Now
York on the llth Of April. The sad
news carried grief to thousands in this
country and abroad, for General Tay
lor was personally widely known in
European as well as American capitals
not only as an accomplished soldier
who bore high rank in tho Southern
army during the late rebellion, but as
gentleman Of unusual scholarey attain
ments, rare social qualities and cosmo
politan tastes. He went to New York
some time ago TO supervise the issue oil
his book of war memories, "Destruc
tion and Reconstruction" through the
press of d. Appleton n Co. For sew.
eral years his health has been failing
but only within the last month We're
developed symptoms OF a dropsical at.
fection which brought his life to q sud.
den close before many Of his friends
were aware that he was ILL., Mr.. and
Mrs. Barlow were old friends of bis
family. They, with his physician, DR..
Austin Flint, jr., and his sister, Mrs.
cambridge, of Virginia, were with him
in his last hours.
General Richard Taylor, the only
son OF Zachary Taylor, tenth President
Of the United States and brother.in-
law of Jefferson Davis, President of the
Southern Confederacy, was born near
Louisville, KY, on the 9th of January,
1926. His early boyhood was spent
in following his father from post to
post on the frontier, and he scarcely
knew how he received the rudiments
OF education. He picked up French
among the Creoles, derived military
ambition from observation OF his father
and bis troops, learned lessons of free.
dom and fortitude from the Indians
against whom his father fought, and
among his kindred in Virginia was in.
doctrnated in the chivalry and States
rights dogmas Of the old school South
eEners. But General Taylor designed
his son for high walk of life, and in
due time he entered him for complete
collegiate training. When thirteen
years old the boy was sent to Edin-
burgh Scotland, were he was throughly
drilled for three years in Latin and
other studies. He then spent about q
year in France. Returning to Ameri-
ca, ho received private tuition for two
years from Mr.. Brooks, Of Lancaster,
Mass, and entered the Junior class at
Harvard in 1884, and was graduated
two years later. From college he
went to camp again. The Mexican
war was going on and he became an
aide.de.camp to his father In this ca
pacity he was present at the battle OF
Palo Alta, Resaca do Ia Palma and
Monterey, but being obliged by sick
ness 10 return home, he missed his
fathers great victory OF Buena Vista
Upon the death of his father on July
s, 1850, after having only lived year
in the Presidency, Richard Taylor
took as portion of his patrimony a
sugar estate in Louisiana, which he
worked with success until the breaking
out of the rebellion. General Taylor
was one of the few men in the South
whose views were in marked opposi-
ton to those of his friends, Senator
Slidell and Jefferson Davis, both of
whom believed in the necessity and
propriety ofimmediate separation from
the Union. He urged very warmly q
settlement of the political questions
through peaceful means.
When the overwhelming tide of
secession came, carrying with it all
ranks and class at the South, with rare
exceptions, General Taylor quietly sub
mitted himself to the action OF his
State and retired to bis plantation with
bis family, meaning to take no part in
the contest. But almost Immediately
afterward he was appointed by the
Governor to the colonelcy of the Ninth
Louisiana infancy, regiment just
formed at camp on the railway some
miles north of New Orleans, and under
orders for Richmond. lie ielt it to be
his duty to accept the appointment to
serve his State, and his regiment
reached Richmond on the eve Of the
day on which the first battle of Bull
Run was fought. From that time he
served the Confedracy with an ardor
and earnestness which were character
istic of his race.
In the organization Of the Southern
army General Taylor's regiment was
brigaded with the Sixth, Seventh and
Eighth Louisiana infantry, and placed
under General ii. Il. Walker, of Geor-
gia. About this time his health gave
way with constant nursing the sick in
his command, and o persistent low
fever sapped his strength and impaired
the use OF his limbs, and he was order
cd TO the Fauquicr springs, sulphur
water, some twenty miles TO the south,
On the eve of returning to the army
he learned OF his promotion TO briga-
dier, TO relieve General Walker trans
ferred to brigade OF Georgians. The
famous "Tigers," a battalion recruited
on the levees and in the alleys of New
Orleans, where in General Taylor's
brigade, commanded by Major Wheat.
SO bad was the reputation of this bat.
talon that every commander desired
to be rid Of il. General Johnston
promised TO sustain Gen. Taylor in any
measures to- enforce discipline, and it
was not long before the fulflment Of the
promise was exacted. For disorderly
conduct several ofthc "Tigers were tri-
cd BY Court Martial and ordered to be
shst. The order was carried out, and
was the first military execution in the
army Of the Northern Virginia.
General Taylor's first remarkable
service in the war was in Stonewal'
Jackson's famous campaign in the val
Icy of Virginia. AZ Port Republic
the Louisiana brigade carried the day
and responded with cheers to Jackson's
command, "tho battery must be taxi
On |" General Taylor was not a great
admirer of Jackson, whom he has des-
cribcd as a man given over to lemon
sucking and prayers. On this occa'
sion, riding on the flank of his column,
between it and the hostile line, he saw
jackson beside him. Taylor did not
consider that this was the place for the
commander OF the army, and ventured
to tell him so but he paid no atten.
tention 70 tho remark. ave reached a
shallow depression whore the enemy
conld denress hia rnns aaYa General